What makes up our personality? Personality is the combination of characteristics and qualities that form a person’s distinctive and unique character. As many other things, it is influenced by multiple different factors such as our biology (our chromosomes and genetics), family (our primary environment and support), culture (shared traditions and beliefs), and personal experiences (unique to each individual). Your personal experiences make you who you are, and the quintessential influence of family during such experiences play a big role in the development of your personality. Out of all the possible influential aspects, family is likely to have one of the most significant effect on the development of a child which matters because a person’s personality is a reflection of where the person comes from, or around what surrounding he is raised.
Today, we often call people close to us a “family” even id they are not biologically related to us or have not lived with us during our childhood. So, what is family, and what are the requirements to call a group of people a family? Typically, family is defined as a basic social unit consisting of parents and their children who live under one roof and connected by deep affection for each other. Because of the time spend together and spatial proximity, families are often the first school for a child, where their ethics, morality, and behavior are established. Meanwhile, cultural traditions and beliefs forming the foundation of a family, identifing certain values necessary for the development of the children, which is significantly influenced by the interpersonal relationships within the family.
Strong and deep family bonds play a crucial role for the well-being of a children and adolescents. If you took any psychology classes or watch any psychology TV-drama you might remember that the bond formed between parents and a child might play a crucial role in the child’s life later on. If a child feels secure and loved in their family, it will help the kid with the development of healthy self-confidence and relationships with others. On the other hand, if a child feels like he or she needs to do something special to deserve love or receives inconsistent attention, she or he might grow up with poor self-esteem and not knowing how to build trusting and loving relationships with other people.
Additionally, our family takes the first and often the most significant stub at teaching us life lessons, including showing us societal norms. Parents act as an example for children, providing them with a map from personal experience. Most of the time, parents are also the ones who teach discipline to their offspring to help shape their mind and character, and cultivating certain basic morals, such as ethical and perhaps religion or spiritual values, which will be important for the grown-up and can give strength and stability to their character. In some culture, children are taught to look upon their parents as God since ancient times, while in others they see them more as their best friends. Despite this difference parents are always considered as the key figure in one’s life.
When it comes to parenthood, it is not about two parents versus one parent or homosexual couples versus heterosexual couples. Instead, it is support versus lack of support. Children need many caregivers and role models. Even two parents may not be enough as today’s busy world makes it hard for parents to find time for their children, speaking from personal experience. A single parent household, which is emotionally and financially stable and has benefit and support of extended family and community, is way better for a child than two parent household which is isolated, financially deficient and where parents struggle with mental health, stress and relationship problems. Unfortunately, quite often people fail to recognize that it is the support and love that matter the most for a child rather than the number of parents and their financial state. Therefore, it is very disappointing to see when governments and society creates barriers for people who are willing to provide their children with love and the necessary attention but do not fit into a typical “happy family” picture. Instead of focusing on disadvantages of single parenthood or children raised by LGBTQIA2S+ parents, the focus should be on making the society more supportive of families and children in general. A whole village is not required to raise a child. When a family provides unconditional love and support, irrespective of their sexual orientation, there can never be a lonely journey for a child.
Raising children is a blend of science, art, and responsibility. Parental influence on adolescents can be a sensitive business as it can go wrong in numerous ways. The lack of intimate personal contact is at the root of many of the future troubles with children, resulting in the increase of generation gap. The fast-changing social conditions, evils of industrialization, the impact of alien culture, political ideologies, and the gradually increasing economic difficulties are no less responsible for this deterioration of the relationship between the adolescents and the adults. Consequently, “home sweet home” is inclining to become a boarding house. Thus, the parents must maintain a close and intimate contact with their children, acting as their friends, philosophers and guides. Trying sincerely to understand the thought process, and acting with prudence while never imposing solutions on their children, parents should appeal to their mind through reason and touch their hearts with love. Practicing what a family preaches, sets an example to follow by the children. Similar efforts should be made by the offspring as well. Adolescents and young adults should also attempt to understand the feelings of their parents who have brought them up and who are, after all, their best well-wishers. So, if you haven’t called your parents in a while, I encourage you to do it right now, and don’t forget to let them know you love and miss them!
