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12: Parenting

  • Page ID
    308863
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    Learning Objectives

    At the end of this chapter you will be able to do the following.

    • Define parenting.
    • Explain the process of socialization.
    • Apply behaviorism to parenting.

    • 12.1: Functions of Parents
      This page highlights the lifelong role of parents in caregiving, socialization, education, and advocacy, starting from birth. It discusses trends in U.S. births, particularly the rise in births to unmarried women. The page concludes that personal experiences and education shape parenting styles, affecting how both biological and adoptive parents raise their children.
    • 12.2: Childhood Dependence
      This page examines child development from dependence to independence through various life stages, highlighting parenting's goal of raising self-sufficient adults. Newborns to age 5 show little independence, while ages 6-12 achieve functional independence but lack nurturing skills. Adolescents (13-18) develop reasoning and nurturing abilities, despite emotional volatility. Young adults (19-24) gain independence yet still rely on parental support.
    • 12.3: Finding the Balance between Control and Freedom
      This page outlines effective parenting strategies that encourage children's individuation without enmeshment, aiming to raise independent adults. It emphasizes the importance of balancing support, guidance, and control through healthy boundaries. Additionally, it addresses the generational effects of unmet childhood needs, warning against projecting parental deficiencies onto children. Breaking this cycle is crucial for developing healthy relationships across generations.
    • 12.4: Behaviourism and the Cognitive Model
      This page covers behaviorism as a learning theory, highlighting how children learn through reinforcement and punishment. It emphasizes effective parenting by recognizing individual reward and punishment preferences. While behaviorism is effective for younger children, it suggests a shift to cognitive approaches as reasoning develops. The text also touches on emotional decision-making in teenagers and promotes allowing children to face failure for growth.
    • 12.5: Types of Parenting
      This page explores various parenting styles—Rescue, Dominating, and Mentoring. Rescue parents hinder independence by overprotecting, while Dominating parents enforce strict control, fostering dependency. In contrast, Mentoring parents promote independence through shared decision-making. The concept of co-adulthood is emphasized, encouraging children to take responsibility while appreciating parental support.
    • 12.6: Self-Worth V. Shame
      This page discusses the development of self-worth in children, highlighting the shift in understanding self-esteem's role. It emphasizes the negative impact of shame, often instilled by parents, and the positive aspects of guilt. The page advocates for parental involvement in fostering healthy self-worth through resilience, patience, and realistic goals.


    12: Parenting is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.