2. Parenting Roles and Responsibilities
Chapter 9
Parenting Roles and Responsibilities

3. Section 9-1
Parenting Choices

4. Objectives State the goal of parenthood.
Describe the challenges of parenthood.
Recognize the challenges faced in youth parenting.
Analyze the factors that influence parenthood decisions.

5. The Goal of Parenting Parenting is the process of raising a child.
It begins with the birth or adoption of a child and lasts a lifetime.
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6. The Goal of Parenting
The primary goal of parenting is to help children grow and become mature, independent individuals who can make their own decisions and accept responsibility for their actions.
There is no step-by-step guide for parenting since each child and each situation is unique.

7. Helping Children Grow Up Responsibly
Difficult tasks for parents
teaching children values and standards
letting children have new experiences
recognizing the importance of others in children’s lives

8. Teaching Values and Standards
Parents must
have firmly established values and standards of their own
live a lifestyle that reflects their beliefs
Then children can follow their examples and adopt similar values and standards.

9. Letting Children Learn Through New Experiences
Parents must let children learn by doing things for themselves.
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10. Recognizing the Importance of Other People in Children’s Lives
As children mature, they want and need to meet many different people.
Parents with a healthy attitude about their children see this as a sign of growth.
Parents with a less healthy attitude may feel threatened by the loss of their children’s attention.

11. The Challenges of Parenting
Parenting requires commitments of time, energy, patience, and money.
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12. Teen Parenting
Parenting during the teenage years is especially difficult.
Teens face several parenting challenges:
physical
emotional
social
education
career

13. Physical Challenges
Pregnant teenagers are more likely to suffer from pregnancy-related illnesses, have poor nutrition, and lack medical care.
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14. Physical Challenges Preventable health risks for the baby include
low birthweight, caused by poor diet and smoking during pregnancy
neural tube defects (NTDs), caused by lack of folate-rich foods before and during pregnancy
fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), caused by drinking alcohol during pregnancy

15. Emotional Challenges
Many teenage marriages occur when a young woman becomes pregnant.
These marriages have a fairly high divorce rate.
The addition of a child increases the emotional and financial pressure on young couples.

16. Social Challenges
Having limited opportunities to socialize with friends can cause teenage parents to feel frustrated and angry.
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17. Education and Career
Many teenage parents drop out of high school and are limited to low-paying jobs.
Economic consequences for teenage parents and their children often include
reliance on government aid programs
financial dependence on family members
poverty

18. Think Further
Make a list of the types of expenses involved in raising a child to age 18.
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19. The Children of Teen Parents
Compared with children of older parents, children of teenagers are subject to more
health risks
academic risks
emotional risks
social risks
economic insecurity
low-quality child care
neglect and abuse

20. Did You Know?
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

21. Deciding Whether to Have Children
One of the most important decisions a couple will make together is whether to have children.
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22. Reasons for Having Children
To bond closer with a spouse by sharing the experience of rearing a child
To have a family lifestyle
To have the special experiences of life that children make possible
To fulfill role expectations

23. Reasons for Not Having Children
Personal freedom of a childless lifestyle
Career concerns
Financial concerns
Unhappy childhood or fear of rearing a child
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24. Other Factors Affecting Parenthood Decisions
Couples should also discuss
their short- and long-term goals
the strength of their relationship and whether they are ready to accept the roles of parents
their readiness for children
Couples should not feel obligated to have children to satisfy their friends and relatives.
They should not feel selfish if they decide to remain childless.

25. Section 9-1 Review
True or false. If a child cannot do a task perfectly, a parent should do it.
Why do teenage parents often face financial difficulties?
continued

26. Section 9-1 Review
List three reasons why couples choose to not have children.

27. Being a Responsible Caregiver
Section 9-2
Being a Responsible Caregiver

28. Objectives Name possible caregivers for children.
List characteristics of a responsible caregiver.
Describe the responsibilities of caregivers.
Determine helpful resources for caregivers.
Identify employment opportunities for caregivers.

29. Who Are the Caregivers?
A caregiver is a person who provides care for someone else.
Many people may fill the role of caregiver
relatives (older siblings, grandparents)
babysitters
child care providers
preschool teachers
guardians and foster parents
Parents are a child’s primary caregivers.
continued

30. Who Are the Caregivers?
Sometimes the role of caregiver is more informal.
Example: a neighbor may invite a child to go on an outing.
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31. Think Further
Have you ever been responsible for the care of a child? If so, what were your responsibilities?
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32. Characteristics of Responsible Caregivers
Everyone is not equally qualified to be a caregiver.
The characteristics of responsible caregivers fall into four categories:
personal qualities
personal skills
knowledge and experience
good health

33. Personal Qualities Enjoy children Patient Flexible
Alert to children’s needs
Exercise self-control
Consistent
Set good examples

34. Personal Skills Communication skills speak clearly and simply
use positive statements
communicate well with other adults
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35. Personal Skills Judgment skills
Caregivers make many decisions each day involving children in their care.
To help settle conflicts, they need to know when and how to get involved.
To maintain a healthful, safe environment, they need to be able to foresee and prevent problems.
continued

36. Personal Skills Management skills
Caregivers need basic time management skills.
They need to know how to set priorities, or distinguish between important and urgent matters.

