A Test to Judge How Good Your Parents Were

Summary on the Video

The documentary video contains the reality of good, effective and efficient parenthood which plays an essential role in the development of the child, most poignantly in his or her early years and in return, plays an impact in his or her future as a full-grown individual. According to Psychology, it is a fact that we are reared and nurtured in a different way by our parents. The effect of being endowed with a nurturing love, care and guidance by both parents, contributes to the eventual individuality and personhood of the child. Thus, the documentary video shows the 8 Principles of Good Parenting as a paragon, resource and guiding light to beginning and expert parents, wherein they can use to both adapt in daily parenting and assess themselves as a test, as to how they can gauge themselves on being good and better parents to their child or to their children as a whole.

First and foremost, is the Principle of Attunement. This principle is adapted in good parenting in a technique wherein parents must think, guide, rear and nurture a child, in the child’s basic point of view, present state of mind and thinking. Amidst the external forces that continuously pressures the child to grow up fast and meet those pressures, the good parent should be there all the way, by placing the child at the center of their universal attention. This is done not to spoil the child, but it is done as a support to his or her maximal development and growth in the future.

Second, is the Principle of Small Things. A good parent pays attention to the small details that a child is involved in as an infant and toddler. From the very first experience of using the spoon while eating, from digging in with anything that is seen causing the fingernails and fingertips to be dirty, from seeing a book at a first glance that results to tearing it, or even damaging a stuffed toy without the intent of doing so, the parent should always be there as the child goes through all of these as these are the essential “firsts” in the child’s life with the perspective of comforting the child by saying that “It’s nothing” and “It’s okey”. As good parenting advice, children should be allowed to experience everything with the guidance of the parent, as these are essential to creating a well-rounded person in the future, who is readily steadfast in facing life’s eventual sorrows and obstacles with a never give up attitude as always. Reassuring rather than restricting is the backbone of this principle.

Third is the Principle of Forgiveness. This principle of good parenting is adapted by the good parent in a way wherein he or she takes a constructive interpretation of the child’s misbehavior, despite the destructive interpretation of others on the child’s manifested misbehavior. This behavior can be deciphered well on the child’s part upon the arrival of a new sibling wherein in return, as the eldest child, he or she may feel neglected. A good parent creates a balance by connecting the two children in a mutual sibling relationship manner by forgiving the eldest child with what he or she has done wrong. If this principle is applied properly by the conscientious parent, the child will be formed into an individual who manifests self-forgiveness as well as to the direction of being led to form his or her own conscience. It is indeed pivotal for the good parent to forgive his or her child from the small up to the big mistakes that he or she commits because if not, the tendency it creates for the child as a grown-up individual in the future, is that he or she will resort to self-torturing or worse, to experiencing depression and eventually, leading to suicide as a worst case scenario.

Fourth, is the Principle of Strange Phases. This principle is applied by the good parent, by accepting wholeheartedly the phases of life wherein the child gets to be weird at times. Weird in a sense wherein he or she eats leaves from a plant, imagines that he or she has a friend living in a tree, or sometimes acts as an animal eating on a table, with the preference of red foods. These are but normal for every child as he or she is still in the stage of self-discovery. When the good parent adapts this principle completely, he or she will not resort to giving labels to his or her own children, but rather, to accept them as to who they are. The effect on this to children is that, they will have an understanding that everything that they do is a normal stage of life, that will eventually lead them to create their respective individualities upon reaching the adolescence stage and in the longer run, understand that life is worth living for if something strange is involved in its picture. The good parent should be there as a resource of understanding and not as a sage of anger, dissatisfaction and impatience.

Fifth, is the Principle of Clinginess. The good parent applies this principle in a positive way by understanding the nature of children as being clingy. The child’s clingy nature may result in a great dependence on the parent if tolerated excessively. Thus, in order to address this principle vividly, the parent should continuously encourage the child little by little that he or she should obtain a sense of responsibility and independence by basically, obtaining the initiative of keeping his or her room orderly, neat and clean or by being brave to attend school daily. This in return will create a sense of urgency in the child that it is not for a lifetime that their parents are alive and are there to support them. They should make it a point to achieve a sense of independence and a sense of responsibility from baby steps up to an adult perspective in the long run.

Sixth is the Principle of Perfection. This principle is applied by the good parent by being the primary role model and exemplar to their children in which they can idolize and illuminate by action and by word. On the other hand, this principle is applied by not expecting too much on the child to be somebody that they are not. As a reassurance, the good parent should understand that his or her child is not perfect and has his or her own set of flaws as well. As a result, the child will be readily independent to leave home and live a life that is directed to his or her wants, but still grounded on the influences of his or her good parents.

Seventh, is the Principle of Boringness. A good parent applies this principle by being calm at a point wherein the child is so excited to venture on a lot of things in his or her life or by being silly at times at the comforts of the home. The good parent avoids being a firework of excitement at times, so that the child will have a created realization that in life, it is not necessary to be too explorative about what is being offered and given. Thus, the parent will serve as a fundamental support to the child on that note, with whatever is essential in his or her life, and as long as it is needed. In return, the child will get to understand that Mom and Dad should not be known by them in a complete detail, but rather, they are just a representation of what good parents should be to their children.

Eighth, is the Principle of Unreciprocated Love. A good parent understands that parenting should not involve conditions and balance. But rather, good parenthood is centralized on providing the love that a parent can immensely offer to their children as the years go on. Love is the best expression of parenthood as it is known to be tender, unconditional, gentle, long-lasting and charismatic. If this principle is applied by the good parent, the long-term effect on this child is that he or she will offer the same love to his or her children, as a soon-to-be parent in the future. Furthermore, the child will be ready and steadfast in facing life, yet not forgetting that he or she is still founded, with the love, nurture and guidance that his or her parents offered at his or her foundational years of life.

A Commentary on the Video

The video is both a guiding light and a refresher for the beginning and expert parents. A guiding light because it will serve as a bible for beginning parents, in order to achieve maximal and fruitful success, as they step by step raise their children in preparation for the life ahead of them. A refresher because it will serve as an assessment to expert parents if they have done enough for their children during their youngster years and at the same time, as a throwback on how they impacted the lives of their children. The people who will view this video will be in agreement that the video is beneficially centered on effective parenting and the development of good parents. On the other hand, the video will be in disagreement for people who will watch it because the featured principles may not be in consistency to what parents have been practicing and adapting for their respective children. Some points to consider in this video is the perspective of the speaker as to where he is coming from, as well as the background of the parent or individual watching it for it may differ to what they believe in and have witnessed growing up, respectively.