Raising Children

Children as a “Public Good”(Strober)

Children as private goods leads to the conclusion that their economic and emotional care are the sole responsibility of

parents

Children as a “Public Good”(Strober)Poverty Rates in the United

States:17.6% of all children in U.S.

14.3 % White34.1% Black

U.S., second highest poverty rate in comparison to industrialized nations

Possible Solutions(Strober)

Possible Solutions(Strober)

1..2..3..4..

Family Ecology Perspective

Eight Social Factors making Parenting Difficult

Family Ecology Perspective

Eight Social Factors making Parenting Difficult1.Conflict between

parenting and work2.Learning techniques 3.Raising children in a pluralistic society

4.The malleability of children

Family Ecology Perspective

Eight Social Factors making Parenting Difficult

Family Ecology Perspective

Eight Social Factors making Parenting Difficult5. Changing opinions

6. Questioning parent’s authority

7. Living longer (“sandwich gen.”)

8. New family forms

Transition to Parenthood

(Rossi)

Transition to Parenthood

(Rossi)1. Social Pressure2. Inexperience3. Transition is Abrupt4. Overall Change

1. Social Pressure2. Inexperience3. Transition is Abrupt4. Overall Change

Mothers and Fathers: Division of labor(p. 271)

Parenting Styles

Authoritarian

Laissez-Faire

Authoritative

Spanking (Kazdin & Benjet)

Hitting a child with an open hand on the buttocks or extremities with the intent to discipline

without leaving a bruise or causing physical harm

Corporal Punishment

(Kazdin & Benjet) Harsh an excessive hitting, which involves the use of

objects (e.g. belt, paddles), is directed to parts of the body other than the extremities, and causes or has the potential to

cause physical harm

Three Views of Spanking

(Kazdin & Benjet) Anti-Corporal

Corporal Punishment

Conditional Corporal Punishment

Anti-Corporal

Corporal Punishment

Conditional Corporal Punishment

Outcomes of Spanking(Gershoff)

Good1. Immediate compliance

Bad1. Decreased internalization of morals2. Diminished parent-child relations3. Poorer parent/child mental health4. Increased delinquency & anti-social behavior 5. Increased risk of being victim of abuse later in life

New Visibility of old Family Forms

1. Gay and Lesbian ParentsNo noticeable difference between

children in same-sex family vs. hetero (Stacey, 2001)

2. Grandparents5% of all children live with

their grandparents3. Foster Parents

* formal kinship * group homes * family foster care