--Original published at Jessica K's College Blog

First Impression

Everyone knows that life can lead to many things, for different emotions, cultures, and activities being formed to give people more understanding of the world around them.

For the lesson I am currently learning, it will be about the lifestyle of people and how their actions and emotions predict their lives in the future. One of the aspects of the chapter that I am interested in is the theory of nature vs. nurture. Though it has changed its theoretical viewpoint on how humans can grow based on either their genes or support from a family, it gave psychologists an growing understanding of the way we perceive a proper childhood and how it will affect the child as they grew up.

However, by the end of the chapter I want to know the path that was taken in understanding how the child’s mind work based on the situations present, the interactions they faced, and to prove whether or not that will give psychologists a near accurate description of the person’s future personality and actions based on their earlier years.

--Original published at Zach Nawrocki's Blog

There are several different styles of parenting that all lead to different ways that children act and deal with situations as they get older. The three big types of parenting styles are tiger parenting, jellyfish parenting, and helicopter parents. Tiger parenting is a very strict and demanding style of parenting that puts a lot of pressure on children to do the best that they possible can at everything. Jellyfish parenting is the opposite of tiger parenting where this style of parenting has little rules, lacks control and overindulge their children. One more type is helicopter parenting, this style is when a parent pays very close attention to a child’s experiences and problems and doesn’t let that child out of their sight. I feel as though the best style of parenting is a combination of these three styles depending on how old the child is. Nevertheless, there are many ways to parent a child depending on the situation the child is in.

Parenting is such a complex web of different ways to parent a child as they grow up that there is not a certain way to parent but more of a general way to do things in response to how a child is acting. While a child is growing up between the ages of 5-16 years old it is important to have set rules to follow and if the child is following them to reward them in some manner such as ice cream or a toy. Nevertheless, it is also important to be strict with these rules and if the child doesn’t follow them to punish them somehow such as timeout or take a toy or phone away. This shows the child that if you follow rules something good will happen but if you don’t something bad will happen, this is important because when that child gets a job later in life it is important to follow bosses’ orders or rules and if you don’t you could get fired. As a child gets older however it is better to let a child be more independent and have few rules to follow. At this stage in a child’s growth it is important to let them experience the real world and let them handle situations on their own because as they get older a parent will not be always be there to help them. I feel as though a combination of all three is the best way to parent a child as they grow up and adjust the style of parenting in certain situations.

--Original published at MaddieHinson

Being raised in a household that was more strict than my friends growing up, I would always say, “When I have kids, I’m never treating them like this.” That would especially be the line when my parents wouldn’t let me do something, or made me do my homework or chores. However, now that I have moved out of their house, and gained a little knowledge and perspective from being an adult, I can see how their parenting methods made me the person who I am today, and I am grateful for it.

I think that you can read all the books and do as much research you can on being the “Best” parent, but you are never going to be prepared for it until it is actually happening to you. I think that it’s helpful to have someone by your side that has similar values as you kind of as a support system throughout this experience. I also think it is important to realize that you are not going to be perfect and make a few mistakes and that you can tell that to your child. It’s good for them to know that you are still learning about life also, and you can admit that.

Another part of being a parent is to spend time with your kids, and make them a priority. When you have a baby, your life is not about you anymore and in order for your relationship with your child to grow, you are going to need to make sacrifices for them. Then from those sacrifices you can teach your children how to be grateful for what they do have and to be humble and not selfish.

I do think although it would be my least favorite part, that discipline is something every kid needs to have growing up. There’s some controversy over the types of discipline, but I think whatever is most effective for your child is what’s best. They need to learn respect, because that will carry with them throughout life, into school, and then in jobs. I think that teaching your kids a good work ethic is extremely important as well.

Another part of parenting that is important for long-term relationships is the open communication between the parents and the child. I think it’s important that a child should feel like they can come to their parent with any problems or issues they can be having and know the parents are there for them. Being a parent, you have an advantage because you have experience growing up and probably had a lot of the same issues their kid is going through, and so it’s easier to relate to them and share the knowledge of how to get through it.

--Original published at Olivia's College Blog

When looking at “problems with kids these days”, it’s convenient to trace the behaviors back to the style of parenting they experienced. I can see how this is a struggle for parents, who only discover if their parenting is effective by trial-and-error and seeing the results of their parenting style as their child grows. Of course my response is biased to my personal experiences and opinions, but I think finding a middle ground between extremes is essential for producing a happy, healthy, and productive member of society.

As someone who was raised by strict parents and very sheltered, I can confidently say that this extreme is not the most fruitful method of parenting. Being raised with strict parents can make a child feel very restricted. It is important to look out for the safety of your child and use your experience to steer them in the right direction. This is taken out of hand once the parents make choices for their child because it creates a certain divide that places the child below the parent. Sheltering is not a good style because it can enforce introverted behavior and have the child miss out on social aspects of their life.

