There is a plethora of
cases about child abuse and neglect in the current society, which raises the
concern about suitability to parenthood. The public outcry has caused the
development of open communication on the certification of parents to raise
children. The matter has risen from the considerable volume of evidence, which
suggests that there is a population of adults, who lack the correct perspective
that is necessary in proper child upbringing. Such a problem is non-negligible
because of the effects visible in the society today such as parental
negligence, child abuse and mistreatment, and even abandonment of children.
Organizations concerned with child protection have proposed the use of
licensing to address the problem. The individuals concerned have proposed that
licensing parents will contribute to the safety of children by ensuring that
parents have the proper qualifications to take care of the young ones. The
system would be effective because adults would be qualified to become parents,
which would result in the creation of proper environments to raise children. The
paper examines scholarly evidence that supports usage of the system, and
illustrates why such a structure is viable.
The first factor to
consider is the weight of the responsibility involved in parenthood. Sanders
argue that any adults who decide to become parents must possess proper
knowledge on parenthood (2017). Parental responsibility comprises of knowledge
on the needs of a child, and methods of catering for the necessities
appropriately. The author observed that the lack of accountability arose from
insufficient information on the expectations of parenthood. The parents lack
the ability to decide what is best for the children. The use of licensing for parenthood
would suffice to ensure that adults are aware the requisitions of having
children. Adults would have to undergo proper training on parenthood before
obtaining a license. The training would provide education on intricate matters
related to childbearing, and the number of children to give birth to for the
parents to meet the needs of the babies sufficiently. Implementation of the
practice would require the use of strategies, which will compel adults to
receive certification before deciding to have children (Sanders, 2017). The
author explains that parents who undergo the training will be able to handle
the rigors of parenting better, and will be capable of providing children with
a quality life. The assumption that parenting is a natural phenomenon is
insufficient to guarantee that children will enjoy a proper lifestyle. Parenting
education will broaden the minds of caregivers who receive the training (Gray,
Totsika & Lindsay, 2018). The lessons will provide information on suitable
practices, and facilities for child upbringing. Every parent requires such an
edge to become successful in proper parenting, especially given the perilous nature
of the environments in the current society.
The proposition for
licensing sounds feasible because of the minimum skill set parents receive but
some scholars disagree with the notion. Sechrist argues that any individual can
acquire parenting skills by learning (2017). The author cites the presence of a
considerable number of parents in the country, and around the world, who
practice appropriate parenting skills without undertaking any training. Such
individuals lack any certification as an indication of qualification in
parenthood but manage to raise children well, and create proper plans for their
families. The second argument the author provides is that young couples should
not be subject to receiving certification before deciding to have children.
Once an individual decides to become a parent, the person becomes conscious of,
and accepts the responsibility involved. There may be truth in the arguments
but such parents may not possess the full qualifications necessary to provide
for all the needs of their children (Doty, Davis & Arditti, 2017). The
results from a research based on the application of the social capital theory
and broaden-and-build theory enabled the researchers to establish that in the
face of scarcity of socioeconomic resources, parents may experience a challenge
in parenting. The effects would be visible in the parenting behaviors, levels
of confidence in both parents and children, and beliefs on parenting. A
comparison of trained and non-trained guardians reveals that trained parents
have a higher success rate in proper parenting practice. When parents face such
challenges, the effect may spill over to other areas of wellness such as
health. Individuals who undergo training for certification possess a wider
understanding and insight on how to cope with such problems. Training adults on
parenthood provides value, which enables both the parents and children enjoy a
better parenting experience, and quality of life.
