Child Guidance

Discussion 1 

How are the authoritative and authoritarian styles different in how they make demands? (Each does make demands, but the authoritative, positive, style understands and cares about what children can do and whether the child is capable of carrying out a suggestion or guideline. Authoritarian caregivers tend not to pay attention to a child’s developmental limitations, and they often make unreasonable demands.

Authoritarian parents contend that allowing a child to make decisions based on their will independently is highly inappropriate hence lead through dictatorship which in turn undermines a child's will. They thus focus primarily on strictness as the best approach for parenting consequently making unreasonable demands.  Through coercion, these parents exercise their authority over their children; as depicted from the evidence from research which suggests that authoritarian children tend to be more depressed ( Chacko et al., 2016). Moreover, despite the numerous rules set by authoritarian parents, scholars agree that authoritative parents are more effective than the former. Parenting has caused significant debates among leaders in institutions such as schools and churches as well as at the family level since parenting approaches differ

Conversely, the authoritative style of parenting is considered the most positive approach as a parent critically analyses the child's will and point of view hence compromises with the same with the aim of making reasonable demands. The parents make adjustments to their demands based on the child's needs through active listening which in turn promotes respect from the child and adherence to demands ( Tavassolie, Dudding, Madigan, Thorvardarson & Winsler, 2016) . Similarly, authoritative parents, despite having a firm stance, value their children's opinions hence respect them regardless of punishing them. The parents aim at compromising with their children to a certain degree.

Discussion 2 

Please select to research and navigate through ONE of the listed websites. After navigating through the selected site, please write in 200 words or more paragraph form summary of what you found on this website and how it can be helpful to teachers and parents of young children. Option1: Visit the website http://www.gordontraining,com/parent-programs/parent-effectiveness-training-p-e-t. It provides information about the organization based on Rogerian theory started by Thomas Gordon, who developed Parent Effectiveness Training (P.E.T.) and Teacher Effectiveness Training (T.E.T.)

Thomas Gordon, the founder of the Rogerian theory, stated that such techniques as "I" messages and active listening are among the most effective strategies used in the Parent Effectiveness Training (P.E.T). Parenting involves learning and developing new skills continuously as parents and children face new experiences which require innovative and effective solutions daily. The Rogerian theory was thus developed to aid in enhancing parent's effectiveness through communication and mutual understanding between the two parties concerned. The theory helps parents identify who owns a problem in a conflict situation ( Gordon Training, n.d) .

Furthermore, not only can the theory based practice prove effective for parents but teachers and church leaders as well. Through the comprehensive understanding of such aspects as preventive and appreciative "I" messages as well as the recognition of conflict situations, teachers create leeway for open communication ( Weaver et al., 2017). Additionally, this promotes cohesiveness which in turn boosts children's self-esteem while consequently developing emotional control skills for the teacher. Teachers further understand the mechanisms involved during communication with children where both parties feel genuinely understood. The children, on the other hand, feel a sense of inclusion as they are consulted during decision making while their opinions are highly considered.

Discussion 3 

What does it mean to take another's perspective? Provide one example of a time when a young child might have a different perspective on something from your perspective. 

Taking on another person's perspective may be defined as the subtle art of perceiving other individual's experiences and feelings from their point of view ( Cole, Atkinson, Le & Smith, 2016) . It thus involves intentionally disregarding one's own view to consider that of others hence crucial to human interactions. Research suggests that taking another's perspective not only enhances empathy and creativity, but also increases caring and reduces bias (Smith, 2016). An individual therefore gains the ability to be open minded which in turn promotes socialization. As discussed, taking another's perspective fails to determine one's own as the individual in question maintains his or her judgment despite trying to understand and empathize with another person. 

Children require taking other children's perspectives as it not only builds their personality and judgment skills but also guarantees fruitful interactions. For example, a child may demand to go for a school trip with their teacher while the parents find little to no relevance of the same. The child may consider the trip an opportunity to learn and explore while a parent may consider it a waste of time and resources. Taking on the child's perspective in this case helps the parents understand the significance of the school trip for their child.

Discussion 4 

Please visit the following website://www.spacesforchildren.com/ and review the entire website. This is a website for an architectural firm specializing in designing developmentally appropriate spaces for children's centres and schools. View the centres for infants, toddlers and preschool aged children. Select one of the classrooms and do an analysis of what you find there. Critique the classroom design in terms of the chapter four content.

The classroom creates exploration spaces for toddlers hence promoting health and safety. While safety within a space guarantees the full exploration of the child, a healthy environment limits the chances of toddlers' contracting diseases. The architectural design of the room ensures that infants and children maximize their creativity as well as exploration which in turn enhances the relationship between the adult and infants ( ASIJ, n.d) . Because adults then have fewer concerns regarding constant monitoring, attention towards the toddlers is prioritized which then builds stronger bonds between the same. Additionally, the spaces support their development through positive relationships forged.

