Child Rearing

Experiences in our childhood years as being described by prominent Psychologists are very much vital towards the later development of our personality. It is in this stage that we as individuals started to develop our self-concept and it must be well taken care of with caution. Experiencing a favorable home environment and a positive emotional climate serve as a critical influence on one's personality. The family would not only transmits appropriate behaviors, knowledge, and values but also must provide an emotional setting that enables our children to feel accepted and loved.

Family life, of course, is our first school of emotional learning. It is in these intimate ties that we learn how to feel about ourselves and how others react to our feelings; how to read and how to express our hopes and fears. As such, children's interaction with the family is of particular importance. Parental support and guidance, as well as, how the parents meet their children's need for security, trust and understanding are extremely significant. Ladies and gentlemen, whether you believe it or not, childhood foundation is of great influence towards the development of one's personality.

Due to the fact that children are very much sensitive and observant of their environment, responsible parenting takes an important role in the process. Whether with harsh discipline or empathic understanding, with indifference or warmth - it has deep and lasting consequences for children's emotional life. The manner in which the parents discipline their children is likely to affect their attitude towards themselves as well as others.

As we can observe, there are parents who use physical force in which serves as an aggressive model and it indicates to the children that aggression achieves some goals. Some parents, reason with their children; pointing out what are the rights and what are the wrongs in their actions. This may help in fostering consideration for others and self-awareness. There are also parents who are authoritarian with who attempt to shape and control the behavior of their children by enforcing standards with the use of forceful measures to enforce proper behavior. Others are authoritative and try to direct their children's activities but in a more rational way with a verbal give and take. They explain to their children the whys of the disciplinary measures that they made. Then, the permissive ones are the kind of parents who usually behave in an accepting and affirmative manner towards their children. They tend to be loose in dealing with their children. Their manner is warm yet undemanding and seems passive.

Given all these, it should be remembered that irresponsible parenting and an undesirable family environment could really create traumas that would last even for a lifetime. Such scenarios for example are malparenting, child abuse, and broken homes.

As for me, raising our children in an atmosphere of love, care, acceptance and proper discipline are the primary ingredients towards producing loving and responsible children.