Early Child Developmental Needs and Parenting Practices

Hypothesis Statement of the Study

There are stages or ages in life in which parents can influence the development of their children. Therefore, while a child is growing up from infancy to adulthood, there is a specific age that a parent or a caregiver influences his/her development. Besides, our thesis statements indicate that a parent or a caregiver can significantly impact a child’s development at adolescence stages. (A median age of 12 years). There is a need to consider developmental needs in pregnancy and early childhood care practices, but they depend on the caregiver or parenting efforts. The thesis statement focuses on the adolescent stage. This stage is associated with powerful and ecological risks such as early pregnancies, drug and substance abuse, violence, and crimes, among other cases associated with this transition stage (from childhood to adulthood).

The risks associated with this stage are a threat to social life destruction, education, and productive health. Therefore, there is a need for caregivers and parents to come up with parental practices and planning interventions to impact many children’s lives at this dangerous stage (adolescence). This thesis statement helps establish the importance of complementing efforts to maximize and optimize early child development by meeting the children’s needs, more so at the adolescence stages and pregnancy and early childhood care.

Study Methodologies and Summary Findings 

In this research study, data was collected using interviews and discussion methodologies. The study used different kinds of participants, including six key informants (individuals with extensive experience and insight, community leaders, family and health staffs), three focus groups, for instance, 11 mothers and grandmothers, five fathers and grandfathers. The total participants were 38 (11 mothers, 11 grandmothers, six informants, five fathers, and five grandfathers, a sum of 38 individuals or caregivers). More specifically, this study’s participation was a single session that demanded caregivers to give their views and experience to generate better findings. The research took place in Khayelitsha, the largest peri-urban settlement in Cape Town. The responses from the respondents (caregivers) varied from different groups of individuals. The data collected through recording was transcribed and translated into English by the native-speaking staff of Khayelitsha. A research analysis was conducted to establish the ages nominated to respond to the study question. This was assessed by UCINET through coding and testing the datasets. Also, statistical methods such as STATA were performed to come up with desirable outcomes.

The results from interviews and discussions were presented using tabulation methods (thematic frequency counts) and transcribed recordings that helped interpret our findings. This also assisted in suggesting possible changes that could be effective in future research. From the findings, three caregivers suggested that parenting impact is significant at every child’s stage or age. One of the three mothers excluded the infancy stage and specified that parental care was significant from children learning to walk (toddlers) to adulthood.  The findings were generalized so that a shared focus on early teen years would influence child development. On the other hand, early infancy and childhood were not emphasized, as most participants did not appreciate it. Another finding suggests that parental influence would help identify the development of their children through psychobehavioral capacities. Those that supported late childhood development focused on the applicability of parental guidance, role modeling, and peer counseling and advice that would yield to moral development, good school performances, life skills, and self-protection. This would be effective since older children were maturing and teachable, hence requires parental input and support to influence their development.

Besides, most parents and caregivers focused and emphasized early teens to monitor and advise them concerning the developmental needs and risks that emerge during adolescence and puberty. They considered the significance of close attention at the puberty stage to identify the appropriate time and place to deliver information and advice. The issue that rose here is that different teens have different onset of the stage, and therefore this stage requires parental monitoring.

Strengths and Weaknesses Pertaining the Science of the Study

One weakness associated with this scientific research depends on the size. The study is limited to the number of experiments, the participants are few, and the data collection methods are also less. Therefore, gathering adequate data and coming up with valid findings and conclusions becomes a problem. Another weakness is that it does not explain the hypothesis, which suggests that parents can influence their infant and early childhood development. Another weakness is that the research was done in a specific region in Cape Town. The participants should be selected randomly in the groups and regions with different socio-economic characteristics (population validity). Also, the results are not quantifiable; for instance, we cannot measure the results and findings obtained from this study. On the other hand, the research has its strengths in descriptive data (qualitative data). The information is gathered quickly and easily since it involves interviews and discussions. Also, the information collected is accurate and valid from parents and caregivers who have high experience in children’s matters.

Conclusion

Several caregivers’ views and priorities challenged our narrow focus on infancy and early childhood as most parents believed that their efforts could influence their children’s development and outcomes. This tells why there is a need to conduct further study to examine and scrutinize their views. My opinion on the scientific research applied in the study is that it has been well utilized and incorporated into the study as far as empirical observation is concerned. The scientific method has developed new knowledge and ideas, which are reliable, replicable, and valid. To emphasize, it is evident that at adolescence age, most teens or young people approaching puberty face issues that have adverse consequences and poses real threats to society.

Furthermore, this study keeps me informed as it has educated me on the early childhood developmental needs and the parenting practices required to influence children’s behavior. Most importantly, there is a need to monitor and control children at any given stage and age. This depends on the nature activities and practices of the caregivers and parents. I would suggest improvements to be made in the study by encouraging the use of a larger sample of participants. Besides, I would recommend using mothers and babysitters instead of male individuals as females play an essential role in understanding their children compared to men. There is a need to develop more scientific theories that would be used to validate the picture in real life. In conclusion, the next step that should be taken includes researching the belief that most parents believe that they can make efforts that can influence their children at infancy and early childhood development.