Parenting Influence on Infant Development Essay Example
Parenting Influence on Infant Development Essay Example

Parenting Influence on Infant Development Essay Example

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  • Pages: 4 (1100 words)
  • Published: November 10, 2021
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Introduction

Parenting styles significantly influence the development of children during their early childhood and infancy.

In the following paragraph, we will explore four aspects of family functioning that influence children's mental development. Engaging in familial activities promotes unity within the family and provides children with valuable learning opportunities (Bahr et al, 2010).

It is crucial to limit organized activities for children in order to instill responsibility and hard work in them. Furthermore, controlling their exposure to social media is essential due to its potential negative impact on their character development as children are highly impressionable.

Parenting Styles and Their Types

Parenting styles can be classified into different types based on the combination of approaches they employ. The ongoing debate between nature and nurture remains unresolved. Children who receive a high level of affection from their parents, particu

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larly during their early years, tend to develop stronger bonds with them compared to those who receive less attention. Another significant aspect is the clarity and consistency of rules in parenting (Bahr et al, 2010).

The principles are aimed at developing children who can follow instructions but not disobey them. The third principle involves parents setting high expectations for their children, which boosts their confidence. Lastly, open communication between children and parents contributes to emotional and economic stability.

All the above mentioned components together constitute the parenting styles.

Forms of Caregivers

We have three types of caregivers: fulltime, respite, and sectional caregivers. The former refers to the person who takes care of the child full time. This caregiver provides complete attention to the children and guides and assists them on a daily basis. The caregiver receives comprehensive training to acquire skills in understanding certain behavioral

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patterns. The latter type of caregiver also provides almost full-time attention to the child, but there may be some breaks during sessions (Bahr et al, 2010).

The respite arrangement aims to prevent confusion during times of crisis by offering essential assistance within the local community or foster home. This type of respite care focuses on young individuals and children in their own residences, promoting socialization through sports and activities with peers and family. It also helps both full-time and respite carers handle emergency and crisis situations.

Various Forms of Early Childhood Education

During a child's early years when their mind is rapidly developing, they start acquiring skills and knowledge. Qualified professionals organize educational programs to provide formal education to young children from a tender age.

Informal education, which is typically combined with formal education and follows certain key principles, involves instructors with specialized skills for specific age groups. For instance, kindergartens employ certified teachers who provide early childhood development education during both morning and evening sessions. These educational institutions mainly cater to children aged 2 to 5 years (John et al, 2012). Parents actively support this approach as it benefits their children. Additionally, home-based services are established to offer learning opportunities for small groups of geographically close children.

Parents have a significant impact on the early education and moral development of children, nurturing their ethical growth.

Parenting Styles

There are four parenting styles:

- Authoritarian parenting: This style requires children to follow their parents' rules strictly. Noncompliance leads to punishment without explanation.

Authoritative parenting is characterized by the establishment of rules and guidelines for children to adhere to. In instances where children deviate from these instructions, parents prioritize forgiveness over punishment. On the other

hand, permissive parenting, also referred to as indulgent parenting, involves parents with limited expectations and demands for their children stemming from their own lack of self-control. Consequently, they seldom administer punishments.

The permissive parents communicate with their children in a lenient and nontraditional manner, providing basic needs but maintaining a detachment to assert their authority (John et al, 2012).

Differences and Similarities Between Authoritative and Permissive Types of Parenting

According to John et al (2012), authoritative parenting leads to happy children who perform well academically, while permissive parenting often results in less happiness, poor self-regulation, authority issues, and academic struggles. However, both styles involve open communication and democratic decision-making between parents and children in case of disagreements.

The emphasis is currently on discovering improved methods to address children's errors instead of resorting to severe penalties. The utilization of forgiveness as a disciplinary measure for children is widespread.

The Influence of Infancy and Early Childhood - Favorable and Unfavorable Effects

Ensuring that a child receives adequate nutrition is vital for their optimal development during early childhood. Teaching children healthy eating habits from an early stage holds significant importance. Active participation and social interaction also serve as positive factors in a child's emotional and cognitive progress. Establishing a secure environment plays a crucial role in ensuring the well-being of a child.

According to John et al, 2012, small children need around 9-12 hours of sleep. It is vital for parents to establish healthy sleeping routines for their children. However, during infancy, there can be adverse effects if the child lacks proper nourishment or lives in an unclean environment. Insufficient feeding may lead to stunted growth while poor hygiene can impede overall development and growth.

Therefore, it is essential that children are raised in clean environments.

Exposing children to the negative aspects of social media has detrimental effects on their development, including cognitive development.

Early Child Development and Its Influence on Cognitive Development

Throughout the developmental period, children display specific behaviors that evolve from basic reflex actions like sucking and grasping to more advanced actions like kicking. As children mature, their responses become increasingly complex, such as hiding objects (John et al, 2012).

The utilization of objects, like toys, to symbolize specific ideas, such as representing a young child, can significantly influence an individual's emotional growth throughout their adult years. It is essential for youngsters to receive proper nurturing and instruction in ethical principles to enhance their future social interactions. Furthermore, the distinctive traits observed in children can be attributed to their diverse societal backgrounds (Bahr et al., 2010).

Children need a lot of attention to steer their behavior and actions.

References

  1. Bahr, S. J. & Hoffmann, J. P. (2010). Parenting Style, Religiosity, Peers, and Adolescent Heavy Drinking. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 71(4), 539-543
  2. Johnson, R., Welk, G., Saint-Maurice, P.

In a study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, F. and Ihmels (2012) investigated how different parenting styles can contribute to obesogenic environments at home.

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