An Analysis of Cultural Values and Child-Rearing in the West

This essay delves into the multifaceted aspects of child-rearing within the context of Western cultural values. It highlights the differences between Western and Eastern parenting styles, emphasizing the Western emphasis on individualism, independence, and less emphasis on religion and family compared to Eastern cultures. The essay explores the impact of these values on children's development, including the importance of self-esteem, face-to-face communication, and the role of parents in shaping their children's futures. It also examines the role of cultural values in parenting, the impact of culture on the relationship between parents and children, and how cultural values influence the moral development of children. Furthermore, the essay discusses the differences in parenting approaches, such as co-sleeping and scheduling, in Western countries like Canada and the United States, where parents often have less direct involvement in their children's daily activities. The essay highlights how cultural values impact parenting practices and expectations, ultimately influencing the social, emotional, and physical development of children within the Western world.

Balancing the cultural
values/differences in raising
children in WESTERN
WORLD
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Articles about chosen topic .........................................................................................................3
References......................................................................................................................................15
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Articles about chosen topic
There are lot of differences between the cultural values and belief in western world and
other countries. Further at the time of raising a child, the values giving by his/ her parents and
family members plays a very important role in its entire life (Fuller, 2010). Parents in western
world gives more importance to individualism. Further individuals are given more importance
than families. When a child is raised he/she neglects the role and value of family. Religion is
also not very important for people living in western world (What are the differences between
"Western" and "Eastern" parenting styles? 2015). Further it can be stated that people of eastern
world are much more spiritual as compared to western world. Another difference between
cultural values is that of independence. Form the beginning itself, a child living in London or in
USA is provided with complete kind of freedom in every aspect which is not same in eastern
world (Holloway and Valentine, 2005).
Other than this, parenting is an isolated affair in countries of western world. Parents are
the one which can be held responsible for taking care and raising their child. Nowadays the trend
of using childcare services are increasing with a very fast pace. Since in his/her childhood, a
child learn what he sees and the type of people who takes care of him (Okin, 2013). In case if
children are raised under childcare then he inculcatethe values and belief which are inherited by
those people around him. Parents and children in western world are more practical. Majority of
time, mother help their child in doing homework and studying. This means that adequate support
is provided to a child by their parents in western countries.
In western culture parents do not show love and affection towards their children. This
trend is more popular in Asian countries where active support is provided by parents through
their love and care. The impact of this is that in western countries a child do not have any such
kind of bonding and affection with their parents. Every child expects that his/her parents shows
love and affection towards him (Hoeve and et. al., 2009). Culture in western world do not
respects authority which is more common in Asian culture. When a child is raised then he
becomes aware of the fact that it is not compulsory to give respect people with higher authority.
In cultures such as Asia, children are being taught to respect person which have senior in terms
of age or authority.
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The parents in western world also believes that all their choices carve future of their
child. In addition to this, parents in are highly focused on one single thing which is ensuring the
fact that children's talent can be groomed well. They seek for ways through which they can make
their child highly competent (Harkness and Super, 2006). This means that parents in western
world want their child to be highly successful and talented. Parents in which belong to western
counties are not so dominating as compared to parents in china. Other than this, it can be also
stated that at the time of raising their child, father and mother do not expect that their child will
take care of them during their old age. The reason behind this is that start from they learn that
individualism is more valuable than families At the time of parenting, self-esteem of child is
always taken into consideration. This also helps in developing effective and good bond between
parents and their child. In addition to this, children also starts developing high level of trust and
give regards to their father and mother.
Parents in western world gives more importance to face to face discussion. It can be
stated that such kind of interaction plays very significant role in the baby's later life. In positive
terms, such discussion also builds foundation of good and effective parenting. Other than this,
parents in western countries also believes that stressing is not very good for child future (Lewig,
Arney and Salveron, 2010). They want children to become successful but on the same side of
this parents want their child learn with fun. While raising their child, parents also lie to their
children in order to influence their behaviours. Majority of the time, father and mother lie in
order to protect the feelings of their child.
