How nurture affects child development: Error 404 (Not Found)!!1

Why Nurturing Care?

Investing in early childhood development is one of the best investments a country can make to boost economic growth, promote peaceful and sustainable societies, and eliminate extreme poverty and inequality^1,2. Equally important, investing in early childhood development is necessary to uphold the right of every child to survive and thrive.³

All children need nurturing care to develop their full potential – it is vital for healthy growth and development. The time from pregnancy to three years of age, when the brain is most susceptible to environmental influences, is crucial.4 Nurturing care not only promotes physical, emotional, social and cognitive development, it also protects young children from the worst effects of adversity. It produces lifelong and inter-generational benefits for health, productivity and social cohesion.

Nurturing care encompasses young children’s needs for good health, optimal nutrition, security and safety, opportunities for early learning and responsive caregiving. ⁵ Parents, families and other primary caregivers are the main providers of nurturing care. Policies, programmes and services must therefore be designed to enable them and their communities to meet all the needs of young children.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health have embraced young children’s development, seeing it as central to the transformation that the world seeks to achieve by 2030.^6,7 Indeed, one of their shared targets is to ensure that all boys and girls have access to quality early childhood development (SDG target 4.2).

The cost of inaction is high

Poverty, malnutrition, insecurity, gender inequities, violence, environmental toxins and caregivers’ poor mental health are among the major risk factors for sub-optimal child development. According to estimates based on the risk factors of poverty and stunting alone, more than 40% of children in low- and middle-income countries – almost 250 million children – are at risk of not attaining their full development potential. ⁸

While children living in extreme poverty and those in conditions of conflict, disaster or displacement are at greatest risk, children all over the world may be exposed to adversities that impair their optimal development.⁹

Without intervention, adults affected by adversity in early childhood are estimated to earn almost a third less than the average adult income in their country. These individual costs add up, constraining wealth creation and national earnings. Lack of investment in early childhood development, and addressing the long-term consequences, are estimated to cost countries more than what they spend today on health.¹⁰

COMPONENTS OF NURTURING CARE

Working together for young children

Global institutions have prioritized early childhood development in their programmes of work. Now they need to work together in a unified way towards shared goals, and to inspire more governments and other stakeholder groups to invest in early childhood development. The time to act is now.

In response to this urgent need, the World Health Organization, UNICEF and the World Bank, in collaboration with the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health, the Early Childhood Development Action Network and many other partners, have developed this Nurturing Care Framework, which was launched during the Seventy-first World Health Assembly in May 2018.

The Framework provides an evidence-based road map for action and outlines how policies and services can support parents, families, other caregivers and communities in providing nurturing care for young children. It calls for attention to be paid to communities where children are most at risk of being left behind.

The Nurturing Care Framework identifies a set of best practices, based on programmes that have proven effective in improving early childhood development in high-, middle-and low-income countries. Effective national programmes are driven by strong and sustained political commitment and a determination to reduce inequity, poverty and social injustice. ⁵ They combine evidence-informed policies, services and public communication to improve awareness of and knowledge about early childhood development.

Investments are directed towards creating enabling environments and providing services and support for families and caregivers, motivated by both commitments and strong accountability mechanisms.

In line with these best practices, the Framework includes five strategic actions, accompanied by national and global milestones to 2023.

For each strategic action, the Framework proposes five country-level actions that need to be led and coordinated by governments and supported by a broad array of stakeholders.

Making nurturing care a reality for all children

Intersectoral collaboration is important to ensure a continuum of nurturing care – families and caregivers need comprehensive and integrated support systems. The health sector has an important role because of its close contact with young children and their families during the early years. ⁵ However, accelerating action on nurturing care requires whole-of-government action: contributions from many other sectors are also needed, including education, child protection and social protection.

The Framework depends on a whole-of-society approach, mobilized through a coalition of parents and caregivers, national and local governments, civil society groups, academics, the United Nations, development partners, the private sector, educational institutions and service providers, to ensure that every child gets the best possible start in life.

Stakeholders must plan together, implement by sector and by level of government, and monitor together. Effective coordination and accountability are essential, although the mechanism will vary from country to country.

The Framework calls on all governments and all stakeholders to take ownership of early childhood development in order to strengthen our investment in the sustainable future of our children and our shared world. These are the core values driving the SDGs, and the deep desire of parents and caregivers everywhere. Only if all children are enabled to survive and thrive – with no child left behind – will it be possible to transform the health and human potential of all people in all societies everywhere.

MILESTONES TO BE ACHIEVED IN THE NEXT 5 YEARS (BY 2023)

Nature vs. Nurture Child Development

Whether a child’s personality traits and behavioral tendencies are the sole result of heredity or a consequence of their upbringing is an age-old debate. Much of the controversy in nature vs. nurture child development is the result of a misunderstanding about genetics: the mistaken belief that fate and genetics are synonymous.

In fact, children’s genetic makeup is determined in many ways by their own experiences in their environment. The burgeoning field of epigenetics studies the effect of children’s early experiences on the chemical marks that accumulate in DNA and determine how much of a specific gene will be expressed, as the child development site First Five Years explains. All of these marks combined make up the epigenome; epigenetics is the study of these marks and their impact on children and adults.

Epigenetics and related fields in child development promise to give parents and educators new insights into how and why certain genes are expressed and others aren’t. Degree programs such as Maryville University’s online Bachelor of Arts in Human Development and Family Studies explore these areas to prepare students for careers that help families overcome challenges in their lives.

Definitions: Nature vs. Nurture Child Development

In the nature vs. nurture debate, “nature” is defined as all genes and hereditary factors that contribute to a person’s unique physical appearance, personality, and physiology. “Nurture” is defined as the many environmental variables that affect a person, including their experiences in early childhood, family and social relationships, culture, and community.

Both nature and nurture are linked to the philosophical concepts of empiricism and rationalism.

• Empiricists believe that the ultimate source of all concepts and knowledge is our sense experience.
• Rationalists hold that the content of concepts and knowledge may at times surpass the information that sense experience alone provides. They also believe that some form of reasoning is the source of this added information about the world.

Most researchers in child development are more interested in how nature and nurture interact than in determining which of the two may predominate. For example, Simply Psychology places various approaches to psychology on a continuum:

• At one end is the extreme nature position of nativists, who believe that behavioral tendencies, personality, and mental abilities are determined solely by heredity.
• At the opposite end is the extreme nurture position of empiricists, who consider a person’s psychological and physiological makeup to be entirely the result of their sense experiences.

Between these two extremes are a number of fields that focus on the interplay of nature and nurture in child development. Among these are behavioral genetics, which studies the genetic impact on variations in behavior, and polygenic inheritance, which looks at the effect that large groups of genes collectively have on a person’s behavior.

Similarities Between Nature and Nurture Child Development

As researchers delve deeper into nature vs. nurture child development, they find that many aspects of development that were once thought to be determined by a child’s environment also have a genetic component, whereas others that were believed to be controlled solely by heredity are greatly influenced by external factors.

Today’s Parent explains that many past studies on the effect of a child’s experiences and environment are flawed because it’s impossible for researchers to effectively control for genetics. Conversely, studies that claim parenting has no impact on a child’s development ignore the vital role that parents play in encouraging the best attributes and behaviors in their children — and discouraging harmful or negative behaviors.

Nature vs. Nurture: Influences Impacting Child Development

Genes determine certain human characteristics, such as eye and hair color and the incidence of genetic diseases. However, most human traits, including life expectancy, height, and weight, have both an environmental and genetic component. For example, social learning theory states that children learn by observing the behavior of others, so parenting styles and the child’s learned experiences determine whether they behave politely or aggressively in specific situations.

By contrast, learning’s genetic component encompasses the biological foundation of cognitive processes, as explained in Frontiers in Psychology. Genetic and epigenetic contributions to the learning process are inheritable and interact with behavioral learning such as study habits and the availability of educational resources.

Nature vs. Nurture: Children’s Physical and Personality Traits

Two recent studies illustrate the important role of epigenetics in a child’s development. Researchers at the University of British Columbia, UCLA, and British Columbia Children’s Hospital discovered a genetic marker in a child’s DNA that serves as a chemical “clock” to indicate the child’s biological age, as reported in Science Daily.

In a separate study reported in Psychology Today, researchers determined that toxin-related epigenetic changes, such as those caused by inhaling cigarette smoke, can be passed from parent to child genetically. The smoke triggers the expression of cancer-causing genes or suppresses the expression of those that protect against cancer. Children can inherit an epigenetic alteration from a parent.

Nature vs. Nurture: How Both Contribute to Child Development

The field of behavioral genetics studies how nature and nurture combine to affect a child’s development. It states that while genetics have a greater overall impact on a person’s makeup than their family environment does, most of an individual’s behavioral traits cannot be traced to specific genes or family characteristics. Instead, each human behavioral trait is associated with a great number of genetic variants, each of which contributes a very small amount to the expression of the trait.

Differences Between Nature and Nurture Child Development

Within the complex relationship between a child’s genetic makeup and learned experiences, distinctions can be drawn between the human traits that children are born with and those that result from their environment. The differences are evident in activities such as sleeping, crying, eating, socializing, and moving, all of which have clear nature and nurture components, as Firstcry Parenting explains.

Nature: Genetic and Hereditary Influences

A study of fraternal and identical twins found that babies’ sleeping patterns are determined primarily by genetics. Similarly, 60% of a baby’s temperament is set by their genetic makeup; whether they are sociable or shy is also primarily driven by genes. Also controlled primarily by heredity are the foods a baby prefers and whether the baby is active or sedentary.

