Lesson 12 Divorce and Remarriage.

   This week we discussed divorce and the effect that it has on the children but we also discussed remarriage and the effects that it can have on the whole family.

    Divorce as an immense affect on children. Children involved in a divorce can be used as messengers. The child would run messages between the parents because the parents can't speak with each other. This can cause the child to feel ties of mixed loyalties.

    Another thing that children become are confidants to the parents. The parents treat the children as a quasi-parent and tell them things about their other parent that the child shouldn't know or would cause the child to dislike the other parent.

   But after divorce can come remarriage to some. Remarriage can be great for all parties if handled with care and patience. The stepparent shouldn't expect the children in the home to love him/her immediately, but take time, get to know the children and establish a friendship first then as they grow to love the stepparent in return, then the step parent can discipline with it being received well.

Lesson 11: December 2 - December 6

This week in FAML 160, we learned about parenting, the different types of parenting and the current trends regarding parenting in our current society. 

There are three different types of parenting: authoritarian, authoritative, and permissive.

Authoritarian is the where the parents have rules for the child but also have a deep connection with them. The parents don't just impose rules but they discuss the rules and consequences with the child thus, giving the child an appropriate amount of choice. 

Authoritative is where the parents place rules on the child without much explanation of why the rule was set and without listening to the child's opinion on the matter. Authoritative is parenting without much choices or emotional connection between the parent and child.

Permissive is where the child and parent are friends. The child makes all the choices and the parent has no say over what the child does and doesn't do. 

I found these different types of parenting to be very interesting. I think that Authoritarian is best because it helps the child to build responsibility and a sense of conscience and consequence because they are involved in the rule making. 

What do you think is the best style of parenting? What kind of parenting style do you think reflects your practices?

Another thing that we discussed in my class was the current trends in parenting. One of the trends of parenting today to not have children at all. The trend isn't that people can't have children but that they chose not to, fearing that it would make the husband and wife drift apart. Another trend is having nannies to take care of the children instead of the parents themselves taking care of the child.