The Family Views of Parents and Children - Research Paper Example

The Family Views of Parents and Children Abstract: Purpose of this Paper: The research question that is explored is to find out if there is a relationship between rates of child abuse and single parent density in a highly urbanized areas and how the two correlate with the economic health of a country. Methodology: This is a theoretical paper. The objectives of the paper are achieved through research from books, journals, electronic sources etc. Findings: After research on the topic, it is finally concluded that extreme economic pressures within a society always result in disturbances within a family. These odd circumstances further affect the overall relationship among the members present within a family. As a result of conflicts and disorders, parents start treating their children in an adverse manner. They start abusing them in different ways. So, poverty and depressions lead into child abuse which may be mild to severe depending on the circumstances present. Practical Implications: It is also identified that single parenting also results in child abuse. Broken families left behind with single parents. These parents are usually frustrated because of their own circumstances. Moreover, they are also unaware about the right ways of parenting and treating small kids. So, they start behaving their kids badly. However, parents should realize this fact that their small kids are not the actual reason of their odd happenings. Children are innocent and they always require care for their positive growth and development. Value of the paper: In this paper the relationship of three variables are described including child hood poverty/ economic pressures, single parenting and child abuse. Moreover, it is also explained how these actors participate in child abuse and interrelate with one another. Introduction: The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act defines child abuse and neglect as: “at a minimum, any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker, which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation, or an act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm.” It is important to understand that child of any race, sex, age, socioeconomic background or religious group may be a victim of abuse or neglect. It is a sad truth that most of the children get severely hurt by their parents. Kate Havelin mentioned in her book ‘CHILD ABUSE “WHY DO MY PARENTS HIT ME?” that each year about 1 million American children are neglected or abused by their parents. Other than parents children are also abused by their friends, baby sitters, siblings or neighbors. Here I am briefly describing some important types of child abuse to define the topic in detail. Types of Child Abuse: First of all it is very important to note that children can be abused in several different ways. Actually children may hurt in more than a few ways. There are four main types of child abuse. Often most of the children are hurt in more than one way. Physical Abuse: Physical abuse basically refers to a condition that includes any action that harms human body. Physical abuse may include slapping, kicking, hitting, hair pulling, punching, burning and poisoning. Sometimes elders also use to shake their small kids. This is also a type of physical abuse. In small kids this may lead to death or severe internal injury. The effects of physical abuse may be mild to more severe. A child who is physically abused may develop scars, bruises and broken bones. These are the major signs of abuse. Due to abuse the children may suffer from serious injuries. Emotional Abuse: Emotional abuse includes any action that is done to hurt the feeling of a child. Emotional abuse badly hurts the self esteem of the child. Sometimes parents frequently blame or insult their children. This condition is the part of emotional abuse. Moreover, using abusive language or cruel words are also the part of emotional abuse. Many experts think that emotional abuse is the most destructive among all types of abuse. Emotional abuse also develops negative feeling in a child. Neglect: Negligence on the part of elders is also an important type of child abuse. Neglect includes ignorance of the basic needs. When parents do not care about their children’s basic needs then it includes in the category of neglect. Some parents even neglect their children basic needs like food, clothing and shelter. On the other hand many other parents also neglect the emotional needs of their children. Parents do not treat their children with kindness and love and sometimes do not pay proper attention. All this condition comes into the category of neglect. Sexual Abuse: Sexual abuse includes any action related to sex that further harms the child. Sometimes adults’ even parents and siblings force their fellow children to have sex. Many researchers and experts think that child sexual abuse is least reported or under reported kind of child abuse. So, whatever the type of child abuse is going on, it is very important to understand that there is no excuse for child abuse. Serious Consequences of Child Abuse: Child abuse may have serious consequences. It may encourage your small kid to lie, fear, resent and retaliate. The child may develop rebellious nature instead of trusting and loving nature. Because of abuse the child may get isolated from rest of the family. Child abuse lowers the self esteem of the child. The child may affect psychologically and he looses the ability to behave in a normal way. When an abusive child gets old, he may abuse his children and grand children. Moreover, the child may exclude the parents from his important events. Research Question: Single parent density, childhood poverty and child abuse are interrelated concepts. When there would be economic pressures on parents and fewer resources to cope with the needs of the family then parents would be more frustrated and prone to abuse their children. So, childhood poverty leads into child abuse. Moreover, mental problems and psychological disorders also distract the attention of parents away from their children. This usually happens in broken families where single parenting is practiced. Economic Factors Increasing the Risk of Child Abuse: Many factors participate and increase the overall risk of child abuse. For example you may see that economic pressures increase the stress on parents and they start treating their children badly. Parents are just frustrated because of extreme financial pressures or they have little money or resources to cope with the heavy economic pressures of the family. So, they start passing on their frustration and anger to their small kids. However, this is not a right attitude at all. It is also important to note that child abuse does not happen just because of children. Actually it happens because the parents and other abusers fail to control them. Most of the parents are totally unaware how to be a parent. Sometimes some mental and physical problems also distract them