Close Relations An Introduction to the

Sociology of Families Canadian 5th

Edition McDaniel Solutions Manual
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Instructor’s Manual for McDaniel, Close Relations: An Introduction to the Sociology of Families, 5e

Chapter 6: Parenting
Childbearing, Socialization, and Parenting Challenges

CHAPTER SUMMARY

The parent-child bond, along with the couple bond discussed in the previous two sections, are
the most fundamental of familial relationships. Because the concepts of family and parenting
remain so closely intertwined — indeed, for many, being a parent is tantamount to being in a
family — this chapter is central to the sociological study of close relations.

Chapter Six opens with a discussion about the decision to become a parent, and the central
place that parenthood sits within our concept of family. The circumstances and issues
surrounding single parenting, adolescent parenting, adoption, childlessness, same-sex
parenting, and medically assisted reproduction are explored. Students also learn about the role
of the parent as the child’s primary socializing agent and catalyst for the development of
gender and/or ethnic identities.

The second half of the chapter focuses on sociological insights into the parenting process
itself. The topics discussed are of a practical nature: What does research suggest is the most
effective and constructive form of parenting How does family health affecting parenting, and
vice versa? Finally, an overview is given of a variety of common and not-so-common parent-
child relationships, including young parents, single parents, gay and lesbian families.

CHAPTER OUTLINE

Entering Parenthood
Decisions about Entering Parenthood
Entering Parenthood in the Past
Entering Parenthood Today: Family Planning
Entering Parenthood Young
Child Rearing Alone
The Decision Not to Have Children
Adoption
Assisted Fertility
How Parenthood Affects Relationships
Life Course Concerns
Socialization
Gender Socialization
Ethnic Socialization
Parenting Processes
Love and Attachment
Emotional Stability and Family Cohesion
Protectiveness and Control
Fair and Moderate Discipline
Caring for Sick Children
Variations on a Theme
Single Parents
Parenting in Poverty Gay and
Lesbian Families Aboriginal Families
Custodial Grandparents
Cultural Variation
Information Communication Technology
Concluding Remarks

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KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS

authoritarian parenting Parenting characterized by low acceptance and high control, which
can hinder the development of expressiveness and independence in children.

authoritative parenting Parenting characterized by high acceptance and high control, which
produces the best outcomes in children.

birth rate Number of births per 100 000 people in a given year.

control and supervision The extent to which parents oversee and censure their children’s
behaviour.

family cohesion A sense of attachment and relatedness among members of a family, both
maintained and signified by shared activities, self-identification as a family member, and signs
of familiarity and liking.

gender socialization The social learning process a person goes through to acquire gender
roles and gender-based habits. This is usually done through family, peer groups, schools, and
the mass media.

induction A form of discipline focused on using reason to encourage children to behave in

certain ways in order to benefit themselves or others. For example, a child will be told to put
away her toys so that others will not trip over them.

internal moral control An emotional feeling, such as guilt, that inhibits non-compliance.

love withdrawal A form of punishment to a child for non-compliance, where a child is denied
the expression of love.

parental involvement Spending time with children, talking about them, and thinking about
them.

permissive parenting A type of parenting with high acceptance and low control.

power assertion Threatening a child with punishment, usually in physical form, for
noncompliance.

primary socialization Learning that takes place during childhood.

socialization The social learning process a person goes through to become a capable,
functioning member of society; to prepare for life in society.

unengaged parenting A type of parenting with low acceptance and low control.

MOTIVATIONAL ACTIVITIES

1. Secretly divide the class into four groups, based on where they are sitting in the classroom.
For the duration of a lecture, treat each group in accordance with one of the following four
parental styles: permissive, unengaged, authoritarian, and authoritative (e.g., for the
“unengaged” group, be curt but otherwise ignore them; for the “authoritative” group, direct
questions and discussions to them, treat them with respect, etc.). Afterwards, discuss with

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students their feelings towards the class and towards their instructor. Emphasize the
differences between this artificial scenario and a parent-child relationship.

2. What are students’ expectations of gender roles? How were they brought up by their
parents? How do they feel about traditional gender norms today? Do they continue to
practice them, in their own behaviour and in their judgments of others?

3. “Parents working or educated in a specific field increase the probability that a child will
make a similar choice of educational program at upper secondary school.” How true is this
in your classroom? Poll students to see how many followed in their mothers’ or fathers’
footsteps. What gender differences, if any, are present?

4. Discuss the challenges faced by teenaged parents in contemporary North American

society. What are the challenges faced by teen mothers vs. teen fathers? What could
society do to assist teen parents with the challenges they face? What role can sex
education play in the incidence of teen parenthood?

5. Discuss parenting in a multicultural country like Canada. In what ways have students of
ethnic backgrounds had to deal with cultural conflicts between parental expectations and
western social practices. Do second-generation students feel identifying themselves as
being more Canadian, more ethnic, or a balanced mix of both?

