Observing and Developing an Inquiry - Research Paper Example

English 105 Essay #4: Observe and Inquire Introduction One’s observation experience provided valuable insights on differences in gender as affecting or influencing behavior in shopping malls. Through observing both children and parents, of both genders, one’s analysis confirmed that gender differences affect not only the behavior of children, but also the manner by which parents exhibited child-rearing responsibilities. As emphasized, from the perspectives of the parents, they must be more vigilant and proactive in applying the most effective restraints and controls to ensure that their children, especially young boys, would not be lost, hurt or taken by someone else. In this regard, using the observation experience as in input in the current essay, the aim of the discourse is to pursue responding to a developed inquiry that: “Women in Mainstream American Culture Tend to Take on More Child-Rearing Duties than Men”. The Inquiry Upon closer examination of the points of inquiry, one established the need to delve into further research on the validity of women taking on more child-rearing responsibilities than men. In the working draft written by Robert Max Jackson, a whole chapter devoted to the responsibility for child rearing provided extensive and comprehensive details that aim to address the question: “why women so regularly contribute most of this effort” (Jackson 126). Although the author ventured into providing theories that explain the disparate role and skewed responsibilities towards women, Jackson concluded his arguments by indicating that “mens economic position gives them individual competitive advantages and collective power that allow men individually to beat out women in the labor market and collectively to impose institutionalized discrimination” (Jackson 146). It is interesting to note that the theoretical framework to rationalize women’s propensities for child-rearing tasks from Chodorow’s theory, to wit: it "has unquestionably been true that women have had primary responsibility for child care, (and that) women by and large want to mother, and get gratification from their mothering;" and that "women have succeeded at mothering" (Chodorow; cited in Jackson 133). The observation noted at the shopping mall have effectively validated that mothers were more restrictive and verbally reminding their children to stay close and not to wander far. In contrast, fathers were more lax and were self-assured that they could immediately find their wandering children. Using Chodorow’s theory, mothers would not be complacent in their primary responsibility for child care by ensuring the safety and security of their children. More importantly, as Jackson revealed, “women gain greater motives and greater capacities to mother than do men, because women of their parents generation had almost exclusive responsibility for mothering. And, apparently, society gives roles to the people best prepared and motivated to take them” (Jackson 135). Validating Information: Observation and Interview Another observation was conducted in areas where children abound: the playground in parks. Again, children and parents of both gender could be observed manifesting diversity in behavior. As evident, mothers were observed to be closely focused, with complete attention directed on their children. In contrast, for the fathers present, they were observed to either read the newspapers or to some extent, play ball with their children. One mother, who happened to sit beside me, was just as accommodating to answer my simple queries. The question asked was: how come she thinks child-rearing is predominantly a mother’s responsibility. She responded that the success of child-rearing is seen as a reflection of the mother, as a person. When children behave positively and have been instilled with appropriate lessons on discipline, good moral, and proper conduct, it reflects that the mother has effectively instilled values that are consistent with her one. Otherwise, if the child behaves negatively and possesses violent or aggressive behavior, the child’s actions also reflect the kind of person the mother is. This statement was corroborated in an article entitled “The role of the mother in child rearing” which emphasized that “the mothers physical and spiritual states appear in the child, and the childs substance will knowingly or unknowingly be based on his mother” (The role of the mother in child rearing 199). The argument stemmed from justifying that a child “a child is in the womb for six to nine months and extracts his/her physical and spiritual needs from the body of the mother. Also, the baby constantly extracts his/her needs from the mother’s physical and nervous system. In fact a mother is the root or source of the existence of a child, and a child is the product of his/her mother and a reflection of the mothers physical and spiritual existence” (The role of the mother in child rearing 199). Review of Related Literature In an article written by Huffman, she disclosed that when parents share the responsibility of child rearing, the more that it creates conflict in their marriage. This contention was the outcome of a study conducted “from Ohio State University, (revealing that ) parents who share caregiving for their preschool children may experience more conflict than those in which the mother is the primary caregiver. Results showed couples had a stronger, more supportive