16.6: Stages of Parenting
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Ellen Galinsky traced six distinct stages in the life of a parent in relation to their growing child. Much like how a child moves through stages. By looking at these different stages of parenting, those who work with children and youth can gain some insight into parental needs and concerns. [114]
| Age of Child | Main Tasks and Goals | |
|---|---|---|
| Stage 1: The Image-Making Stage | Planning for a child; pregnancy | Consider what it means to be a parent and plan for changes to accommodate a child. |
| Stage 2: The Nurturing Stage | Infancy | Develop an attachment to child and adapt to the new baby. |
| Stage 3: The Authority Stage | Toddler and preschool | Parents create rules and figure out how to effectively guide their child’s behavior. |
| Stage 4: The Interpretive Stage | Middle childhood | Parents help their children interpret their experiences with the social world beyond the family. |
| Stage 5: The Interdependence Stage | Adolescence | Parents renegotiate their relationship with adolescent children to allow for shared power in decision-making. |
| Stage 6: The Departure Stage | Early adulthood | Parents evaluate their successes and failures as parents. |
How does understanding these stages assist in your work with parents?