Vol 11 Issue 2
FOCUS ON: Parenting and parenting styles
IN THIS ISSUE:
- Parenting styles: Past, present and future
- Exploring perfectionism, judgment and burnout in parents
- The realities of Gentle Parenting
- How can autistic parents best be supported?
- Diaologues with Parents programme
- Joys and difficulties of grandparenting
- Surrogacy: What makes a good start?
- Valproate alert
Author: Dr Marilyn Crawshaw
Description: Following the publication in April, 2023, of the IJBPE supplement, ‘Care in surrogacy: Practice, ethics and regulations’, Dr Marilyn Crawshaw, Honorary Fellow, University of York, proposes further debate and reflection on some of the key issues affecting the wellbeing of surrogate-born infants and their families across their lifespan.
Author: Sarah Hampton
Description: Autism has historically been conceptualised as a predominantly male condition, and as such, female autistic people have been underdiagnosed and under-researched. Until recently, there was a dearth of evidence into how best to support autistic people through common life experiences such as pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period. This article outlines the growing evidence base concerning the experiences of autistic birthing parents and outlines recommendations for adjustments to clinical practice.
Author: Ana Teresa Brito
Description: This article describes Dialogues with Parents, a Portuguese parental support program, based on the Touchpoints Model, aimed at enhancing the relationship between parents and children and promoting children’s optimal development. The program was developed by the Brazelton Gomes-Pedro Foundation for Baby and Family Sciences and supported by the BPI ‘la Caixa’ Foundation Children’s Award. The Dialogues with Parents program is briefly presented, outlining the encounters agenda and highlighting families’ voices as it is these that can best capture the program’s impact.
Author: Mary Nolan
Description: This article explores the century-old debate about parenting styles, and in particular the contribution made by Diane Baumrind, and Eleanor Maccaby and John Martin. It concludes by noting that the latest research in parenting styles suggests that authoritative parenting may not be the unquestioned ‘best’ style and that the debate about how best to parent children is moving in a new direction. Finally, the article stresses that every parent and every child is different and that parenting styles should be co-constructed by parents, their health and social care advisors and their children.
Author: Susan M. Moore and Doreen A Rosenthal
Description: This paper presents a discussion of the roles that non-custodial grandparents play in the lives of their grandchildren, and the stresses and difficulties they experience in undertaking these roles. It concludes with some recommendations about maximising the benefits of grandparent child care across the generations.
