Towards the end of the semester, students will reflect back on Part I of their paper and will be asked to write a more detailed paper (6-7 pages, double-spaced) describing their current philosophy of parenting. Students should reflect on what they have learned about parenting this semester and how that affects their parenting philosophy. Reflections should incorporate specific content from the class, including theoretical perspectives, effective parenting styles, developmental issues, and research-based discipline/guidance strategies. At least three sources (original research, published in scientific journal; the ones in BU Database, online) should be referenced (your text book may serve as 1 source, but you will need at least 2 additional research articles as sources). Use the following questions to guide your paper:

What theoretical perspectives have shaped your philosophy of parenting? Which specific principles from these theories do you plan to apply in your parenting, and why?
What parenting style does research indicate is most effective and why? Which style of parenting do you plan to use and why?
How will issues related to a child’s developmental stage affect your parenting practices?
What discipline/guidance strategies are most effective in child-rearing (according to the research) and why?
Overall, how has your philosophy of parenting changed since the beginning of class? Why?
When answering these questions, include information related to why you have this particular philosophy.

Your paper will be graded according to the inclusion of theory and research-based practices discussed in this class and in the research articles you reference. This paper is intended to reflect what you have learned in this class and how you plan to apply this information. It should NOT simply include your opinions; rather you should include course content and research to support your philosophy.