Nurture: Environmental Influences

While genetics are key drivers of these and other aspects of a child’s development, that development is also influenced by what babies experience. For example, babies with poor sleep patterns can benefit from being exposed to sunlight during the day and by parents establishing a bedtime routine that induces better sleep. Whether a baby is easy to calm and soothe when crying is determined by genes, but swaddling, rocking, swaying, and other activities help overcome this genetic predisposition.

Nature’s Biological Psychology, Nurture’s Behaviorism

Biological psychology examines thoughts, feelings, and behaviors from a physiological perspective, as Verywell Mind describes. The field studies how a person’s brain, nervous system, hormones, and other physical features affect behavior. It also studies the mechanisms of inheritance via genes on the behavioral likeness of identical twins, for example.

Conversely, behaviorism (also called behavioral psychology) considers how interaction with the environment can condition behavior. This field considers only observable behavior, believing that moods, cognition, and emotions are too subjective to be measurable. Types of conditioning include classical conditioning, which pairs a neutral stimulus with a naturally occurring stimulus until each evokes the same response, and operant or instrumental conditioning, which uses reinforcements and punishments to evoke the desired behavior.

Nature’s Scientific Influences, Nurture’s Social Constructs

While approaches to child development that emphasize nature over nurture may appear to be more grounded in science than in behavior modification, both nature and nurture have scientific foundations that are paired with environmental controls. In general, nature looks at the impact of such physical approaches as neurotransmitters and genome sequencing on child development, while nurture focuses on aspects such as peer pressure and social influences.

Studying the Relationships and Experiences That Shape Children and Families

New discoveries in epigenetics, behavioral psychology, and related areas make child development one of the most exciting fields of scientific research. Programs such as Maryville University’s online Bachelor of Arts in Human Development and Family Studies prepare students to help individuals, families, and communities promote healthy child development.

Learn more about how Maryville provides students with the flexibility, affordability, and personalized coursework to begin pursuing a career serving families in need.

Recommended Readings

What Is Family Life Education?

How to Become a Child Life Specialist

What Do Community Health Workers Do?

Sources

Fatherly, “What Happens When You Tell Kids They’re Just Like Dad”

Firstcry Parenting, “What Is the Impact of Nature and Nurture on Child Development”

First Five Years, “Epigenetics: Child Development and Genes”

Frontiers in Psychology, “Genetics and Learning: How the Genes Influence Educational Attainment”

Harvard University Center on the Developing Child, “Epigenetics and Child Development: How Children’s Experiences Affect Their Genes”

Hello Motherhood, “Physical, Cognitive & Psychosocial Development”

National Center for Biotechnology Information, “Rationalism, Empiricism, and Evidence-Based Medicine: A Call for a New Galenic Synthesis”

Psychology Today, “The Epigenetics of Childhood Trauma”

Science Daily, “New DNA ‘Clock’ Could Help Measure Development in Young Children”

Simply Psychology, “Nature vs. Nurture in Psychology”

Today’s Parent, “Does Parenting Even Matter?”

Verywell Mind, “The Age Old Debate of Nature vs. Nurture”

Verywell Mind, “History and Key Concepts of Behavioral Psychology”

Verywell Mind, “How Genes Influence Child Development”

Verywell Mind, “The Role of the Biological Perspective in Psychology”

How do nature and nurture affect my child’s development? | Baby & toddler articles & support

Are we fully responsible for our child’s personality and does what we do have much effect on it? Here Professor Angelica Ronald discusses evidence on nature versus nurture…

Blank slate or all in the genes?

In the past, children were viewed as ‘blank slates’ (Pinker, 2016). The common view was that parents could ‘mould’ their child’s development through their actions. And this idea actually put a lot of pressure on parents. It suggested that any decision, whether good or bad, small or large, would shape their child.

We now know that children are not blank slates to be moulded by us. Their genetic makeup influences all aspects of their behaviour and personality (Knopik et al, 2017). Starting from when they were first conceived, how a child develops and behaves is partly influenced by the genes they inherit.

On the other hand, genes are not completely in control of a child’s destiny – no behavioural or personality traits are 100% heritable (Polderman et al, 2015). Genes give children a tendency towards certain ways of being, such as their sleeping behaviour or personality. But they also need an environment in which these genetic influences can play a role.

Both nature and nurture

Parenting does play an important role, just not in the way we originally believed. Nature and nurture both play a role. How we act as parents as well as our child’s genes are strongly intertwined (Duncan, 2014).

Each child responds to parenting in different ways. We know that children bring out different responses from their caregivers, partly as a result of their genetic makeup. This is called evocative gene-environment correlation (Plomin and Bergeman, 1991).

Children will also seek out environments that suit their genetic background. This process is known as active gene–environment correlation (Plomin and Bergeman, 1991).  

Why does it matter?

Information on how nature and nurture intertwine to influence children’s development can support families in several ways. As parents, it’s easy to take credit or to blame ourselves for every aspect of our children’s behaviour. Yet we cannot completely control a child’s development because part of it is influenced by the genes in their cells (Feero et al, 2010). Realising this can help put our role as parents into perspective and respect our child as an individual.

The difference between siblings

Understanding the joint roles of nature and nurture also helps us to understand why siblings are sometimes very different from one another (Plomin and Daniels, 2011). Siblings with the same mum and dad only share half of the genetic influences affecting their development. As such, siblings have a partly different genetic makeup, and this is one reason for sibling differences.

Siblings sometimes evoke different reactions from their parents. A parenting style might work for one child but not for another. Siblings might choose different environments to one another and show different tastes in toys, people, eating and napping habits, despite being raised by the same people.

Nature and nurture also help us understand why things run in families. This could be a behaviour like being very active, or a sleep pattern like needing less or more sleep than others. Research on genetic influences in infancy is still at an earlier stage than similar research on older age groups though (Papageorgiou and Ronald, 2017).

If genes play a role, can I still help my child?

Yes, you can. Many things are partly down to our genes but this doesn’t mean they can’t be supported or addressed through our environment. For example, sleep problems that persist into childhood are partly inherited (Barclay and Gregory, 2013). Yet we know that changing something in our child’s environment, such as routine and using black-out blinds at night, can help to resolve these problems (Semple, 2008).

It’s hard to pin down exactly how much of your child’s personality is down to nature and how much is nurture. We do know it’s a bit of both. The good news is you still play an important part in your child’s development but take some pressure off yourself too. Not everything you do (or don’t) will necessarily influence them or change who they are. 

Professor Angelica Ronald, Ph.D., is the Director at Genes Environment Lifespan (GEL) laboratory, Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development (CBCD) at the Department of Psychological Sciences at Birkbeck, University of London.

This page was last reviewed in August 2018.

Further information

Our support line offers practical and emotional support with feeding your baby and general enquiries for parents, members and volunteers: 0300 330 0700.

You might find attending one of our Early Days groups helpful as they give you the opportunity to explore different approaches to important parenting issues with a qualified group leader and other new parents in your area.

Make friends with other parents-to-be and new parents in your local area for support and friendship by seeing what NCT activities are happening nearby.

References

Barclay NL, Gregory AM. (2013) Quantitative genetic research on sleep: a review of normal sleep, sleep disturbances and associated emotional, behavioural, and health-related difficulties. Sleep Med Rev, 17(1):29-40. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22560641 [Accessed 31st August 2018].

Duncan L. (2014) Gene-environment interactions (GxE) in Behavioral Genetics. In: S. H. Rhee & A. Ronald (Eds. ), Behavior Genetics of Psychopathology: 253-281. New York: Springer.

Feero WG, Guttmacher AE, Collins FS. (2010) Genomic medicine–an updated primer. N Engl J Med. 362(21):2001-2011. Available at: https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMra0907175 [Accessed 31st August 2018].

Knopik VS, Neiderhiser JM, DeFries JC, Plomin R. (2017) Behavioral Genetics. New York: Worth.

Papageorgiou KA, Ronald A. (2017) The Genetic Basis of Psychological Traits in Infancy: Implications for Understanding the Causes of Developmental Psychopathology. In D. M. Williams & L. C. Centifanti (Eds.), The Wiley-Blackwell Handbook of Developmental Psychopathology (pp. 235-258). London: Wiley-Blackwell.

Pinker S. (2016) The Blank Slate. New York, NY: Viking.

Plomin R, Bergeman CS. (1991) The nature of nurture: Genetic influence on “environmental” measures. Behavioral & Brain Sciences, 14(3):373-427. Available at: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/behavioral-and-brain-sciences/article/nature-of-nurture-genetic-influence-on-environmental-measures/B84A71976517B468CC84B858063F3BF1 [Accessed 31st August 2018].

Plomin R, Daniels D. (2011) Why are children in the same family so different from one another? Int J Epidemiol. 40(3):563-582. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3147063/ [Accessed 31st August 2018].

Polderman TJ, Benyamin B, de Leeuw CA, Sullivan PF, van Bochoven A, Visscher PM, Posthuma D. (2015) Meta-analysis of the heritability of human traits based on fifty years of twin studies. Nat Genet. 47(7):702-709. Available at: https://www.nature.com/articles/ng.3285 [Accessed 31st August 2018].

Semple A. (2008) What influences baby-sleeping behaviour at night? Available at: https://www.nct.org.uk/sites/default/files/related_documents/Research%2… [Accessed 31st August 2018

Information you can trust from NCT

When it comes to content, our aim is simple: every parent should have access to information they can trust.

All of our articles have been thoroughly researched and are based on the latest evidence from reputable and robust sources. We create our articles with NCT antenatal teachers, postnatal leaders and breastfeeding counsellors, as well as academics and representatives from relevant organisations and charities.

Read more about our editorial review process.

How Does Nature and Nurture Affect Child Development?

At FirstCry Parenting, our aim is to give you the most elevant, accurate and up to date information.

