1. Human Growth & Development Chapter 3 Section 1

2. Parenting: Caring for children and helping them develop (it’s complicated) Requires understanding a child’s need and meeting those needs Demands good judgment in 3 ways –Requires knowing when to help and when to back off so a child can do it themselves –Avoid pushing children to try activities they are not ready for. Also have to avoid holding children back because you think they may not be ready –Parent skills change as children grow What is Parenting?

3. Have reasonable expectations Find a comfortable parenting style –Authoritarian style: based on the idea that children should obey their parents without question. The parent tells a child what to do and the child’s responsibility is to do it –Democratic style: Children have more input to rules and limits. Children are given a certain amount of independence and freedom of choice within those rules –Permissive style: Parents give children a wide range of freedom. Children may set their own rules Parenting: A Learning Process

4. How do people learn to parent? –High school classes –Asking Parents/Friends –Take a class through the hospital, school, community group, or private instructor –Read books/magazine articles –Gain experience (hands on approach) –Observing others Getting Help

5. 3 Basic Tasks –Meeting Children’s Needs –Nurturing –Guide Children and Show the Appropriate Behavior The Tasks of Parenting

6. Proved them with food, clothing, & shelter Watch over their safety & health Begin teaching them language Foster intellectual growth by taking an active role in their schooling Teach them to get along with others Proved opportunities for them to love and to be loved Meeting Children’s Needs

7. Nurturing: giving a child opportunities for encouragement and enrichment (involves love, support, and concern) Parents are children’s first teachers Children learn by exploring their world, trying new things, and imitating others Nurturing parents give children the freedom they need in order to learn Adults should help children remove barriers when exploring the world around them Some parents don’t encourage their children – they lag behind others in their development Nurturing

8. Parents can show love in many ways –Hugs, kisses, smiles –Listening, spending time, giving attention Some parents have difficulty showing affection for their children Without loving parent’s recognition of their accomplishments, children may feel insecure and worthless Some parents become overprotective & over-attentive –Too much attention, toys, treats Children learn from trial & error –They need to make mistakes so they can learn from them Nurturing

9. Deprivation: lack of an enriching environment Some people confuse deprivation with poverty Families of deprived children may be wealthy or poor or anywhere in between –Not money, the environment Children don’t need fancy toys. Everyday objects & experiences can provide great opportunities for learning Deprivation

10. Good communication is an important part of good parenting Techniques for good communication –Use words the child can understand – but don’t talk down to a child –Be clear. Think in terms of the child’s point of view –Be positive and polite (Don’t be discouraging) –Give praise and love –Limit directions to those that are essential –Talk about what is meaningful to the child Communicating Positively