Parenting License PDF

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Summary

Parenting in DIverse Families
HDFS 2033
2019 Fall
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Merry Parentmas: Parenting License Jane Doe University of North Texas

Requirements and Research Evidence To receive a parenting license a person must fulfill certain requirements. A parenting license is open to any one person or couple. These five requirements are required for couples and single parents and ensure the safety and wellbeing of children. The Parenting License Program recognizes diversity and is willing to work with a person and grant the necessary accommodations. The first requirement is that a future parent must take a financial management class, regardless of personal financial status. The financial management class does have to be with the Parenting Program, but a certificate of completion must be sent to the Parenting Program. The purpose of this requirement is to provide parents with the tools necessary to provide their children with a strong support system. It is important to note that parents are not required to make a certain amount each year but are encouraged to seek resources to be financially stable. Next, a prospective parent or parents are required to have high self-control and their quality of self-control will be measured by the Parenting License Program’s therapists. High self-control for a parent(s) is vital because self-control has been linked to partner violence (Payne, Higgins, & Blackwell, 2010). It is imperative that if a parent is in a relationship or will be in one that they and their partner exhibit attitudes and actions beneficial for a child. Low self-control can lead to violence and the most common being partner violence. This is critical, according to Payne et al. (2010) offenders who physically abuse their partners are more likely to commit psychological and emotional abuse. This unrest in the household will negatively affect the children. While it is important to note that child abuse does not have a direct correlation to self-control and partner abuse it still affects the child’s behavior and environment. Rational parents, those with more self-control, according to Payne et al. (2010), when planning will weigh in the understood joy of an act against the perceived pain when planning and when the joy outweighs the pain the parent will perform that plan. This means that parents with high self-control are more equipped to make rational decisions for themselves and their children. Generally, this requirement is important because when a parent achieves self-control, they are equipped to teach their children how to establish self-control (Payne et al, 2010). Furthermore, parents and co-parents are required to go to couples’ therapy. If a single parent is seeking a Parenting License, they must only receive the couples’ therapy when they introduce a second parenting figure into the child’s life. That parenting figure is also required to meet all the expectations. A parenting figure is someone who has been introduced to the child’s microsystem, Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecological Model, and will have a direct influence on the child. Couples’ therapy ensures that the couple discusses their plans, expectations, and boundaries for their child (Bronfenbrenner & Ceci, 1994). According to Benson, McGinn, & Christensen (2010), partners’ typically do not fully consider their partners perspective on conflicts or how their actions may contribute to difficulties in the relationship. Therapy is meant to encourage couples to understand the current and future difficulties of their relationship (Benson, McGinn, & Christensen, 2010). First-time parents, or current parents who are asked, are required to attend therapy sessions until a Parenting License Therapist has declared them ready or on the correct track. Current parents who have already gone through the process are required at least one session and may continue to attend if they so wish.

Then, a prospective parent is expected to show that they have adequate shelter for a child. A representative from the Parenting License Program will schedule a time and date to meet with the parents at their residence. The parent is not required to have an individual room for each child. Parents are required to have plumbing, heat, electricity, and running water. The place of residence must be protected from the environment. Any violations depending on the severity must be resolved. For example, if a parent is struggling to pay the water bill and the water gets turned off the parent is expected to contact the Parenting Program and work to turn back on the water. If extra help is needed the Parenting Program will give names of local resources to the parent. Parents who need financial help or assistance can contact the Parenting License Program and they will be given resources and connected to people in the community in which they live. Finally, the parent must agree to do what is best for the child within the parameters of the laws of the United States. For instance, some parents will believe what is best for their child is their child being themselves in whatever way is comfortable to them. However, society and religion play a vital role in some parents’ belief in what is best for a child such as keeping the child from certain inclinations and redirecting their interests; therefore, it will be hard to define an exact right and wrong. These differences make the required couples’ therapy imperative. Couples must agree on core beliefs of how to raise their child and if they do not, they must work to meet common ground. A compromise between parents is paramount for the child’s growth. Parents have the right to different beliefs and opinions concerning the child if it poses no harm to the child. The parents will have their license revoked if they are not abiding by the United States Child Safety Laws.

Implementation The Parenting License information will be posted online and in paper form at all doctors’ offices. For parents who are expecting to become pregnant, they can begin the application for a parenting license. In cases of unexpected pregnancies, the expectant parent or parents should begin completing the Parenting License once they have their first doctor’s appointment. A Parenting License must be completed by all parents of an infant by the child’s first birthday. If parents fail to complete the steps necessary to complete the parenting license they will be fined. As an incentive, if all the parents for the infant have completed their requirements for the parenting license by the time the baby is born, they will receive a baby travel bag full of diapers and encouraging letters from other parents.

Renewal Parents should meet in person or video chat online in September, October, or November with a person from the Parenting License Program. Parents are required to meet all requirements and if they do not, they must work with the Parenting License Program to meet the expectations. A representative will come to the home for a second meeting to check on the living space. Parents who do not meet the requirements will be offered counseling sessions and parenting classes to work on redirecting the behavior and eventually fixing the issue. A license

will be revoked immediately only in extenuating circumstances or after a year if all requirements are still not being met subject to the issue. The license will be mailed in December, after the parent has met with a representative, along with a gift that is under twenty dollars with a blank tag for each child up to the age of eighteen. The blank tag is for parents to decide if they want the gift to be from them, Santa, or someone else. After the fifth year, parents will no longer need to renew their parenting license for that child; therefore, they will no longer receive a license in the mail, but instead encouraging words and a list of useful organizations in their area.

Ethical Application A Parenting License is ethical when it is broad enough to accept diversity in the world yet strict enough to keep the children protected. This license is designed to include those who wish to raise a child with a person of the same sex, with a person of the opposite sex, or by themselves. A potential ethical issue for a parenting license is the vast beliefs of what is best for a child. For this reason, it is addressed in one of the requirements for prospective parents. The purpose of the license is not to restrict parents’ morals but to protect the child from harm; therefore, parents have freedom if they are following the laws of the country. Immigrants with children are encouraged to go through the parenting process when they come to the country. Children born in the United States by immigrant parents must get a parenting license when they wish to have kids.

Reflection and Conclusion In closing, it is my own opinion that a parenting license with specific regulations and rules would restrict parent creativity and not be accepted. However, a license with broad, yet definite and measurable, restrictions that allow for freedom of religion, culture, and preference would be widely accepted. The requirements I have outlined financial management class, high-selfcontrol, couples’ therapy, provide adequate shelter, and agree to do what is best for the child are all defined and broad enough to include diversity. It is important that the children of the world are protected and that starts with the parents. If parents or prospective parents are open to embracing this license, they will be accepting a movement to protect the next generation. The requirements I have laid out prove that a parent’s involvement is paramount to a child’s success. From personal experience, I know how different environments, levels of education, and access to quality resources can affect parents and their quality of parenting. This Parenting License Program provides parents with the necessary connections and information to raise their child. It is important that as a community we support each other and through the parenting license that I have designed parents are welcomed into a community with substantial resources.

References Benson, L. A., McGinn, M. M., & Christensen, A. (2011;2012;). Common principles of couple therapy. Behavior Therapy, 43(1), 25-35. doi:10.1016/j.beth.2010.12.009 Bronfenbrenner, U., & Ceci, S. J. (1994). Nature-nurture reconceptualized in developmental perspective: A bioecological model. Psychological Review, 101(4), 568. Payne, B. K., Higgins, G. E., & Blackwell, B. (2010). Exploring the link between self-control and partner violence: Bad parenting or general criminals. Journal of Criminal Justice, 38(5), 10151021. doi:10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2010.07.003...