Good Parenting Styles
Do You Know Good Parenting When You See It?
There are so many opinions on how to be a good parent or what makes a good parent and these opinions have so many variations. Who is right?
Television is a great illustrator and mirror. Even though situations may be exaggerated or over dramatized it provides a look at how different styles of parenting affect the whole family and those around the family.
Parents make decisions based on their beliefs and experiences. It is good sometimes, to take into consideration factors that the parent may not have seen or even thought of.
Seeing a different perspective can strengthen a point or view or challenge a point of view.
Enforcing the Unpopular Rule
Enforcing the unpopular rule is the parenting skill that Andy Taylor, the father on the "Andy Griffith Show," had to exercise.
Andy's son wanted to be treated the same as another boy, a new friend whose father had different rules about how his son earns money.
Opie's new friend received a 75 cents for his allowance and did not have to work for it. Opie, received 25 cents for his allowance and he had to work for it.
Opie did not have a problem with this system until he found out about another system that was more appealing to him.
When Andy is presented with this new option he explains to his son, without tearing down the other parent, that each parent can choose the rules for their family and the rules that he had already made were the rules that his family would follow.
Each mother and father raises his boy or girl as he or she sees best.
I tend to agree with Andy's point of view. This does not mean that anything is ok, but what is best for my family may not be best for your family.
Start with what you believe is beneficial for your children and what will make them successful, well mannered, and likable children, teens, and adults. and then glean from other mediums.
Should the parent change their system of doing things because other parents do it differently?
Who Makes the Final Decision
Taking a back seat to other people's views is not a strong suit of Archie Bunker, the father on "All in the Family." Archie believes that as a parent he should impose his belief's on his daughter and her husband even though they are both adults. He wants his daughter to go against her husband's beliefs.
He does not suggest but demands that the parents of his grandchild follow his beliefs and customs.
His words are harsh and condescending. He intends for his demands to be met.
His goal is not to be mean but he believes that his choices are the best choices for his family inspite of what they think.
Does the grandfather have the right to make these demands?
I believe that he has the right to have an opinion and a right to voice that opinion. But the final decision is not his to make. If his daughter and son n law were not capable of making decisions then maybe he could help them make the decision.
Once he has made his beliefs known, he should allow the parents to make the final decision.
Who has the final say?
Should the grandparents have the right to over rule the child's parend's decisions?
Parents are capable of making good parenting decisions.
Most parents believe that they know what is right for their family. I believe this is probably true. However, it is healthy to evaluate and consider other possibilities and options that may be different from your thoughts.
Sometimes a parent is not sure of the decision that should be made and looking at options will help them to make the decision that is right for their family. Television can provide a look at these options.
You know it is television and you should be able to weed out the exaggerations and over dramatizations.
Trust your "gut" but make sure you have an informed "gut."
