Chapter 7 Blog Post #2

Something else that caught my attention in this chapter was the section about proximal parenting vs. distal parenting. An ethnotheory is defined as theories and values that are embedded into a specific culture. The people of that culture are usually unaware that it is a theory because they just believe it is a custom that everyone follows. One ethnotheory involves the extent to which a culture believes a parent should be in close physical contact with their baby. Proximal parenting suggests that parents should be close with their baby while raising them, holding and cuddling them often. Distal parenting, on the other hand, is a caregiving practice where the parents care for the baby while remaining distant. They nurture them and provide them with communication, but with minimal touching. It is interesting that different cultures have implications that affect their parenting styles.

Research has shown that proximal parenting results in compliant toddlers whereas distal parenting results in less obedient toddlers. Children raised through proximal parenting are less self-aware than those raised through distal parenting. I found it interesting that these different styles of parenting create traits in children that are needed for the specific culture. I think this concept shows that culture has a great influence on a child not only in a social aspect, but also on how they're likely to be raised. Overall, I have noticed that various parenting issues vary within different cultures. I find this interesting because I was raised in an Asian culture and have always wondered if I would be a different person if I had been raised in a traditional American family. I have always thought about what differences I would have encountered and how that would have affected my personality and/or values.