Introduction
Have you ever asked people about their happiest memories? Think about it for a moment until you feel the smile creeping on your face. From my personal experience, most people start talking about childhood memories; is it the same for you? It should not be considered luck nor a mere coincidence – children perceive the surrounding reality much brighter and more vividly. They do not yet possess any negative associations and cynicism the adults usually do. That is why their parents – the people they see the most frequently during childhood – have a fundamental role in creating those happy memories. If we were to inspect the concept of parent-child relationships more closely, we would stumble upon various benefits that come with its positive setting. For example, it will positively affect the child’s academic development. Another good example is the child’s increased resistance to various psychological problems – remember the uncertainty of your time as a teenager. Finally, the benefits of productive parent-child relationships are mutual – children affect their parents almost as much as their parents affect them. Let us dive into particular examples gradually, one by one.
Positive Children’s Academic Development
Obviously, parental involvement in children’s educational process directly influences the outcome. By providing children with an example to follow, fostering a positive attitude to studying, and encouraging their academic success, parents can stimulate their natural desire for knowledge. Consequently, when children become adults themselves – we know they will all grow up eventually – they will be more prepared to face the issues of adulthood. In this context, Wong et al. (2018) conducted research on parental involvement in children’s education. Their results proved the positive associations of parental involvement with language competence at early stages, consequent academic success, and overall psychological well-being.
Parental Help during the Uncertainty of Adolescence
An important factor in proactive engagement in the parent-child relationship is mutual trust. Trust toward parents, in turn, can prove to be crucial when it comes to children facing their first problems. I am sure we all remember the time when even the slightest issue could seem the whole world to us. At such times, children look for protection, comfort, solace, and, sometimes, advice. If the trust level is high enough, they will call the parents for aid, even the ever-rioting teenagers. Chen et al. (2017) researched adolescents coping with various stresses and depression and how it influences family relationships. They pointed out the perceptional differences but also mentioned they could be overcome with enough patience and emotional investment.
Reciprocal Relationship
Speaking of patience, you cannot imagine how much of it children require in their communication with parents. Indeed, how to make these ever-grumping old-school grown-ups embrace the sensation of the world around them? Or worse, how to make them learn to use the internet and not erase the hard disk in the process? Lawson et al. (2019) studied the phenomenon of child-to-parent intergenerational learning, which means the child-to-parent transfer of knowledge, behaviors, and attitudes. They concluded that it might be a promising solution to overcoming specific generational barriers and ultimately invoke a positive change in parents and families.
Conclusion
As we can see, the benefits of good parent-child relationships pay off exponentially based on the applied effort. Given a good example and attitude, the child will be more likely to engage in the educational process. In addition, the trust accumulated in healthy relationships will provide the needed stress protection and children’s mental resistance. Furthermore, it is essential to remember that the benefits of the relationships are mutual – parents have much to learn from their children. There are many facets of parent-child relationships; their importance nonetheless remains the same.
References
Chen, Q., Du, W., Gao, Y., Ma, C., Ban, C., & Meng, F. (2017). Analysis of family functioning and the parent-child relationship between adolescents with depression and their parents. Shanghai Archives of Psychiatry, 29(6), 365. Web.
Lawson, D. F., Stevenson, K. T., Peterson, M. N., Carrier, S. J., L Strnad, R., & Seekamp, E. (2019). Children can foster climate change concerns among their parents. Nature Climate Change, 9(6), 458-462.
Wong, R. S. M., Ho, F. K. W., Wong, W. H. S., Tung, K. T. S., Chow, C. B., Rao, N.,Chan, K.L., & Ip, P. (2018). Parental involvement in primary school education: Its relationship with children’s academic performance and psychosocial competence through engaging children with school. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 27(5), 1544-1555.