Role of cultural values in raising children
Cultural values plays very important role in the development and raising of a particular
child. One of the core objective of parenting is to take care and ensure social, emotional and
physical development of a child. It can be also stated that what a child learns in his/he childhoods
remains with him throughout their entire life. The difference in cultural values of counties and
person have direct impact on behaviour of people. The task of parenting is really a tough one as
each and every child is different. Different countries have different culture which impacts the
learning and behaviour of kids. As per the culture of America, the relationship between child and
parents is very formal. This means that children in the country are not pressurised to achieve
something and they are being left free to achieve their dreams (Steel and Taras, 2010). In
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American culture, time is considered as money and this is what parents taught their children
while raising them. In simpler terms parenting can be considered as the process in which parents
carry out their responsibilities to make a child capable of realizing his/her full potential. It can be
also stated that parents in some culture are very strict and develops strict rules and regulations
which their kid is required to follow. Mother and father also give order to their children order
which needs to be adhere and followed. Sometimes such kind of parenting also creates
dissatisfaction among children and also frustrates them to a great extent. On the other hand, some
culture encourages permissive style of parenting in which kids are set free and parents do not
have much demand from them.
In terms of parenting, culture is being passed from one generation to another which
means from adult to a child. It can be asserted that parents form every part of the world have
affection and love towards their children but it is the culture which demonstrate and
communicate these emotions from parents to children (Fam and Grohs, 2007). Along with this,
culture also plays very important role in defining the level of attachment between parents and
child. This can be justified with an example that parents in America do not provide much more
independence to their child as compared to parents in France.
Most of the time, it is observed that the parents insist their children to posses good and
sound cultural values. If parents do not carry their responsibilities in effective manner then a
child adopts culture from all those negative forces which are outside their home and society
(Maertz, Hassan and Magnusson, 2009). Parents needs to be very clear regrading their own
values so that they can express and communicate the same to their child. It can be also that a
child gets separated from his/her parents by rejecting their cultural values. Parenting is the
process which a person not only learn by his/her childhood experience but it is also gained
because of cultural values.
The process of raising a child differs from one country to another and it is merely based
on cultural values. In some cultures such as India father do not play very important role in raising
children and mother are the one who possess more responsibilities towards their child. On the
other hand, in western countries such as America and United Kingdom both parents share equal
responsibilities along with working fulltime (Stein and et. al., 2011). Further, parents also have
different kind of expectations from their children and this is also based on culture. In some
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cultures such as Asian, father expects their kids to have particular kind of characteristics when
they grown up. In western cultures parents do not put much pressure on their children's when it
comes to education which is completely different from Asian cultures. In western countries,
parents set their child to decided his/ subjects and career whereas in Asian countries father and
mother play very important role in determining future career of their child.
Culture significantly influences the beliefs, values as well as parenting practices of
people. In this way it plays a vital role in raising the children. Parents bring up their children in
definite ways which are guided by the culture. These ways include the home environment,
language, religious beliefs, cooking and eating styles etc. However, it can be critically analysed
that there are certain basic goals which are shared by all parents irrespective of their culture.
They aim to make their children develop into healthy individuals (Allsopp, 2011). Another basic
goal shared by all parents is that of making their children possess positive values. But, culture
plays an important role here as these values are imbibed in it. Apart from that, goals are also
inclusive of employment, education, marriage, respect for others, honesty etc. These are based on
the culture of country and indicate its pivotal role in raising children.
Value is referred to as the amount of worth that is provided to something. These include
the beliefs that are considered as important by a person for himself. While raising children,
values play an important part as they impact behaviours, attitudes, decisions and relationships of
the parents. Strong commitment to one’s values lead to acceptance of culture by the children. In
this manner, they are able to pass the culture to other generations. Cultural values are equally
significant in the moral development of children (Bjarnason and et. al., 2012). Moral outlook and
conduct are considerably impacted by the culture that surrounds children. Culture consists of the
desirable social norms which require an individual to shape his conduct by adhering with the
norms. These norms are essential elements which are followed during parenting.
