What is Family?
The definition of family has changed over the past couple of years. Due to several social issues the family is now being seen as more than just a mother, father and children. The family is more accurately represented as a support system that encompasses several relationships and structures.
Theresa McDevitt and Jeanne Ormrod authors of “Child Development and Education” suggest that family consists of two or more people living together and are related through birth, marriage, adoption, or long-term mutual commitment.
Family Structures
What does your family look like? Does it include the traditional mother and father and children combination, or did a grandparent raise you? Did your parents divorce? Were you adopted? All of these are valid questions when inquiring about a child’s family. It is crucial to understand that not all children grow up in the same environment regardless of ones beliefs or customs. Children can grow up in traditional homes with a mother and father, they can have two homes due to divorce; they can live with single parents, stepparents and extended families. Some children may be adopted, part of the foster care system or face scrutiny due to having same-sex parents. Each of these structures have an influence on children’s lives. For instance, in the United States about 4 in 10 first marriages end in divorce (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2013) this directly affect children involved in those marriages. Children of divorced parents must learn to cope with several feelings that may affect their emotional and physical well-being. These children must cope with custody battles that will place them in two different homes and might even be burdened with feeling of guilt that will affect other aspect of their development.
Each family structure has it’s own obstacles and influences that affect a child’s well being. When working and dealing with children it is important to know that children are greatly affected by their lives at home with their family.
The definition of family has changed over the past couple of years. Due to several social issues the family is now being seen as more than just a mother, father and children. The family is more accurately represented as a support system that encompasses several relationships and structures.
Theresa McDevitt and Jeanne Ormrod authors of “Child Development and Education” suggest that family consists of two or more people living together and are related through birth, marriage, adoption, or long-term mutual commitment.
Family Structures
What does your family look like? Does it include the traditional mother and father and children combination, or did a grandparent raise you? Did your parents divorce? Were you adopted? All of these are valid questions when inquiring about a child’s family. It is crucial to understand that not all children grow up in the same environment regardless of ones beliefs or customs. Children can grow up in traditional homes with a mother and father, they can have two homes due to divorce; they can live with single parents, stepparents and extended families. Some children may be adopted, part of the foster care system or face scrutiny due to having same-sex parents. Each of these structures have an influence on children’s lives. For instance, in the United States about 4 in 10 first marriages end in divorce (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2013) this directly affect children involved in those marriages. Children of divorced parents must learn to cope with several feelings that may affect their emotional and physical well-being. These children must cope with custody battles that will place them in two different homes and might even be burdened with feeling of guilt that will affect other aspect of their development.
Each family structure has it’s own obstacles and influences that affect a child’s well being. When working and dealing with children it is important to know that children are greatly affected by their lives at home with their family.
Family Processes
Families function in different ways. Parents choose to raise children in various forms, which in return affect children’s development. Some families unfortunately deal with risk factors children must deal with on a daily basis.
Parenting styles differ in every home. There are authoritative parents who enforce rules and hold high expectation but are still emotionally warm. Authoritarian parents on the other hand tend to have rigid rules and require children to obey without questions. Permissive parenting is emotionally warm but have zero to no standards or expectations. Uninvolved parenting styles lack emotional support and standards. Each style influences a child’s development. It is best to abide by an authoritative style; it fosters healthy development in children because it offers necessary structure and guidance but also nurtures children’s sense of personal autonomy (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2013).
Why is Family important?
Family is crucial to children’s development because it is a system that directly influences their everyday life. The way children interact with their family affects their social skills as well as their basic and emotional needs. Without the proper support of family children will lack the basic needs essential for them to progress.
What can teachers do to promote Family development?
· Communicate with students care-givers, (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2013)
o Ask for input
o Get to know the family and their situations
· Create family nights that will allow you to meet and build relationships with children’s families, (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2013)
· Encourage of diverse family structures, (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2013)
· Include all members of the family, (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2013)
· Support children who are going through family transitions and adjusting to new family structures, (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2013)
· Do not pry; Let children say what they want to say when addressing issues (family matters kept to self), (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2013)
What can parents do to promote Family development?
· Schedule family time (i.e. family meetings, family nights, family dinners etc.)
· Keep constant communication
· Attend family member events
Links:
Parent Involvement:
http://www.ncpie.org
Families function in different ways. Parents choose to raise children in various forms, which in return affect children’s development. Some families unfortunately deal with risk factors children must deal with on a daily basis.
Parenting styles differ in every home. There are authoritative parents who enforce rules and hold high expectation but are still emotionally warm. Authoritarian parents on the other hand tend to have rigid rules and require children to obey without questions. Permissive parenting is emotionally warm but have zero to no standards or expectations. Uninvolved parenting styles lack emotional support and standards. Each style influences a child’s development. It is best to abide by an authoritative style; it fosters healthy development in children because it offers necessary structure and guidance but also nurtures children’s sense of personal autonomy (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2013).
Why is Family important?
Family is crucial to children’s development because it is a system that directly influences their everyday life. The way children interact with their family affects their social skills as well as their basic and emotional needs. Without the proper support of family children will lack the basic needs essential for them to progress.
What can teachers do to promote Family development?
· Communicate with students care-givers, (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2013)
o Ask for input
o Get to know the family and their situations
· Create family nights that will allow you to meet and build relationships with children’s families, (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2013)
· Encourage of diverse family structures, (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2013)
· Include all members of the family, (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2013)
· Support children who are going through family transitions and adjusting to new family structures, (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2013)
· Do not pry; Let children say what they want to say when addressing issues (family matters kept to self), (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2013)
What can parents do to promote Family development?
· Schedule family time (i.e. family meetings, family nights, family dinners etc.)
· Keep constant communication
· Attend family member events
Links:
Parent Involvement:
http://www.ncpie.org