Excerpt
Excerpted from Chapter 1 and Chapter 5 of Pathways to Competence for Young Children: A Parenting Program, by Sarah Landy, Ph.D., & Elizabeth Thompson, Ph.D.
Copyright © 2006 by Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Most parents want to do the best job they can in bringing up their children. They want their children to grow up to be happy; to have qualities such as positive self-esteem, empathy, and caring for others; to have good problem-solving skills; to do well in school; and to have courage and determination. Parents identify raising children as one of their most important roles; yet, they are often unsure about how best to parent. Families of all types are facing unprecedented stresses in today's world, and this can make helping children grow up to be successful, emotionally mature adults a challenging task. The evolution from childhood to adulthood is not only affected by parents' interactions with their children but also by children's traits and competencies. Children's temperaments and abilities and their interactions with parents and other people in the community in which they live all play a crucial role in creating the adults that they will become. Still, parents play a crucial role in providing an optimal environment and an emotionally safe and secure place from which their children can explore the world, learn about relationships, and eventually find fulfilling lives through work, satisfying relationships, and meaningful activities. This role is especially important during a child's earliest years.
How much do parents know about raising children? Recent surveys have found that parents at different socioeconomic levels answered approximately 65% of questions about child development and parenting correctly (Oldershaw, 2002; Reich, 2005). Most parents identify enhancing the emotional and social development of children as the most important aspect of child rearing but admit that it is the one they know the least about (Oldershaw, 2002; Yankelovich & DYG, Inc., 2000). Parents know some general principles of parenting, and yet they are still concerned about getting them right with their own children. Every parent wonders whether he or she is doing the right things with his or her child or children, what to expect at different developmental stages, and if a certain behavior is normal or something he or she should be concerned about. This is even more of a challenge if a child has symptoms that affect his or her adjustment in the home or child care, such as excessive separation anxiety or extreme noncompliance and aggression.
Aware of their need for information and support in raising their children, parents want to know about their own particular child or children's development and the best ways to parent so as to give them the best possible start in life. To get answers to their questions, most parents turn to their child's doctor or other professionals, a spouse or partner, family members, friends, books, magazines, television shows, support groups on the Internet, and web sites. Many parents today are finding help and support through parenting groups, as well. Such groups provide parents with comfort in knowing that others are going through similar challenges. They can offer generalized information for parents of young children, or they can be more specific, such as those that offer classes in helping children who have particular challenges. These groups can provide answers to parents' questions and often help them to feel more confident in their parenting role (Oldershaw, 2002). The Pathways to Competence for Young Children Parenting Program has been designed to help parents get answers to parenting challenges and to fulfill the need for information on child development and optimal parenting strategies to use with children to foster their d