“Parenting is emotionally and intellectually draining, and it often requires professional sacrifice and serious financial hardship” (McLanahan and Sandefur 98). Indeed, parenting is tough. In most cases, children live in one of the two main family types, a nuclear or single parent family. To ensure a bright future for the nation in the years to come, children must grow up in an environment that is conducive for optimal development. After all, they are the next generation. But exactly which family type would be best for a child? In which family type would a child best learn morals, be prepared for the outside world and receive the items needed? Many people have concluded that a nuclear family is more beneficial for a child when compared to …show more content…
“Gender roles are thought to be products of nurture or how individuals are brought up. They are casually constructed” (Haslanger 98). In essence, socializing a child in gender roles is simply a matter of teaching him or her to conform to the gendered norms appropriate to a community. Many people argue that socialization is better taught in a nuclear family because a father can best teach a boy how to act just as a mother can best teach a girl. For instance, a father can best teach a boy how to dress and be a gentleman whereas a mother can best teach a girl how to dress and behave ladylike. Hence, this is why critics say that both parents are adequate in teaching gender socialization. However, these critics also ignore the other agents of socialization. Nancy Chodorow, a former Sociology Professor at the University of California, points out that the community, schools and media play a role in socializing a child with respect to gender roles (214). Therefore, it is apparent that the family is not the only way for a child to be socialized in gender roles. For instance, if a man within the community decides to approach a boy and tell him that his dress code is not suitable subsequently offering advice on what he should wear, the child becomes further acquainted with gender socialization. Even by watching …show more content…
Hetherington and Arasteh, both renowned psychologists who specialize in child development, note, “Necessities such as food, clothes and school supplies must be made available to a child…. It comes as no surprise that on average, approximately twenty percent of a family’s income is spent on the children.” (39). Because of this, a child’s expense is costly. Some critics believe that a nuclear family is superior because there are two parents who can usually provide two incomes, as opposed to the single parent family where there is only the income of the sole parent. In most cases, this is true; the income of nuclear families tends to be more than the income of single parent families. However, these critics do not take into account the alternative means most single parents use to acquire the necessary items their child needs. Hetherington and Arasteh adds, “But there are many ways for parents to provide for children without reaching into their pockets….Each community has certain programs which accommodate and make provisions for people who need help.” (39). Basically, this is suggesting that single parent families can receive help from an institution like social services, which can offer food store and school clothing vouchers to people in need. This will alleviate single parent families food cost as well as clothing expenses. Similarly, in terms of school supplies, the
Gender may be a universal concept, but the meaning of gender differs between societies. The way humans behave, speak, experience, think, and view the world is the final product of socialization. From the moment the sex of a fetus is known, humans are being molded into the person society wants them to be. Different parts of society have different functions in the gender-socialization process. The familial relationships and interactions one has with their immediate surroundings—peers, school, religion, and neighborhood—are the most influential aspects of gender development. Loosely connected societal influences like mass media, politics, and culture are influential as well. Throughout childhood, one’s family and interactions with their immediate surroundings teach and reinforce gender, while the rest of society acts as a reinforcer. During adolescence, the broader society begins to take on a minor instructor role in relation to the family in the further development of gender. Essentially, family always acts as the main gender instructor and reinforcer, while society acts as the secondary gender instructor and reinforcer.
In brain science today, there are four noteworthy perceived child rearing styles: legitimate, careless, lenient, and tyrant. Every one conveys diverse qualities and realizes distinctive responses in the kids which they are utilized on. It is essential to remember that each guardian tyke relationship is diverse, so there is not one beyond any doubt fire approach to child rearing. Analysts have found four sorts of child rearing styles. Actually, research has uncovered that child rearing styles can impact a tyke 's social, cognitive, and mental development, which influences kids both in the adolescence years, and as a grown-up. This is on account of kids growing through various jolts, connection, and trade, which encompass them. The way that folks
In the year 1962, a child would have had an 86% chance of having both parents present and living in the home. Many children in today’s generation do not have that privilege. One of the largest shifts in the family structure is the percentage (34%) of children and adolescents living with an unmarried parent. What exactly defines a single-parent household? “A single parent household can be defined as families where a parent lives with dependent children, either alone or in a larger household, without a spouse or partner.” This is an issue that continues to rise progressively each and every year, which in result has become a major concern to social scientists, child psychologists, and public officials across the nation. The effects of adolescents growing up in single-parent homes could be detrimental to their future if it is not handled properly or in a Biblical manner.
From a young age , many individuals worldwide are socialized according to their gender and what is appropriate for males and females. Socializing according to ones gender starts from the moment you are born when the nurses give you either a blue or pink blanket to wrap the child in. This allows society to known whether the child is a male or female. The double standard for gender occurs within many areas of development for instance the clothes one wears, the toys that are placed with, the jobs and careers one chooses in their later life. Attachment given by a child's parent reinforces an individual to be socialized and children can also contribute how their parents treat and see them , these are social constructs within parenting (Ambert,2012). All of these things can be gender separated and still are in today's society. Another area where males and females are socialized differently is in the area of sexuality and what is acceptable for males is not always for the female gender. Gender specific norms govern the appropriate amount of partners , when it is acceptable to engage in sexual activity and what motivates ones behavior (Kreager &Staff, 2009). This shows society individuals are socialized according to their gender because males are socialized into behaving a different way than girls but it still be accepted as a norm. Women are taught that it is okay to have sexual relationships but they need a reason, example being in a committed relationship, where as men just need a place. This is a common perception based on ones gender , formed from a western conservative view point ( Fugere et.al, 2008). Gender socialization is a process where boys are seen to be given wings and girls are to be given roots (Myers, Spencer, Jordan...