6. What limits should schools and teachers have when disciplining unruly children?
Considering the increasing frequency of news stories in recent years of high school
students abusing and attacking teachers, what does the class think about teen behaviour in
schools? How much of a parent should a teacher be, or be expected to be?

ANSWERS TO CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS

1. Why and how might the ways a society defines “family” affect people’s attitudes toward
child-bearing, contraception, adoption, and abortion?

Page 171-171 People define what a family is based on the influence of their culture,
religious beliefs combined with rational choices and emotional longing. Society’s
acceptance or rejection of contraception, adoption and abortion also influence the
individual’s decision whether or not to start a family.

2. How and why might literacy and education affect contraception, child-bearing, and
parenting even in a society as developed as Canada?

Page 166: Within Canada, education, social and economic opportunities vary all of which
influence the rates of contraception.

3. What are the social pros and cons around medically assisted procreation? What ethical
issues are likely to enter into “engineered” pregnancies?

Pages 171-172: The pros around medically assisted procreation are: although a small
number, some couples are able to have a baby. Some cons are: the stress and strain, both
financial and emotional while going through the procedures. Some families have more
babies than they planned for, (e.g. 2009 octuplets born to a woman who already had 6
children).

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Some ethical issues to consider are as follows: Does the mother get an abortion if she
believes that she is carrying too many children? What are the effects of the keeping the
genetic background of the baby hidden? What information is given to clients, and what
outcomes do couples face when the ongoing treatment is not successful?

4. How and why do parents socialize their children? How and why do children socialize their
parents?

Pages 180-181: Parents socialize their children because they want to teach them skills,
behaviours, cultural and traditional beliefs that they feel will help them develop into healthy
individuals in society. This is when a child learns that certain behaviours gain rewards as
well as learning to negotiate with their parents and individuals outside of the family. Gender
socialization is the learning of society’s gender-based habits, norms, and expectations. It
begins at birth in the way that parents treat their children, and continues throughout life, in
school, among friends, and in the workplace.

Parents socialize their children by modelling good behaviour and communication. Children
socialize their parents as well. In healthy relationships the parent adjusts their parenting
style to better fit with the child’s personality. In unhealthy relationships, where the parent
feels guilt about circumstances such as divorce, the parent may look for affection or love
from the child and may adjust their parenting styles to meet their own needs.

5. Are there conditions under which attachment to one’s parents is likely to be a bad thing?
Explain.

Pages 184-185: A child who does not get their needs met will not feel loved and confident.
The less supportive and attentive the parent is the more likely delinquent behaviour will
occur in the child later on in life.

6. How should our society draw the line between fair and justified discipline, on the one hand,
and child abuse, on the other?

Pages 186-187: Using the right amount of discipline and the right technique is important
when parenting. Parents who use power assertion teach the child to fear the parent or
other individuals who are caring for them. Parents who use love withdrawal as a form of
discipline do not teach the child appropriate ways in which to behave but rather teach the
child that parental love will withdrawn if they misbehave. This creates anxiety in the child
who worries that their parents do not love them. Noting the importance of attachment and
security for children, this form of punishment does much damage to the child. The final
method, induction, teaches the child how to behave well without suffering physical or
emotional pain. The behaviour is internalized by the child and they behave well even when
the parental figures are not near them.

Over half of people who threaten to spank their child do so. Not only is it ineffective, but it
creates low self esteem in the child and later affects them when adults (e.g. More
aggressive, depressed, etc.).

Educating parents how to discipline without spanking or hitting their child as well as the
harmful consequences of physical punishment is essential. Unless education and parental
support are readily available for parents to access, society will have difficulty in drawing
that line between fair and justified discipline and child abuse because spanking is very
much ingrained as being a normal form of punishment for misbehaving children.

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7. How does homecare for a chronically sick child affect the family as a whole, and each
member of the family separately: the father, the mother, the sick child, his or her siblings?

Page 188: If the mother is the main caretaker of the sick child, her health will decline.
Fathers and siblings tend to be left out of the mother-child relationship. The siblings may
have behavioural problems at home and at school because of their inability to successfully
express their needs and feelings. The family as a whole sees a decline in its well-being
unless the family has functioned well prior to the illness of the child. Studies have shown
that the family “pulls together” and is able to cope with this stress.

8. Can different “kinds” of families—for example, two-parent versus one-parent families,

cohabiting versus married parent families, heterosexual versus homosexual families,
native-born versus immigrant families—parent their children equally well? Explain your
answer.

Pages 189-192,194-197, When a dysfunctional family breaks down and a single-parent

family emerges, the family sees better functioning, less stress and depression. The
difficulty with being a single-parent is the financial aspect as well as not receiving support
from their ex-partner.

Homosexual families face the difficulty of being accepted by society and law. That aside,
many studies have shown that gay and lesbian parents are just as capable parents as
heterosexual parents.

Immigrant families face difficulties when they arrive in their new country. Studies have
shown that as long as fathers are involved, the children benefit greatly from his parenting.
This is also true for native-born Canadians. There is less of a chance of substance abuse
and dysfunctional behaviour.