Every article that we publish, confirms to stringent guidelines & involves several levels of reviews, both from our Editorial team & Experts. We welcome your suggestions in making this platform more useful for all our users. Write in to us at [email protected]

• Understanding Nature and Nurture

• Nature vs Nurture in Child Development

• Interaction of Nature and Nurture

Last Updated on March 12, 2020

There have been debates amongst various psychologists and biologists in regard to what may influence a child more, in terms of nature or the environment around him. If you want to know how nature and the way you nurture your kid impact your child’s behaviour, then read the following article

Understanding Nature and Nurture

In simple words if we define nature and nurture in child development, it can be summed up as follows:

Nature
Nature refers to the hereditary factors or the genes of a child, which not only defines a child’s physical appearance but also helps in building a child’s personality traits.

Nurture
On the other hand, nurture refers to various environmental factors that impact our personality traits, our childhood experiences, how and where the child is raised, social relationships, and culture.

Various branches of psychology take a different approach towards nature and nurture. Where some believe it is predominately the nature that is responsible for shaping up a child’s behaviour, others believe it is the way a child is nurtured, which marks his behavioural characteristics. In the past, it was believed that nature was more important but recently most experts lay stress and importance on both, the nature and the nurturing ways on the behaviour of a child.

Nature vs Nurture in Child Development

We shall now be discussing various aspects of a child’s behaviour and the influences of these aspects, in other words, let us see the difference between nature and nurture in child development:

1. Sleeping

Let us see how nature and nurture impact the sleeping of a child.

What is Expected Nature?

If your child is a peaceful sleeper or if he keeps waking up at night, it may be because of his genes. In a study conducted on identical and fraternal twins, it was observed that genes play a significant role in the sleeping pattern of a baby. It was seen that almost all identical twins had the tendency of waking up during the nights, but they also shared the same napping patterns. However, fraternal twins exhibit less tendency of waking up at night in comparison to identical twins.

How to Nurture

It was observed, that if a baby does not sleep properly, his sleeping schedule can be improved by you to induce better sleep. According to one study, it was observed that babies who were exposed to a significant amount of daylight during the day, slept better at night in comparison to babies who were not. This is because exposing the babies to sunlight is beneficial in regulating their sleeping and waking schedule. Apart from this, some simple changes in your kid’s bedtime routine such as no distractions before sleep-time, quiet surroundings, playing soft music, are some of the things that may help in inducing better sleep.

2. Crying

If your baby cries incessantly, you will wonder if that is because of his nature or this is a habit that he has developed, due to his way he is nurtured. Find out how nature and the way you nurture your child affects his cries.

What is Expected Nature?

Babies cry to get attention from their parents so that their needs are taken care of. While some babies are easy to calm and soothe, others may make their parent’s life miserable with their wails. Genetics plays an important role in the way your baby cries. Many researchers believe that almost 60 percent of the temperament of your baby is hereditary.

How to Nurture

The good news for parents is that babies are born with a calming reflex and it is not difficult to achieve. Most babies respond well to swaddling, rocking, swaying, swinging, and even sucking (offering breast or bottle). You may try any of these methods to calm and soothe your crying baby. Every baby is different, and thus you may have to establish what works best for your baby.

3. Socializing

Is your baby comfortable in the company of strangers or gets frantic as soon as he sees some unfamiliar faces? This too may be because of either his nature or the way he is nurtured.

What is Expected Nature?

If your baby is highly social and loves the company of people or if he is extremely shy and feels awkward in the company of strangers, then in most cases it is due to the inherited genes. In one of the studies published, it was stated that inherited temperament is what makes your baby act in a certain way.

How to Nurture

For babies, who are comfortable in being in the company of others, you as a parent need not do much. However, babies who are socially awkward, you may really have to put in some effort to make them feel comfortable in the company of strangers. You may try taking them on play dates or encourage your baby to interact and try various such things. However, it is a complete no-no to force your baby to do anything which he may not be comfortable with. Doing so may have adverse effects, and he may further become wary of strangers.

4. Eating

It may sound weird but your kid’s eating habits and food preferences may be inherited too and some he may develop. Know how nature and how you nurture your child impact his eating habits:

What is Expected Nature?

Eating habits of your baby may be genetic too. If some babies are slow eaters and others love to guzzle on, it is because of their genes. Even after making constant efforts to feed a particular food to your baby, if your baby still despises that food, it may be his genes into action. In a study conducted on identical and fraternal twins, it was observed that food aversions may be genetic.

How to Nurture

If your child is a fussy eater, you can do a lot to make your baby to eat a particular food. The first and foremost thing is to understand that mealtimes should be fun and your baby should look forward to it. Always introduce one food at a time, as offering too many tastes and foods at the same time may confuse your baby’s palate. It is very normal for babies to make funny faces whenever a new taste is introduced. Practise patience whenever it comes to introducing a new food to your baby.

5. Moving

If your baby likes to be in motion all the time or if he is laid back and does not like to move around much, this may be because of his genes or the way he is nurtured.

What is Expected Nature?

It is seen that babies who are more active or like to move around much are that way because of their inherited genes. Similarly, if your baby is more relaxed and sedentary, then it because his genes are making him do so. In a study, it was established that active babies grow up into active adults whereas relaxed babies may remain the same as they grow up.

How to Nurture

You may do a lot in terms of helping your baby to be more active. You may involve him in various activities and games, give him various kinds of toys to play and do other such things. It is also important to give your baby enough tummy times during his early months.

Interaction of Nature and Nurture

In the present scenario, various developmental psychologists are of the opinion that apart from how nature and nurture affect physical development in childhood, the human development also depends on social factors such as socio-environmental, socio-economic, and cultural factors. All of us are born with specific genetic traits and are nurtured in different environments and thus we all develop different traits. However, how we react to the various environmental factors is determined by our genetic factors too. This may indicate that these factors are co-dependent.

Some examples of nature and nurture in child development may make the above-mentioned statements clearer. For example, if a child is born to the tall parents, but he is not nurtured properly or receives improper nutrition, then he may not grow tall in spite of having taller genes in him. Similarly, a child may have the ability to understand music because of his genes, but the genes alone will not make him a musical genius; he will have to undergo training from an early age.

From the above information, we hope you now have a clear understanding of what a kid inherits from his parents and how you can help nurture it. These two factors play a key role in shaping up his behaviour, so pay attention to your child’s behaviour.

Also Read: Factors That Affect Growth and Development in Children

Nature vs. Nurture – Child Development

Developmental psychology seeks to understand the influence of genetics (nature) and environment (nurture) on human development.

LEARNING OBJECTIVE

• Evaluate the reciprocal impacts between genes and the environment and the nature vs. nurture debate

KEY POINTS

• • A significant issue in developmental psychology has been the relationship between the innateness of an attribute (whether it is part of our nature) and the environmental effects on that attribute (whether it is derived from or influenced by our environment, or nurture).
  • Today, developmental psychologists rarely take polarized positions with regard to most aspects of development; instead, they investigate the relationship between innate and environmental influences.
  • The biopsychosocial model states that biological, psychological, and social factors all play a significant role in human development.
  • Environmental inputs can affect the expression of genes, a relationship called gene-environment interaction. An individual’s genes and their environment work together, communicating back and forth to create traits.
  • The diathesis–stress model serves to explore how biological or genetic traits (diatheses) interact with environmental influences (stressors) to produce disorders, such as depression, anxiety, or schizophrenia.

TERMS

• genotypeThat part (DNA sequence) of the genetic makeup of a cell, and therefore of an organism or individual, which determines a specific characteristic (phenotype) of that cell/organism/individual.
• heritabilityThe ratio of the genetic variance of a population to its phenotypic variance; i.e., the proportion of variability that is genetic in origin.
• geneA unit of heredity; a segment of DNA or RNA that is transmitted from one generation to the next and carries genetic information such as the sequence of amino acids for a protein.
• traitAn identifying characteristic, habit, or trend.
• innateInborn; native; natural.

Developmental psychology is the scientific study of changes that occur in human beings over the course of their lives. This field examines change and development across a broad range of topics, such as motor skills and other psycho-physiological processes; cognitive development involving areas like problem solving, moral and conceptual understanding; language acquisition; social, personality, and emotional development; and self-concept and identity formation. Developmental psychology explores the extent to which development is a result of gradual accumulation of knowledge or stage-like development, as well as the extent to which children are born with innate mental structures as opposed to learning through experience.

A significant issue in developmental psychology is the relationship between the innateness of an attribute (whether it is part of our nature) and the environmental effects on that attribute (whether it is influenced by our environment, or nurture). This is often referred to as the nature vs. nurture debate, or nativism vs. empiricism. 

• A nativist (“nature”) account of development would argue that the processes in question are innate and influenced by an organism’s genes. Natural human behavior is seen as the result of already-present biological factors, such as genetic code.
• An empiricist (“nurture”) perspective would argue that these processes are acquired through interaction with the environment. Nurtured human behavior is seen as the result of environmental interaction, which can provoke changes in brain structure and chemistry. For example, situations of extreme stress can cause problems like depression.

The nature vs. nurture debate seeks to understand how our personalities and traits are produced by our genetic makeup and biological factors, and how they are shaped by our environment, including our parents, peers, and culture. For instance, why do biological children sometimes act like their parents? Is it because of genetic similarity, or the result of the early childhood environment and what children learn from their parents?

Today, developmental psychologists rarely take such polarized positions (either/or) with regard to most aspects of development; instead, they investigate the relationship between innate and environmental influences (both/and). Developmental psychologists will often use the biopsychosocial model to frame their research: this model states that biological, psychological, and social (socio-economical, socio-environmental, and cultural) factors all play a significant role in human development.

