PARENTING

What is Parenting?

Mountaineering the highest peak , getting enrolled in the list of book of world records ,performing high risk adventure task ,ruling over a sovereign country ,mastering the practice of taekwondo or breaking all the existing records of weight lifting.

No, parenting is none of these difficult tasks rather it’s a more challenging task put forth before the parents of current era. Current era!!! Is parenting a new term introduced in all known dictionaries of the world?? No, The term parenting became prominent in 1950’s in language used by psychologists ,sociologists ,Councillors or philosophers dealing or introducing new theories related to child development.

Keeping the little one in her womb for nine months ,carrying her bulky size, keeping a smile on her face when she could feel the turbulence going in her body is not a JACK’S JOKE.

When all this is so difficult, is parenting a more challenging task??

Perhaps the answer is in affirmative. The term parenting includes the sociology of the family, new kinship studies, social policy studies and medical anthropology that together contribute to the cognitive development of the child.

Was the concept not prevalent in earlier days or Easter years when females gave birth to five-six or more children. The children at that time were not fed properly?

They were fed but not spoon fed ;they were taught mannerism but not dictated or illustrated by their parents rather they were left independent to learn in the NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.

With rapid scientific and technological developments the child of this ROBOTIC AGE is much more smart. Born of modern mothers, they breathe less of oxygen and more of Technology . Operating the gadgets is something they learn before their birth. But with all these advancements and modernization today’s child requires much more than his ancestors. Fulfilling their materialistic demands is not sufficient . PARENTING is perhaps THE MOST DIFFICULT ART that deals with child’s physical, mental, emotional, social and psychological development.

Increase in corruption , high competitive atmosphere, blind race for success has made man crazy. He follows all evil practices, uses foul means, forgets the absurdities that hamper the morals, values and perspectives laid by our forefathers. All these affect the new generation adversely.

This tough scenario requires the Need of GOOD PARENTING. When said parenting is a most challenging art where both the parents need to put their mutual efforts to demonstrate the significant, enduring and protective influence of positive parenting practices especially in the foundation years of child's development.

In particular parent monitoring, open parent child communication, supervision and high quality of parent child relationship reduces the chances of high risk behaviour. Several recent intervention studies demonstrate immediate and long term protective effects on adolescent kid’s behaviour. Parental monitoring has a protective effect on adolescent behaviour in both ; middle class populations and poor urban environment.

The gist is modern parents of scientific,robotic advanced generation have to be on their toes all the time to understand the needs, aspirations , desires ,mentality and the turbulence going in the head and heart of their ADORABLE CHILD.

Ms Swati Malik
Exam Head
St Lawrence Public Sr Sec School
Dilshad Garden