Child Rearing Practices in Poorer Communities - Essay Example

Child Rearing Practices in Poorer Communities: The African American and Latino Hispano Experiences Abstract The essay is written to proffer a comparative analysis between child rearing practices of African American and the Hispano Latino communities, particularly focusing on the lower income groups. The discourse would initially describe differences between the two racial groups’child rearing practices based of diverse researches made on the topic. The relevant factors that contribute to those practices would be examined and analyzed with the aim of recommending measures to address confounding problems on the topic. Child Rearing Practices in Poorer Communities: The African American and Latino Hispano Experiences Children have been the most influential contributory factor affecting a family’s status. Children generally give hope, joy, challenges, rewards that can never be substituted by any material or living thing. The need to address various needs of children likewise impacts the economic, physical, emotional and mental conditions of their nuclear family. According to the Mondofacto (2010), childrearing is defined in the medical dictionary as “the training or bringing-up of children by parents or parent-substitutes. It is used also for child rearing practices in different societies, at different economic levels, in different ethnic groups, etc. It differs from parenting in that in child rearing the emphasis is on the act of training or bringing up the child and the interaction between the parent and child, while parenting emphasizes the responsibility and qualities of exemplary behaviour of the parent” ( par. 1). As concurrently averred by Andrews & Boyle (2008, 122) that “children are viewed as a gift from God from various ethnic and religious groups”, child rearing has “clinical relevance, such as nutrition, sleep, elimination, parent-child relationships, discipline and related concepts”. In this regard, the essay is written to proffer a comparative analysis between child rearing practices of African American and the Hispano Latino communities, particularly focusing on the lower income groups. The discourse would initially describe differences between the two racial groups before delving into the child rearing practices that exist within those groups. The relevant factors that contribute to those practices would be examined and analyzed with the aim of recommending measures to address confounding problems on the topic. Cultural Profile The NKI Center has revealed that African Americans constitute about 12.4% of the population of the United States (2008). According to the report, “many women are faced with un- and under-employment, impoverished conditions and single family households. However, many are resilient in taking care of and providing for their children, often through extended families or informal community networks” (NKI, 2008). In this regard, the initial response of parents with children who needs to address health related issues is to seek assistance from family members and from the community. On the other hand, Hispanics/Latino comprise nearly 14% of the total US population as of 2005 (NKI, 2008). The report emphasized that this group faces economic and social barriers in the country significantly affecting their way of life. Accordingly, women, who have significant roles in childrearing were found to be disadvantaged. It was revealed that “most Latinas are concentrated in low-paying occupations, for example, factories, restaurants, or clerical work.  They experience twice the rate of unemployment compared to that of White women, and suffer from multiple social and economic disadvantages, such as low levels of education, low income, single parenting and high levels of poverty.  All of these factors impact their health and limit their access to and utilization of health services”. The African American Childrearing Practices In a book written by Purnell & Paulanka on Transcultural health care (2003) and cited by London, et.al. (2007), the childrearing practices of African Americans are generally described as follows: “children may be raised by grandparent (typically grandmother); children are expected to demonstrate respectfulness, conformity to rules, obedience and good behavior; and may use belly band or coin to prevent protrusions or umbilicus” (30), among others. One of the most significant childrearing practices of African Americans is the concept of communal childrearing, i.e., members of extended family and community assist in child care (Cain & Orme, 2005, 1). The factor of parenting stress is a significant finding contributing to the kind of child care concurrent with the qualities of the infants they care for. Stress was influenced by the “mothers' self-perceived competence in the parenting role, feelings of social isolation and emotional closeness to their infants, physical health, feelings of restriction within the parenting roles, and depression” (Cain & Orme, 2005, 5). Other relevant findings on childrearing practices observed by Cain & Orme (2005) reveal that “poverty and the quality of the parenting experienced by mothers influenced parenting more than marital status or family structure. Moreover, the relative lack of severe parenting dysfunction among the poor and single-parent mothers in our study suggests great hidden assets, resilience, and strengths in the African-American family” (8). In addition, the impact of economic status plays an important role in child rearing. Cain & Orme (2005, 9) averred that “lower incomes and mothers' reports that they themselves were not nurtured adequately increased parenting role stress. Not surprisingly, the financial burdens of parenthood contributed to parenting role stress regardless of family structure”. Another significant outcome of the research by Cain & Orme (2005) emphasized