We are all born with specific genetic traits inherited from our parents, such as eye color, height, and certain personality traits. Beyond our basic genotype, however, there is a deep interaction between our genes and our environment: our unique experiences in our environment influence whether and how particular traits are expressed, and at the same time, our genes influence how we interact with our environment (Diamond, 2009; Lobo, 2008). There is a reciprocal interaction between nature and nurture as they both shape who we become, but the debate continues as to the relative contributions of each.

Heritability refers to the origin of differences among people; it is a concept in biology that describes how much of the variation of a trait in a population is due to genetic differences in that population. Individual development, even of highly heritable traits such as eye color, depends not only on heritability but on a range of environmental factors, such as the other genes present in the organism and the temperature and oxygen levels during development. Environmental inputs can affect the expression of genes, a relationship called gene-environment interaction. Genes and the environment work together, communicating back and forth to create traits.

Some concrete behavioral traits are dependent upon one’s environment, home, or culture, such as the language one speaks, the religion one practices, and the political party one supports. However, some traits which reflect underlying talents and temperaments—such as how proficient at a language, how religious, or how liberal or conservative—can be partially heritable.

This chart illustrates three patterns one might see when studying the influence of genes and environment on individual traits. Each of these traits is measured and compared between monozygotic (identical) twins, biological siblings who are not twins, and adopted siblings who are not genetically related. Trait A shows a high sibling correlation but little heritability (illustrating the importance of environment). Trait B shows a high heritability, since the correlation of the trait rises sharply with the degree of genetic similarity. Trait C shows low heritability as well as low correlation generally, suggesting that the degree to which individuals display trait C has little to do with either genes or predictable environmental factors.

Heritability Estimates

This chart illustrates three patterns one might see when studying the influence of genes and environment on individual traits. Typically, monozygotic twins will have a high correlation of sibling traits, while biological siblings will have less in common, and adoptive siblings will have less than that. However, this can vary widely by trait.

The diathesis–stress model is a psychological theory that attempts to explain behavior as a predispositional vulnerability together with stress from life experiences. The term diathesis derives from the Greek term for disposition, or vulnerability, and it can take the form of genetic, psychological, biological, or situational factors. The diathesis, or predisposition, interacts with the subsequent stress response of an individual. Stress refers to a life event or series of events that disrupt a person’s psychological equilibrium and potentially serve as a catalyst to the development of a disorder. Thus, the diathesis–stress model serves to explore how biological or genetic traits (diatheses) interact with environmental influences (stressors) to produce disorders, such as depression, anxiety, or schizophrenia.

Return to Table of Contents

Nature, Nurture and Early Brain Development

Sara Gable

State Extension Specialist, Human Development

Melissa Hunting

Undergraduate Intern

For some time, we have known that development results from the dynamic interplay of nature and nurture. From birth on, we grow and learn because our biology is programmed to do so and because our social and physical environment provides stimulation.

New research on early brain development provides a wonderful opportunity to examine how nature and nurture work together to shape human development. Through the use of sophisticated technology, scientists have discovered how early brain development and caregiver-child relationships interact to create a foundation for future growing and learning.

Note
For this guide, the word caregiver includes anyone who cares for young children, such as parents, grandparents, child care providers or preschool teachers.

The nature of early brain development

At birth, the human brain is still preparing for full operation. The brain’s neurons exist mostly apart from one another. The brain’s task for the first 3 years is to establish and reinforce connections with other neurons. These connections are formed when impulses are sent and received between neurons. Axons send messages and dendrites receive them. These connections form synapses. (Figure 1.)

Figure 1
Neurons mature when axons send mesages and dendrites receive them to form synapses.
 

As a child develops, the synapses become more complex, like a tree with more branches and limbs growing. During the first 3 years of life, the number of neurons stays the same and the number of synapses increases. After age 3, the creation of synapses slows until about age 10.

Between birth and age 3, the brain creates more synapses than it needs. The synapses that are used a lot become a permanent part of the brain. The synapses that are not used frequently are eliminated. This is where experience plays an important role in wiring a young child’s brain. Because we want children to succeed, we need to provide many positive social and learning opportunities so that the synapses associated with these experiences become permanent.

How the social and physical environments respond to infants and toddlers plays a big part in the creation of synapses. The child’s experiences are the stimulation that sparks the activity between axons and dendrites and creates synapses.

The nurture of early brain development

Infants and toddlers learn about themselves and their world during interactions with others. Brain connections that lead to later success grow out of nurturant, supportive and predictable care. This type of caregiving fosters child curiosity, creativity and self-confidence. Young children need safety, love, conversation and a stimulating environment to develop and keep important synapses in the brain.

Caring for infants and toddlers is mostly about building relationships and making the most of everyday routines and experiences. The Creative Curriculum for Infants and Toddlers (Dombro, Colker and Dodge, 1997) says that during the first 3 years of life, infants and toddlers look to caregivers for answers to these questions:

• Do people respond to me?
• Can I depend on other people when I need them?
• Am I important to others?
• Am I competent?
• How should I behave?
• Do people enjoy being with me?
• What should I be afraid of?
• Is it safe for me to show how I feel?
• What things interest me?

Learning with all five senses

During the first 3 years of life, children experience the world in a more complete way than children of any other age. The brain takes in the external world through its system of sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste. This means that infant social, emotional, cognitive, physical and language development are stimulated during multisensory experiences. Infants and toddlers need the opportunity to participate in a world filled with stimulating sights, sounds and people.

Create a multi-sensory environment

• Experiment with different smells in the classroom. Try scents like peppermint and cinnamon to keep children alert and lavender to calm them down.
• Remember that lighting affect alertness and responsiveness. Bright lights keep infants and toddlers alert; soft lights help infants and toddlers to calm down.
• Expose infants and toddlers to colors that stimulate the brain. Use colors like pale yellow, beige, and off-white to create a calm learning environment; use bright colors such as red, orange, and yellow to encourage creativity and excitement.
• Use quiet and soft music to calm infants and toddlers and rhythmic music to get them excited about moving.
• Create a texture book or board that includes swatches of different fabrics for infants and toddlers to feel.
• Describe the foods and drinks that you serve infants and toddlers and use words that are associated with flavor and texture (“oranges are sweet and juicy;” “lemon yogurt is a little sour and creamy”).

Thinking and feeling

Before children are able to talk, emotional expressions are the language of relationships. Research shows that infants’ positive and negative emotions, and caregivers’ sensitive responsiveness to them, can help early brain development. For example, shared positive emotion between a caregiver and an infant, such as laughter and smiling, engages brain activity in good ways and promotes feelings of security. Also, when interactions are accompanied by lots of emotion, they are more readily remembered and recalled.

Early brain development: when things go wrong

Early development does not always proceed in a way that encourages child curiosity, creativity and self-confidence. For some children, early experiences are neither supportive nor predictable. The synapses that develop in the brain are created in response to chronic stress, or other types of abuse and neglect. And, when children are vulnerable to these risks, problematic early experiences can lead to poor outcomes.

For example, some children are born with the tendency to be irritable, impulsive and insensitive to emotions in others. When these child characteristics combine with adult caregiving that is withdrawn and neglectful, children’s brains can wire in ways that may result in unsympathetic child behavior. When these child characteristics combine with adult caregiving that is angry and abusive, children’s brains can wire in ways that result in violent and overly aggressive child behavior. If the home environment teaches children to expect danger instead of security, then poor outcomes may occur.

In these cases, how do nature and nurture contribute to early brain development? Research tells us that early exposure to violence and other forms of unpredictable stress can cause the brain to operate on a fast track. Such overactivity of the connections between axons and dendrites, combined with child vulnerability, can increase the risk of later problems with self-control. Some adults who are violent and overly aggressive experienced erratic and unresponsive care early in life.

Adult depression can also interfere with infant brain activity. When caregivers suffer from untreated depression, they may fail to respond sensitively to infant cries or smiles. Adult emotional unavailability is linked with poor infant emotional expression. Infants with depressed caregivers do not receive the type of cognitive and emotional stimulation that encourages positive early brain development.

Programs that work

When children have less-than-optimal experiences early in life, there is hope for the future. Understanding how brain development is affected by negative experiences gives us the opportunity to intervene and to prevent future difficulties. And, because we know about healthy early brain development and the experiences that infants and toddlers need, programs have been designed to help children develop the necessary skills that they may not have developed earlier.

In Missouri, the Parents as Teachers (PAT) program provides information about child development to parents whose children are between birth and age 5. The information is delivered by well-prepared parent educators during home visits and parenting classes, and through referrals to other agencies. An evaluation of the program showed that PAT children scored higher on measures of intellectual and language ability than children whose parents did not participate in PAT. PAT is available to all families in Missouri and is a good example of how caregiver education about child development can help children throughout their lives.

Advocating for children

Early brain development research reinforces an important message about children: From birth on, children are ready and eager to learn and grow. Taking advantage of this situation means that all caregivers need to understand the importance of the early years and to recognize appropriate methods for stimulating children’s learning and growth. Providing educational opportunities to parents, grandparents, child care providers and other caregivers is a step in the right direction to guarantee productive early years. Sharing this message with policy makers is another strategy for ensuring that infants, toddlers, and young children and their caregivers receive the necessary education and support.

Early brain development and child care providers

Here are some tips for how to effectively establish relationships with infants and toddlers and to promote early brain development:

• Learn to read the physical and emotional cues of the infants and toddlers in your care. Recognize the individuality of each child and sensitively respond to these differences.
• Assign a primary caregiver to each infant and toddler in your program to work with the child and his/her family.
• Observe and record the infant and toddler behaviors that are indicative of early brain development. Share these observations with other caregivers who play an important role in the children’s lives.
• Accept infants’ and toddlers’ strong emotions as signs of their desire to communicate with you and the world. Respond quickly and appropriately to these communications; give meaning to these emotional communications.
• Find a balance between being overinvolved and being underinvolved; recognize the child’s current developmental status and create opportunities for each child to reach beyond his/her abilities.

