Raising Kids

The object of this study is to carry out a small scale investigation, based on the Hess et al (1980) study which was development expectations of children on of mothers in different countries. Factors that I shall be taking into consideration whilst carrying out the interviews include the participants' race, cultural background and their socio-economic status. I will also address the significance of aspects such as child having siblings, being raised by a single parent or a first time parent(s). All the areas covered in this study may to some extent affect how a child is raised and also lend some explanation to the different views the parent has acquired about the relationship with their child

A child may often learn from others around them, by copying or engaging themselves in similar behavioural patterns. Parents often tend to set boundaries of what is acceptable to them. Some of their views may be typical to others; others may be formed by a certain cultural demand. A child may discover the ability to carry out certain tasks at a particular age yet the parent may feel that their child should be doing that task before or after a certain age; indeed these aspects of parenting can cause great anxieties. Taking a look back at Hess et al's study it can be seen by the statement cards that many parents often have different opinions or expectations on when their child should be able to do something, possibly in comparison to the behaviour of other parents with their children, or how they themselves have been raised. Parental influence on children is very important in the early stages of child development and as the children grow they will start to deal with things in their own way, compiling what they have been taught by parents with their own experiences and understanding of their background and social environment.

In addition children's own observations from their environment as well as their engagement with older and closer age children can often contribute to their learning from others for example in feeding and dressing themselves and other such activities, in doing so they are getting to grasps with different emotions and ultimately the art of human interaction. Children have the ability to resolve issues by learning to balance initiative against the demand of others. Development involves change and this goes for any of the stages in child development, but more crucial are the issues that affect the rate of a child's development. Hess et al study was carried out on both American and Japanese mothers who each had a five year old child with half being male and the other half being female. The study which I shall conduct will vary from that carried out by Hess et al but in essence will deal with the same concept of child development.

Method

The investigation will include interviewing two participants following the Hess et al procedure, then noting down their results and writing up brief notes on the theories or beliefs that the participant have raised or may relate to. There may also be some statement cards that the participant(s) were unclear on or which they wanted to discuss further. This will be done later on in the interview.

Participants should both have children five years or under and their circumstances should be noted and considered before starting the interview. The aim of the study was to find out what the