--Original published at Tiffany'sCollegeBlog

For this first impression post of chapter 4, I chose to discuss the parenting styles that I feel are the best that produce children who grow up to be happy, healthy, and productive members of society. The prompt refers to “tiger moms,” “jellyfish dads,” and “helicopter parents.” The “tiger mom” is a mom who raises her children with strict rules, tough love, and discipline to get child to succeed. A tiger parent is an authoritarian parents who pushes and directs their child. They hover and micromanage their children. The “jellyfish dad” is a dad who is a permissive parent. They have little rules, expectations, and overindulge their children. Children of jellyfish parents tend to lack impulse control. The “helicopter parent” is a parent who pays extremely close attention to a child’s or children’s experiences and problems. They are obsessive with their child’s life and are overprotective. All of these parenting styles don’t allow the child or children to be themselves and do things for themselves, like problem-solve and their individualism. Children need to be able to breathe. Yes, having some rules are okay. Yes, you can motivate your child without being down their throat. There are ways to create what I like to call “happy mediums.” Children have to be able to make mistakes and learn by them to grow. By not allowing a child to make mistakes or yet alone learn from the mistakes makes them continue to make mistakes. You aren’t allowing your child to do his/hr own thing and be themselves. 

I actually have personal experience dealing with two “helicopter parents,” moms in this case. It was two “cases,” where I was close to dating the one guy and I dated the other guy for like a month and called it off because I couldn’t handle it. With the one guy I almost dated, that was the most recent and his mom had his uncle (who was a cop), do background checks on my family and he told me that his mom would read his texts messages, so I ended that because there was no like guy to talk to. I felt like it was his mom. The other guy, I ended up dating but had to end it. There was no privacy. In order for him to come over to my house and hang out, his mom (who has a thick Australian accent) had to talk to my mom for at least an hour on the phone and most times, we had to go get him from his house because his mom complained we were too far when we really were like maybe 10-15 minutes away which isn’t far. This mom also bartered an extra graduation ticket from someone just to go see her son play in the band. So obviously, being overprotective isn’t helpful for the parent or the child because the parents have to be involved in everything having to do with their child which means that they can’t live their life and the child can/will keep things from their parents so that they don’t know everything. 

I think that it’s important to find a “happy medium” when creating a parenting method that works for the child but also for you as a parent. Some parents use the parenting style they had when they were a kid and that doesn’t help because then they are essentially acting like their parents and that can not be good all the time. Children need to be free and have their own creative juices flowing. The “dolphin parenting” method is a balance of the multiple extremes of different parenting and it is authoritative in nature. The dolphin is a firm yet flexible animal and dolphin parents have rules and expectations but also value creativity and independence. They are more collaborative and at first they might be strict and overprotective, making sure that their children stay out of trouble and make good decisions but will soon let them do their own thing with a little instruction hoping they follow what they want to do and make their own life and rules. Eventually maybe the parents wont be more parents as much as a friend with their child. Not allowing a child to learn as they grow can make them unhealthy. 

--Original published at Loretta Gabrielle

I picked option one for Chapter 4 impression prompt regarding development based off of different parenting styles.

With dealing with parents consistently you go through different stages of irritation when dealing with those parents. I have worked with children and parents for over 8 years now. Whether it is through camp, Samara, or babysitting, I am extremely involved and aware of different parenting skills. When looking at each of the different parenting skills in the impression post I find them useful in different stages of life.

Helicopter parents:

In all honesty, helicopter parents are the worst. We talked about “type A” or anal people in Chapter 1 and this is a whole new ball park, anal on steroids: Parent addition. Helicopter parents are the ones who worry about each and every detail with the child and do so since their child is the number one priority to them and needs it to become everyone’s number one priority. Forget world hunger, make this child happy.

It is understandable to be a helicopter parent in the very early beginning stage of life (new born/ infant) as most parents of very young children worry for their safety, it is understandable to feel over protected of your child when they have no clue how to fully express themselves so as the parent you become their voice. This is great, perfect but like any good helicopter parent they don’t go away, e.v.e.r. The prolonging of being a helicopter parents shifts the parents own anxiety onto their growing child. A five year old may have anxiety, but with a helicopter parent around worrying if her child will be line leader more than once today, is another categories of species which the National Wildlife Federation should probably be aware of. As soon as the child is roughly 1 years old, the overbearing parental helicopter stages needs to take a back seat in order to promote the best growth for the child. In my opinion and from experiences I believe that the continuation of being a helicopter parent leads to dependent children and adults who have no motivation, drive, or ability to accomplish tasks fully on their own.

Tiger mom:

            I understand this stage, I feel for it but with everything balance is always going to be key. I grew up with pretty strict parents who put a large emphasis on respect which children need to learn. The rules regarding this are understandable through elementary school (roughly ages 5-11) in order to build discipline, respect, and accountability. These rules and discipline help the child have boundaries to help them be able to deal with situations in the future (getting a job, a stronger work ethic, and the importance of respect).

