Parenting requires interpersonal skills and makes emotional and most parents learn parenting practices from their own parents, some they accept and some they discard.
On the other hand, culture is the way of life of a group of people—the behaviours, symbols, values, beliefs that people accept—not really thinking about them which are often is passed on by mostly communication and imitation from one generation to another.
With regard to African culture, people perceive most of its practices as something which are devilish in the sense that a lot of its practices are attributed to gods. Some people, especially Africans, who have not fully experienced the indigenous culture, believe that to be too culturally aware makes one backward and or ancient. This is as a result of lack of knowledge of our cultural values and principles.
In the African system, parenting is again perceived to take a lot of forms which is able to lead the child to be a responsible adult. Though there are various parenting styles, there are ways in which the African parent brings up a child in order for the child to imbibe the cultural values of the land and also be a responsible adult.
Some of these forms of parenting are through story telling (folktales), the extended family, traditional rites and the mother’s care, attention and love. One may ask: are these cultural practices still in vogue?
Parenting is the process of raising and educating a child from birth or before until adulthood . Synonymously, parenting refers to carrying out the responsibilities of raising and relating to children in such a manner that the child is well prepared to realise his or her full potential as a human being.
This implies that parenting is the process of taking care or supporting a child from birth to adulthood involving the physical, emotional, social and intellectual capabilities. It can simply mean the process or state of being a parent. In fact, one can be a parent both to the biological or non-biological children.
Parenting usually takes place when one meets the defined criteria mentioned in the definition. Parenting requires interpersonal skills and again makes emotional demands.
Also, other researchers have suggested that there are four major styles of parenting. The researchers argue that majority of the parents display one of four different parenting styles. These styles are authoritarian parenting, authoritative parenting, permissive parenting and uninvolved parenting.
Authoritarian parenting style expects the child to adhere or follow the strict rules established by the parents. Failure to follow the rules will result in punishment. Usually, because the parents have ordered, it must be done without explanations and questions.
On the other hand, authoritative parents establish rules and guidelines that their children are expected to follow. Nevertheless, this parenting style is much more democratic. Parents with this style are responsive and ready to listen and cooperate. These parents are normally assertive but not intrusive and restrictive.
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