How Does Family Influence A Child's Development

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Another example of how a child’s family can influence the way that child learns and develops could be when an infant learns his or her first word. Two of the most common first words are “mama” or “dada” but how does the infant know which person to apply those words to? Well, many parents are often seen talking to their babies, pointing to themselves and saying “Say mama” or “Say dada” repeatedly. Eventually, the infant learns that “mama” or “dada” must be related to a specific person. These are just a few examples of how a child’s development and learning are influenced by their family. In 1975, Beatrice and John Whiting conducted a study in order to show how the differences in socio-economic status can influence a child’s development and…show more content…
The grandfather was the head of the family unit, which consisted of three generations. They practiced polygyny as their main form of marriage; the wives lived together in a compound type structure while the husband lived separately. The women mostly worked on the farm, childcare was left to the older children and the elderly. The children were also responsible for food production and household maintenance. At 3 to 4 years old, children were required to help their mothers with simple household tasks. As a result of this way of life, the Gusii children were “nurturing and responsible, but also exerted high levels of control both for safety’s sake and to communicate the cultural value of respecting one’s elders” (Lightfoot, Cole, Cole, 2013,…show more content…
Well, children that come from families of lower socio-economic status are often taught to work and help the family at a very early age, thereby influencing their development and learning so that they grow into responsible, hard-working young adults. These children often worry about what they can provide for their families. According to Lightfoot, Cole, and Cole (2013), “children that grow up in poverty-stricken families often suffer a variety of health, intellectual, social, and emotional problems…neighborhood economic disadvantage [also] profoundly affects children’s development and well-being”

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