the practice of employing corporal punishment to discipline their children, to wit: “while marital status and family structure did not affect maternal attitudes toward the use of corporal punishment, 67% of mothers reported agreement with very strict, rigid, and authoritarian discipline practices (i.e. hitting, intimidation, pain and belittlement)” (9). The Latino Hispano (Mexican American) Childrearing Practices The childrearing practices of Mexican Americans are indicated by Purnell & Paulanka (2003) and cited by London, et.al. (2007) are described as “children are closely protected and are not encouraged to leave the home; godparents (considered co-parents) are included in the care of the child; children are expected to demonstrate respect for parents and elder family members; and discipline may include physical punishment” (30). The research by Kolobe (2003) indicated that Mexican Americans are generally “nurturing, egalitarian, and indulgent toward their children. Mexican-American parents are believed to place greater emphasis on the development of proper demeanor and a sense of dignity than on early achievement or attainment of developmental milestones” (Kolobe, 2003, par. 10). The results of the study indicated that the following factors influence the kind of childrearing practices of Mexican Americans: level of education of mothers (the lower the educational attainment, the higher the risk in care giving environment for the young infants); low socioeconomic status contribute to high rates of premature birth and high risks of motor delay; and the influence of culture on adapting to new information on various practices (feeding, for example, depends on how the new information is consistent with their traditional beliefs) (Kolobe, 2003). Analysis Various reviews of literatures on African American and Mexican Americans’ childrearing practices indicate similarities on communal rearing (specifically seeking the assistance of grandmothers to assist in child care) and the use of corporal punishment as a form of discipline for their children. In addition, as indicated by Andrews & Boyle (2008, 124), sleeping habits in both African American and Mexican American cultures manifest cosleeping with the following significant percentages: 50% in African American families and 21% among Hispanic families. These are significant as contrasted to 10% cosleeping results in White families. The contributory factor to cosleeping was indicated as the lower socioeconomic status of families who cannot afford separate rooms or even beds for infants and other children. Finally, it was concluded by Andrews & Boyle (2008) that “research has consistently demonstrated that African American and Hispanic children are less likely to have seen a physician than are Whites. They also have a lower average number of ambulatory visits than their White counterparts” (131). In this regard, the influence of traditional practices of healing and reliance on conventional health applications are seen to have contributed to lower consultations on contemporary health care and institutions. This is exacerbated by the fact that families of lower socioeconomic status could hardly avail of professional health services and medical costs that either African Americans or Hispanics usually resort to traditional medicines for their children. Conclusion Long before children enter school, they absorb basic concepts of morality, faith, fair play, and even fun from observing, listening, and participating in family life. Youngsters learn decisions-making from seeing how parents make decisions; they imitate their elders in everything from table manners to patterns of communication, interaction and applying ethical and moral values. Family tradition and natural ability reinforce each other. The values and lessons taught by parents during childrearing form part of children’s personalities and their concept of identity. From the discussion of African American and Hispanic/Latino’s childrearing practices, it was revealed that diverse factors of family relationships, socio economic condition, educational orientation and experience, as well as cultural influence affect the manner with which parents apply childrearing skills. Although there were marked differences, some universal concepts of communal rearing and enforcement of discipline remain. In the end, the concept of identity and positive growth and development of children depends on the interplay of factors that affect childrearing practices. Professional and practitioners involved in child development and research should take a closer look at these factors to determine the root causes of developmental problems in children, regardless of cultural orientation. References Andrews, M.M. & Boyle, J.S. (2008). Transcultural concepts in nursing care. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Cain, D.S. & Orme, T.C. (2005). “Family structure effects on parenting stress and practices in the African American family.” Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare, pp. 1 – 16. Kolobe, T.HA. (2003). “Childrearing Practices and Developmental Expectations for Mexican- American Mothers and the Developmental Status of Their Infants.” Physical Therapy (The Journal of American Physical Therapy Association). Vol. 84, No. 5, May 2004, pp. 439-453. London, M.L., Ladewig, P.W., Ball, J.W. & Bindler, R.C. (2007). Maternal and Child Nursing Care. Pearson, Prentice Hall, New Jersey. NKI Center of Excellence in Culturally Competent Mental Health. (2008). African Americans. Retrieved 26 September 2010. < http://ssrdqst.rfmh.org/cecc/index.php?q=node/8> Purnell, L.D. & Paulanka, B.J. (2003). Transcultural health care: A culturally competent approach. F.A. Davis, Philadelphia. Mondofacto. (2010). Definition of Childrearing. Retrieved 26 September 2010. < http://www.mondofacto.com/facts/dictionary?child+rearing> Read More