Caregivers and infants together

Early brain development research reinforces the importance of caregiver sensitivity and responsiveness to infant behaviors and needs. What do insensitive and unresponsive caregiver-infant interactions look like? What do sensitive and responsive caregiver-infant interactions look like?

Below are some real-life examples of caregivers interacting with their 4-month-old babies. Although these are only brief examples of caregiver-infant interactions, consider what is happening to the baby’s development if most interactions are like these ones. As you read each example, put yourself in the baby’s position and “See the world through the eyes of the child.” Ask yourself:

• How sensitive is the caregiver to the baby’s needs and abilities?
• How responsive is the caregiver to the baby’s behaviors and communications?
• How does the caregiver stimulate the baby’s senses?

In this example, the caregiver is generally out of touch with the baby. The caregiver’s words are mostly discouraging; the caregiver leaves the baby with the toys out of the baby’s reach; the caregiver does not recognize the baby’s frustration or try to help the baby calm herself down; and, the caregiver does little that stimulates the baby’s five senses. Imagine daily life for this baby if most of her interactions are like this one. How are her senses being stimulated? What connections are being wired in her brain?

In this example, the caregiver enthusiastically greets the baby after she returns to the room; the caregiver stimulates the baby’s senses with her tickling and toy rattle; and, she encourages the baby’s physical development when she leaves the rattle for the baby to hold. When the rattle falls and hits the baby, the caregiver sensitively responds, gives meaning to the baby’s cries and shares physical affection in an effort to soothe the baby. Consider how these experiences help an infant develop trust in the world.

Observations from Isabella, Russell A. 1993. Origins of attachment: Maternal interactive behavior across the first year. Child Development, 64, 605-621.

References

• Caldwell, Bettye. May 1998. “Early experiences shape social development.” Child Care Information Exchange: 53-59.
• Dombro, Amy Laura, Laura J. Colker and Diane Trister Dodge. 1997. The Creative Curriculum for Infants and Toddlers. Washington, DC: Teaching Strategies, Inc.
• Gilkerson, Linda. May 1998. “Brain care: Supporting healthy emotional development.” Child Care Information Exchange: 66-68.
• Healthy Child Care America. January 1999. Early brain development and child care. American Academy of Pediatrics.
• Healy, Jane M. 1994. Your child’s growing mind: A practical guide to brain development and learning from birth to adolescence. New York: Doubleday.
• Isabella, Russell A. 1993. “Origins of attachment: Maternal interactive behavior across the first year.” Child Development, 64: 605-621.
• Karr-Morse, Robin, and Meredith S. Wiley. 1997. Ghosts from the nursery: Tracing the roots of violence. New York: Atlantic Monthly Press.
• Kotulak, Ronald. 1997. Inside the brain: Revolutionary discoveries of how the mind works. Kansas City, Mo.: Andrews McMeel Publishing
• Lally, J. Ronald. May 1998. “Brain Research, Infant Learning, and Child Care Curriculum.” Child Care Information Exchange: 46-48.
• Rogers, Adam, Pat Wingert, and Thomas Hayden. May 3, 1999. “Why the Young Kill.” Newsweek: 32-35.
• O’Donnell, Nina Sazer. March 1999. “Using early childhood brain development research.” Child Care Information Exchange: 58-62.
• Schiller, Pam. May 1998. “The thinking brain.” Child Care Information Exchange: 49-52.
• Shore, Rima. 1997. Rethinking the brain: New insights into early development. New York: Families and Work Institute.
• University of Pittsburgh, Office of Child Development. Spring, 1998. “Brain development: The role experience plays in shaping the lives of children.” Children, Youth, and Family Background, Report 12. Pittsburgh: University Center for Social and Urban Research.
• Weikert, Phyllis S. May 1998. “Facing the challenge of motor development.” Child Care Information Exchange: 60-62.
• Willis, Clarissa. May 1998. “Language development: A key to lifelong learning.” Child Care Information Exchange: 63-65.

Skip to main content

Skip to main content

The influence of the family on the development of the child

It would seem obvious that family and social education directly affects the formation and development of the child. But often we do not pay much attention to this, making a big mistake. The family has a special place in the life of every person. The child grows up in it, and from the first years of his life he learns the norms of human relations, absorbing both good and evil from the family, everything that is characteristic of his family. Having matured, children repeat in their family everything that was in the family of their parents.

One of the main conditions is that the family provides a sense of security, which provides him with security when interacting with the outside world. Children gain confidence in their abilities, fear and excitement go away.

Parenting patterns also play an important role. Children often copy the behavior of other people, especially those who are in close contact with them. Partly it is a conscious attempt to behave in the same way as others behave, partly it is an unconscious imitation, which is one aspect of identification with another.

The family plays an important role in the child’s life experiences. The extent to which parents provide the child with the opportunity to study in libraries, visit museums, and relax in nature depends on the stock of children’s knowledge. It is also very important to talk a lot with children. Those children who have more life experience will be better than other children to adapt to the new environment and respond positively to the changes taking place around them.

Thus, it can be argued that the positive attitude of parents to the cognitive development of the child, support for his cognitive and creative activity, encouragement of cognitive activity and recognition of the success of the child helps to develop their intellectual and creative abilities.

The family is an important factor in the formation of discipline and behavior in the child. Parents influence the child’s behavior by encouraging or condemning certain types of behavior, as well as applying punishments or allowing a degree of freedom in behavior that is acceptable to them. The child learns from his parents what he should do, how to behave.

Communication in the family affects the formation of a child’s worldview, which allows him to develop his own norms, views, ideas. The development of the child will depend on how good conditions for communication are provided to him in the family; development also depends on the clarity and clarity of communication in the family.

For a child, a family is a talisman, a pantry of knowledge and a springboard to adulthood. It is in the family that the child receives the basics of knowledge about the world around him, and with the high cultural and educational potential of his parents, he continues to receive not only the basics, but also the culture itself all his life. Family is a certain moral and psychological climate, for a child it is the first school of relations with people.

Family education has a wide time range of influence: it lasts a person’s entire life, occurs at any time of the day, at any time of the year.

Also, the family can be fraught with certain difficulties, contradictions and shortcomings of educational influence. The most common negative factors of family upbringing that have to be taken into account in the educational process are: spoiledness and effeminacy, immorality and illegality of the family economy;

• lack of spirituality of parents, lack of desire for spiritual development of children;

• authoritarianism or “liberalism”, impunity and forgiveness;

• immorality, immoral style and tone of family relations;

• absence of a normal psychological climate in the family;

• fanaticism in any of its manifestations;

• pedagogical illiteracy;

• illegal behavior of adults.

Based on the specifics of the family as a personal environment for the development of the child’s personality, a system of principles of family education should be built:

• children should grow up and be brought up in an atmosphere of goodwill, love and happiness;

• parents must understand and accept their child for who he is and contribute to the development of the best in him;

• educational influences should be built taking into account age, gender and individual characteristics;

• the dialectical unity of sincere, deep respect for the individual and high demands on him should be the basis of family education;

• the personality of the parents themselves is an ideal model for children to imitate;

• upbringing should be based on the positive in a growing person;

• all types of activities organized in the family for the development of the child must be based on the game;

• optimism is the basis of the style and tone of communication with children in the family.

These principles can be expanded and supplemented, but the main thing is that they must be present.

Kononok Valeria Alexandrovna, teacher-psychologist of the city center for psychological and pedagogical assistance of the Moscow State Children’s and Children’s Department

Upbringing and development of the child through the efforts of the family and school – Teacher’s newspaper

Education is a social process in the broadest sense. It educates everything: people, things, phenomena, but above all and most of all people. Of these, parents and teachers are in the first place.

Anton Makarenko

Scroll to the right to see more images solving pressing social and infrastructural problems,” Vladimir Putin outlined the most important priorities of our time.

Combining the efforts of the school and parents is a prerequisite for the successful solution of both educational and educational tasks, “without social and pedagogical partnership, the subjects of the educational process are not able to ensure the full spiritual and moral development and education of students” (The concept of spiritual and moral development and education of the individual citizen of Russia / A. Ya.Danilyuk, A.M.Kondakov, V.A.Tishkov. – M .: Education, 2009. – S. 20.). This is also indicated by the Strategy for the Development of Education in the Russian Federation for the period up to 2025: “The Strategy creates conditions for the formation and implementation of a set of measures that take into account the characteristics of modern children, the social and psychological context of their development, forms the prerequisites for consolidating the efforts of the family, society and the state, aimed at educating the younger and future generations” (Strategy for the development of education in the Russian Federation for the period up to 2025, p. 2).

The child comes to school when he has already formed basic social skills and when he can control himself and work on himself emotionally and cognitively. All the skills that he acquired from birth were formed in the family and will continue to develop and strengthen in the future under the auspices of not only the family, but also the school. It often happens like this: with the beginning of the school period in a child’s life, family education seems to fade into the background, because most of the day the child spends at school, interacting with classmates and teachers who work with his class. But it’s not. A family and a school with a unified system of values ​​and upbringing are the backbone and support for the formation of the child’s personality and for his versatile development. Their cooperation is the way to quality education and upbringing of the younger generation. Yes, there are different life situations, different families and children, but the goal of a modern educational organization is to find and provide all the opportunities for each child to discover their talents and form the best personal qualities and readiness for a future adult independent life.

There are several styles of family education that have a great influence on the socialization, development of the child, the formation of his qualities: authoritarian, democratic, permissive, chaotic, patronizing. It is important for the teaching staff to determine in time the conditions in which the child grows up, what relationships and rules reign in his family in order to competently plan their upbringing activities and find the key to each child.

