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3: What is a Family

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  • Page ID
    125391

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    Learning Objectives

    In this chapter you will:

    • Explore the complexity of families
    • Explore various theories that impact the way in which we view children
    • Explore different styles of parenting within a cultural context
    • Investigate various ideas about child rearing
    • Identify the four types of child abuse and the legal and ethical responsibilities of early childhood professionals
    • Explore how trauma impacts young children (Adverse Childhood Experiences)

    Family Development

    It is often said that humans are social creatures. We make friends, live in communities, and connect to acquaintances through shared interests. In recent times, social media has become a new way for people to connect with childhood peers, friends of friends, and even strangers. Perhaps nothing is more central to the social world than the concept of family. Our families represent our earliest relationships and—often—our most enduring ones. In this chapter, you will investigate the following topics as they inform our professional work with families and culture in early childhood settings:

    • the definition of family
    • the diversity of families
    • how parents develop
    • theories that inform influence our concepts of parenting
    • the various styles of parenting
    • child abuse and neglect
    • trauma informed care
    • our legal and ethical responsibilities to children and families

    This page titled 3: What is a Family is shared under a CC BY license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Rebecca Laff and Wendy Ruiz via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform; a detailed edit history is available upon request.