Child-rearing philosophies change over generations and may differ between husbands
and wives and according to life circumstances, such as stress experienced, parents'
families of origin, and maternal age at first birth. There is no one best method
of discipline for all children. Parental roles include fulfilling physical,
emotional, social, intellectual, and moral needs of their children. Children
usually benefit if both parents share in meeting their needs. Latchkey children
are those left unsupervised while parents work. Some benefit from self-care,
others do not, depending on the situation and the child's readiness for self-care.
Children's emotional needs include those for trust, love, affection, security,
and self-esteem. These can be affected by home environment, emotional tone between
parents and child, and parental willingness to fulfill the child's needs. Young
children develop general emotional attachments before specific emotional attachments
and are upset at separation from or rejection by caregivers or substitutes.
Child-care needs differ by age of child as do needs for attention, affection,
and autonomy. Parents can assist children's cognitive development and socialization
in many ways, including in their approaches to discipline. Single-parent families
are increasing, with percent of such families headed by women. Single parents
face problems, whether they are the custodial or the noncustodial parent such
as financial pressure; housework, insufficient time with their children, child
care availability, and stress and pressures arising from marital failure. There
are different effects of father absence on sons and daughters. Father-present
homes are not necessarily preferable to father-absent homes. |
2002 McGraw-Hill Higher Education