Brief Overview of “Reflections on "Family Structure and Child Well-Being: Economic Resources vs. Parental Socialization”
This article is about the types of families and their influence of the well-being of the child. It describes which family types exist and how the upbringing of a child depends on the structure of the family. The money and time the parent or parents are able to spend on the child is also the part of the study. The difference is drawn between single mothers, cohabitating parents and married parents. There are also stepparent families taken into consideration.
Response
Thompson and McLanahan came to the conclusion that statistically the best situation have children with married parents, because all other family structures have less resources for a healthy upbringing. Families with married biological parents are the best providers, according to this study.
I believe that this issue cannot be viewed statistically. Every family and every child is unique as well as their needs. This point of view is simplification. There are also situations when one of the parents dies and the child is left for social service to decide what is best for him. It may be true in general that families with married parents are the best type of families for a child, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be true because single mother families, or cohabitating families can also bring up a healthy and happy child. It all depends on economic resources because single mothers might have the need to work long hours. However, it doesn’t prove anything because often both parents have to work long hours. I agree that a child needs stability, but occasional instability can help develop a strong personality. Children are adaptable. I believe that having stepsiblings and half siblings can only make a child’s life richer. In my opinion, no generalizations can be made on this subject because divorce or unexpected death can always change the situation and make the living conditions worse.
Brief Overview of “The Relationship Between Parent-Adolescent Conflict and the Amount of Time Adolescents Spend Alone and with Parents and Peers”
Montemayor’s article is about the time adolescents spend with their parents, compared to the time they spend with their peers. He investigates the quality of the time spent with both of these groups and if the relationship with one parent makes the child spend more time with the other parent instead of spending it with his peers.
Response
Montemayor is exploring the amount of time that young adolescents dedicate to their parents and to their peers. It is obvious that children of this age prefer spending time socializing with their friends. I believe that it is the time when children want to become responsible individuals and they think that their parents are preventing them from being free. It is a difficult part of growing up. I think that it is equally important to spend time with parents as well as with peers because the process of growing up is delicate at that age. I agree that parents can be insensitive to the needs of their children, which turns them towards their peers. Younger children spend more of their time playing with their parents. The amount of time that children will choose to spend with their parents depends on the way their parents brought them up and which family values they have adopted.
Works cited
Thompson, Elizabeth, and Sarah S. McLanahan. "Reflections on "Family Structure and Child Well-Being: Economic Resources vs. Parental Socialization"." Social Forces 91.1 (2012): 45-53. Web. 14 July 2015.
Montemayor, Raymond. "The Relationship Between Parent-Adolescent Conflict and the Amount of Time Adolescents Spend Alone and with Parents and Peers." Child Development 53 (1982): 1512-19. Web. 14 July 2015.
