Topic: Self-Understanding and the Influence of Parenting

Children in early childhood (ages 2-6 years) begin to develop a self-concept - awareness of the set of attributes, abilities, attitudes, and values that an individual believes defines who he or she is. Self-esteem - judgments about one's own worth - also emerges in early childhood, and children gain in emotional understanding, emotional self-regulation, and the capacity to experience self-conscious emotions and empathy. During this period of time, parents are a big influence on their child's development.

1. Describe ways that parenting contributes to a) self-concept, b) self-esteem, c) emotional understanding, d) emotional self-regulation, e) self-conscious emotions, and f) empathy and sympathy for children in early childhood (ages 2-6 years). Do you see any patterns in parenting styles that are associated with positive development of each of the listed concepts?

2. Describe the impact of child-rearing styles on development, by considering the four main child rearing styles: authoritative, authoritarian, permissive and uninvolved. Which of these child-rearing styles is associated with positive outcomes? What factors can influence an individual's approach to parenting?