Online Class: Basic Parenting 101

Just how many parenting classes were you exposed to growing up? If you are like most kids, you got a crash course in babysitting basics as a pre-teen. Those of us who were lucky, went on to have one full semester of parenting in high school. But that, in and of itself, is somewhat of a laughing matter, because most high school students feel parenting is a subject they do not need, do not want, or simply do not yet take seriously. Besides, most of the time, those classes were electives, and only had girls signing up for them, leaving half of the traditional parenting team out of the briefing about how to go about playing the game. 

Leading up to the point that we actually become a parent, our minds have been stuffed with lots of topics, running the gamut from biology, to geography, and from wood shop, to physical education. But we have not been exposed to much in the way of actually being taught effective parenting skills. That is why this course is so important.  

During this course, you will learn an overview of many parenting skill concepts that you can use the rest of your life. And as you use them, and apply them, you will also be teaching your child these skills, so they can later go on and use them with their own children. So congratulations on making learning effective parenting skills a priority in your life, and that of future generations! 

What are Parenting Skills?

While most people can get by raising their kids, not giving much thought to what type of job they are actually doing, having an understanding of some parenting skills can help you get the job done ever better. Parenting skills are those tools that you have in your tool chest that help you to raise your child into a well-adjusted, responsible adult (which is the goal of effective parenting). 

Parenting skills covers everything from addressing the needs, both emotionally and physically, your child has, as well as: 

• Encouraging intellectual development
• Effectively communicating with your children
• Understanding and using discipline effectively
• Teaching children values, morals, and instilling self confidence
• Supporting their social needs
• Learning the importance of being a good role model 

The Parenting Mission

Have you ever really thought about what the mission of parenting is? If you are like most people, you have not. And that is okay, because you are now! Of course there is more to it than just aiming to get the child to age 18, so that you can get back to your date nights and parties, without having to arrange and pay for a sitter.  

As a parent, you may even have a perspective about parenting that is a bit more about you, than it is about the child. Perhaps your mission is to fill your life with the joy, laughter, and sound of tiny footsteps running through the hall. That is okay, too. There is nothing wrong with identifying things that you want out of the relationship, as well. But there is even more to it than that. 

Overall, the goal of effective parenting is essentially to:

-         raise your child to have a well-functioning personality

-         become an adult who is balanced, responsible, confident, and a productive citizen

-         possibly equip them to find an ideal mate, and perhaps effectively parent their own children 

Cultural Differences

As you work your way through each lesson in this course, it is important to keep in mind that this comes from a Western society cultural perspective. Each culture around the world has its own beliefs about parenting skills, and as long as they do no harm to the child, they should be respected.  

Cultural differences are what make the world more interesting. If you work in a place where you will come in contact with other cultural parenting styles, it is important to be open-minded and tolerant of them. While "our" way of doing things may seem like the correct one, it is simply because that is what we know, and are used to. People from other cultures would feel the same about their parenting styles. 

An important concept to keep in mind when it comes to the cultural differences involved in parenting, (and other areas of our life), is ethnocentric, which is the attitude that one's own group is superior. 

There are so many aspects of parenting that are influenced by our culture, including our expectations, views on discipline, parenting styles, and more. Everything from one's views on manners, to assigning chores, is influenced by one's culture.