The movie portrays the different parenting styles displayed
by different parents. Parenting style is very important because it affects the
future of the family, parenting style is not by learning or a skill, it is how
a person spread the values to the next generation. In this movie, there are
four different parents acted in the different way.
The first parents, Gil Buckman and Karen Buckman, who are the
main highlight in the movie. Gil and Karen are using authoritative parenting
style where they expect their children to follow their guidelines and rules.
Gil has a very unhealthy childhood times where his father always dumps him
alone, he thinks that he will not let his children to have such childhood times
as him. So, he learns to be more responsible towards his kids, bringing them to
watch the match and also listen to what his children thinks. However, they face
challenges when they find out that their elder son, Kevin actually has
emotional problems and his teacher suggests him to take the special education. Gil
tries to help his son by helping him to build confidence and trust in front of
Kevin’s friends. Though the problems keep coming out when the emotion of Kevin
becomes more severe.
Gil’s sister, Helen is a divorced parent who has an elder
daughter and a son. Helen is a indulgent parent who acting in permissive
parenting style towards her children. Such parenting style allows children to
behave self-indulgent and no discipline. It can be seen in Helen’s elder
daughter, Julie, she dislike study and loves her boyfriend so much. While Gary,
Helen’s son, is quiet and likes to be alone in his room. Helen has no control
or demand with them, which leads them to become “spoilt” kids. Helen faces the
challenges where Julie has a relationship with her boyfriend and gets pregnant,
while Gary locks himself in the room.
On the other hand, Gil’s another sister, Susan, who is a
teacher married to a man who is an intelligent scientist, Nathan. In this
movie, authoritarian style can be seen in this married couples, Nathan behaves
very tense and high demanding towards his daughter, Patty. Despite of Susan who
eagerly to get another children, Nathan puts entire expectation on Patty, he
thinks that they need to have full focus on Patty in order to develop her into
a perfect person in the future. However, it makes Patty develops anti-social
behavior where her maturity is different with the same age of children.
Besides, it affects Patty’s childhood moment when she can only be obedient and
do what his dad wants.
Lastly, another parenting style which can be seen in
“Parenthood” is uninvolved parenting approach. This kind of parents, totally
ignore the needs of the children, which is the same as Larry, Gil’s youngest
brother. Larry is being low responsive to his son, Cool. He barely talks to him
and Cool is always taking care by Larry’s father. In this case, Cool has
becomes more emotionally withdrawn from social situations.
I am not going to say which parenting style is right or
wrong, but I personally think that one should interpret appropriate parenting
style depending on the situation, not just follow blindly in order to provide a
better future for the next generation.
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