On another end of the spectrum, I believe it is important to avoid the ‘friendly’ type relationship with a child. I know plenty of parents who try to be the ‘cool mom’. I believe this style is constructive in that it develops a comfortable relationship between parent and child, but is lacking in discipline. To me, being friends with your child does not outweigh the importance of raising them with responsibility and having expectations for them. I think children raised this way would benefit from a parent offering more advice or a bit of constructive criticism.

The middle ground includes all the above: the protective parents, the strict parents, the softer parents, the friendly parents. To be a well-rounded individual, a child needs well-rounded parenting consisting of constructive criticism and emotional support, protection and freedom. I believe having a blend of these parenting styles would not only be better for the child, but generate the strongest and healthiest relationship between parent and child. Most importantly, the parent needs to understand the child’s biological need to be nurtured. Genuine emotional support from the earliest stage is a crucial step toward self-acceptance and forming and maintaining strong relationships.  

--Original published at Ariana's Blog

There are many different parenting styles and the outcome of each style is different. Helicopter parents can be overbearing. This type of parenting style makes it hard for the child to be his/her own person because the parents are always involved. It makes it difficult to develop decision-making skills because their parents make the decisions for them. Jellyfish parents let their child do what they want. This can have consequences as well. The child may have a warped sense of right from wrong because the parents have few rules and haven’t been a role model for the child. Tiger parents are to strict and prevent the child from being their own person as well. This may cause the child to sneak around because they feel they have to. Helicopter, Tiger, and Jellyfish parents are all extremes, but qualities from each would make for a good parenting style. Since one parenting style will not prepare a child for the world; parenting should be a bit of everything. An ideal parenting style would be one where the child has a reasonable amount of authority and freedom depending on what age they are. The parent should be able to give more freedom as the child gets older. They should be a good role model and discipline when needed, but with a sense of guidance. Parents should be there when the child wants them there, let them go out, but also discipline when doing wrong so the child is able to learn from the mistake. A combination of these parenting styles would be an ideal way to parent.

--Original published at NataliesCollegeBlog

Through my whole childhood I have been surrounded by many different family settings. At the time, growing up I never considered how parenting truly changes a child’s life. Now, comparing myself to how my cousins were raised makes me see the different types of parenting styles that are used. For example, my cousins grew up on a farm and were taught by my aunt and uncle how college is a waste of time. Working right away and getting married is the most beneficial thing for any 18 year old graduate in this family. For my parents, things were different. I grew up in a house that grades were important to having a stable career and to get into good colleges. My aunt is very controlling and a “helicopter parent” while my mom encouraged me to strive for the A’s and do well in sports and school. My aunt did not get my cousins involved in activities, which caused them to not have as many friends in high school, while my mom signed me up for sports and girl scouts, which lead me to meeting some of my best friends.

After comparing my cousin’s family and my own it made me think about what really is the “best” way to parent. It made me realized how different parents have different interpretations on what makes you happy and successful.

I personally think that to have a child be the best they can be is to let them be independent but push them enough to strive to be better. The goal when raising a kid is to have them be the better version of you. I think that making mistakes is what makes a child grow as a person and that is something I would want my child to learn. Discipline is also very important and there needs to be certain boundaries so your child will think of you as a parent rather than a friend that’s older than you. As much as discipline is necessary, it should never escalate to cursing at their kid or making them feel worthless. The ideal parent would be supportive, encouraging, and loving. The ideal type of parent would make sure their kid is on top of their school work/activities but let their kid learn on their own so they can figure out how to problem solve.

--Original published at Emily's college blog

Parenting is said to be one of the hardest jobs in the world, but it is also a very important and rewarding one too.  There are few approaches to parenting that I believe would create happy, healthy, and productive members of society.  The “best” way to parent, in my opinion, would be to provide endless amounts of love.  Now, I do not mean give everything to their child, or always allow them to get away with everything, but it is necessary to make them feel valued, and cherished.  When I said that parents shouldn’t give every little thing to your child, I believe that is another quality of good parenting too.  If a parent gives everything to their child, they will grow up not knowing what it is like to work for something they want.  They will instead, go their whole life expecting something from everyone and everything, but in all reality, that is not how life works.  Parents also shouldn’t be so overbearing or create a lot of stress for their child.  They should be understanding, compassionate, and openminded to their children because after all, they are still learning how life works.  The “best” parents should be available for hard times, life advise, just someone to talk with.  Creating a safe space with their child may allow them to feel trusted and lead them to be less likely to go against their parents.  Parents should be there for their child no matter the cost and let them know that are loved no matter what they do.  There are a lot of different parenting styles, but I believe the “best” parenting just involves a lot of love, even “tough” love.  If a child grows up feeling misunderstood, unloved, or stressed, they may turn to other things like alcohol, drugs, or unhealthy relationships to try and feel fulfilled.  This is why parenting is a tough, but critical job.

