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... dia. In our society, parents are expected to be role models for their children and are responsible for guiding their childrens actions. Therefore, the method with which parents chose to raise their children has an immense impact on the development of the children, not to mention the society as a whole. There are three types of parenting techniques: authoritarian, permissive, and authoritative. The first type of parenting technique, authoritarian, teaches the children to value obedience and gain respect for authority.
Authoritarian parents discipline their children excessively and expect the acceptance of parent authority. On the other extreme, permissive parents are more indifferent about behavioral standards, failing to monitor their childrens activities and setting fewer provisions for them to fulfill. The third type of parents, authoritative parents are firm but make the needs of their children a priority. They set realistic standards and give explanations for the rules that they set. Because these three categories of parenting differ from each other in many ways, it should be no surprise that their effectiveness on children differs as well. When those children indulging in unsuitable activities were studied, it was found that the parents of these children tend to employ ineffective child management techniques, like those practiced by permissive and authoritarian parents.
In some cases, such as authoritarian parenting, the defiant children might be punished regardless of the severity of their indulgence. Therefore, when faced with the decision of violence versus peace, children who are punished regardless of their choice, choose to act violently (Crowell 123). Other parents simply permit their children to disobey authority. This type of parenting would be categorized as permissive parenting. The problem with this type of parenting is that the children are never held accountable for their actions and will have trouble later in life adapting in the standards set by society. Studies have shown that children, if not punished for their wrong doings, will only expand on their previous misconduct, with one crime leading to another, always increasing in its severity (Crowell 236).
Inadequate parenting can also lead to insecure children, as studies have shown that adolescents with behavioral problems lack feelings of significance, competence, and power. Since these three characteristics are necessary for a sense of wellbeing, insecure children seek out ways in which to experience them, often causing them to become involved in unacceptable behavior. For example, in order to attain a feeling of significance, adolescents may resort to stealing or disrupting class if they find that their peers support this action. At the same time, knowing that they are the best at something, even if it is illegal or socially unacceptable, will give them a sense of competence.
In addition, they can gain power by setting their own limits and knowing that their behavior causes aggravation for adults. Therefore, it is the role of the parents to provide the adolescents with acceptable opportunities to gain significance, competence, and power, to prevent them from achieving these feelings in an inappropriate manner (Jones 11). In addition to critiquing the parenting techniques of rebellious children, theorists have begun to evaluate the method in which children are held accountable for their actions. Some observers note that the biggest problem with children today is that they are not being effectively disciplined and therefore lack respect. Discipline entails learning how to live in a social world. The short-term goal of discipline is to control behavior, but the long-term goal of discipline is to enable the children to accept responsibility for their own behavior.
Punishment may restrain a child temporarily, but it doesnt teach self-discipline. Parents are responsible for teaching their children the values and standards of our society. After all, isnt it more important to teach children how to direct their own behavior so they can be responsible for themselves as they mature into adults, rather than only trying to control their momentary behavior? Something needs to be done to end this perpetual debate over the influence of the media in American culture. Looking at the facts tells us children learn through a process called modeling, or observational learning.
This process entails learning through observation and imitation. Therefore, the environment that children are exposed to has an immense impact on their development. If children are exposed to excess amounts of television without parental guidance, then violence in the media will have a giant impact on their development. However, it is the role of the parents to raise their children, not some corporate television network. If parents take the time to discipline their children and teach them the rules of society, then violence in the media should have little or no impact on the development of children.
Furthermore, the media survives on public opinion. If the public could convince the media that they no longer want to be exposed to violent programs, the media would undoubtedly eliminate the violence from their programs. The solution is simple. Parents must prevent their children from viewing violent programs, and the media, in turn, will be dissuaded from airing them.
However, the media will not eliminate the violence as long as they are still drawing an audience. People can blame the media violence all they want, but the fact remains that until they lose viewers, the media will continue to include violence in their programs. In terms of television, there are two major ways in which the parents can intervene and control their childrens television viewing. First of all, they can help their children gain critical viewing skills by explaining the goals of television to their children and giving them a more basic concept of reality. Secondly, they can plan activities with their children other than watching television in order to keep them entertained. If parents set good examples and instill the correct morals in their children, then the violence portrayed in the media should have a minimal effect on their childrens development.