Young children are influenced by the culture that surrounds them, as much as the adults.
They get acquainted with the acceptable norms and social conduct. Moreover, cultural values
provide guidance to the children regarding appropriate behaviour and conduct. Therefore, it can
be said that adequate cultural environment is required for properly bringing up the children.
While raising their children, parents are involved in the approach of moralizing which involves
preaching and teaching. Values are transmitted and passed on to the future generations by
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teaching the children the appropriate way to behave. It can be stated that, parenting has impact
on attitude, psychology and future life of a child. Sometimes excessive control over a child may
force him to get indulge in wrong activities. Along with this, children also starts developing
negative image of their parents (Vandenhoudt and et. al., 2010). Cultural differer can be also
observed in situations of co-sleeping of babies. The cultural in western world provide much more
importance to separate nursery. As per the culture of countries such as UK and USA parents also
works very hard to make sure that their children have a well predictable and strict schedule in
terms of naps and eating practise.
Differences in raising children in western world
In western countries like Canada, people are well aware of the fact that parenting has a
direct and critical impact on the growth and development of a child. This can result in both
positive and negative outcomes. It can be also stated that children are not that much involved in
the day to day activities or task in comparison with the other countries. Parents are not activity
involved with their kids and stays separated from their child. In most of Canadian families both
the parents are employed which means that they do not spent quality time with their child. The
values and belief which a child learn are also the one which has been observed in his/her
caretaker. When the child is below one year then his/her working mother stays at home to take
care of the same. Along with this, it can be also explained that the children's in Canada are likely
to be raised by their non-relatives. This has an direct impact on future life and living of children
(Moller and et. al., 2013). Parents always react in very discipline and adequate manner in front of
their child as they are well aware of the fact that kid will learn whatever he/she observed in
surroundings. When child area raised by non-relative then their behaviour is likely to get
influenced by the those people who have raised them. On the other hand, it is suggested that
parents needs to be closer with their children till the age of 4 to 5 years. This will help in
developing strong bond and relation between mother, father and their child. In order to balance
the differences, parents needs to make sure that the dreams and aspiration of child also needs to
be taken into consideration. This will result in developing high level of trust and bond among the
both. It can be also argued that good parenting is the one in which goals and passion of a child is
understood by his/her parents and they also support their child in achievement of the same.
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It can be stated that in some situations, child and parents have complete opposite
relationship with each other. When child is young then their parents take care of them in the best
possible manner. This means that the learning and cultural values are being provided by parents
only. When the kids become adults, then parents needs leave their responsibilities associated
with parenting (McNeely and Barber, 2010). It can be also stated that when children in the
country gets married, they do not get separated from their parents and lives with them only. Kids
are also considered as very important part of family and in most of adult activities children's are
being included. Parents also expects their child to contribute a major part in family. Mother and
father also wants their child to take personal responsibilities, be honest and have patients. All
these things and values are very important for the future development and success of a child.
The long term behaviour and emotions of a child gets influenced by the way of living and
rules in his/her family. The rational behind why people prefer raising their child in western world
is that women and minorities have their rights in countries of this world. This means that people
are free to express their opinions and views. Along with this, individuals are not killed because
they are minor, women or girl (McNeely and Barber, 2010). Children in western countries such
as UK, have left free to determine and decided what they want to become in the future. Along
with this, parents also ask their kids to maintain balance between finding their own ways and
keeping up the family connections. This creates satisfaction among all kids and also help them to
achieve their dreams and other aspirations at their best.
In comparison, of Southeast Asian parenting with the practises in western world, a lot of
differences has been found. In Asian countries Parents teach their child to provide more values
and importances to families which is totally opposite of what is being done in western countries.
