Why You Should Minimize the Effects of Parental Conflict upon Children
What is the key to raising a smart, compassionate and grounded child? While experts might debate the strengths and weaknesses of various methods, it doesn’t appear that there is one, perfect model. Research indicates,however, that the formula for giving your child less than a perfect chance at a happy, secure and normal life is actually more predictable; especially when parents involve children in parental conflict. There are various studies that indicate that children of high conflict divorce, for example, are more likely to experience mental health problems, behavioral disturbances, and substance abuse problems than their peers.
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Handling Parenting Differences
How does a parent learn “to parent”? Many new parents are apprehensive when it’s time to bring a baby home. As most of us have learned, the parenting books or other helpful or friendly advice from relatives, friends and complete strangers at the grocery store are not always what our particular child (or children) need. The same is true for what we and our spouses think is the best for a child.
Parenting practices and styles often vary widely based on our own upbringing, education, culture, local societal norms, and expectations. Parenting styles also tend to change between generations. Parenting practices are specific behaviors that we utilize to parent our children. Parenting styles are the strategies that we use to communicate and build relationships with our children. These styles and strategies affect how we bond with our children, discipline them, and expect them to develop into maturity. An example of a parenting practice would be the decision to allow your child to play in the middle of a busy intersection. An example of parenting style is a parent’s practice of allowing his or her child to explore and learn without attempting to control or micro-manage learning experiences.
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Leaving Child Home Alone
Like many of you, I have a special place in my heart for Kevin McCallister, the young protagonist in the blockbuster series “Home Alone”. That kid is resourceful like no other. He masterfully keeps his house safe and effectively outwits the villains using creative and imaginative methods that would elude most adults. All turns out for the best in these movies and his parents are none the wiser. That’s Hollywood, of course, and not the situation that many parents face now that summer is in full swing, some with no viable options for daycare.