Coming of Age

Coming of Age: Literature Review

Hayley Harris
Prof. Joy McDonald
English 102-11
April 1, 2016

Coming of Age

Abstract
Coming of Age is a topic that explores the idea of if how you were raised effects the adult that
you will become. For example, if your parents display certain behaviors, will you too display
those same behaviors eventually? Whatisthevalueofteachingyoungadultsdisciplineata
youngage? With the research that has been found, those and more questions will be looked into.
People tend to be a product of their environment and while nothing applies to everyone, this
theory of coming of age proved just more than that.

Coming of Age

Coming of Age: Literature Review

Coming of age is the transition from a child to an adult and everything that happens between
that time. This time is vital in a young adults life because everything that they are learning and
experiencing is shaping the person that they will become. Thus, this all starts from parenting.
Here are a few question we will be looking at:
1) In what ways did discipline from your parents shape the way you behave today?
2) Does your household and the way you were raised effect the way you will turn out as an
adult?
3) What is the value of teaching kids discipline at a young age?
4) How did your parents beliefs and the way your parents were raised carry on to how you
grew up?
During research, it seems that there has been a surprising trend. Kids who are more likely to
act out and get in trouble are kids whose parents were permissive and/or didnt establish much
discipline. It makes sense because theyre actions are to get the attention their parents have been
lacking to give them. This attention and discipline needs to start at a young age before it too late.
As a child growing up with discipline, it sets the basis for how you will act in the future.
Before you do something that you know might not be right, your parents lectures and everything
that they taught you comes to mind. It makes you think twice about making the right decision.
We have our parents discipline instilled in us to make us better people.
The value of teaching kids discipline at a young age is very high. Kids learn quicker and
easier at a young age. They havent fully developed their own ways and attitudes yet. It is easier
to intimidate them and instill a type of fear in them that lets them know who is boss. You
shouldnt wait until a child is older to start trying to discipline them because it will be way
harder. It is just like the quote you cant teach an old dog new tricks.

Coming of Age

Everybodys parents were raised a certain way by their own parents. They may have certain
customs and rules that they follow by as well. Many of the times that may roll over into the way
that they treat their child. If they had a curfew when they were younger, they may believe in
curfews. If they had chores, they will more likely be motivated to giving their kids chores as
well. However, in some cases this theory may be the exact opposite. If they didnt like the way
they were disciplined, for example, physically, then they may not physically discipline their
child.

In this graph, I collected data from 5 people on this subject about discipline in coming of
age. This particular question asked, In what ways did discipline from your parents shape the

Coming of Age

way you behave today? The results that came out were interesting. 40% of the people, 2/5, said
that discipline has, in fact, made them a better person. Another 40% said that it didnt influence
their behavior at all. That was interesting also and it sprung up an idea that perhaps some types of
discipline work better than others. Lastly, only 20% said that the discipline they received didnt
influence their behavior in a good way.
In the Encyclopedia of Human Development, it stated, Researchers of early childhood
development generally agree that the responsiveness of caretakers and their relationships with
children in their care are important predictors of childrens social competence, coping skills, and
ability to form close friendships and intimate, nonaggressive relationships. (Encyclopedia, 55) It
is important to establish a good, stable relationship with your child because that can effect how
they treat people in their own friend and relationships.

This next survey was another one that I found interesting. Most people, 80%, voted that
they believe that their household and the way they were raised will effect the way they will turn

Coming of Age

out as an adult. The influence from their parents must be very heavy. Only 20% were not sure if
they believe it will effect them in their later years. What was really interesting was that nobody
voted that it will not effect them. They mightve been sure that it will or might effect them, but
they were sure that it wouldnt just have no type of effect.

References

Coming of Age

Banks, J.B. (2002). Childhood discipline: Challenges for clinicians and parents.
American Academy of Physicians. Retrieved from http://www.aafp.org/afp/20021015/1447.html

Gentile, D.A. (Ed.). (2003). Media violence and children: A complete guide for parents
and professionals. Westport, CT: Praeger.

Werthan, Hannah. Parents Pregnancy, Birth, Babies, Parenting.

Parents.com/magazine. Meredith Corporation, n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2016.

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHE1PyAdahYB2oD8Ev7fbsg. Importance to
Follow Through in Child Discipline by 180Parenting. YouTube. YouTube, 13 June 2014. Web.
01 Apr. 2016

Coming of Age