from parenting. This usually happens in case of broken families where single parenting is accomplished. Other Common Traits of Abusive Families: Child abuse happens in all families, all races and religious groups as well as economic levels. So, there is no specific boundary. However, there are some common traits shared by the abusers. Women are more likely to abuse children than men are Many researches conclude that women have more responsibilities in child caring than men usually have. Moreover, in western societies more mothers are single parents than fathers are. It is a research that children of single parents are 77% more likely to be harmed than those children who live with two parents. As far as negligence is concerned, women are considered more responsible for about three-fourth of all the cases. On the other hand men are responsible for almost three-fourth of all sexual abuse cases. Single parents do not connect well with their kids Single parents are usually abusive. They are emotionally disturbed. It is often seen that single parents talk to their children less often than other parents do. Other parents mean those living happily within a proper family system. Single parents often yell at their small kids and take out their frustrations on small kids. Moreover, abusive parents also show less affection and physical touch to their children. Single parents are more likely to be too strict or too loose It is often seen that single parents are more abusive. Sometimes they are too strict or too loose. Due to their mental frustrations they often feel quite difficult to behave in a normal way with their small children. However, it is also seen that some single mothers become over protective for their children. They adopt authoritarian styles to deal with their kids. Such parents start relying on extreme discipline. Teenagers and children who challenge such parents may face abuse later on. Furthermore, children who pass their lives with too little discipline are also more likely to be mistreated. Actually both the extreme are not right for the normal development of children. Too strict or too little discipline both causes problems for children. Sometimes parents over indulge their children in various activities. On the other hand, some parents desperate for closeness. They simply let their children what they want to do. Sometimes over indulgent parents also create troubles for their children. They are too close and do not let their children open. When children grow older they begin looking outside the family for friendship. At that time over indulgent or over protective parents may become angry. Parents start using force to keep their children close to them. In United States there are 11.9 million single parents living. According to ‘US Census Bureau March 1998 Supplement to the Current Population Survey’ it is estimated that 28% about 20 million of all children in United States under the age of 18 live with one parent. Moreover, 84% of children living with one parent are living with their mothers. The percentage of children living with two parents is continuously declining among all ethnic groups because of decreasing family values and drastic social changes. ‘US Census Bureau-Census stated in 1997 that most of the single parent children live in highly urbanized or metropolitan areas. In United States about 14 million single parent children are living in highly urbanized areas. Child Abuse across the Globe: Some Statistics In a report put forward by Ministry of Women and Child Development Government of India 2007 which was formulated in collaboration with UNICEF, several facts about child abuse were concluded. A brief description is presented here, The UN Secretary General’s Study on Children Violence suggested that World Health Organization estimated almost 53,000 children deaths were just due to child abuse. Moreover, 20% to 65% of school going children reported physical violence. This rate is similar in urbanized and industrialized areas as well. Moreover, estimated 150 million girls under age 18 and 73 million boys experienced sexual abuse from adults. In developing countries the rate of abuse if comparatively higher than developed countries. In developing countries each year 3 million girls are subjected to child abuse. ILO also estimates that 218 million children were involved in child labor in the year 2004. These children were engaged in hazardous works. 5.7 million Children were in forced labor, 1.8 million were in prostitution and 1.2 million children were sufferers of trafficking. Finally in all settings only 2.4% of the total world’s children are legally protected from punishments in all the settings. How to Handle Abuse? Parents are the key actors who can abuse their children or who can control child abuse. Parents should always take care of their little children. They should help them in learning things. They should give their children some independence so that they can show good things present in them. Moreover, never over demand from your child because child is little and cannot bear extra psychological or physical pressures put on him. If you will over react with your child, his positive development and attitude may affect badly. Conclusion: Richard D. Ashmore described that child abuse may affect children in several different ways. Some investigators and researchers believed that children who are abused result in more aggressive behaviors. They may further develop low self esteem. Moreover, parent should not be over protective which usually happens in case of single parenting. Give proper independence to your child so that he can formulate his decisions. This will further assist your child in future endeavors. Furthermore, economic health of a country also matters a lot. If families have severe financial pressures then their mental and psychological behavior will be affected as well. This will further result in disturbances within families. So, the overall society will be badly plagued with abusive behavior at individual level. Work Cited: 1. David M, Brodzinsky., (1986). Edited by: Richard D. Ashmore., Thinking about the family Views of Parents and Children. Lawrence Eribaum Associates, Inc. 2. Kate, Havelin., (2002). Child Abuse “Why do My Parents Hit Me?” Perspectives on Relationships. United States of America: Capstone Press. 3. World Health Organization. Child Abuse. Retrieved April 26, 2010, from website: http://www.indianchild.com/child_abuse.htm 4. Single Parent "Homes" -- Where Child Abuse Happens – Inherently. Retrieved April 27, 2010, from website: http://www.happinessonline.org/LoveAndHelpChildren/p25.htm 5. Kids Health. ‘How to handle Abuse?’ Retrieved April 28, 2010, from website http://kidshealth.org/kid/feeling/emotion/handle_abuse.html 6. ‘Accurately Diagnosing Child Abuse’. American Academy of Pediatrics Release on April 27. 7. (2007). ‘Study Child Abuse: INDIA 2007. Ministry of Women and Child Development Government of India’. Kriti, New Delhi. Retrieved from http://wcd.nic.in/childabuse.pdf. Read More