When a person is raised through socialization as a certain gender there are roles that they are expected to conform to. Gender roles are defined as “a set of behavioral norms assumed to accompany one’s status as male or female.” (Conley pg. 134) In other words, someone is typically raised as a m...
Since the beginning of time, fathers have had a profound effect on their child’s development. Over the years, the norm for traditional family dynamics of having a father figure in the household has changed drastically, and so did the roles of the parents. It is not as common as it used to be to have a father or father figure in the home. In this day and age, women are more likely to raise children on their own and gain independence without the male assistance due to various reasons. The most significant learning experience and development of a person’s life takes place in their earlier years when they were children. There are many advantages when there is a mother and father combined in a
The introduction of gender roles begins with social agents such us family, education, interest groups, and mass media as we grow. Children are introduced to certain norms and behaviors that are typically link to biological sex. Men and women are expected to act and behave according to society gender patterns. Even today, we tend to guide male infants to fix his toys and girls to cook with mother. Gender socialization occurs to reinforces gender roles by creating and maintaining expectations for gender-specific
As we have been learning this semester in class, the experiences and ecological settings in which a child grows up in are important in giving each child their uniqueness. According to Bronfenbrenner, the degree to which individuals realize their potentials and develop their abilities is determined by interactions and experiences (Berns, 2016). It is evident that these interactions and experiences can come from different sources. In order to understand how a child’s development is influenced by their environment, it is important to know how their biological, social, and psychological characteristics are shaped
Fifty years ago, the typical American family included a mother, father and their children. However today, “One in every four children in the United States are being raised by a single parent. Experts point to a variety of factors to explain the high US figure including a cultural shift toward greater acceptance of single parent rearing.”(Armario). As these numbers continue to rise due to modern day ideas and the increasing divorce rate, the children of single parents struggle. “Today 41% of all births were to unmarried women.”(Hymowitz). Single parent families have a detrimental effect on the psychological development of children because single parent families lack financial stability and quality parenting, in addition to lacking a stress free environment.
Child development and growth observation can be quite fascinating considering the uniqueness of each child. As children grow, they normally develop and acquire new skills whether complex or not. The abilities experienced by each child progresses differently that is it depends on the nurturing given by the parent or guardian and on the characteristics that they inherit. Proper development and growth of the child occurs when basic needs are provided by the reliable adult guardians, including such things as love, food, encouragement, shelter and warmth. The essay evaluates child development and growth through observation conducted by myself on my nephew. The essay will include physical development, general health, emotional development,
Over the decades, a significant mark of the evolution of gender is the increasing social phenomenon in how society conceptualizes gender. Gender is a system of social practices for characterizing people as two different categories, femininity and masculinity and arranging social relations of inequality on the basis of that difference (Ridgeway & Correll 2004). Gender-neutral parenting (GNP) refers to raising children outside of the traditional stereotypes of girls and boys. It involves allowing children to explore their innate personalities and abilities rather than confining them into rigid gender roles that society has shaped. It can be argued that it is through socialization children discover how to operate in gendered structures, learn
There are many ways in which society can influence an individual. An individual can be influenced by the news, family, and friends. However an individual does not think much about how their gender has influenced their life. Gender socialization can be defined as the “process by which individuals are taught how to socially behave in accordance with their assigned gender, which is assigned at birth based on their biological sex” (Boundless, 2015). This is a process that begins from the moment that an individual’s life starts. As a child, each gender is treated differently. Girls are given dolls and are expected to stay clean when playing outside. Boys are given toy cars and are allowed to get dirty when playing outside (Sanderson, 2008). Gender
According to Ozgen (1995) the process of consumer socializing of children is a combination of inputs like individual factors, socializing factors and learning mechanism in their childhood. The above drawn figure 1.1 explains that all these three factors, individual, socializing and learning mechanisms will act as input for consumer socializing of children across different situations and cultures.
We may be personally responsible for our own misconceptions of gender and masculinity. Our actions about these topics speak louder than words. Sociologist, Ann Oakley argues that parents often mold their children around certain behaviors, with positive and negative consequences, to adhere to the standards that are socially acceptable. Oddly there is a strong back lash to this sort of treatment in females. In a study done conducted by Michael Messner, when asked who was a tomboy and who was a sissy as children, women raised their hands more often to identify with the tomboy image. The tomboy trait celebrates masculinity and restricts femininity. Often children explore many traits about themselves, as Allen explained to Pascoe, “When you’re younger…you’re a kid. You are wide open…You just do what you want” (Pascoe 118). Darnell, a football player, stated “Since you were little boys you’ve been told, ‘hey don’t be a little faggot’” (p 55). Darnell showcasing that males are conditioned very early like females about their roles of masculinity. These children are taught about how masculinity works. In the school Pascoe researched, a faculty member, Mr. Ford, reminded males students through his reply to a backhanded comment made to him from another student that men should engage in sexual actives with women, not men. Another...
Through various cultures, there can be great consistency in the standards of desirable gender-role behavior. At a very early age, children go through the process of gender socialization and learn what it means to be a boy or girl in society. These behaviors and attitudes are generally instilled at home and then reinforced by the child’s friends, school life and exposure to media (Witt para. 1). The ultimate actors, however, are the parents. From their influence as role models, a child may be pushed towards activities and commitments that are meant for their specific gender. Some may wonder why they lean them toward such standards. In fact, with the conformity of gender roles come a wide variety of variables to consider such as possible discrimination,