Further, in Asian parents a child also learn that more importance is given to nuclear families as
compared to join families. This means that when a kid in Western countries grows, he/she is
already aware of the fact that he will be going to live separately from his/her parents (de Graaf
and et. al., 2011). In western countries children's are not being taught about the importance of
families and relationship by their parents. Love and affection is also very important aspects in the
growth and upbringing of child. Most of the time, parents in western countries love their child
but they do not show them. This sometimes results in development of negative feeling in child as
they start perceiving that there parents do not love them.
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Parents in western counties also focuses on protecting their child in the best possible
manner. In some countries such as UK, USA etc. Parents do not encourage their kids to face
tough and difficult situations. On the other side of this, in western countries such as Ghana,
Brazil, Nigeria parents do not protect their to a great extent and want their child to face tough
situations with a motive to make them learn. In majority of the western countries, kids
permissive parenting style is adopted by mother and father (Choi and et. al., 2013). This results
in making a child highly innovative and creative in their future life. Parents in countries such as
Mexico and United Kingdom do not force their child to obey any kind of authorities. In western
counties parents force their kids to follow and respect a person with higher authority. Self esteem
of a child is given equal and adequate importance in most of the western countries.
In many Latino American families, father and mother in the family provides significance
to respects towards elders and interdependency between all the member. In some countries such
as America and United kingdom, authoritative parenting style is preferred in which both mother
and father adopts for a child centred approach. This means that both the parents are always well
aware of the need and feeling of their kid. Freedom and independences provided to child when
he or she is being raised. Along with this, the child is set free to take his decision freely but
parents want effective reason behind all those decisions. It can be stated that authoritative
parenting have its own set of advantages and disadvantage which needs to be taken care of. Such
type of style is considered as one of the best and most effective ways of raising children as both
mother and father do not get too high on disciplines. Further, kids with shy nature or social
nature like authoritative parenting which has been adopted by many countries in western world
(Ilari, 2011). The nature and behaviour of parents get modified on the basis of situations and
need of their child. On the other side of this, one of the major disadvantage of this parenting style
is that it may encourage child to go against the expectations and wish of his/her mother and
father. The rules and regulations developed in authoritative parenting can be contradict with the
whims of a kid. Other style of parenting which is used in western countries includes uninvolved
style. In this style, the parents behave in a very neglectful manner at the time of raising their
child. To a certain extent, it can be also stated that these parents do not satisfy the basic of
children and perceives that they will met the same by their own. People that do not have
adequate knowledge regrading effective practise of raising child are the one which follow such
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kind of parenting style. The child also not able to get any kind of nurture or guidance from both
mother and father.
Some parents in western world has adopted authoritarian parenting style in which
restrictions are imposed on child. When raising a child parents also gives mental and physical
punishment to their kids. The objective such practises is to raise their child in such a way that
he/she behaves properly and in very disciplined manner. In such type of child, social
competences lacks because parents are the one which tell their kid what to do and what not to do.
Father and mother in American society has also adopted for authoritarian parenting style.
Children raised under this style are high obedient but they do not seems to be very happy and
satisfied with their living. In addition to this low self confidence and motivation are two
important characteristics of children which are raised in such type of the style. Parents needs to
understand the fact that too much pressure and punishment will have a bad impact on the future
life of their child. After giving punishment to child, they need to make them understand what
wrong they have done. Strict and disciplinary parents have both positive and negative impact on
the life of kids (Park, Coello and Lau, 2014). Positive impact is that it restricts the child to get
indulge in wrong and illegal activities. On the other hand, its negative impact is that it can create
difference between parents and child.
In western world counties parents mostly focus on cultivating their independence. This
mean that kids are provided with complete kind of freedom and mots of their task are completed
by themselves alone. Walking to school, going to film and play are some important activities
which are carried by themselves only. This helps in developing self confidence among children's
which directly benefits them in their future life. In countries such as Sweden there are some right
provided to children and parents are required to make sure that their kids access those rights. In
the middle of night, a child has a right to sleep with their parents (Kayama and Haight, 2012).
Further if father and mother do not allow the kid to sleep with them then they are considered as
neglectful or irresponsible parents. A child starts feeling protected when he/she sleeps with
his/her parents. In counties such as Korean, both father and mother invest majority of their time
in holding and touching their babies. This explains that Korean parents are more personally
attached with kids which is beneficial for both of them.