Through the creation of interactive environments, the classroom promotes responsiveness as well as respect. Moreover, space has been set aside to allow for caregiver and toddler response to each other as well as close interactions that are crucial for a child's development. The designed open cabinets are easily accessible to the toddlers hence promote free exploration and learning. Adults similarly can monitor the toddlers as the room is open space such that one can see from all corners of the room ( ASIJ, n.d) . Their development is further supported by the freedom of movement within the classroom as well as the proper arrangement of chairs which maximizes their interactions.

Discussion 5 

For this DP, please take a moment and compose in 200 words or more in paragraph form, using APA, the following two questions: 

Give two reasons for including a private space for children in your early childhood classroom

Private spaces for children play significant roles in the child's growth, mental and emotional stability hence generally include play spaces and private spaces. While play spaces foster creativity and the development of social skills, private spaces encourage self-reflection which in turn promotes self-growth. A private space is thus a small enclosed area that is easily noticeable by other children and easily accessible to adults ( Projects, n.d) . The spaces are plain and bare to enhance the aspect of discipline while allowing the child to refocus and take a break from their peers. While space provides an ideal setting for re-evaluating oneself, the private space should not be considered a timeout area.

Even though some institutions may experience financial constraints that may hinder them from investing heavily in these spaces, they are crucial to avoid over stimulation. As mentioned earlier, private spaces allow children to break away from the crowd hence allowing them to reenergize which in turn promotes their mental abilities through stamina. Identifying creative ways to make the spaces inviting to all children is important as well as creating awareness to the children in regards to the importance of the spaces ( Projects, n.d) . Additionally, studies suggest that children should understand the value of the personal spaces hence ask their peers not to interfere.

“ Why not just place all the library books in the private space?”, A volunteer asks you as you show him around your kindergarten. Tell him your reason for not storing specific materials in the private space . 

The private space, being an area for self-reflection and examination, requires that little to no learning material is used. Some scholars argue that the area should be enclosed and situated at a specific corner to attract attention while allowing for easy accessibility by adults and teachers. Conversely, others suggest that the spaces should be creative hence include creative materials that will allow the child to take a break while cognitively enhancing their creativity. While it may prove difficult to create personalized spaces for each child as they have unique personalities, two common spaces are cost-effective and require little to no maintenance.

Similarly, incorporating learning material in the child spaces not only erodes the purpose of the space but also maximizes on cost. Personal spaces fail to be supervised by adults while children's creative nature allows them to experiment and learn through such processes as destruction. This then suggests that space requires constant supervision which then interferes with a child's time hence may prove ineffective. Additionally, plain private spaces are functional and child-friendly with creative aspects incorporated such as bright colors and shapes on the walls. Despite research suggesting this may be a distraction for the children, teachers affirm its effectiveness.

Discussion 7 

Please visit the following website: Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL).

http://csefel.vanderbilt.edu/index.html

Write a review of the website: evaluate your findings in terms of value to a teacher and parent of young children.

Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL) offers useful guidelines that help parents effectively guide their children during the developmental observation phases of growth. The website focuses primarily on what both teachers and parents should do particularly during the infant and early childhood stages of development. Such phases include familiarity with routines in schools as well as at home when parents teach their children daily routines ( CSEFEL, n.d) . This information thus offers value to teachers as they identify the points at which routines should be introduced while parents learn to participate in the routines with their infants ( Long, Edwards & Bellando, 2017) .

(2) Select one aspect of the site that you could use in the classroom: and tell how you would implement it in the classroom.

One aspect that is viable for use in a classroom setting is the resources offered to teachers such as the tools for building relationships as well as the Booklist that promises to enhance children's emotional skills. The tools for building relationships are resourceful as one gains a reference which then helps in critical situations such as anti-social children behavior. The "Positive Attention Datasheet" allows a teacher to keep records of children's activities and social growth; hence effective intervention strategies are developed ( CSEFEL, n.d) . Additionally, the booklist to enhance a child's emotional skills works effectively as the development of the same enhances social skills.

Discussion 8 

Please take the role of a person from either the authoritarian or authoritative style. Respond to each question in that style.

1. My spouse and I are having a conflict over whether to paint the house. This is how my children see that we resolve the conflict:

My spouse and I compromise on the quality, quantity, and color of the paint to be used in the house as each receives an equal share of the rooms they in which wish their interests to be represented. This will ensure future conflicts among themselves are effectively resolved using the same approach.

2. My six-year-old is observing me deal with my toddler who does not come when I call her. This is what my six-year-old observes and hears as I follow through with our toddler:

A firm command is made, and consequently, boundaries are set. Failing to adhere to the command is followed by strict consequences aimed at enforcing the boundaries. The six-year-old child thus gains the understanding that crossing boundaries have consequences such as those depicted.