GROUP ACTIVITIES

1. Split the class into pairs and assign each an egg (or bag of flour, or a small melon, etc.) as
a surrogate “baby” for a week. Have them care for it, taking time to feed and nurture it.
Afterwards, discuss in class the responsibilities of being a parent, how it affects one’s
social life and family relations, and how being a single parent affects one’s choices in life.

2. Devise a set of scenarios involving disobedient children (e.g., a temper tantrum in the
supermarket, your daughter is the school bully, etc.). Split the class up into small groups
and present each scenario one at a time. Have the groups come up with a suitable parental
strategy for dealing with the child. What punishment, if any, should be given?

3. Split into groups of five or six. Come up with a comprehensive government policy to
address the concerns and needs of single parents, particularly adolescent single mothers.

4. Have the students break into small groups of five or six and discuss how residential
schools have affected the Aboriginal peoples with regards to parenting (e.g. Roles models
to follow, attachment to families, culture to follow, discipline used, etc.).

DEBATE SUGGESTIONS

1. Childless couples should be considered a family versus Childless couples should not be
considered a family

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2. Same-sex parenting/parent-child interracial adoption is good versus Same-sex

parenting/parent-child interracial adoption is bad

3. Spanking a disobedient child is a parent’s prerogative versus Spanking a disobedient child

is tantamount to child abuse

4. The state should take on more responsibility for raising children versus The state should
take on less responsibility for raising children

5. Telling an adopted child that they are adopted versus keeping it a secret.

6. Information communication technologies such as cell phones help to foster family cohesion
versus Information communication technologies such as cell phones harm family cohesion.

ESSAY AND RESEARCH PROJECT TOPICS

1. Research the current Canadian government policy on same-sex adoption rights. Interview
adoption agencies about their policies as well. Contrast the Canadian view with those in
other countries and cultures. Argue in favour or against same-sex family adoption.

2. Compare and contrast North American and Scandinavian government social policies for
single parents, especially single mothers. What preventative measures does each party
take to discourage adolescent parenting? What support resources are in place to help
those who choose to raise a child alone? Evaluate the effectiveness of Canadian policy,
and identify areas for improvement.

3. Investigate in detail the latest developments in the world of artificial fertilization methods.
What are the success and failure rates? What are the controversies surround genetic
“designer babies”?

4. Examine the cross-national research on teen parenthood. What factors play a role in cross-
cultural variations in the incidence of teen parenthood?

5. What do other relevant academic disciplines, such as evolutionary biology or psychology,

have to say about parenting? What are the origins and motivations of parenting? How does
the parent-child bond form, and how is it maintained?

6. Explore cultural variations in parenting styles. What has research unveiled about how
parents in other societies view their children and the act of childrearing?

FILM AND VIDEO SELECTIONS

Babies (2010, documentary, 79 minutes). This unique cross-cultural documentary profiles one
year in the life of babies within their families in four countries: Mongolia, Namibia, San
Francisco, and Tokyo. Themes in the documentary include child development, parenting, and
family in diverse contexts.

Parenting (1987, documentary, 72 minutes). Three short films explore the effects of childrearing
on family life. The first story documents the discrepancies between expectations and reality for a
couple during their first three months of parenthood; the second deals with post-partum

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depression, a common experience for many new mothers; the third contrasts parenting styles in
Japan with those in the West. Available from the National Film Board of Canada.

Parenting Across Cultures (2009, TVO documentary, 28 minutes). A diverse panel of experts
discuss cross-cultural parenting and immigrant children in Canada. Topics explored include the
home cultures of the immigrant parents and how this may change upon migration to
Canada.The effects of the home culture on the upbringing of the children are also discussed.
This video is available online at http://tvoparents.tvo.org/video/162401/parenting-across-cultures

Maybe Baby (2007, documentary, 90 minutes). This documentary profiles single women in
their 30s and 40s who choose to have babies through the use of Assisted Reproductive
Technology. The themes in the film explore infertility, love, and motherhood.

Autism: The Road Back (2005, NFB documentary, 54 minutes). This film is about three families
who struggle to care for children who are on the autism spectrum. The film shows the
challenges of parenting and sustaining a healthy marital relationship while advocating for one’s
child. This film is available online through the National Film Board of Canada at nfb.ca.

What to Expect When You’re Expecting (2012, feature film, 110 minutes). This film looks at
parenting and love through the experiences of five interconnected couples. The couples deal
with life’s challenges as they begin the journey of parenting.

Grandparenting (2012, TVO documentary, 50 minutes). Thousands of custodial grandparents

are raising children across Canada. What happens when plans for a comfortable and stress-free
retirement are interrupted by child-rearing duties? This film follows seniors ranging from their
early 60s to late 70s as they address the challenges and benefits of ‘second-time’ parenting.
This documentary is available online through http://docstudio.tvo.org/story/grandparenting

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