However, it is when the parents disregard their responsibility as a role model and caretaker that problems begin to develop. Another theory on media violence is the concept that violence in the media may actually serve as a mirror to the society in which it is created. If this theory is considered, then we must evaluate our society as a whole, not just our technology, to determine if the morals that are being practiced are, in reality, what drives adolescents to violence. Because children learn through example, they often begin by imitating the adults that have a daily impact on their lives.
Therefore, if children view their parents displaying a lack of respect or aggression toward another adult, they will grow up thinking that this type of behavior is acceptable. Adults need to monitor their own actions before they can expect the media to monitor theirs. The educational system also tends to carry much of the burden for teenage violence. When students commit crimes in a school, many families decide to abandon the school system, claiming that the discipline is too morally loose.
On one hand, the school system is responsible for teaching children and ensuring that they learn, but on the other, isnt it the parents responsibility to educate children on basic morals and hold them responsible for their actions? By the time children begin schooling, they should already have begun learning some fundamental principles of right and wrong. The problem lies in the fact that many parents refuse to accept responsibility for their children, blaming their childrens misbehavior on media violence and the educational system, when in fact, the problem lies in their own ignorance. Therefore, parents who blame the educational system for its lack of discipline, needs to evaluate their own parenting techniques to determine if the fault may be their own. It is said that violence, sexual promiscuity, drug use, etcetera's, in the media can produce a negative effect on the development of children. Despite the degree to which this holds true, it is imperative to look to the most influential of places first and foremost, the parents.
Although children may be more prone to execute unacceptable behavior after being exposed to Americas media circus, this can be prevented with the active involvement of parents. It is the role of the parents, not the media in any sense of the word, to raise children. Parents need to be responsible for ingraining the moral ethics of society into their children. They can not be too lenient, for the permissive parenting style will cause their children to have tremendous behavioral problems.
However, they can not be too strict either, for the authoritarian parenting style will push their children away. Parents need to adopt an authoritative style where they set limits and guidelines for their children, yet where they are there to offer support and discipline. This is not to say that all children of permissive and authoritarian parents will turn out to be bad seeds. In fact, many children with permissive parents may actually turn out to be charismatic and successful people.
However, in most cases, these types of people have someone in their life that enforces discipline, even if it is not the parents. Teachers, coaches, priests, and friends of the family can all serve to set standards and limits for children. In conclusion, our society as a whole, substantially the parents of todays youth, need to stop for a moment and genuinely recognize where all of this reproach should be aimed. The blame for the actions of todays adolescents need not be attributed to television, music, newspapers, video games or any other form of entertainment. It is time the finger shifts direction, spins around, and is finally pointed at those who unequivocally accepted responsibility at their childs conception. The final verdict indicates the blame be placed on the parental figures.
Works Cited Brown, Jane D. , Keller, Sarah N. Can the Mass Media Be Healthy Sex Educators? Family Planning Perspectives. (2000). < < web Crowell, David H, Ian M. Evans, and Clifford R. ODonnell. Childhood Aggression and Violence.
New York: Plenum Press, 1987. Impact of Music Lyrics and Music Videos on Children and Youth. American Academy of Pediatrics (1996): 1219 1221. < < web Jones, Vernon F. Adolescents with Behavior Problems: Strategies for Teaching, Counseling, and Parent Involvement. Boston: Allyn and Bacon Inc. , 1980. Musical Preference as an Indicator of Adolescent Drug Use.
Addiction, October 1, 1997 (Vol. 92, No. 10), pp. 1326 -, < web Roehlkepartain, Eugene C. Teenagers Media-Saturated World. Search Institute, January, 1995. < < web Van Horn, Teri. Marilyn Manson Denies Video Has Columbine Link. Music Television, January, 2001. < < web Village, Susan M.
D. Impact of Media on Children and Adolescents: A 10 -Year Review of the Research. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 2001. (Vol. 40, No. 4) < < web
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