37. Knowledge and Experience
All caregivers should have a basic knowledge of
child growth and development
children’s needs, abilities, and interests
appropriate activities
Experience is gained by interacting with children, reading books, and taking classes.

38. Good Health
Good health allows caregivers to function to the best of their ability.
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39. Good Health Caring for children is demanding and requires
continuous physical activity
mental alertness to a child’s needs
ability to cope with stress and emotional pressures of meeting responsibilities
To stay healthy, caregivers need
proper nutrition
enough rest and exercise
regular immunizations

40. Responsibilities of Caregivers
Parents and other caregivers are responsible for meeting children’s many needs including
physical needs
social needs
emotional needs
intellectual needs

41. Physical Needs Food Clothing Shelter Medical care Health and safety
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42. Social Needs
Children must be taught how to interact with other children and adults—how to share, communicate, and compromise.
Children also need moral guidance
to learn right from wrong
to learn how to behave in socially acceptable ways

43. Emotional Needs
Caregivers need to set limits, love, and guide children.
Children need to
feel loved no matter what they do
learn how to express emotions in acceptable ways
grow to become independent adults

44. Intellectual Needs
Caregivers must provide children with opportunities that will help them grow and learn.
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45. Resources for Caregivers
How to learn about being a responsible caregiver:
local library
reliable websites
public and private agencies
hotlines (phone numbers that people can call for information or assistance)
support groups

46. Employment Opportunities for Caregivers
There is a growing demand for quality caregivers, especially for dual-career and single-parent families.
continued
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47. Employment Opportunities for Caregivers
As a minimum, a two-year associate’s degree in child development or a related area is often required.
Child care workers must meet state licensing requirements to work with young children.
To be licensed, workers in child care facilities must meet educational requirements.
Licensing requirements vary from state to state.
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48. Employment Opportunities for Caregivers
There are several types of child care programs:
child care in the parent’s home
child care in the caregiver’s home
child care cooperatives
school- or university-based child care
religious or social group
government sponsored
employer sponsored
privately owned or franchise

49. Child Care in the Parent’s Home
The caregiver comes to the parent’s home and is often a relative or close friend.
Benefits
convenience
children feel more secure in a familiar setting
children receive individualized attention
consistent care
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50. Child Care in the Parent’s Home
Child care in the parent’s home may be provided by a nanny.
Some nannies also do household chores.
Nannies are often costly.
Nannies who live with a family receive room and board plus a salary.

51. Child Care in the Caregiver’s Home
The most common type of child care in the United States has been child care in the caregiver’s home.
Benefits
family-type setting
less structure allows for play and relaxation
hours are usually flexible
less costly than some other options

52. Child Care Cooperatives
Child care cooperatives are formed by groups of parents.
Parents
formulate policy
establish the budget
determine the instructional program
provide care for the children
hire teachers or other personnel
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53. Child Care Cooperatives
Benefits
Parents have more control over the program.
It is less costly; instead of paying a fee, parents take turns caring for children in the center.
Parents must be more involved and volunteer their time.

54. School- or University-Sponsored Child Care
These programs use student teachers to provide child care.
Benefits
high-quality staff
high-quality curriculum
These programs are not available in all areas.

55. Religious or Social Group Programs
Some child care programs are sponsored by religious or social groups.
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56. Religious or Social Group Programs
Benefits
usually charge low fees because the sponsor helps fund the costs and provides space
usually high-quality programs
many provide religious education, which is important to some parents

57. Government-Sponsored Child Care Programs
Programs are sponsored by the government for lower-income working families.
The benefit is very low or no fees.
Programs must meet strict guidelines to be licensed.

58. Employer-Sponsored Child Care Services
Employers sponsor different types of child care facilities.
Benefits
Employers may pay all or part of the cost.
Employees whose children are cared for on-site are close at hand if needed.

59. Privately Owned or Franchised Child Care Centers
These facilities are privately owned businesses.
Franchised child care centers offer uniform facilities, equipment, and programs at each franchise.
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60. Think Further
Research the types of child care available in your community. What are the costs of each option?
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61. Evaluating Quality Child Care
Evaluating each child care program is important.
Parents must evaluate the
facility
setting
programs
adult-child ratio
caregivers

62. The Role of Society in Protecting Children’s Rights
All caregivers are responsible for the well-being of the children in their care.
If parents do not meet their children’s needs, the state can act on the children’s behalf.
In extreme cases, the state provides foster care for children needing temporary homes.
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63. The Role of Society in Protecting Children’s Rights
Laws protect children’s rights.
Laws require school attendance.
Child labor laws protect children.
The state or government provides child welfare services
food and assistance to families in need

64. Section 9-2 Review
List five personal qualities of responsible caregivers.
List the four categories of children’s needs.
continued

65. Section 9-2 Review Identify five types of child care programs.
(List five:) child care in the parent’s home, child care in the caregiver’s home, child care cooperatives, school- or university-sponsored, religious, social group, government, employer, privately owned or franchised
Give an example of how society protects children.
(Answers will vary.)