Another factor to consider in the parenting scenario is
the duty to protect children from irresponsible parents. The society has the
responsibility to develop safety measures for the protection of children, which
includes protection from irresponsible guardians (Dwyer, 2018). One of the
methods that exist for fulfilling the requirement is to isolate irresponsible
parents from their children for a period, during which the parents have to
prove their capacity to care for the children to the authorities concerned with
the matter. The children remain in the care of individuals or institutions,
which are capable of caring for them. During the timeframe, the parents undergo
training programs on parental skills, and assessments to ascertain that the
individuals can recognize and provide for the needs of their children in a
wholesome manner. Dywer suggests that cases of parental irresponsibility would
be low if there was a method to assess the suitability of an individual to
become a parent (2018; Haslam, Mejia, Sanders, de Vries, 2016). Adults need to
be literate on parenthood before becoming parents to avoid raising children in
environments that are unfit for proper child growth, and development. The
suggestion lays further emphasis on the need for parental certification. The
training individuals receive before certification would provide adults with
proper parenting skills and techniques (Bartholet, 2015). A similar approach
would be beneficial to parents who are yet to receive certification. The
individuals could enroll intro a specialized program to enhance their parenting
skills, and receive certification to show their compliance with the
requirements of the set parental requirements. The certification program would
help to reduce cases of irresponsibility, and would decrease the intervention
of child protection services, as is the case currently.
An understanding of the importance of proper parenting
techniques is crucial for the justification of the necessity of certification. The
society respects that parents and guardians are the main authority figures in
the lives of their children (Qomariah & Hasanah, 2017). Other authorities
seek the authority of parents in the lives of children when the need arises. An
example of such a scenario is when teachers call parents to school meetings
when students display inappropriate behavior. Teachers may be responsible for
the behavior of children at school but the involvement of a parental figure is
important for reinforcement of desirable behavior in children (Families and
Schools Together, 2016). Parents need to take a proactive role in the growth
and development of children. In instances where the caregivers have taken keen
interest in the lives of their children, there is a noticeable difference in
the quality of life that the child leads. The observation reinforces the need
for proper parental education, which adults can achieve by receiving training
on parenting. Parents would have successful participation in the lives of their
children once individuals are aware of their parental responsibilities (Gingerbread,
2018). The training would provide an in-depth outlook on the various aspects of
effective parenting for the parent handle the needs of the child, and
expectations of parental responsibility from other authoritative figures in the
life of the child. The program will also equip the parents with the knowledge
to adjust to different stages of parenting with better understanding of the
nature of the situation involved (Qomariah & Hasanah, 2017). The training,
and eventual certification, enables adults to have an easier time with dealing
with the individual needs and requirements of the children without experiencing
unnecessary stress.
Researchers have also established that certification may
address some common problems that families experience, which cause
dysfunctional homes. One cause of concern is improper family management
(Farber, 2016). There are examples of parents who fail to establish proper
family foundations because of illiteracy on the expectations of parenthood
between couples. When such couples fail to reach an agreement, the couple split
up, and determine how to take custody of the children. Some separations become
messy when neither of the parents can decide how to share responsibilities, or
none of the two wants to have the children. Farber advised that the
intervention of parenting programs is effective in the prevention of such
mishaps (2016). The training is more effective when adults who decide to become
parents learn before having children. The attitudes that parents display around
their children rub off the young ones who adopt the same behaviors (Sanders,
2017). The attitudes contribute to the environment a child grows in, and will
contribute to the development of the child. Parental training would make
parents more conscious of such intricate details, and enable individuals to
fulfill the requirements of parenthood according to the expectations of
parental responsibility.
There is enough evidence to support the importance of
training on parenthood, regardless of whether the government mandates the
activity or not. There are arguments against the practice based on the inborn
capacity for parental responsibility. There is evidence to support the claim,
and to back up the efficacy of the method. On the other hand, there is also
enough evidence to show that training, and subsequent certification, provide
better results for proper parenting because the programs equip guardians to
deal with a wider variety of challenges and issues that adults are likely to
encounter in parenthood. Certification of both parents before two adults can
have children would be a useful requirement, which would be effective in
addressing the issues of parental figures perpetuating child neglect,
mistreatment, and neglect offenses.
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