Unit 1:Preparation for Parenthood
Stages of Parenthood
6. Departure
Evaluate one's parenting
Child leaves home
5. Interdependent
Establish boundaries
Adolescence
4. Interpretive
Deciding values, skills and knowledge the child needs
5-13 years
3. Authority
Determine rules
2-5 years
2. Nurturing
Emotionally attached to the child
Birth- 2 years
1. Image-Making
Imagine oneself as a caregiver
Pregnancy/Adoption
Qualities/Skills needed for parenting and how to develop them
Give Encouragement
Give compliments and encourage your child every time they accomplish, or complete something
Giving encouragement to a child is important for them to grow, learn lessons from their mistakes, and to try new things
Establish Routines
Setting routines will make your child and yourself to have a healthier lifestyle by planning ahead, prepared, etc
Set Limits
Trying to come up with a own adequate family rule will help
Setting limits/rules is important and will help educate your child
Sacrifice
You can develop this skills by having more responsibility about your child
Being able to sacrifice yourself for your child is important
Team Member
You can develop this skill by doing activities that include everyone (Family board games, activities, etc)
Team work within your family is important to make your child feel connected
Sensitive
You can read more articles on how a child's emotion develop and try to think about ways you can give sympathy
Sensitivity is good to support your child and give them sympathetic advice
Humor
You can develop your humor by not thinking too serious at all time
Having humor will allow a child to feel happy and to enjoy spending time
Resourceful
You can be resourceful by working hard for your children as well as being informed of other current events to be prepared with future problem, etc
Being resourceful allows your child to feel free and comfortable with their needs
Realistic
You can develop this skill by planning about future because as you plan your future, you will think about obstacles you may face and its outcome, etc
Realistic view of a caregiver is important in order to parent a child
Confidence
You can develop your confidence by believing in yourself and building up on your career or what you are passionate about
Showing kids your confidence can make your child feel safe and free to express their feelings
Rewards of parenting
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Proud to see your child grow
Personal Growth
Mothers often say that they learn from their children
As your child grows, you as a parent will grow
Feeling of Accomplishment
Factors that influence the decision to become a parent
Challenges and Responsibilities
Social obligations "As a Caregiver..."
Teach what is right and wrong
Teach a child to respect others
Take responsibilities for a child's behavior in public
Legal obligations "As a Caregiver..."
Provide medical care
Provide adequate care
Provide food, shelter, and education
Parenting is a 24/7 job
Finance
If you and your partner it not able to afford a child, this might be a big problem in becoming a parent
Desire for Parenthood
Reasons for Parenting
Looking forward to the process of raising children
Ready for a child
Always be available
Aim to give rather than to get
Family Pressure
Relationship with the partner
Relationship with your partner is very important
Impact of having children
New Responsibilities
Legal responsibilities of Parents and Guardians
This connects to Challenges and responsibilities
Parents are responsible for supervising their children
Parents must make sure their children are not abused or neglected
All caregivers have a legal duty to preserve the life and health of their children
Providing suitable education
Providing clothing
Providing medical care
Providing adequate care
Providing adequate food
Providing adequate shelter
In Ontario,
Child and family services act of Ontario
Parental responsibility act
In Canada, the legal responsibilities of parent and guardians are outlined under provincial law
Career
During maternity leave/parental leave, you are not able to work which may affect the promotion, etc
You might have finance loss after returning from maternity leave
Lifestyle changes
For mothers, after birth can be physically difficult
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Tiring
Depression due to exhaustion
Jealousy of the baby
Worry over money matters
Frustration at the loss of personal freedom
Fear of not being a good parent
Struggle with your partner
Struggle with your child's behavior
Emotional changes
Relationship changes
Financially
Shelter
Until age of 18, it will end up costing $51,680
$226.67 per month
$2720 per year
Child Care
$700-$1000 per month
Ongoing Expenses
$48,760 for food and clothing
Mandatory Expenses
Costs thousands of dollars in total
Lost Wages
After taking 5 years off, more likely to earn 15% less
Maternity Leave
$485 per week or $45,900 a year
According to MoneySense.ca, the average cost of raising a child to age 18 is around $243,660
That is $12,825 per year
Readiness
Physically
Needs to be physically fit to protect your child
Your health is important to take care of your child 24/7
Emotionally
Ready to be there for your child always
Should be emotionally stable
"Considering the fact that parenting skills can be acquired and passed on from one generation to another, continuous efforts to improve the quality of care-giving are important" (Child Encyclopedia, 2015)
Are You Ready To Be A Parent?: Ask yourself...
DO YOU KNOW/ARE YOU READY TO PARENT?
ARE YOU WILLING TO GIVE UP SOMETHING YOU WANT FOR THE CHILD?
CAN YOU AFFORD IT?
IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP STABLE?
IF YOU'RE A SINGLE PARENT, DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH SUPPORT?
Community Resources
Community Resources can be a big help and you can access to wider spectrum of ways of parenting
Association of Parent Support Groups in Ontario (Click the icon beside to go to the website)
Family Education Center (Click the icon beside to go to the website)
You can easily find more accessible resources by searching up online
Child Development Theorists
Five Stages of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
Albert Bandura (1925-)
:Caregivers must be a good role model for their children to follow
Believes that children learn by imitating others.
Urie Bronfenbrenner (1917-2005)
:Child relationship with a caregiver needs to be stable, loving and lasting
Believed that environment/society/community/family impacts a child's development
B. F. Skinner (1904-1990)
:By the use of positive and negative feedback, caregivers can affect a child's behaviour
Believed that child will repeat their action when resulted positive. However, negative results will make their action stop
Erik Erikson (1902-1994)
:Caregivers should be aware of children's needs in each stage of development and must support them
Believed that personality develops in stages and each stages have unique psychological crisis
Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934)
:Children should have opportunity for consistent social interactions
Believed that biological development and cultural experience influence a child's ability to learn
Jean Piaget (1896-1980)
:Children must have appropriate learning tasks given
Believed that all children go through 4 stages of learning
Sigmund Freud (1856-1939)
:Childhood is very important, its effects are longer lasting
Believed that personality develops in a series of stages
