Exploring Parent Child Relationship

Question: Discuss about theExploring Parent Child Relationship. Answer: Introduction This essay explores the theme of parent-child relationship, as depicted in the two short stories, Royal Beatings by Alice Munro and the Great Falls by Richard Ford. The assignment examines the role played by parents in the upbringing of their child and the ways in which a disturbed relationship between parent and child influences their childhood and also their overall growth and development. Parent-child relationship refers to the enduring and unique bond that exists between a caregiver and her or his child (Hopkins). According to theorists, parent-child relationship determines an individuals psychological development. Similarly, according to Erik Erikson, when the parents fulfil a childs basic needs, he or she grows into a trusting adult (Sangawi et al.). Moreover, according to Diana Baumrind there are three distinct styles of parenting, namely, authoritarian, authoritative and permissive. However, there is also a fourth, style of parenting, that is, neglectful, which was later added to Baumrinds theory (Baumrind). Neglectful parenting is the one where the parents are not at all involved with their children. They lack parental affection and fail to fulfil the needs of their child. Children from such families face emotional, mental and even physical stress, which affects their growth and development. The short story, Royal Beatings deals with a disturbed and conflicting mother-daughter relationship. The daughter, Rose, is physically and verbally abused by her stepmother, Flo, on a daily basis and this has become a kind of a ritual to which Rose has become immune. Instead of showing aggression she keeps waiting for her stepmother to start the royal beatings, as Flo calls it. During these moments of anger, Flo always throws at Rose a query relating to her identity, by questioning who do you think you are?, this constant query acts as a guiding force which helps Rose to explore and establish her self-identity in the end (Guides, Study and Royal Beatings). Moreover, Flo also tries to play the role of a benefactor by providing Rose with rare treats, after the ritualistic and violent beatings; but Roses refusal to accept those treats again highlight the underlying power struggle between the mother and daughter. Rose does not want to succumb to her stepmothers faked kindness and accept defeat, but at the end, she has to accept those treats and thus she loses in the power struggle. However, in the end, Rose establishes her identity and successfully answers her stepmothers question, by acting as a caregiver and admitting Flo in a nursing home. Here also Flo refuses her daughters help in order to remain victorious in the power struggle with her daughter. Thus, the story presents an ever-conflicting mother-daughter relationship. Similarly, to Royal Beatings, the short story Great Falls, also deals with the disturbed relationship between parents and son. In this story the marital conflict between husband and wife, ultimately affects the emotional and mental growth of their son, Jackie, who plays the role of an audience witnessing the constant conflict between his mother and father. Here, Jackie witnesses his mothers infidelity and her subsequent departure, and this incident makes him feel detached and disassociated from his parents ("Literary Analysis: Great Falls By Richard Ford (Short Story)"). The bonding between the father and son is also not a happy one. The father has failed to prove himself as a good husband, which has left the the mother broken hearted and alone in her home. On the other hand, his mothers affair with a much younger man, almost the age of Jackie, makes him abruptly confront his own sexuality, and he tries desperately to understand the issue of gender and sexuality of which he was unawa re until now (Arnett). At this stage, Jackie began to feel alone and separated from his parents. His mothers departure has already created a vacuum in his life and at the same time, his relation with his father has also started deteriorating, as he failed to prevent his mother from leaving and has thus become emasculated. Jackie is left alone with his father and though they are together physically, both of them have become solitary. In spite of the fact that his parents are alive, they have died as parental figures, becoming man and woman, and not father and mother. There is no longer any parental authority present and Jackie thus becomes acquainted with his independence and adulthood. Thus it can be concluded by saying that a harmonious parent-child relationship depends on the much needed affection and guidance provided by the parents in order to nurture their child both physically and mentally. As discussed above Neglectful parenting ultimately leads to a conflicting and disturbed family environment and children belonging to such families faces numerous obstacles in their further emotional and mental development. References: Hopkins, Justin S.Parenting Styles and Psychological Well-being in African American Adolescents. Diss. Regent University, 2015. Sangawi, Hoshiar, John Adams, and Nadja Reissland. "The effects of parenting styles on behavioral problems in primary school children: a cross-cultural review."Asian social science.11.22 (2015): 171-186. Arnett, Jeffrey Jensen.Adolescence and emerging adulthood. New York, NY, USA:: Pearson Education Limited, 2014. Baumrind, Diana. 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