Parenting Style Paper

 

 

Human Development Personal Response Paper

Assignment Instructions:

In this personal response paper, you will explore how you were parented in terms of the four parenting styles discussed in your text on pages 253-256 (LO 6.16: Parenting Styles).  If you find you need more sources for clarification, please contact me.  Please DO NOT seek out or use any outside sources unless I give you permission to do so.  More specifically, you will discuss the parenting style you received from your primary caregiver (the person who was most responsible for raising you) during your childhood and how receiving this parenting style may (or may not) have affected you.

ONLY pick ONE person, even if you were raised by more than one.

ONLY pick one style to discuss and examples of it, even if seemed to vary.

To help you be successful, I have a very specific format I want you to follow for this paper.  Here is what I want you to do:

Paragraph 1: The first paragraph should introduce what you will be talking about in the paper.  (In this paragraph you should state who it is you will be talking about and their relationship to you.  You should also state whichparenting style was primarily used.)

Paragraph 2 (or more): Give the definition of the style. [If you use your own words, you must be absolutely sure that all of them are your own AND you still must reference the material (1) in-text (meaning in the body of the paragraph) and (2) provide the full citation at the end of your paper in the reference section.  When you use all your own words, you do NOT need to use quotation marks or provide a page number.  If you have trouble using your own words and/or need to quote, (1) use quotation marks, (2) provide the reference in-text, (3) provide the full citation at the end in the reference section, and (4) provide a page number.  By the way, changing the order of some words or substituting some words for others DOES NOT count as your own words and are considered plagiarism. In such a case, you should quote it and note it!  If you need help with this, please ask.]

After or in combination with defining the style (depending on how you organize it), you need to then describe how the parenting style that you received during your childhood or adolescence fits in with the definition of this particular style.  Give examples of how this particular parenting style was used.  (If your parent seemed to switch styles or use multiple styles, please pick only this one to discuss.)  In terms of organization, the best way is often to have one paragraph defining the style by itself, then one or more paragraphs where aspects of the definition are exemplified.

Be careful how you organize this part.  Organize your paragraphs well.  Be sure you show you understand the elements of this style well by how you discuss and give examples of it in action.

Paragraph 3 (or more): Discuss specifically why you think this person primarily used this type of parenting style.  This means you should pick one or more possible reasons and then describe how you know they played a role by using examples or demonstrating your thoughtfulness on the topic.  (For example, you may consider culture, era parent was raised in or cohort, the way your parent was parented, etc.)  If you have several potential reasons, you may do best to discuss each in its own paragraph.

Paragraph 4 (or more):Briefly assess the effectiveness of this parenting style for you (not children in general).  Discuss the impact of this parenting style on how you are today (as an adult or a late adolescent).  Again, you should not talk about children in general here; talk about yourself.  You may wish to consider how you will parent your future children or how you have parented the children you currently have.  Look at the effects discussed in the text if you need ideas about what you might consider for outcomes (but you do not have to address these).  If you do use material from the text here, be sure you cite it in APA style.

Note: Do not use outside sources for this paper.  This includes any other outside source (websites, other texts, articles).  If you do not understand the parenting styles well from what you read in the text, please contact me.  I am happy to help you!  I can also approve an outside source if you feel you just have to cite one.