Parenting Responsibilities

Assignment: Parent Interview

Reminder: Turn in signed syllabus, signed parent letter and pay $5.00 fee.

Parenting: A Learning Process

Parenting: caring for children and helping them grow and develop

Parents Should◦ Have reasonable expectations◦ Develop parenting skills

The Stages of Parenthood◦ Image making (pregnancy)◦ Nurturing (Becoming attached Birth-2)◦ Authority (Determine rules 2-5)◦ Interpretive (Deciding on values 5-13)◦ Interdependent (Adolescence; establish

boundaries)◦ Departure (Child leaves home, empty feeling)

The Changes that Parenthood Brings

New responsibilities and role conflictChanges in lifestyle (sometimes

suddenly)Emotional adjustments (stop being

selfish)Changes in relationshipsEmploymentIrreversibility

Making Decisions About Parenthood

Emotional MaturityDesire for parenthood

◦A child cannot create miracles; saving of marriage, low self-esteem, attention issues, etc.

Health ConsiderationsFinancial Concerns (can you afford

a child)

Simple Truths“To Love a Child is Spelled T-I-M-E

”

MOTHERHOOD

Intensive Mothering Ideology

What mothers ought to provide:

Full-time attentionSelf-sacrificing

devotionExpert guidedLabor-intensive

involvement with the child

Child’s needs are more pressing than those of mothers

WHAT MOTHER COULD LIVE UP TO THIS EVEN IF SHE STAYED AT HOME.

WHAT IF SHE WORKED?

FATHERHOOD

Changes in sexual relations.Anxiety about abilities, baby,

money.Witnessing birth is a positive

bonding experience with child.

“Nurturing father” is able to participate in all parenting practices – child benefits.

Fatherhood is changing fast.

WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A FATHER

Some Facts:½ of all children will

spend part of their childhood in a father absent home.

32% of all children are born to unmarried women. Among African American it is 68%.

Children raised in two-parent families rarely experience poverty.

Data has linked growing up without a father to: ◦ Under achievement in school◦ Mental illness◦ Drug abuse◦ Youth suicide◦ Delinquency◦ Crime

HOW?Discuss1. How are parenting skills learned

and developed?2. Explain 3 actions that you can

begin taking now to become a better parent later.

Parenting Activity

Parenting License◦ Create Requirements (at least 10) #1-10

Income, age, home, car, education, etc.

◦ Create a Test (at least 10 questions) #11-20◦ List 10 courses you would have parents take. #21-30 Provide reason for each course as a requirement for

parenting.

◦ List 10 Future FamilyExperiences. #31-40