The environmental effects on rasing children - Essay Example

Environmental Effect on Raising Children al Affiliation) Environmental Effect on Raising Children Apparently, the environment influences the social, cognitive, and emotional human development especially in childhood. Various studies on human development have established that overcrowded living, noise, nutrition, parental attention and affection, maltreatments, and the presence of a stimulating environment affect children growth, development, and wellbeing. The paper focuses on how maltreatment by parents or students in school and single parenthood affects children’s social and academic life.

Maltreatment by parents or students effects childrens social and academic life. The maltreatment may involve physical and emotional abuse, experiencing domestic violence, sexual harassment, or abandonment that exposes children to significant physical or emotional stress. Ideally, the frequency and severity of the maltreatment, age of child, and the relationship between the child and the offender defines the social and academic effect of the maltreatment on the child (Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2014).

The maltreatment can cause trauma that jeopardizes brain development and hinders attachment and interpersonal relationships between the caregiver and the child thus affecting the childrens social life (Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2014). Maltreatment leads to learning and cognitive problems that fosters poor academic achievement among the victimized children since it also affects the areas of speech and language (Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2014). Maltreatment also leads to numerous mental health problems like depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and anxiety that have adverse effects on childrens social life.

Such children cannot establish and maintain positive relationships with caregivers or other children since they develop behavioral problems. Children that are subject to maltreatment can also inflict pain on others and develop aggressive and violent behaviors that limit their social life (Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2014).Single parent families also effects childrens social and academic life. Single parent families involve families led solely by either a man or woman. However, most single parent families are single-mother families.

Apparently, children in single parent families experience less parental supervision compared to children in two-parent households, which leads to significant social and academic effects (Yarber & Sharp, 2010). Single parents depict less involvement in monitoring their children’s social and school activities. As a result, such children spend less time in school activities and feel obliged to help their parent in home chores in an effort to help the parent provide for the family (Yarber & Sharp, 2010).

Numerous effects of raising children in single parent households may relate to economic struggles, increased school dropouts, disconnection from the society, and increased teenage pregnancies (Mather, 2010). Various studies have established that the increasing single-parent families lead to increased child poverty in America where most single-mother families lack enough money to support their children’s education, wellbeing, and health thus jeopardizing their social and academic life (Mather, 2010).

Moreover, children in single parent families face challenges in transitioning to adulthood due to lack of comprehensive parental guidance. Such children may also experience significant anxiety and depression that limits their social life.In conclusion, various studies on human development have established that overcrowded living, noise, nutrition, parental attention and affection, maltreatments, and the presence of a stimulating environment affect children growth, development, and wellbeing. However, single parents should enhance their strength and consistency in providing and monitoring their children.

Moreover, a strong parenting and a stimulating environment can reduce the adverse effects on children’s social and academic life. School administrators and parents should curb the growing tolerance of maltreatment of children and seek to enrich and protect all children.ReferencesAustralian Institute of Family Studies. (2014). Effects of child abuse and neglect for children and adolescents. Retrieved from https://aifs.gov.au/cfca/publications/effects-child-abuse-and-neglect-children-and-adolesceMather, M. (2010). U.S. Children in single-mother families.

Retrieved from http://www.prb.org/pdf10/single-motherfamilies.pdfYarber, A., & Sharp, P. (2010). Focus on Single-parent Families: Past, Present, and Future. Goleta, CA: ABC-CLIO.