What kind of child came to our class, what each student and class needs, how to help the child in his difficulties, how to help the family understand the causes of difficulties, how to interact with the family in order to establish cooperation between the family and the school? These and many other questions and answers to them are important for all teachers working in each specific class, and especially for the teacher who assumes the duties of a class leader. “The closest thing to students is their class teachers. Such constant daily work related to the education and upbringing of children is a huge responsibility, and it, of course, requires special training of mentors and their special support ”(from the Message of the President of the Russian Federation to the Federal Assembly dated January 15, 2020).

What does a modern class teacher need to be like in order to lift the whole load of emerging problems? He should become a real class leader.

We can say about him that he is a “right-wing” pedagogical work, which, of course, does not detract from the importance of other teachers, but distinguishes his role among the entire teaching staff, since it is the class teacher who first of all learns about children, life circumstances, which they were born and grow up, plunges into the life of every child and his family, often becomes a voluntary or involuntary witness to some secret secrets of the child and the details of the psychological atmosphere prevailing at home in each student of his class, builds individual and group educational routes, ensures progress in these routes and navigation between the diverse possibilities of the socio-cultural space of the city and the school. That is why it is very important for him to win the trust of both students and their parents, so that they believe him, are confident in his professionalism, are not afraid to look for solutions to emerging problems together, see him as an ally, responsible and responsive assistant and organizer of cooperation between teachers, school administration , children and their parents (legal representatives).

The functionality of the class leader is expanding, filled with new meanings. The goal of the class teacher’s activity is not just and not only the rallying of the class team, but the creation of conditions for self-development and self-realization of the personality of each student, his successful socialization in society on the basis of socio-cultural, spiritual and moral values ​​and generally accepted rules and norms of behavior in the interests of the child, family, society. At the same time, the work of uniting the class, traditional for the class teacher, becomes a necessary condition for comfortable learning, acquiring knowledge and socialization skills, and a means of developing the student’s communicative competencies.

To achieve the goal, the class teacher needs to improve his skills:
– organizational skills and organizational skills to be an organizer, moderator, navigator, an active member of the management team;
– communication and speech skills to be a good speaker, a leader who can quickly adapt to various situations and formulate his thoughts competently and clearly;
– psychological and pedagogical skills and emotional intelligence in order to effectively fulfill the role of a mediator and mentor, create favorable psychological and pedagogical conditions for communication with all participants in educational relations, recognize and regulate not only their emotional background, but also all participants in interaction with it;
– reflexive, in order to evaluate their actions in accordance with established norms, generalize, identify problems in their own activities, establish the causes of problems, make the necessary changes in their activities and speech behavior;
– digital, in order to consciously use the digital resources of the city and school, create your own digital educational content that meets modern requirements, be able to work with information – collect, analyze, structure, check for reliability.

Thus, a request was made for the creation of a comprehensive support for the activities of teaching staff who carry out class management. State request, clearly indicated in the instructions of the President of the Russian Federation to the Government of the Russian Federation, the highest executive bodies of state power of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation, announced at the beginning of this year: along with raising the status of a teacher, create a reliable system of motivating class teachers to a new result and new content of activity, develop criteria for the effectiveness of class teachers.
Public and pedagogical request for the formation of a new institute of class leaders in the school.

Today, the head of a Moscow school delegates certain powers to the head of the class, which are enshrined in the local act of the school – the Regulations on the Head of the Class / Class Leadership. The head of the class, according to the Model Regulations, is entrusted to independently determine the goals, priority areas, content and forms of work with the students of the class; optimize, correct and control the educational process in the class entrusted to him; initiate and conduct a small pedagogical council.
The head of the class is the person who directly works with the families of students, with appeals from parents and the parent community, his rights enshrine the ability to submit proposals for consideration by the head of the educational organization both on behalf of the class team and on his own behalf. He is a full-fledged member of the school’s management team and can independently make management decisions. The head of the class carries out his activities using the project approach in managing the class, group and each student and, of course, in interaction with all participants in educational relations. The importance of a securely built interaction with colleagues – subject teachers, class teachers in the parallel of education, as well as with other class teachers – is increasing to ensure continuity and adherence to the traditions of the school.

So, after all, what changes in the education system with the change of the name “class teacher” to “class leader”? What conditions should be created in a modern school in order for such a teacher to appear in it – a class leader?

The first important condition for effective change should be the readiness of the teacher himself to change the content of activities and the active use of modern technologies, his mature motivation to perform managerial functions, to new content and forms of activity, to a new result.

This is a willingness to understand that he is a class leader – a teacher who manages resources, conditions, changes, achieving goals and planned results.

Let’s not hide the fact that, while communicating with Moscow class teachers, we repeatedly encountered their primary resistance to accepting the new role of class leader.
All the argumentation was reduced to a high pedagogical workload, lack of time for the implementation of the designated functions. Nevertheless, the need to make adjustments to the very organization of educational activities, which are often spontaneous in nature, was not denied. However, the development of new tools and approaches in the course of teaching broke this resistance and convinced the class teachers that it was in the new role that they would be able to raise education to a new level and make educational activities more efficient, that is, leading to better results at lower costs, in the first place. temporary queue.

Class teachers who have completed training under the program “Class Teacher – Head of the Class. Project-based approach to class management”, this is how they answered the question about the changes that have taken place in the school after training.

– It became easier to work, there was a saving of time for communication tasks. We realized that we do play a certain role in the work of the management team. And the management team also began to hear us. We began to speak the same language, – says Anna Artemenko from school No. 2109.

– Personally, the work of a class teacher has become less time-consuming for me, it has become more structured. It became easier for me, easier to contact with children, with parents, to resolve some conflict situations. Now I can definitely note for myself that, despite the fact that there are a variety of moments – both negative and positive, their solution is much more structured in my head, – notes Svetlana Ilyenko from school No. 1560 “Leader”.

The second and main condition for the implementation of this idea should be the unconditional acceptance of the new status of the head of the class by the entire teaching staff – from the director to the subject teacher. That is, not only the head of the class, but the entire teaching staff of the school should be ready for such a complex activity. The head of the educational organization is ready to delegate part of his managerial powers to the head of the class. Teachers working with the class, representatives of the school administration are fully aware of the breadth of authority and responsibility of the head of the class, understand and accept his place and role in the management structure of the educational organization.

No less important is the awareness of the need to work in unison, to equally understand and accept the mission, goals and objectives of the school, to build a common strategy focused on achieving the educational results planned together, to create and implement a system of education and socialization of the school. At the same time, the first assistant and coordinator of the activities of the head of the class is the deputy head for education and socialization.

To implement such comprehensive support and build effective interaction with the head of the class in the Moscow education system, the advanced training program for the deputy head of education and socialization in a modern educational organization helps. A program for directors of Moscow schools “Principal of a school – head of class leaders” has been prepared for testing, work is being carried out with the entire teaching staff of the school through a reboot program.

Discussion platforms, interactive pedagogical councils, strategic sessions, mutual learning seminars, working meetings within the project office with the participation of school directors, deputy directors, class teachers, other teachers, in attended by over 3800 people. The task of the ongoing activities is to motivate the heads of educational organizations and management teams, teachers and class teachers to understand and accept the new role of the class teacher in the school, to transfer real powers to manage the class and create the necessary conditions for this.

The Classroom Teacher – Classroom Teacher project is in continuous development, responding vividly to social, technological and political changes. Currently, a new advanced training program is being prepared for implementation for teaching staff who carry out class management – “The head of the class is a key figure in updating the system of education and socialization of students”, remote modules for class teachers are being developed, previously developed documents on the regulation of activities are being supplemented and corrected. head of the class: Regulations on the head of the class and the regulations for the interaction of the head of the class with the administration and teachers of the educational organization.

The appearance of a class leader in the school with new powers and responsibilities becomes the most realistic mechanism for accompanying each student in the process of individualizing educational routes, expanding the range of opportunities for obtaining education both inside and outside the school, and offsetting educational achievements.

Thus, while maintaining the usual role of a mentor and educator, the head of the class becomes a kind of navigator of his wards through the educational spaces, orienting them in the possibilities of the school and the city, thereby expanding the educational space far beyond the school walls. This work of the class leader takes place in close cooperation with the school teachers and the parents of the children, helping to strengthen the ties between the family and the school, which are equally interested in the successful future life of every young Muscovite. It is very important that the head of the class becomes a key figure in the system of education and socialization of the school in interaction with the family of each child.

How to successfully fulfill the role of a class leader, grow professionally and organize effective interaction with the family of students, how to involve them in the educational process together with the efforts of the school, even in difficult conditions of general temporary self-isolation, read in the next article.

Olga POKOSOVSKAYA, expert of ICRCPO;
Ekaterina SUHANKINA, expert of MTsRKPO

What influences the child’s development process and how to make it harmonious?

home

Knowledge base

Factors affecting the process of child development

• Family and parents
• Surroundings
• Information environment
• Qualities of a child’s character
• Personal motivation

Heredity, upbringing, the presence or absence of talent – what actually affects the development of a child? Many parents ask this question. But in fact, talent and genetics play far from the main role. Really significant factors – for example, the influence of the family or personal motivation – are amenable to adjustment and largely depend on the parents.

Family and parents

“Everything starts with a family” is not just words, but a truth that every parent understands who wants to raise a successful, self-confident person. The main task of parents is to create conditions for the comprehensive development of the child, to acquaint him with the world around him, to show the correct behavior patterns. In the family, the child learns about gender and social roles, learns to resolve conflicts, and cope with difficulties. A child needs a friendly atmosphere, the sincere interest of parents, their faith in him and their readiness to help.

