EARLY LIFE EXPERIENCE

The effect of parenting on my psychological development

For many parents around the world, their main role is to care for and prepare there children with the ability to survive. Children are born primarily culture-less and through time they acquire culture through socialization. How children are socialized depends on several factors, one important factor relates to parenting. We all have differences in terms of our confidence, optimism and self-esteem which are greatly influenced by the parents who raised us and how they raised us.

Has a children of a immigrant mother growing up was very different in terms of how north american culture. I remember has a child my mother carrying my baby sister in a back wrapped in a traditional blanket. Of, course i thought nothing of it has a child but i can vividly remember the stares my mother got, regardless my mother maintained her cultural norms. My little sister developed fast in terms of her motor skills, she was crawling and walking earlier than other children her age and that was due to my mother always putting my sister on the floor, she would even massage her legs, even when my mother would hold my sister she always made sure she was sitting up right. According to Steven J. Heine in his cultural psychology textbook evidence supports that these cultural techniques shape the child's development by aiding in motor functions.

Parenting styles differ cross culturally, the way that we were treated and raised has a child has a lot to do with how my parents were brought up. For example my parents growing up had authoritative parents who were very authoritarian and would beat them if they misbehaved. My mother practiced this style of authoritarian parenting. i remember my mother often saying that shes raising us the way her parents raised her. she felt this method pf parenting was the most effective. I personally think the authoritative parenting approach the best. In this approach parents try to understand there children feelings while helping them control and regulate there emotions. this approach allows and encourages there child to be independent while still maintaining control of the child's in terms behavior and limitations. Growing up i never really had a personal relationship with my parents and to this day this personal close relationship many have with there parents is absent. Many African cultures practice this style of authoritative parenting so i'm not alone many of my friends of African or decent don't have this close interpersonal relationship with there parents. It amazes me sometimes in terms of the cultural differences in parenting. my girl friend who is Caucasian grew up with permissive parents, this is evident when i hear her speak to her parents, she even calls her parents by there first name. if i ever called my mom by her first name instead of calling her mom i would be digging my own grave.