CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE

INTRODUCTION

Rationale

Sigelman and Rider (2006) state that “Many noted theorists have argued

that no social relationship is more important than the first: the bond between

parent and infant”. Both Freud and Erikson placed great emphasis on the parentchild relationship and its
importance to “normal” development.

A philosophy is built on years of child development research which shows

that while each child is “pre-wired” with certain traits, temperament and abilities,

it’s the interaction with their environment, especially their parents, which

ultimately determines how these characteristics are manifested as they grow and

develop into competent adults. Parenting can be a daunting prospect even for

the most accomplished and the most prepared. Good parenting is a balance of

many different factors and you will need to discipline as well as spend good,

quality time with your child. Although parenting is unarguably the most important

of occupations, it is one of the few that requires no formal education, no

examination to test a person’s ability to take on such a role, and no refresher

course to ensure that a parent is following healthy standards of childrearing.

According to Amy Tiller, Belsky, Robins, and Gamble define competent

parenting as “the style of child rearing that enables the developing person to

acquire the capacities required for dealing effectively with the ecological niches

that she or he will inhabit during childhood, adolescence, and adulthood”

Competent parenting is related to warmer, more accepting, and more helpful

styles of parenting.