It is very important that parents satisfy the basic emotional needs of the child – the need for affection, security, freedom of expression of creative potential. At the same time, a wise parent should guide the child on the path of his creative growth, point out strengths and suggest how to cope with shortcomings. It is important to instill moral values ​​in the child’s soul from childhood. This should be done in the family, by example.

Environment

The older the child gets, the more people come into his life. The initial social circle of parents and grandmothers is supplemented by educators and teachers in courses for children. The first friends appear, and it is not always possible to control this communication. However, it is important to know who the child is friends with. It is useful to send the baby to a children’s development center – this will provide the child with a full-fledged social development in the company of creative diversified children. In the Imena Production center, children often find like-minded people and best friends and transfer communication into everyday life.

Information environment

Now the question of formation of the information environment is especially relevant. Television, the Internet, books, advertising in one way or another affect the child. A modern person receives 5 times more information per day than it was 30 years ago. All this affects the mental development of the child.
For example, the TV is able to block its own creative thinking and causes dependence on visual stimulants, hyperactivity, and passivity. Watching TV interferes with the development of speech at an early age. Not to mention the fact that in modern cartoons scenes of violence are several times more common than in adult feature films.
Unfortunately, it is impossible to completely protect a child from the harmful effects of the modern information environment, therefore it is important to develop a strong moral base in him from childhood, to cultivate the right values ​​and views. Then, when he encounters unwanted content, he will not be influenced by it.

Character traits of the child

Perseverance, hard work, attentiveness and the ability to concentrate on a subject – these qualities help the child in school and in life. Therefore, it is important to educate them in a small person from childhood. For example, in order to cultivate a love of work, it is important to allow the baby to take part in household chores. Especially when he himself shows interest. Games that develop the speed of thinking, attentiveness, and the ability to concentrate are useful. TRIZ classes are useful for developing non-standard thinking. This direction will soon appear in the Imena Production center.

Personal motivation

To achieve your goals and be successful, you need personal motivation. And to develop it in a child is one of the important tasks of parents. To do this, it is necessary to be in contact with the child, properly organize individual and joint activities, and use non-material incentives. It is important not to make the child dependent on praise and disapproval. If you praise only for successes, and blame for failures, then instead of motivation, the child will develop a fear of failure.

At the Imena Production center, we have created an environment for the comfortable integrated development of children. Our classes are built according to special methods, and teachers are able to competently develop personal motivation in the child and interest him.

Harmonious development

Social development of the child

Comprehensive child development
All tags

07.09.2020.

Our disciplines

Children’s theater studio

vocals

Choreography for children

Acting

stage speech

History of Russia

Arts for children

Developing classes with a psychologist

Preparation for school

Early development early development

English

Speech therapist

Sunday school

Catechism for adults

Psychologist

Business School

Integrated Development

TRIZ

Academy of Humor

Drawing

Other articles

09/29/2022.

New! What is “deep thinking” and how to develop it in modern conditions?

Read more

09/26/2022.

New! Lifelong learning: how to make learning a habit?

Read more

19.09.2022.

How to stop being afraid of the camera?

Read more

09/12/2022.

What hinders the development of creative thinking in children?

Read more

09/05/2022.

5 easy ways to improve concentration in children

More details

The influence of the style of family education on the personality of the child

What role a child occupies in the family and how his communication with relatives develops directly depends on what he will become in the future, how he will look at the world and interact with people around him. The family is the cradle of a child’s development. Knowing about the different styles of family education, their pros and cons, will allow you to develop your own style and create harmonious family relationships.

The role of the family in shaping the child’s personality

Relationships within the family are often perceived by the child as a role model. Most psychologists are sure that it is the flaws of upbringing in childhood that cause difficulties in communication in adulthood. The formation of the personality of the baby directly depends on what model of education is characteristic of his family.

Parents have a huge influence on their baby, since it is they, and not educators, coaches or teachers, who spend most of the time with the child, and their communication model becomes an example to follow.

There are many classifications of family education styles, which are based on various criteria for relationships within the family. In this article, we will introduce you to the classifications proposed by the following authors:

1. J. Bolnwin;
2. G. Craig;
3. D. Elder;
4. L.G. Sagotovskaya;
5. E.G. Eidemiller.

Styles of family education according to J. Baldwin

In the classification of J. Baldwin, two styles of education are distinguished. The division between democratic and controlling style was based on such criteria as the nature of the requirements for the child, the degree of control, emotional support and evaluation.

Research by psychologists has shown that children who were brought up in families with a democratic style of upbringing most often have the following characteristics:

• Tendency to leadership;
• Comprehensive development;
• Social activity;
• Sociability;
• Lack of empathy, lack of altruism.

In families with a controlling parenting style, children grow up:

• Suggestible;
• Obedient;
• Non-initiative;
• Alarming.

Such “pure” family parenting options are rare, most families adhere to a mixed style.

Classification of parenting styles by G.

Kraig

Styles of family education according to G. Kraig can be divided on the basis of two criteria: the degree of parental control and the trusting relationship in the family. The researcher identifies four main styles of education:

• The authoritative style of family education is one of the most harmonious. This parental position is based on trust in your child, but the level of control remains at a high level. As a result, friendly relations are established in the family, and the baby gets enough freedom for self-realization. Children in such families usually grow up purposeful and self-confident, as well as capable of self-control.
• An authoritarian parenting style most often leads to strained intra-family relationships. It is based on total control. A child in a family where this style of upbringing is followed becomes fearful, irritable, aggressive, dependent.

• The liberal style of family education is characterized by a low level of control over children and trusting relationships within the family. The behavior of the child is practically not regulated, but at the same time, children learn to control themselves. Growing up, children most often become active and creative individuals.
• With an indifferent parenting style, the child is given the maximum level of freedom. Adults devote little time to children, so relationships within such families are not warm. Using this style of family parenting is fraught with the risk that the child may grow up hostile and anti-social.

Styles of parenting according to D. Elder

D. Elder distinguishes seven types of family education. The classification criteria are the degree of control and pressure on the child.

The degree of control over the actions of the child is a very important indicator of the style of family education. How much freedom a child is given in childhood depends on whether he grows up self-confident, active and enterprising, or, on the contrary, becomes an anxious and inactive person.

Classification of family education styles L.G. Sagotovskoy

This classification describes six possible parenting styles that differ in the degree of emotionality of the relationship between adults and the child, as well as the role of children in family life.

1. The child is the main concern and goal of adult life;
2. The child is the object of pedagogical efforts;
3. Child helper, small adult;
4. The child is a friend, an independent person;
5. Child – “empty place”;
6. The child is a nuisance.

Variants of pathological styles of family education (EG Eidemiller)

The author of this classification identifies styles of family education that are abnormal and have a negative impact on the development of the child’s personality. Parenting styles differ in the level of adult participation in the lives of children, the degree of control and attention of parents to the individual characteristics of the child.

• Hypo-custody is insufficient care for a child. Children in such a situation are left to themselves, contacts within the family are minimal and superficial. The extreme degree of hypoprotection is neglect and pedagogical neglect.
• Dominant overprotection – excessive concern for the child in conjunction with complete control of behavior. In such families there are a huge number of prohibitions. As a result, children may grow up to be dependent and lack of initiative.
• Indulgent Overprotectiveness is a parenting style that puts the child’s desires and success at the forefront. Parents fulfill all the whims of their baby. Often, children who grew up in such “hothouse” conditions have a hard time in adulthood.

• Emotional rejection. With this parenting style, adults do not want to participate in the lives of children, often resorting to punishment. Such “cold” parents may consider it their duty only to provide for the child and do not care about the emotional well-being of the baby.
• Excessive requirements. Sometimes parents impose too many responsibilities on the child and demand from him what he is not yet capable of. This attitude towards the crumbs as a small adult often leads to increased anxiety and depression.
• Inconsistency. The chaotic style of family education, which may arise due to the lack of a single position among parents or their fear of seeming unloving to the baby. Floating boundaries of what is permitted and inconsistency develop in the child impulsiveness, insecurity, instability of self-esteem. A kid who does not have a clear picture of the world does not get the feeling of security and predictability he needs.

Advice for Parents

In this article we have told you about the different styles of parenting. Although each of the authors gave the styles their own name and used different classification criteria, they all talked about the same thing. In the traditional classification, which generalizes the options proposed earlier, four main types of family education are presented: authoritarian (powerful), democratic (respectful), indulgent (overprotective), conniving (indifferent). Their features are clearly shown in the video:

The authoritarian parenting style assumes that the word of the parents for the child is the law. Few children can retain their individuality at the same time, most often the baby grows up distrustful, withdrawn, dependent. During adolescence, the child may experience rebelliousness and antisocial behavior.

If you notice an authoritarian pattern of behavior behind you, try to change your attitude towards the child. It is necessary to reduce the pressure on the baby and pay attention to his own needs and desires.

The other extreme is the permissive style of family upbringing, in which everything is allowed for the child. Often parents use this parenting style to show their love, but this strategy does not lead to positive results. The absence of parental authority and any restrictions inadequately overestimates the child’s self-esteem, which can lead to communication difficulties.

The child’s development is negatively affected by both total parental control and lack of discipline. Restrictions and prohibitions are very important for the baby. They teach him to control his actions and behave within the framework of social norms.

The most harmonious style of family education is the democratic style. It is a combination of discipline and respect for the freedom of the child. Adults do not infringe on the rights of children, and they, in turn, have a number of responsibilities. Close trusting relationships are established within the family. As a result, children grow up sociable, self-confident and independent.

Conclusions

The influence of the style of family education on the formation of a child’s personality is an extremely important and urgent problem. What style you follow when raising your baby directly affects his self-esteem, sociability, activity, independence and, in general, his attitude to the world. The most harmonious and effective is the democratic style of education, which is based on equality, mutual respect, care and love.

