Free Parenting Influence Essay Sample

Parents are very important in child’s life. They influence child’s behaviors including how the child act, walk and talk. According to Damon in the book Handbook of Child Psychology the first seven years of childhood are very crucial since they define their future (Damon, 1998). The sayings “Children learn what they live” and “like father, like son”, are quite accurate. Even at their childhood most children will adapt the way they were taught at childhood. Parents can provide a good role model to their children not only through direct interactions, but also through what they do including their behavior and attitude within the family and in the outside world. By being concerned with their children through giving them advice and maintaining a constructive perspective, parents presents themselves as role models for their children.

Parents should realize that it is impossible to become a perfect parent in all aspects since, as human beings, everyone is prone to mistakes. However, it is important for parents to be in a position to manage their children’s mistakes, tantrums and mischievousness carefully and wisely. This would help in making their children complete citizens.

Recently I witnessed my neighbor, who claims to be a good parent, hitting his six year old daughter. On enquiry I realized that a friend of the child’s mother had complained that she hit his friend with a stone and used nasty words at him. The child’s father was calling the child bad names as he hit her. This child is more likely to ape his parents since parents are considered to be the first teachers and therefore, influences and molds the child’s character. Parent’s role in children live cannot be replaced by anyone. What children learn from their parents has a long lasting impression on their minds and thus, good parenting is important.

According to Steinberg, a lot of people both learned and unlearned believes that parents play a major role in how their children will turn out to be. Scientists have proven that parents give their kids genes at conception (Steinberg, 2004). Some researchers have shown that children are more likely to mimic the self-destructive behaviors of their parents. This research also acknowledges that if a child is given a good parenting, he/she will adopt the good behaviors from the parents. For instance, children born from parents with good self esteem are raised with more secure self esteem. Also, parents who have succeeded in life through education tend to raise children who meet or even surpass their accomplishments. Also, a research done by Wallerstein and Blakeslee shows that children coming from divorced families are more likely to divorce (Wallerstein & Blakeslee, 1995). While this is true, it is also true that children from happily married parents tend to have a happy family.

The effect of bad parenting can be so profound that the negative practices can leave a scar or traumatize the child to an extent of seeking medical interventions. Bad parenting is associated with various negative implications including; teenage pregnancy, domestic violence, and under-education. These effects of bad parenting mostly have long lasting ramifications. According to British study, children lacking parental attention at their early years have trouble when interacting with their peers. Bad parenting can take place at any income level in the society. Some people believe that children raised from more affluent families do not undergo bad parenting in comparison to poor families which may not be able to provide their children with a nurturing environment.

As children grow, they need to be informed and guided on various issues which they are likely to encounter in their life. Parents can do this by incorporating them in decision making. Parents should also display good moral and ethical behaviors. By so doing, they impact their children with values which counter the negative influences the children may have received from media and their peers.

A good parent should posses some good parental character traits. The traits are unique depending on parent’s background, education, age and experience. Some good qualities of a good mother include; setting an example for your children, being there for the child in times of need, be loving and patient, be a good listener, and be responsible.

In conclusion, parents should realize that children learn by imitation and therefore, they should be role models to them. They should give out order which they themselves practice. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that parents should communicate with their children and be active in molding their lives. They should listen to the children’s concerns. The children would fill loved and appreciated. Also, parents should practice patience and tolerance to their children in order to provide a clear standard of acceptable child behavior. 

 

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