There are many unimaginable parental roles that many parents don’t know.
Of course we are conversant with some basic roles of a parent while some others are unknown and remain hidden until we encounter them.
What are the obvious roles of parents?
- Provision of shelter
- Emotional guidance
- School runs
- Child’s Protection
- Provision of child’s food
- Attending to child’s needs/wants
- Discipline a child
- Child’s representative. etc.
Stereotyping the above roles of parents as the only existing roles of parents, to me, is one of the reasons why we have many problems in homes today.
There are many other functions or roles our parents or guardians are expected to display or exhibit.
Some might be aware of these functions while some are alien to it.
Below is a discussion on some of these roles that are alien to some parents.
What are the 8 Untapped Roles of parental on Child’s Self-Improvement?
(1) Teacher’s substitute
Just like in sports, a player is removed to be replaced by another player.
Though in the case of a teacher and a parent, it is not like the way it is in football or any other kind of sports.
By teacher’s substitute I mean a parent taking the role of a teacher after the child is done for schooling for that day.
Every parent is a teacher’s substitute. This is one thing many parents don’t know.
On most occasions they feel that it is the sole duty of a teacher to train a child.
This is a very wrong perception. A teacher assumes the role of a parent in the absence of the child’s parents (during school hours).
The same is also applicable to parents. They assume the functions of a teacher during the absence of their child’s classroom teacher (outside school hours).
(2) Child’s best friend
Children love to do things with their best friends. They can discuss many things with them.
This is one of the reasons why parents should understand that their children need a friend that is more than a friend.
One of the roles of a parent is to understand the fact that a child needs a best friend.
This is why they tell their teachers almost everything.
The reason is because their teachers are the people who always listen to them.
It is your duty as a parent to be your child’s best friend.
(3) First moral teacher
Our society is on a daily basis spoiling beyond recognition as a result of immortality.
Some parents on this aspect also have to be blamed because they failed.
Socialization they say begins from the home.
The same is also applicable to a child’s knowledge on morality.
Teaching a child good morals is one among the numerous parental roles the society acknowledges.
Before a classroom teacher the child first knows his/her parents.
This is why whatever a child becomes in the society, parents are first questioned or praised before their teachers.
(4) Family love teacher
Sometimes you wonder why your children don’t love each other.
On some occasions you feel that the love in your family is depreciating if not dead already.
Have you taken your time to find out why such a thing is happening?
Before you start looking for who to apportion blame to, first of all inspect your lifestyle.
Try to rate yourself and know if you are not the one behind the hate erupting in your family.
Teach your children how to love one another by showing good examples.
Do not love your children at a different ratio. All your children must be loved on an equal level.
What I am saying is, ensure that anything you did for A is equally done to B, C, D, ete.
(5) Good Listener
Parents who are good listeners make a great home.
No matter how stupid or nonsensical a child’s statement might be, always pay attention.
When you don’t pay attention to them, this is when they start moving their love and trust to another available person who will listen to them.
To avoid such a thing from happening, it is wise to pay attention to them when they are talking or reporting any matter to you.
(6) Child’s secret-telling mate
Every child has a secret and in most cases they try to find whom to confide in.
If your child can’t trust you he/she can’t share his/her secret.
This is another basis for a problem in a family.
For you to be a child’s secret-telling mate you need to have the above skill of being a good listener.
It is your duty to know all your child’s secrets and for you to know those secrets you must be his/her best friend.
And to be his/her best friend, you know what and what is involved.
(7) Always available
I understand the fact that as a parent you can always be busy.
Is either with your business or work. It can be busy with anything or sometimes busy doing nothing.
Being there always for the child helps to steady or improve his/her mental state.
Some parents go as far as employing nannies for their children.
Employing nannies sometimes doesn’t really help.
How would you feel if your nanny began to tell you everything about your child that you don’t have any clue about?
That is it. You can only be that mommy or daddy you wish to be when you are always available for your child.
(8) Realising that the family is another school
The family is another school outside the real school that we are all conversant with.
A school is a place where new skills, knowledge, behaviours etc are cultivated.
A school can be formal or informal. A formal school is where a classroom teacher, school administration etc are involved.
In an informal school, such bureaucratic procedures are not obtained.
The family falls under the informal type of school.
In the family, the child is taught a lot of things like good morals, sanitation etc.
Parents who fail to accept the fact that the family is another place a child can cultivate a behaviour, stands to fail.
Parental roles also fall within the ambits of a teacher in the informal type of school.
Their children are their students and must be treated with love and care.
Summary of 8 Untapped Parental Roles on Child’s Self-Improvement
Parental roles are enormous. There are roles that are obvious while there are some that you wouldn’t know exists.
That is why I outlined some of those unthinkable but existing roles of parents on this page.
If you are a prospective parent, always understand that there are many requirements of being a parent, not just the obvious roles.
Do not be deterred because parenthood is one of the most appreciated lives everyone would wish for.
Parenthood is interesting and worth it if and only if you understand what it really means to be a parent.
Am glad you have read to this point. Please leave us a question in the comments section if there is any.
Thank you for reading.