Family Influence on Early Childhood Development and Growth

Introduction

There are a number of key facets and processes that occur during infancy and early childhood that profoundly affect an individual's growth and development. Some of these factors include early childhood education, a variety of parenting styles, and familial involvement in cognitive and physical development. All of these factors indicate that parents and surrounding family members play a highly important role in the development of infants and young children.

The Role of Family Routines and Rituals

One of the most prominent ways in which families exert a direct influence on their children is through the establishment and implementation of rituals or routines. The repetitive nature of these daily constructs provides valuable structure for activities, which has been linked to cognitive and emotional processes in children and infants — most discernibly when there is a break or shift in a particular ritual that a young person has become accustomed to (Spagnola & Fiese, 2007, p. 284). The establishment of routines helps to provide a firm foundation that supports a child's emotional and cognitive development. By being able to rely on a sense of the familiar through routine, children are better prepared to encounter and understand new experiences, thanks to the stability that family habits — such as eating dinner at a certain time, in a certain location, and in a certain manner — help to facilitate.

Children can take comfort in the predictability of such routines and develop a sense of equanimity that aids them as they progress through varying stages of cognitive, emotional, and physical development. The chief benefit of establishing routines is the degree of organization that regular processes give to children, which proves advantageous when they encounter or learn new routines. Family routines are defined as anything in which there is "communication that is instrumental, involve a momentary time commitment, and are repeated regularly, holding no special meaning" (Spagnola & Fiese, 2007, p. 285).

Parenting Styles and Their Effects

A highly influential factor that considerably shapes the way families directly affect the development of children and infants is parenting style. Parenting style is intrinsically related to the expectations that parents hold for their children and involves various measures of discipline — or the lack thereof. There are three principal styles of parenting: authoritarian, authoritative, and permissive. A near-total absence of parenting style, expectations, and discipline directed toward one's children is referred to as uninvolved parenting.

An authoritarian parenting style is highly rigid and allows little room for interpretation — or even understanding — on the part of a child. Parents who utilize this style expect children to do as they are told, when they are told, simply because they have been told, and copious discipline is used to reinforce this expectation. An authoritative parenting style is less austere yet still places solid demands and expectations on children. However, this style focuses more on explanation to facilitate understanding and relies on communication more than punishment. A permissive parenting style holds few expectations for children and imposes even fewer punishments. This type of parenting style is typically more responsive than it is demanding.

Conclusion

Parents and family members can aid a child during his or her cognitive development immensely. They are able to do so by providing a foundation of familiarity and stability grounded in routine and ritual. It is most advantageous for parents to utilize an authoritative parenting style that stresses moderation and explanation, enabling children to fully understand the consequences of their actions. Family members can further support children's education during the sensorimotor stage by teaching them to associate certain sensory experiences with principles of learning, laying the groundwork for the more complex reasoning skills that emerge in the preoperational stage.

References

Spagnola, M., & Fiese, B. H. (2007). Family routines and rituals: A context for development in the lives of young children. Infants and Young Children, 20(4), 284–299.