Introduction

The idea of living a socially responsible life can be overwhelming for many of us. We think of politics and fund raising, of feeding hungry orphans or providing relief work in natural disaster areas. Those who are socially responsible care for their environment and the people around them. Someone who holds a door for a woman pushing a stroller or who throws their Pepsi can into a recycling bin instead of a trash can is making socially responsible choices. We each have an obligation to one another simply because we are created human; people need other people not only for commerce and production of things, but also for building a sense of self and purpose.

Of course, we all know that there are some people in our communities who don't feel that a lifestyle of social responsibility is important.  They focus their everyday lives on making it through the day, striving for personal successes.  These individuals often contribute to difficulties in our communities through selfish actions both large and small.  In preparation for this project we asked ourselves, "How can otherwise healthy adults think that these acts are acceptable?" We decided to look more closely at the life of a child, based on a modern day understanding of Child Development, and the vital importance of the influence of a parent on the adult their child will become.

In the book, How to Behave so Your Children Will Too, Sal Severe explains our premise:

Children learn good behavior. Children learn misbehavior. Behavior does not occur by magic. It is not inherited. A well-behaved child is not the result of luck. Be encouraged - if children learn behavior, then children can learn to change behavior... If you are in pursuit of well-behaved, well-adjusted children, you need to understand how your behavior is connected with your child's behavior (Severe, n.d.).

When a child is born into the world, the neurons in its brain begin to form and connect one to another, learning how to communicate and function within our world. Infants learn skills from observation and instinct before they know how to speak. In most families, the person the infant observes is the parent.  What a child learns before the age of five is what will be the most fundamental and physiological part of them; it will provide the foundation for everything they become (Martin, Fabes, 2009). Healthy and proper parenting in early years is vital for contributing to a content and healthy community, and for molding children into socially responsible adults.

Many parents today do have the ability to care properly for their children, and we applaud their success. This study focuses on the concerns of those who struggle, and the wider effects of that struggle in various areas of the community. Along the sidebar you will find a wealth of information related to the topic, touching on many different perspectives. Please feel free to browse and enjoy learning more about the issue of social responsibility in the home.

Written by Jess Tryon

Summary

The first and foremost influence in a child’s life is the parent or caregiver. However, many of today’s parents are unable to fulfill this responsibility, whether by choice, lack of education, or unavoidable circumstance. Poor parenting leads to poor behaviors by children, who then create chaos and disruption wherever they are. The community, primarily in the form of school environment, has been picking up the pieces and fulfilling the parental duties for some time now. Gardner supports this premise as he states:

"[Social] responsibility... clearly traces back to childhood and early development of a sense of responsibility... Teachers believe that 'the deterioration of family bonds and the rapid pace of society...'" leaves a gap in what a child needs and what a child receives (Gardner, 2007, p.89).

There are many perspectives connected to this issue, and therefore many concerns and ideas related to it. It is reasonable to assume that most parents understand that they need to be good parents. Those who are unable may find themselves feeling as though they have no other options. It is important that we consider the situation of the family. When parents find themselves unable to be socially responsible or teach responsibility to their children, various members of the community, primarily teachers or outside caregivers, find themselves setting aside their original purpose to fill in the missing developmental gaps. For some children, teachers become surrogate parents. Also within the community are those who are indirectly affected by the situation: law enforcement, childless families paying school taxes, and anyone in the community who suffer from the misbehavior of untaught children. Finally, we must look at the political perspective and the legal issues involved; those individuals who are aware of the problems and hold power and responsibility, but for whatever reason are unable to solve contributing social issues.

Written by Group F