African American Parenting Styles

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American families are becoming more diverse every day. The merging ethnic diversity in our country is becoming more apparent daily as we see different people of different cultures becoming involved with each other. America is a melting pot. The influx of immigrants and with their varied cultural backgrounds was essential in molding America’s identity. The United States became a refuge for all those suffering persecution for political or personal beliefs. America has become a shelter for a wide variety of faiths and beliefs. There are all different styles of parenting that are used by all ethnicities. Cherlin references three-categories of parenting styles are authoritative, permissive, and authoritarian. Some ethnicities might be more prone …show more content…

Most studies show that children from authoritarian families may be somewhat well-behaved. But they also tend to be less resourceful, have poorer social skills, and lower self-esteem. Compared with children from authoritative households, children exposed to authoritarian discipline may also achieve less at school.
In Asian American and African American homes the negative association with physical punishment doesn't hold the same stigma as in middle-class white homes. Children from African American homes don’t view their mother’s any less warm and caring even if they receive physical punishment. (Cherlin 276) Authoritarian parenting style for minorities actually appears to have some benefits in protecting Asian American and African American adolescents from engaging in deviant behavior. The child would be more concerned about their mother finding out of their actions versus other authoritative …show more content…

I was talking to him about this paper and he starts telling me stories about his childhood and the type of parenting style his parents used. He told me that his culture emphasized a lot of community. He told me stories about how all throughout his childhood if he was caught doing anything wrong that any other adult was able to discipline him and that public punishment was not frowned upon.
The stress on community and interdependence seems damaging to developing children. Overprotective Indian parenting impedes on a child’s assertiveness. Corporal punishment, tolerated in traditional Indian parenting, is said to have long lasting emotional scars on children.
The type of parenting style used by parents may be determined by the parent’s own cultural heritage. As immigrants move to a new country, it will take time to learn the new culture and to be accustomed to their ways. Therefore, it would not be surprising if first generation immigrant parents place the hardest strain on their children. Since they have not yet been accustomed to American culture, they will be more likely to adhere to their traditional ways. Immigrants who have been in the country longer may have slowly compromised traditional views with new

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