Chapter 7
Other Diverse Components.According
to Bornstein (1998),the fourth parental
component is comprised of divergent
parenting beliefs and practices,such as
family configuration,level of social
support,socioeconomic class,cultural
worldview,and the birth order of the
child.For example,the current divorce
rate means 1 in 4 children are likely to
spend a part of their childhood in a
single-parent home,placing strain on an
already stressed parental situation (Grail,
2003).Over 6% of children under the age
of 18 are being raised by grandparents
who thought their parenting days were
long over.About half of these children are
preschoolers (Simmons & Dye,2003).We
cannot assume the neighborhoods and
communities in which we live can keep
our children out of harm’s way.It is no
longer safe to allow children to play next
door or even in the front yard without
close supervision.
Childbirth and parenting classes are
available to help build parenting skills,but
many do not take advantage of these
resources.The church continues to be a
place of support for the family,often
filling the gap left by social agencies.
However,most families live a fast-paced
life,finding it more of a burden to connect
than to remain anonymous.The Child’s Contribution to Parenting StyleTheparents’contributiontoparenting
styleisonlypartof thepicture.Children
alsoinfluenceparentingpractices.The
child’sindividualcharacteristicsplayakey
role.Themoreobviouscomponentsarethe
child’sage,gender,andphysical
appearance.Lessobvious,butjustas
significant,arequalitiessuchas
temperament,personality,and
responsiveness(Bornstein,1998).Child
characteristicscanaffectbonding—the
intensephysicalandemotionalconnection
betweenparentandchild—anddetermine
parentingpracticesforyearstocome.
Most parents-to-be tend to have a
mental picture of what a baby will look
like.The mental image,however,may notA child’s age, gender, temperament,
responsiveness, and appearance affect
the bonding, and thus, the parenting
style of the parents.ImagefromBigstockPhoto.com/Digitalpress