Conclusion

We are sure that every parent wants only the best for their child and is aware of their responsibility for their development. A favorable climate in the family, love and respect – this is what a baby needs to be self-confident and enjoy exploring the world. Bringing your child to classes at the Constellation Montessori Children’s Center, you can be sure that here he will be treated as a unique person, respect his feelings and appreciate his freedom of choice.

Article prepared by psychologist
Safonova Maria

The influence of the family on the development of the child

Home » Our consultations » From the experience of our teachers » The influence of the family on the development of the child

The key to family happiness is kindness,

frankness, responsiveness.
E. Zola

The family acts as the most important factor in the development of the individual. Here a child is born, here he receives initial knowledge about the world and his first life experience. The child must be brought up by the parents, and all social institutions can only help them in providing conditions for the self-development of the child.

The well-being of the child is promoted by a friendly atmosphere and a system of relationships that gives a sense of security, love and acceptance, stimulates and directs his development.

Love of parents is the greatest and indispensable source of spiritual and emotional development of the child, his moral qualities, self-confidence, positive perception of the world.

ATTENTION!!!

The huge influence of “parental attitude” on the development of the child’s personality has in preschool and primary school age. It is at this age that a favorable parental attitude is important for the development of the child’s personality, since on its basis the child’s self-attitude, his self-esteem is formed.

What we (adults) donate to another generation and how we do it, depends on the physical, mental and spiritual health of the children living next to us.

Five basic principles of parental influence on a child :

1. Parents are the main source of life experience
2. Parents influence a child’s behavior through reward or punishment methods.
3. Communication in the family is the main factor influencing the development of the child’s own views, norms, attitudes and ideas.
4. The child takes over from his parents the basics of behavior in society.
5. The family provides a sense of security, which is one of the main conditions for the normal development of the child. It gives the child the opportunity to interact with the outside world without fear and fear, to learn new ways of exploring it.0214
6. The moral and psychological climate of the family is a school of relations with people.

Children learn from what they see around them

How to maintain relations with the child

involvement in positive activities, adequate interests, mental development and sufficient for full -fledged self -realization of the personality, I can want.

TIPS FOR PARENTS

• Find more opportunities to involve your children in work: at home, outside the home, to help school.

• Use your free time with your children for their spiritual enrichment, education of love and respect for nature, accustoming to work, expanding cognitive and aesthetic interests.

• Remember that you are the first example for your children, they want to find the best human qualities in you.

• Don’t give children a reason for unpleasant experiences, never quarrel in their presence, be tactful. Respect the personality of the child, his thoughts, experiences, interests, seek mutual understanding, sincerity and trust. Start good traditions in the family: the more good traditions, the more meaningful, joyful the atmosphere in which the family lives.

• Promote the development of humane, comradely and friendly relations, cultural behavior in your children. Prepare your child to take an active part in school life. Teach children to a healthy daily routine, rational nutrition, ensure that children do morning exercises, go in for sports, and go outside.

The role of the family and its influence on the formation of the child’s personality – Informio

The family is the leading factor in the development of the child’s personality, on which his future fate largely depends.

The first thing that characterizes the family as an upbringing factor is its upbringing environment, in which the child’s life and activities are organized. Already from infancy, he develops as a social being, for whom the environment is not only a condition, but also a source of development. The interaction of the child with the environment, and above all with the social environment, the assimilation of the “culture created by mankind” [1] plays a paramount role in his mental development, the formation of his personality.

The family for the child is the place of birth and the main habitat. In his family, he has close people who understand him and accept him for who he is – healthy or sick, kind or not very good, complaisant or impudent – there he is!

It is in the family that the child receives the basics of knowledge about the world around him, and with the high cultural and educational potential of his parents, he continues to receive not only the basics, but also the culture itself all his life.

The development of a child’s personality in a family is a key problem for psychology and pedagogy. What forms the personality of a child in a family? Is it only direct suggestion of correct ideas and views and personal example of parents? The development of the child is determined by his role and place in the system of relations in the family, the nature of the relationship. A whole range of factors influences the development of personality.

A child who has not received parental love grows up unfriendly, embittered, callous to the experiences of other people, impudent, quarrelsome in a group of peers, and sometimes – withdrawn, restless, excessively shy. Growing up in an atmosphere of excessive love, reverence and reverence, the little man early develops the traits of selfishness, effeminacy, spoiledness, arrogance and hypocrisy.

If there is no harmony of feelings in the family, then in such families the development of the child is complicated, family upbringing becomes an unfavorable factor in the formation of personality.

The better and friendlier the family, the higher the result of the physical, moral, labor education of the individual. If the family has such a strong influence on the processes and results of the formation of the individual, then society and the state should give paramount importance to the family in organizing the correct educational impact.

Parents – the first educators – have the strongest influence on children. More J.-J. Rousseau argued that each subsequent teacher has less influence on the child than the previous one. Parents are prior to all others; kindergarten teacher, primary school teacher and subject teachers. They are given by nature the advantage in the upbringing of children. Contacts with parents create in children a stable state of life, a sense of confidence and reliability.

Another feature of family education is the fact that the family is a social group of different ages: it includes representatives of two, three, and sometimes even four generations. And this means – different value orientations, different criteria for evaluating life phenomena, different ideals, points of view, beliefs. One and the same person can be both an educator and a teacher: children – mothers, fathers – grandparents – great-grandmothers and great-grandfathers.

And despite this tangle of contradictions, all members of the family have a rest together, do housework, organize holidays, create certain traditions, enter into relationships of the most diverse nature.

The influence of the family on the development of the child’s personality is carried out and manifested as follows:

1. The family provides a sense of security, guaranteeing the safety of the child when interacting with the outside world, mastering new ways of exploring and responding to it.
2. Children learn certain behaviors from their parents by assimilating certain ready-made behaviors.
3. Parents are the source of essential life experiences.
4. Parents influence a child’s behavior by encouraging or condemning a particular type of behavior, as well as by punishing or allowing a degree of freedom in the child’s behavior that is acceptable to them.
5. Communication in the family allows the child to develop their own views, norms, attitudes and ideas. The development of the child will depend on how good conditions for communication are provided to him in the family; development also depends on the clarity and clarity of the communication of its members.

Family is a certain moral and psychological climate, for a child it is the first school of relations with people. It is in the family that the child’s ideas about good and evil, decency, and respect for material and spiritual values ​​are formed. With close people in the family, he experiences feelings of love, friendship, duty, responsibility, justice…

A feature of family education is an organic fusion with all the life of a growing person: the inclusion of a child in all vital activities – intellectual, cognitive, labor, social, creative, playful, free communication.

Family education also has a wide time range of influence: it continues throughout a person’s life, occurs at any time of the day, at any time of the year. A person experiences its beneficial (or adverse) influence even when he is away from home: at school, at work, on vacation, on a business trip. And sitting at a school desk, the student is connected by invisible threads with the house, with the family, with many problems that concern her.

To the best of its ability and pedagogical capabilities, the family directs the development of the child’s personality; it acts as a factor in education also because it organizes various types of children’s activities. When organizing a child’s activity, it is advisable for parents to consider how to create a situation of success for him, thanks to which the subjective experience of the acquired achievements, no matter how small they may be, takes place. Positive reinforcement of the child’s intentions, advancing success, focusing on the child’s positive traits, and strengthening the motive for activity will be effective. The feeling of success creates an atmosphere of emotional upsurge in the child, and this, in turn, initiates activity, stimulates the desire to work (study, play).

However, there are certain difficulties, contradictions and shortcomings of educational influence in the family. The most common negative factors in family upbringing are:

– unpredictable impact of factors of the family’s material wealth: excess or lack of things, the priority of material well-being over the spiritual needs of a growing person, disharmony of material needs and opportunities to satisfy them, pamperedness and effeminacy, immorality and illegality of the family economy;

– lack of spirituality of parents, lack of desire for the spiritual development of children;

– authoritarianism or “liberalism”, impunity and forgiveness;

– immorality, the presence of an immoral style and tone of relations in the family;

– lack of a normal psychological climate in the family;

– fanaticism in any of its manifestations;

– pedagogical illiteracy, unlawful behavior of adults .

The family creates or destroys the personality, it is in the power of the family to strengthen or undermine the mental health of the child. It encourages some personal inclinations, at the same time prevents others, satisfies or suppresses personal needs, and contributes to the emergence of a person’s “I”. Parents are not born. They become parents. This is the natural law of life. Human history shows that the starting point of personal development is family life and relationships with parents.

One of the most responsible and sacred callings of a person is to be a father and mother. The harmony of fatherhood and motherhood introduces the child into the adult world as a prepared person. The authority and example of father and mother are the main factors in the maturation, upbringing and development of a mentally and spiritually healthy person.

Thus, the family is the most important environment for the formation of personality and the institution of education. There are, of course, other factors influencing the development and formation of a person – the environment, the environment for learning, the environment for recreation. But the family has a dominant function in this. Everything good and everything bad comes from the family.

The educational process takes place every second. Always remember the words of A.S. Makarenko “Your own behavior is the most decisive thing for a child.” A child is a blank sheet of paper, ready to be filled in. The child every second looks at you, absorbs the information that you give with your behavior.

Everything is important – your speech, manners, your style of dress, ways of communicating with strangers, with friends, enemies, and of course their presence in general. Sometimes the contradictions between children and parents are pronounced, sometimes they are not given much importance. Often we face the same problem: we lecture children on how to behave, give them useful advice, warn them against mistakes, and in the end we get the opposite results. What is the reason here? Maybe the fact is that our actions do not always correspond to what we are talking about? Children are our constant witnesses.