Child Rearing Practices
Child Rearing Practices are the specific daily actions and methods parents use. Understanding these helps teachers interpret student behavior and adapt classroom management.
1. Essential Practices and Developmental Outcomes
These practices serve as the tools used to implement a broader parenting style (e.g., Authoritative).
| Practice Area | Key Techniques | Impact on the Child’s Learning & Behavior |
|---|---|---|
| Discipline | **Inductive Reasoning** (explanation, empathy) vs. **Power Assertion** (physical punishment, threats). | Inductive reasoning fosters **moral understanding**; Power Assertion is linked to **aggression** and low self-control. |
| Communication | Reciprocal talking, rich vocabulary, asking open-ended questions. | Directly enhances **Cognitive and Language Development**. Supports Vygotsky’s view of language as a thinking tool. |
| Autonomy | Allowing choices and self-regulation; giving children responsibility for chores. | Builds **Self-Esteem**, sense of **Initiative** (Erikson), and necessary **Self-Control** for classroom success. |
2. Practices in the Indian Context
- Distributed Discipline: In **extended families**, discipline and teaching are often shared among grandparents and elders, requiring the child to adapt to multiple authority figures.
- Attachment & Co-Sleeping: Practices like co-sleeping often lead to **strong physical closeness and dependency** in early childhood, which teachers must be aware of when promoting classroom independence.
- Academic Pressure: High value placed on education often results in parental practices emphasizing early coaching and less **Unstructured Play Time**, potentially affecting creativity and stress levels.
3. Educational Implication for Classroom Management
The teacher must implement **Authoritative Classroom Management** by using **Inductive Reasoning** (explaining classroom rules and consequences) to model balanced discipline. The classroom should intentionally provide the **Autonomy and safe exploration** that may be restricted by traditional or overly controlling home practices.