Are you a parent? Yes? Then you are a key figure for your children who can influence their lives in many ways.
The videos underneath explore the subject by showing how the parental behaviour can impact a child during its childhood. As the information is gathered from various academic resources, the yellow box at the end provides list of used sources for reference.
Please note that only the first two videos are made by our team.
Parents made them happy
A video with heartfelt stories of young people talking about their own childhood: those young people come from two different social background – Stephen’s parents had limited financial resources, Egan’s grew up in a middle class family. Watch the video to learn how parents made their childhood happy.
Four parental styles
We present four different parental styles used by parents in general and offer short explanation of the possible effect of each style on the child. You can compare your own experience and understand which of those styles you apply most frequently.
Although we suggest that the authoritative style is the one with the most positive impact on the child, you have to choose which style you find appropriate for your own child.
The following videos are available on the internet – they give a good insight of parenting and we consider them useful as a source of information.
Children see Children do
A not so well known fact is that your child’s behavior is strongly influenced not only by what you say as a parent, but by what you do in reality. Especially in early ages children tend to copy or “mirror’ their parent’s actions. The video shows that the signals of your own body language can sometimes be more influential than the meaning of the worlds you deliver through the verbal communication with your child. For instance, behaving aggressively in a particular situation in front of the child, you could leave a deep mark on a child’s psyche leading to your child unconsciously to adopt and apply the same aggressive behaviour in the future.
Further suggestions in this regard can be found in UNICEF publication:
‘’If the child is taught to express egoism, prejudice, racism (not only against different ethnic groups, but . . . against different ideas), if the child is offered psychological violence as a behavioral model and as a way of problem solving, if the child is taught to see interpersonal relationships as only an instrument for personal benefit, if the child is taught to achieve success in order to be considered ‘important’ and so on, it means that we are educating the child to disrespect the rights of both itself and others’’ ( UNICEF, 2006, p. 95).
UNICEF provides videos on child upbringing and importance of early age. We selected some of them which focus on the brain development of children.
You can help in the development of your child’s brain
It is not only genetics that play role in forming the child’s brain. Dr. Judy Cameron explains that adults could help the child’s brain development by paying attention to what children think and clarify questions that they have. As she notes, sometimes you are not able to provide everything that your child needs but it makes a big difference if the child knows that somebody cares and is there for him or her. It is when the child is neglected and nobody offers help that the devastating effects come. Learn more about the topic by watching this video.
Life experiences mean a lot when a child’s brain forms
Dr. Suzana Herculano-Houzel stresses that experiences and interaction have a great, if not the biggest say, in how a child’s brain develops. ‘’The brain is like a block of raw material that is ready to be sculpted.‘’ The way you treat your child could have a significant impact not only on your child but on your grandchildren. Watch this video to understand why.
Another video explaining why experiences are so significant to your child could be watched below. It is produced by the Centre on the Developing Child at Harvard University.
Experiences build brain architecture
Experience shapes a process that determines whether a child’s brain will provide a strong or weak foundation for future learning, behaviour and health. Our experience and environment dictate which brain connections are used more – those that are used more grow stronger and get permanent. Watch this video and learn more about the building of child’s brain architecture.
More information on what is the impact of parents on children you could read here:
Leman P., Bremner A., Parke D R, Gauvain M (2012) Developmental Psychology. McGraw-Hill Higher Education
Pomerantz M.E., Grolnicks W,, Price E.C. (2005) The role of parents in how children approach achievement In Elliot J.A., Dweck S. C (Eds.). Handbook of competence and motivation, New York: Guilford Press. pp. 259
Department of children, schools, and families . (2008). The Impact of Parental Involvement on Children’s Education. Available at:
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.go…. Last accessed 08/12/ 2013.
Patrikakou. E.N . (2008). The power of parent involvement: Evidence, ideas and tools for student success. Available: http://www.centerii.org/techassist/so…. Last accessed December 2013.
Peters, M. Seeds, K. Goldstein, A and Coleman, N . (2007). Parental Involvement in Children’s Education 2007. Available: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads…. Last accessed December 2013.
McLanahan S. and Adams J. (1987) Parenthood and psychological well-being. Annual Review of Sociology, vol.5, pages: 237-57
Bee, Helen (1997) The developing child , 8th edition by Wesley Educational Publishers Inc.
Cole, Michael (1993) The development of children by John Fortunato
Child Psychology — 7th edition (2009), R.D. Parke & M. Gauvain, Published by McGraw-Hill in New York.
Child of Our Time, Tessa Livingstone, 2005, published by Bantam Press