Explain the various factors of parental influence on their children's achievement.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Parents can influence children's achievement through their own beliefs and attitudes about ability. Children raised by parents with a fixed view of abilities tend to view their own ability as fixed and are more likely to show a learned helplessness orientation. When parents believe that ability is unchangeable, they may provide few opportunities for children to improve and may ignore positive changes that children show. Warm and supportive parenting can help children to recognize their worth and appreciate their own competence. Authoritative parents who promote their children's autonomy encourage their children to explore their environment and permit them to take an active role in solving their own problems foster a mastery orientation. In contrast, excessive control and harsh criticism can damage children's motivation. Not providing opportunities to problem solve or intervening when a child tries a challenging task may inhibit children's desire to succeed and foster helplessness.
Parents also influence children through the home context they provide. Socioeconomic status influences children's motivation through the availability of opportunities and resources and through parents' behavior. Children require not only opportunities to try new things, but also parents who are aware of and able to take advantage of opportunities. Parents in low-SES families often work jobs that involve long hours, rotating and nonstandard shifts, and high physical demands. As a result, many low-SES parents lack the energy and time to devote to children and may be unaware of opportunities or unable to take advantage of them.