ROLE OF PARENTS AS FACILITATOR OF GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT 
                     ROLE OF PARENTS 
AS FACILITATOR OF Growth 
AND DEVELOPMENT 
Importance of the Role of 
Parents in Child Development
 Parenting and child development 
go hand in hand. The proverbs that 
the apple does not fall far from the 
tree and that the branch grows as 
the twig grows can well-describe 
the effects of parenting
 All development is interrelated and 
cannot be defined under water-
tight categories. So let us focus on 
how parents can actively 
participate to ensure that the 
child’s growing years are worthy. 
It governs responses, actions, 
thinking and decision making of a 
child in the following areas.
 1. Cognitive Development
 2. Socio-Cultural Development
 3. Physical Development
 4. Mental Development
 5. Spiritual Development
 Cognitive 
Development
When children are growing up, 
positive parenting improves 
their cognitive, social and 
problem-solving skills. Positive 
parenting also affects their 
responses and helps them grow 
up to be better humans. 
Interaction and stimulation are 
very important in the early 
years. 
 Socio-Cultural 
Development
Children observe spousal 
interaction and how 
arguments are settled in the 
family. It teaches them a 
variety of good values that 
are imbibed and crucial to 
growing up. The child learns 
how to behave with others, 
playing to a common goal, 
team spirit, picking the right 
friends and a lot more. 
 Physical 
Development
Reaching age-related 
milestones is not the only 
goal. Children learn about 
being healthy, exercising 
regularly, being a team 
player, having the right 
diet and growing in a 
conducive environment 
through play-and-learn. 
Mental Development
Parenting styles help the child learn 
innovatively, accepting failures and overcoming 
them, understanding discipline, accepting 
feedback and the award-and-punishment 
concept. 
Mental development is an important aspect of 
growth, embracing the various mental abilities. 
Mental development includes such abilities as 
attending, perceiving, observing, remembering, 
imagining, thinking, solving problems and 
growth of intelligence as well as of language
Areas of Mental Development
The following are the major areas of 
mental development
1. Sensation and Perception
2. Concept formation
3. Attention and Interest
4. Development of Imagination
5. Language of Development
6. Development of Memory
7. Development of Problem solving 
ability 
Spiritual Development
Understanding religion, prayer, knowing right 
from wrong, being empathetic, having the 
right ethical values, valuing your parents and 
strengthening goal-setting liberates the free 
spirit in children. Teaching your children to be 
more accepting and believing in the greater 
good can help them gain a sense of purpose
SEVEN WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR SPIRITUAL 
HEALTH
1. Explore your spiritual core
2. Look for deeper meanings
3. Get it out, Be expressive
4. Try yoga
5. Travel
6. Think positively
7. Take time to meditate
Some Useful Parenting Tips to Make Your Child’s 
Growing Years Worthy
1. Be Positive
Children can easily sense negativity. No 
matter how young your child is, discuss 
your problems with him and how you 
handle them. Encourage your child to 
participate with you in different small 
household tasks. Teach him how to 
be creative and how to solve problems 
with a positive attitude.
2. Be Sensitive to Your Child’s Needs
Irrespective of how small your child’s 
needs are, understanding and fulfilling 
them is very important to help your 
child realize that you are there for him 
at all times and that his needs never go 
unheard.
1913099_SHAMBHAVI
3. Be Emotionally Present
Encouragement and love yield good fruit 
only when they are cultivated, worked 
on, nurtured & pruned. Show your child 
that he is loved all the time and that you 
are always there for him, no matter 
what.
4. Communicate Effectively
Talk to the child and hear what he has to 
say before jumping to conclusions. In 
every conversation, make sure you think 
from your child’s perspective and let 
him express himself. Remember, 
positive feedback is always better than 
negative punishment or blames.
5.  Be  Affectionate  to  All
Children pick up what they see/hear 
at home. To a child, using harsh 
words, quarrelling loudly, constantly 
fighting, incorporating bad habits, 
and swearing feels absolutely 
normal if he sees the same at home. 
 Use;
 Stories
 Music
 Songs
 Open ended questions
 Discuss pictures
6. Set Routines for Play, Eating and 
Sleep
A good routine can help set good 
habits for the future. If you stick 
to a fixed routine, eat and sleep 
on time, refrain from watching 
the television during meals, then 
your child too will pick up these 
lessons and follow a routine. 
7. Limit 
Television
Limit the time children spend 
watching TV shows and Internet 
as well as the type of shows 
they watch. Too much TV causes 
over- stimulation of brain cells, 
and poor social and physical 
activity. Be sure that what 
children are watching is what 
you want them to learn, as 
imitative behaviour is maximum 
at this time.
8. Use discipline to 
tTaelka ctoh children about 
what they seem to be 
feeling and teach 
them words to 
describe those feeling.
 Make it clear that 
while you may not like 
the way they are 
behaving, you love 
them.
 Explain the rules and 
consequences of 
behaviour so children 
can learn the “why’s” 
behind what you are 
asking them to do.
.
9. Talk to the Child Even When Tired
Hard work gives immense 
satisfaction, and the 
reward for you is watching 
your child learn how to 
deal with problems, how 
to deal with financial 
insecurities, how to 
interact with others and 
how to be a little like you. 
10. Build Trust, Love and Fair-Play in 
RBeelsat teixoanmsphleisp asre between the parents, in 
dealing with siblings and especially in 
quarrels. If you behave rationally with all the 
family members, then your children will learn 
the same and will end up loving and caring for 
all without discriminating.
11. Help Your Child Understand 
The Importance of Speaking 
RigMhatke  asunred yo Hur ochnilde vaslutelsy honesty, especially when it 
comes to matters that involve relationships and money. 
Teach him that no matter what, he should speak the 
truth and stick to what he says. Also, inculcate in your 
child a sense of responsibility.
12. Assure Your Unconditional 
Love and Support
If your child fails at something, make an effort to 
understand why and what to do before you 
criticise him. But over that, tell him that mistakes 
do not reduce the love between people.
                      Conclusion
children continue to grow and to change in amazing ways 
as they move from toddlerhood to school-age. The 
proper role of the parent is to provide encouragement, 
support, and access to activities that enable the child to 
master key developmental tasks. A parent is their child's 
first teacher and should remain their best teacher 
throughout life.
1913106_shivani kashyap
1913093_SAPNA SINGH