Balance is key with this, if you restrict something excessively the child will either rebel or as they grow older completely go against what they grew up with. This stage should be balance with Jellyfish dad parenting but less of a focus through preteen and teenage years.

Jellyfish dad:

“I’m not like any mom, I’m a cool mom.”

Being a relaxed parent with practically no rules is great for when they start making decisions for themselves with the guidance of their parents. This stage is not something to start at 5 years old when the only thing the child wants to each for dinner is candy. This may be fun, but not a great dietary plan. No point should a child be making decisions and controlling the outcome of a situations when it comes to parenting technique. As the child grows up the relationship is not a friendship nor a dictatorship but a mixture of both. Too much jellyfish parenting could also be seen as neglect with absent instructions and little discipline. If the child is unaware about reward and punishment they will severely struggle as they get older and face challenges which don’t go their way. Jellyfish parenting should start about high school and used beforehand but less focused on.

Conclusion

The best way to parent is through a combination of all three parenting techniques based off of different ages. The main ones being used are going to be Tiger mom and Jellyfish dad. As the child becomes a preteen you should be able to have a conversation and relaxed rules based off of the person the child is from their childhood and how they were raised (given a standard supportive upbringing without a trauma). As the child gets older, with more relaxed rules allows for less rule breaking and more open and effective communication. In my opinion this is the best way to create a good person and for them to be the happy and healthy.

--Original published at KatieMillerPSY105

For this first impression, I will be taking a look into different parenting styles. There are three different parenting styles that I have become familiar; “tiger moms”, “jellyfish dads”, and “helicopter parents”. A quick definition for a “tiger mom” is someone who parents their child in a strict manner and put pressure on them to do well academically. A “jellyfish dad” is someone who allows their children do what they want and spoils their child. The “helicopter parents” are probably most known to people and are the parents who want to be involved in every aspect of their child’s life including picking things out for them that should be chosen by the child.

Among these parenting styles, I feel if you combine the tiger style and the jellyfish style that it could create a good way to parent children. There are some positives and negatives in all of these styles of parenting. Playing a sport really showed that helicopter parenting does not work in the real world. We had parents try to talk to coaches about playing time for their children, and it never got the kids what they wanted. I believe that there is a point where you, as a parent, can be involved in your child’s life, but there is a time when it is overbearing. With tiger parents, it is important for a child to know that she should try her best academically to be able to live up to her full potential and not regret anything she did or did not do in high school or college. If a parent becomes too obsessed with grades and making sure the child is in the top of the class, then it puts a lot of pressure on the child. The child may become too stressed and lead an unhealthy lifestyle while trying to be the best in her parent’s eye.

Jellyfish parents are almost too laid back and give their kids what they want. If a parent does this for the child’s entire life, the child will think that everything in life should just be handed to him and does not consider the amount of hard work and effort involved nor consequences of his actions.

I believe that a tiger mom who becomes a little softer like the jellyfish dad could help a child learn to do things on her own. She would learn herself that she needs to keep her grades up to become successful. She could learn that she can do things in her life, but not without consequence whether good or bad. The freedoms given to a child help to develop her own sense of the world and what she should do with her life, but overbearing rules or expectations do need to be put into place at the same time. Overall, I believe the best parenting style for a child to grow up in would be a mix of both the tiger mom and jellyfish dad. This combined parenting style can teach a child to have lofty goals and direction but to also understand that hard work and setbacks are part of life and maturation.

--Original published at Kealey's PSY105 Blog

It is interesting examining how the psychological landscape of the human mind changes in a lifetime. Many factors assist in uniquely developing the mind of an individual, and each individual transitions through the psychological states at times dependent on their biological make-up and life experiences. The following is my interpretation of the eight psychological stages of life:

Stage 1: Infancy (Birth – 2 years)

The psychological state of an infant is limited to basic survival instincts and the dependency to be cared for. This is a rapid stage of experiencing and processing completely new stimuli, including sensory information such as sights and sounds.

Stage 2: Early Childhood (2 years – 4 years)

This is when children are still heavily dependent upon their caretakers for survival. They do not understand societal rules. They can identify the sensory information they experience and associate this information with past experiences to infer meaning. Early language development is present.

Stage 3: Mid Childhood (4 years – 9 years)

Children can make the association between words and meaning. They have developed many self-sufficient tendencies and understand some social trends. They begin to develop many relationships with peers, rather than just caretakers. They are curious, and their minds are flexible enough to be taught in a learning environment.

Stage 4: Late Childhood (10 years – 13 years)

Children begin displaying signs of independence and uniqueness in personality. They question often and are easily taught new information. They have close relationships with peers and find a sense of individuality.

Stage 5: Puberty (13 years – 16 years)

At this stage, children experience angst. They want independence but are not usually able to be completely self-sufficient without direction. They begin to experience sexual desires. They are often faced with the difficulty of discovering where they fit in to society.

Stage 6: Early Adulthood (17 years – 25 years)

Adults are completely self-sufficient and strive for self-actualization. They can assess their lives and solve their problems. Often, they have adventurous and risk-taking tendencies, but also begin to desire stability.

