When a child grows up, he grows up under the influence of a whole community of people selected by his parents. Parents have a lot to do with raising a child, but their behavior, childhood memories, value and belief systems are also influenced by the people around them.
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According to a study by Talker Research, the “village” it takes to raise a child slowly changes over time. 2,000 parents with children under the age of 6 took part in the study. 78% of participants agreed that the definition of a child-rearing village is slowly changing over time. 86% of parents said they have another support system they can rely on in raising their child.
Is the village changing?
Participants reported that while growing up they had eight different people with whom they spent most of their time, including grandparents, aunts, uncles, and their parents’ best friends. However, parents now rely on a support system that includes more of their friends than siblings.
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The study also found that parents found it easier to be around their childhood friends than friends they made later in life. 83% of respondents said that sometimes their child’s friendship helped them become friends with their parents.
A study carried out by Talker Research on behalf of The Goddard School has shown that it is very important for society to raise a child properly. However, 43% of participants said that raising children nowadays has become more difficult than their parents.
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Why does the family lose its importance in raising a child?
The study found that parents consider it less important to rely on family to raise their child. This is due to the lack of close relationships with them or their family members who have other responsibilities. Some participants said that they made a conscious decision to do things differently than their parents.
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Dr. Lauren Loquasta, senior vice president and chief academic officer of The Goddard School, said in a statement, “Educating children today is like steering a ship through a storm; it can be tumultuous and unsettling, and without a compass to steer your ship or a strong support system to guide you through parenthood, it’s easy to get lost.”
But this new way of raising children was beneficial for developing their social and emotional skills. 89% of participants stated that a school or kindergarten is also part of the village.