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Parents in America focuses on grooming of their child skills and talent in order to make
them successful. Most of the parents in this country are well aware of this fact that the world has
become highly competitive. In order to achieve and live a successful life, children's are required
to have unique talent and skills. This is the only reason why American parents always force their
child to use all their potential in the best possible manner (Chiu and Klassen, 2010). The
parenting in most western countries is not only focused or limited to the academic level but
parents want their child to be best in all the aspects of life. To a certain extent this has resulted in
increasing the pressure on child as they want to meet the expectations of parents. At the time of
raising child both father and mother needs to make him understand about the importance of
performing good in every aspects of life. Further they are also required to support him/her as a
friend in the best possible manner. Such practises will develop a good bond between parents and
child. Along with this, it will also result in making children highly talented and competitive.
Both child and parents needs to understand their roles and responsibility. It is the prime
responsibility of father and mother to be educator for their kids. At the time same time, children's
are required to respect and obey their parents.
In western countries such as Germany, majority of women stays with their child until the
age of 3 years. Sometimes they also start working after 1 and half year of giving birth to the child
(Nielsen and et. al., 2014). In such situations German mother have two options available with
them which includes translated day mother or sending their child into daycare. The system of
tagesmutter is mostly adopted in which one translated mother takes care of 3 of 5 children at one
time. During the stage of kindergarten, parents do not focus on developing reading habits in their
child. They want their kids to play and have adequate amount of social learning. Even in higher
school, children's are not pushed to achieve higher grades and marks. This releases pressure from
them and also support them in living a healthy life. Father and mother also set their child free to
go almost everywhere they want to go alone. This means that the kids walk alone to their
neighbourhoods, schools and sometimes even on Subways. This develops high level of
confidence among children and they also become capable of facing future challenges. To a
certain such type of practise can be very dangerous for children's which are below the age of 8
years.
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There are lot of differences between child raising in France and America. Children's are
provided with the same kind of food which their mother and father eats. This states that a child in
France gets exposed to variety of food in early stage of his/her life. Along with this, the kids are
not entertained regularly by their parents. This means that the children are raised in such a way
that they play with themselves in their own way. The major difference is that American parents
play with their children and French ones do not get's much involved in the same. In addition to
this, parents in France also not involve or entertain children in during their personal time. During
the sleep, when babies start crying, parents do not pick them instantly and give them chance to
again sleep by their own. On the other had, it can be argued that the French parents set clear
expectations for their kids at the time of raising them. Their children's are required to fulfil those
expectations in the best possible manner (Karnik and Dogra, 2010). It can be also explained that
most of the parents in France are not democratic by have authorities which do not make them
look like any kind of dictators. Sometimes, they also start taking their babies for granted which is
not at all good for both parents and children.
It can be explained that there are lots of difference in raising children in different
countries of the world. Even in terms of westerns countries there are huge difference in way of
parenting. Parents are required to raise their child in the best possible manner so that they can
live a healthy and successful life ahead. Some father and mother provide complete kind of
freedom to their children's which have its own set of advantages and disadvantages. The biggest
advantage is that it allows a child to achieve his/her own dreams and aspirations. On the other
side, its disadvantages is that it can lead a child in wrong directions. It can be argued that one of
the best practise of parenting is the one which in which parents controls their child and also
provide them with some kind of freedom. In the initial stages or earlier stages both father and
mother needs to provide time to their children's. This will help in developing strong bond and
relationship between the both. Along with this, parents should avoid the use of services such as
day care (Clarke-Stewart, 2006). Till the age of 10 to 12 years, behaviour of child is influences
by the activities and environment in which he/she is born and bought up. If a kid is raised by
someone else which is not his/her mother or father then it might be possible that his/her
behaviour differs from that of other members in family. In addition to this, parents are also
required not to become over protective. At the time of raising their child, they should allow
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