--Original published at JanellesCollegeBlog

I believe there are many ways of parenting that can make a child successful in life, but there are also ways of parenting that can promote bad behaviors or rebellion. I believe parenting is different for each child because each one takes various punishments and rules differently.

In my opinion, the ideal way parents should raise their children is by letting them learn from their mistakes, while also not allowing them to make life altering mistakes that could ruin their future. This style of parenting is a mix of a tiger mom and jellyfish dad.

A disadvantage of being a tiger mom is pushing a child too far. Too much pressure can lead to increased anxiety or stress; which children of today’s society are exposed to enough. A disadvantage of being a jellyfish dad is that at a young age it is not possible to expect children to make decisions themselves. If some children were not forced to do their homework, they probably would not do it. It is essential to include some components of the tiger mom and jellyfish dad parenting styles, so your child can be successful.

Regarding the helicopter parent approach, I think the more a parent hovers over their child, the more they will have a desire to be rebellious. I have found that my friends who were most sheltered in high school (had a strict curfew, were held to extremely high expectations, and who could not make any decision without their parent’s approval) are the ones who have gone to college and have already made life altering decisions. With that said, being too laid back is not an ideal way to parent either. We have parents because we need them to help us, so it is important to be there for a child when needed.

Another way parents can help their children to be successful is by encouraging them to spend their time doing things that are beyond themselves. Growing up I was encouraged to volunteer my time to help others who were in need. I believe this made a tremendous impact on my life as now I do not take for granted anything that is given to me. Along with volunteer work, I also think if a child has the time they should be get a job when they turn sixteen. There are multiple benefits of this. It teaches them how to save their money, how to use their money wisely, and how to provide for themselves in certain ways. I believe all these things make a successful parenting style.

--Original published at Maddy Vingom's PSY105 Blog

Parenting styles can have major impacts on the different ways in which children become adults. Personally, I believe that each child has different needs, which will in turn affect the way that they are raised. For example, my parents have always been very lenient with my siblings and I, we never had strict rules because we were well behaved for the most part. In contrast, I have friends whose parents were more strict which worked well within their family dynamic.

I personally believe that the ideal parenting style would be the authoritative parenting, because they tend to what their child needs in addition to having high standards for their behavior. This style incorporates all of the positive aspects from helicopter parenting, tiger moms and jellyfish dads. Parents need to protect their child and ensure that they have some control over them from the point of view from helicopter parenting. Being too overbearing can result in the child defying and hiding things from their parents. The positive outlook on tiger moms is that they push their children to be the best that they can be. However too much pressure on the child can create high stress levels concerning their parent’s expectations, ultimately resulting in health complications. The last aspect of authoritative parenting is jelly fish dads, some leniency and freedom can be good for a child. Giving the child too much freedom at a young age can create issues with listening and executing tasks once they enter the work force or higher education. Once two people become parents they must consider what would be most beneficial for their child and find the perfect balance of discipline and freedom.

--Original published at AlexisPattersonBlog

Parenting styles are all different. Some parents are convinced that their kids don’t need to be watched like a hawk because they would never “do something like that”. While some other parents refuse to let their kids turn out bad mannered, so they feel the need to watch their every move and make sure they are meeting their standards. In reality, every child is different and they react and behave in different ways. So technically, there is not one specific way to parent your kids.

I believe though, that there are certain do’s and don’ts to parenting your child to best prepare them to grow up in today’ s society. Parenting should be a combination of some different aspects of each parenting style. You should have some aspects of helicopter parents as you want to have some form of authority over your child. You don’t want them thinking that they can go around doing and acting however they want. However, you don’t want to hover too much, as your child will not appreciate that and feel like they have to sneak around behind your back.

Tiger moms are another piece to the puzzle. You want to push your kid to be the best that they can be. You want to teach them to be ambitious and want to have motivation to push forward and strive to succeed. But you also don’t want to be the parent that pushes their kid to do something because that is what THEY want them to do. Every child is different, so if they have a hard time with something, or need more time, this is when the parent needs to step back and take some of that pressure off.

Jelly fish parents should be the smallest piece of the puzzle. You want to be lenient because like stated earlier, you don’t want to be too strict and not let them feel like they have someone to go to. Being too lenient though, will also have the same concepts as before where they do anything they want and have a hard time when they grow up and someone tells them no.

Having a system that is like a puzzle, one big idea with small pieces will work when parenting your child. Everyone is different, so the parenting styles should be different as well.