Stage 7: Adulthood (25 years – 65 years)

This is the peak psychological state. Adults are self-sufficient, experienced, and strive for happiness. They are still capable of learning new things and retaining new information. They can care for others. They have many relationships in their lives. Stability is key to their mental health.

Stage 8: Seniority (65 years – Death)

In many ways, the psychological state of these adults begins to recede. Mental processes may slow or become inefficient. Things learned in early experiences of life, such as language and some life-sustaining habits, are still present. However, their psychological state can deteriorate so much that they will again need care and support from others to survive.

--Original published at CatherinesCollegeBlog

I will be discussing which parenting style I believe is best for this chapter’s first impression post. The three main parenting styles are tiger moms, jellyfish dads, and helicopter parents. Tiger moms are much more strict when parenting and have extremely high expectations for the success of their children. Tiger parents use an authoritarian method to emphasize high achievement standards and are very demanding of their children. Jellyfish dads are more removed from their children’s lives, especially regarding the discipline aspect of parenting. There are very few rules for their children to follow and low expectations for them to meet. Helicopter parents are known for being too involved in their children’s lives. At the slightest hint of their children struggling or misbehaving, helicopter parents are there to take control of the situation, which hinders the ability of the children to develop independence.

Of these three parenting styles, I believe that tiger moms exhibit the best way to parent. Although they are strict and demanding, many children respect where their parents are coming from with the tiger mom tough love. Tiger moms care immensely about the development and success of their children, which means they must care about the person behind these successes. This parenting style creates children who learn to achieve success for themselves. Helicopter parents would most likely achieve the success for their children since this parenting style does not allow children to make their own decisions, good or bad. Jellyfish dads are too laid back and do not create enough structure for their children. I believe it is good for children to have freedom, but tiger moms find the balance between freedom and rules, whereas jellyfish dads forget about these standards. They fail to prepare their children for the rules that the rest of society will hold their children to after they are no longer children. Tiger moms demand high achievement standards from their children which require them to make their own decisions and create their own success. For these reasons, I believe the tiger parenting style is the most successful in producing children who become productive members of society.

--Original published at Kirsten's Kreations

Each parent as their own way of raising their child. Personally, I have close friends who have a wide variety of parenting styles from extremely strict to parents practically not existing. In all honesty, the parenting style my parents used seems to be one of the best I’ve seen.

From my experience of children having strict parents ends in a rebellious child. Because they have so many rules, the child will do whatever it takes to break some of them because it will make them feel more free. On the other hand, a child who has no rules can also end up being even more rebellious because they are craving the attention from their parents. No rules can make a child feel like their parent doesn’t care because it seems their parent isn’t doing anything to make sure the child is safe.

My parents were always the middle man. Yes we had plenty of rules growing up but my parents also let us do almost anything we wanted. Want to go to the mall with friends? Sure but there is a curfew and we had to tell them if there were any other stops besides the mall. If we wanted to spend the night at a friends beach house for prom weekend we had to have at least one parent there. When we wanted to stay home rather than go to a baby cousins birthday party, we were allowed as long as we told them if we leave the house, who we were with, and had the house locked up. The best rule of all in our house was meant to keep us occupied all year round so we had a chance to get out and have fun with friends while keeping out of trouble. That rule is for us to do one activity or sport every season. Thankfully it wasn’t such an issue since we were interested in sports, marching band, and girl scouts. But if it wasn’t for that one rule I wouldn’t have made the friends I did, who helped get me to where I am today.

When it comes down to it, rules are needed yes. Too many, though, can make a person feel suffocated. Not enough can make a person feel abandoned or unwanted. A mix of both freedom and rules are needed to make a child be the best they can be without getting into trouble.

--Original published at Jenna'sPSY105blog

For this first impression post, I chose to discuss parenting styles that I feel are the best. The prompt includes “tiger moms,”  who give tough love, micromanage, and really push their children- sometimes too far. There is also “jellyfish dads,” who are very passive parents who tend to have little rules and try to avoid confrontation or punishment. “Helicopter parents” are considered to be obsessed with their child’s life and too involved, as well as overprotective. All of these parenting styles take away from the child’s ability to think for themselves, their problem solving skills, and their individuality. Children must make mistakes in order to learn and grow, but not allowing it or practicing it in the right way is detrimental to the child’s development.

I think it is important to find a middle ground that combines all of these parenting methods while still allowing for opportunity and freedom for the child. The best way I feel to do this is considered “dolphin parenting.” These parents begin by being more authoritative when their child is young, in a sense “hovering” and maybe a little overprotective to ensure they are being raised to be good people, stay out of harm’s way, and make good decisions so they can learn right from wrong. But as the kid grows older, provide instruction and guidance when needed, but let the child figure out more for themselves by trial and error and making mistakes. They can eventually transition to be more of a support system and grow more of a friendship with their child and be less seen as intimidating authoritative figures.

I believe that if more parents practice “dolphin parenting,” their children will be able to develop more individuality, character, values, interests, balance, and drive when given more space to learn things on their own. In turn, they will grow up to be happy, healthy, and productive members of society.