3. Our six-year-old and I are on the interstate, and another car cuts us off after we exit the toll booth. This is what my child observes as I react to this anger-arousing event:

Though calmly, I will signal to the driver who overtakes to depict that it was a dangerous move. My daughter will then understand the importance of calmness in such situations. Such will be reflected in future situations where through social learning, the child is familiarized on how to handle similar situations.

4. Our four-year-old boy is in a preschool and came home yesterday with the news that another child had hit him. This is what I told him to do and to say the next time something like that happened again:

As a nurturing parent, I will encourage independence from an early age. In such a situation, I encouraged him to report the same to his teacher while I followed up on the same. Not only does this approach enhance independence but also the understanding that another wrong can not reciprocate wrong.

5. My frustrated and angry four-year-old called me a "mean old poopy face!" This is how I responded:

As respect is earned not forced, I will enforce demanding practices that require less nurturing to discourage the behavior. Punishment is thus inevitable despite communicating with the child to explain why adults should be respected.

6. We were at the mall this weekend and walked past the video store. The store had a working display with a new video game called "Kill the Bunnies." Several children were playing the game, and the store was running a special on it. Our six-year-old started the "Hey, Dad, and Mom! I want the game" routine. This is how we handled the request:

Depending on how often we as parents have allowed him to have his way, we would sternly promise to use the "if...then" response. This is an effective approach as it depends on the child as one action is dependent on another. Responsibility is therefore enhanced as well as the value for money.

SUMMARY: I have responded to these questions in the _________________authoritative__________ caregiving style. I believe that my children's chances of developing aggressive scripts are: Poor

Excellent Good Only Fair Poor Extremely Unlikely 

Discussion 9 

Choose one of the websites at the end of the chapter:

Stop bullying: http://www.stopbullying.gov or Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (Olweus pronounced ol-VAY-us): http://www.clemson.edu/olweus/ . Review one of the websites that are devoted to bullying. Analyze the information, and explain if you consider this a helpful website for teachers and/or parents -- and if so why or if not why?

From an academic lens, the article "Stop Bullying" outlines ten key theoretical factors to consider when initiating preventive measures against bullying in social settings such as schools. Bullying affects children physically, emotionally and psychologically hence the need for prevention measures ( How to Prevent Bullying, n.d) . While studies reveal the extents to which bullying affects individuals in the later years, scholars affirm that the phenomenon is lightly considered. Consequently, the article advocates for routine assessments of bullying incidences within communities as well as such institutional levels as schools and colleges.

Financial support is further required for the establishment of prevention efforts which involve raising awareness at a communal level as well as the establishment of committees to ensure the same. Similarly, prevention programs should provide training on how society should prevent bullying as well as the response to bullying incidences. Other proposed strategies include the formation of rules and restrictions and consequently the outlining of the consequences concerning bullying. To minimize bullying, institutions should increase adult supervision as well as ensure fast response to cases of bullying. The article was thus helpful as it outlines practical examples of strategic approaches that may effectiveness eradicate the social vice

References

Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning. (n.d). CSEFEL . Retrieved from http://csefel.vanderbilt.edu/index.html

Chacko, A., Jensen, S. A., Lowry, L. S., Cornwell, M., Chimklis, A., Chan, E., ... & Pulgarin, B. (2016). Engagement in behavioral parent training: Review of the literature and implications for practice.  Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review ,  19 (3), 204-215.

Cole, G. G., Atkinson, M., Le, A. T., & Smith, D. T. (2016). Do humans spontaneously take the perspective of others?.  Acta psychologica ,  164 , 165-168.

Gordon Training International . (n.d). retrieved from http://www.gordontraining.com/parent-programs/parent-effectiveness-training-p-e-t/

How to Prevent Bullying. (n.d). StopBullying.gov . Retrieved from https://www.stopbullying.gov/prevention/index.html

Long, N., Edwards, M. C., & Bellando, J. (2017). Parent training interventions. In  Handbook of Childhood Psychopathology and Developmental Disabilities Treatment (pp. 63-86). Springer, Cham.

Projects. (n.d). Spaces for Children . Retrieved from http://www.spacesforchildren.com/projects/

Tavassolie, T., Dudding, S., Madigan, A. L., Thorvardarson, E., & Winsler, A. (2016). Differences in perceived parenting style between mothers and fathers: Implications for child outcomes and marital conflict.  Journal of Child and Family Studies ,  25 (6), 2055-2068.

The American School in Japan (ASIJ) Tokyo, Japan. (n.d). Spaces For Children. Retrieved from http://www.spacesforchildren.com/projects/the-american-school-in-japan-asij-tokyo-japan/

Weaver, N. L., Weaver, T. L., Nicks, S. E., Jupka, K. A., Sallee, H., Jacobsen, H., ... & Jaques, M. (2017). Developing tailored positive parenting messages for a clinic‐based communication programme.  Child: care, health, and development ,  43 (2), 289-297.