The Parent Child Relationship Unit #4 HHS 4M

The Family Life Cycle The family life-cycle theory sees the transition to parenthood as a major normative event. During the transition, the family unit has several developmental tasks to complete. The parents are the primary caregivers

After birth! After the birth of the child, couples often will experience ‘some’ decrease in marital satisfaction. –This new time consuming role as parent decreases intimacy and takes the immediate focus away from the adult relationship, and places it on to the needs of the baby.

Financial Stability / Freedom The financial stability and freedom that childless couples are accustomed to, changes immediately with the addition of a new born. –Immediate costs such as food, clothing –Planning for the future – day care, post secondary education

The Marital Relationship Relationships undergo a major change at this stage of the life cycle. The transition to parenthood changes the couples relationship with others in their family. The couple’s new emphasis on family will affect their relationships with friends as well.

The Work Force Often times, the mother or father will take a ‘leave’ from work to be with the child in their first year. –Employment often gives someone people a feeling of competency. The absence from their career requires the couple to adjust to this phenomenon, known as parenthood. –Fathers are not willing to pay the same price their fathers did in the raising of children. Coincidentally, the contemporary father is more involved in the raising of their children.

Parenting Styles There are 3 parenting styles outlined in your text. We can expand on each of them, and relate them to attachment theory. –Authoritative Parents –Authoritarian Parents –Permissive Parents

Authoritative Parenting is characterized by warmth, support, acceptance, and indirect positive control of children. Authoritative parents have the best chance at establishing and maintaining a healthy attachment with their children Children raised by authoritative parents have learned their mistakes and have had appropriate behavior modeled for them consistently through their formative years.

Authoritarian Parents is distinguished by more parental control and the use of punishment. Children raised by authoritarian parents - feel rejected by their parents - experience more problems with psychological adjustment

Permissive Parenting is typified by few rules and by the children controlling family situations Children raised by warm permissive parents are more - irresponsible - impulsive - immature Children raised by hostile permissive parents are - flighty - anxious - lacking a wide range of emotions