Project 1
PART 1: CREATE YOUR PARENTING CASE STUDY TOPIC
Using the planning table provided below, you will create a case study on a parenting topic of interest to you. Throughout the course you will conduct research on this topic, culminating in a Parenting Action Plan that proposes solutions to resolve your case.
Step 1: Select a scenario that may be a cause for concern in parents.
You may use the list below or identify a scenario of your own with the permission of the instructor. Write your scenario of interest into the planning table provided below.
List of Scenarios
Sleeping arrangements for newborn
Immunizations for children
Bedwetting
Breastfeeding older children
Special needs, such as:
Down syndrome or other genetic disorder
Learning disabilities
Autism
Attention deficit with hyperactivity disorder
Physical-motor disability
Language delay, speech, related issues
Teen pregnancy
Alcohol and substance abuse in teens
Relationship problems in teens, dating, inappropriate, and/or risk-taking behavior
Mental health issues (e.g. depression, anxiety, psychotic disorders)
Behavioral issues in younger children
Behavioral issues in teens
Parental conflict and argument
Military deployment
Grandparents raising grandchildren
Adoption/foster parenting
Racial and cultural issues in parenting -Tiger moms, immigrant children, LGBTQ, biracial identity, religion
Older child parenting and emerging adulthood (age 18-21)
Use of media-cellphones, tablets, etc.
Impact of domestic violence
Bullying, cyberbullying
Stepfamilies
Impact of divorce
Choosing daycare, preschool
Healthy diet, eating disorders
College/postsecondary readiness
Step 2: Select an age group to which the scenario applies.
After picking your scenario, select an age group (see planning table below) that you would be interested in learning more about. For example, if you are interested in “choosing daycare” as a topic, are you interested in daycare for infants, toddlers, or school-aged children? Note that your scenario may not make sense for some age groups. For example, you probably would not be interested in learning about daycare options for an 18-year-old.
Step 3: Select a socioeconomic status for your scenario.
Determine whether your scenario will apply to a family of lower, middle or upper socioeconomic status (SES) (see planning table below). SES can profoundly impact access to resources which, in turn, can impact outcomes. It is important to know what services are available and who can access them.
Step 4: Family composition.
Using the planning table below, identify at least two details about the composition of the family. Who is living in the home? How many generations live in the home? What is the marital status of the parents? Are there siblings? Family composition can be a source of strength as well as a source of stress. Use this section to flesh out the details of the family in your scenario.
Step 5: Identify the type of issue in your scenario.
Use the planning table to identify the type of issue(s) present in your scenario. Check all that you think could apply. This will help you to figure out where you can find information on your topic. For example, if you are dealing with a topic like behavioral issues that emerge in a child after military deployment of a parent, you might start looking for research in psychology journals that deal with military families, like “Military Family Therapy.”
Step 6: Identify possible sites of impact for addressing your scenario.
Using the planning table, identify possible sites of impact for your scenario. For example, if you are interested in “choosing daycare,” you would probably select “daycare” as a site of impact, but you might also select “home” if you are interested in how daycare impacts behavior in the home. You might also select “school,” if you think the quality of daycare has an impact on academic performance.
Step 7: Identify potential solutions to address your scenario.
Using the planning table, check off the potential solution(s) that could form the basis of your parenting action plan.
Instructions: Choose and write down your topic and ideas about: The topic/title, why you think it is important, and where you think you will look for resources.
Use the Planning Table below to create your chosen topic. Each section of the table below may be used to narrow down the specifics of your research paper. Each section will help to get you thinking about the aspects of your action plan. In the example below, the sections of the table appear in parenthesis to exemplify how these sections relate to your topic choice. Please note that these sections form a part of the final paper write up, and as such can be used while writing up your final paper.
AFP Part 1: Planning Table
STEP 1: SCENARIO
(write your chosen
scenario below) STEP 2: AGE GROUP OF INTEREST
Birth-3 yrs
3-10 yrs
10-13 yrs
14-18 yrs
18-21 yrs
STEP 3: SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS
lower
middle
upper
STEP 4: FAMILY COMPOSITION
(include at least 2 of these details)
Parental involvement?
Single, married, divorced?
Siblings?
Who is living in the home?
Employment status of parents?
Other?
STEP 5: TYPE OF PROBLEM
Schoolwork or Homework Issue
Behavioral Issue
Social Issue
Physical/Emotional Issue
Other:STEP 6: SITES OF IMPACT
Home
School
Daycare
Parent Workplace
Public Spaces (e.g. playground, retail, grocery store, etc.)
Other:_STEP 7: POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS
Home Plan
School Strategy
Community Support Groups
Behavioral Health Plan
Medical/Health Plan
Special Programs/Supports
Other:
STEP 8: Crafting your parenting case study.
Write a parenting case study that incorporates all of the information in the planning table (Steps 1-6). Your case study should be 1-2 paragraphs in length. You may want to add details now or as your research progresses to make your case study more interesting.
Example:
The current case study involves a child with significant learning disabilities who is 8 years old and from a middle-class socioeconomic status background. The child has a 10-year-old sister with no known learning disabilities or behavioral issues. Parents recently separated, but both parents are actively involved with the children. A parenting action plan will be developed to address the child’s problems with schoolwork.