co-parenting relationship when the father spent more time playing with their child” (Huffman pars. 3 & 4). This finding was also consistent with a study conducted by Schoppe-Sullivan, also cited by Huffman, to validate the increasing preponderance for mothers, not only in the American mainstream culture, but in universal perspectives, to embrace child rearing as their commitment and as a sign of unconditional love for their children. As cited, “mothers can act as “gatekeepers,” either fostering or curtailing how much fathers are involved in caring for their children. Even though fathers’ involvement in child rearing has increased over the last few decades, mothers still do more child care, even when they work full-time. Perhaps because of this, many mothers still feel they are in charge of child care” (Huffman par. 23 & 24). According to Byrd, “mothers and fathers are essential for optimal child-rearing. Gender complementarity affords children the opportunity to thrive in the best possible environment” (Byrd 11). This means that even though mothers provide emotional support manifested in frequent touching and reassuring gestures, “fathers more often use touch to stimulate or to excite the child. Fathers tend to hold infants at arms length in front of them, make eye contact, toss the infant in the air, or embrace the child in such a way that the child is looking over the fathers shoulder. Shapiro notes that each of these "daddy holds" underscores a sense of freedom (1994)” (Byrd 2). This underscores the original observations made in the shopping mall where fathers were noted to exhibit some levels of laxity in controls and were evidently self-assured that they could immediately locate children whereever they might be – proving the sense of freedom that fathers’ style in child rearing manifest. Also, as validated by Pruet (1993), “that mothers and fathers love differently. A fathers love is characterized by instrumentality and more expectancies, whereas a mothers love is more nurturing, expressive, and integrative” (cited in Byrd 3). Analysis The results of various observation, an interview, and a review of related literature on the subject of women in mainstream American culture taking more child-rearing duties than men, one could deduce that it could only be conclusive that based on the obsevations made, since most women are still homemakers and men, in the traditional role of breadwinners, there are greater possibilites of visibilities in shopping malls or in playgrounds in parks, accompanying children in their various activities. As such, people who see women being most visible in these places could immediately conclude that they take on more child-rearing duties. However, citing various authoritative sources, one could effectively conclude that women have long accepted child-rearing as paramount responsibilities due to the arguments that support the fact that mothers are the root of the child’s existence and therefore mirror and reflect the mother’s physical and spiritual being. Likewise, being the ultimate source, mothers find it a joy to directly rear their children to ensure safety and security and to provide holistic support. In addition, with findings that indicate that sharing of child rearing responsibilities actually result on strifes in matrimonial unions, mothers opt to sacrifice time for child-rearing to leave economic pursuits to their spouses. And finally, even if not evident in public places, the crucial role that fathers play in child rearing has been validated by indicating that complementarity in child-rearing, where both mother and father exhibit and manifest different levels of showing love and support, is still the best for the child. Conclusion The current discourse has effectively achieved its objective of responding to the developed inquiry that: “Women in Mainstream American Culture Tend to Take on More Child-Rearing Duties than Men”. Through the initial inputs provided from the observation made in the shopping mall that revealed disparities in gender roles in child-rearing activities, the current inquiry expounded the question and pursued the response through additional observation and interview and through a review of related literature on the subject of child-rearing. As highlighted, through the validating support from various sources, women in mainstream American culture tend to take on more child-rearing duties than men; but men’s roles as fathers have been acknowledged to be crucial in the effective and holistic development of children. Therefore, in American homes, at the comforts of the private lives of American families, one could presume that complementarity in child rearing still exists in contemporary times. Works Cited Byrd, A. Dean. "Gender Complementarity and Child-rearing: Where Tradition and Science Agree." n.d. National Association for Research & Therapy of Homosexuality. 22 April 2012 . Chodorow, Nancy. The Reproduction of Mothering. University of California Press, 1978. Huffman, Sara. "Splitting Child Rearing Duties Can Be More Harmful Than Helpful." 27 January 2011. Consumer Affairs. 21 April 2012 . Jackson, Robert Max. "Chapter 5: Intimate Combat: The Responsibility for Child Rearing." n.d. nyu.edu. 19 April 2012 . Pruet, K.D. "The paternal presence." Families and Society (1993): Vol. 74, 46-54. Shapiro, J.L. "Letting dads be dads." Parents (1994): 165, 168. "The role of the mother in child rearing." n.d. islamicenter.org. 20 April 2012 . Read More