Family is a fundamental part of society. And family memories are a significant part of someone’s childhood experience. Everyone comes from different walks of life and is experiencing life individually on the opposite side of the world. The connection a mother or father gives to their children is something that most adults remember during their childhood. Bobbie J. McLaren’s The Sounds At River’s Edge is a story of a child and a father’s love experienced by the author in her childhood days. The book is a compilation of 20 stories recalling the memories she has with her family while growing up on the Intracoastal Waterway in Florida in the 1950s.
In relevance to family relationships, memories, and childhood background, they both play a vital role in shaping the lives of each individual. The experiences they have gone through in their younger years are impactful—it determines the kind of life they will live in their adult years. Childhood experiences are conventionally a combination of good and bad—and it holds a driving influence on a person’s holistic growth and transformation as they transition and grow throughout the years.
Life and Career Path
Children have dreams as early as three years old. Them wanting to pursue a specific career and life path is already evident at an early age. A child’s environment exposes them to different people and what they do influences their choices. In most social interactions, if both parents are in the medical field, their children will most probably take on that path as well. Although not everyone takes on a similar life and career path as their parents, other parental influences will affect crucial decisions in their adult life.
Family Relationship
A perfect family is nonexistent in all walks of life. However, parents must secure a healthy parental relationship with their children. A child has numerous needs throughout their childhood journey, and financial support is not the only thing they need. They are required to discover themselves safely, thus providing them the space and resources to do so. Time, love, care, and a strong family bond are crucial for a child’s growth. Hence in their adult life, they will develop a sense of family, belongingness, and self-worth in a thriving family relationship.
Interaction With Others
Everyone’s childhood playmates contribute to how well-adept someone is in their social skills. Childhood friends, games, and interactions are the developing foundations of their social skills. As children undergo natural development, parents must allow them to make friends, socialize, and adapt to new environments on their own. Letting them navigate that free space will affect how they collaborate, approach, and interact with other people in their adult life.
Emotional Strengths and Weaknesses
Childhood experiences are crucial influences on the behavior and character evident and significant in adulthood. However, while growing up, unexpected experiences come inevitably. And as early as childhood, one is forced to face difficult situations. As time progresses, encountering numerous problems in life will establish resilience and confidence in overcoming future adversities. On the contrary, children who are excessively dependent on their parents and other people—when faced with unprecedented events will more likely develop fear and avoid pivotal milestones in their adult life. Thus, uncomfortable childhood experiences are necessary for preparing an emotionally strong individual in their later years.
Future Parenting Skills
People choose different paths. Some may be going on the same crossroads, while others resort to off-the-beaten tracks. And others may see themselves nurturing lives, as their parents once did. Family interactions and parenthood can be environmental and psychological influences that future parents will acquire from their parents. Moreover, childhood experiences, such as parenting style—like how parents take punishment and discipline seriously can impact someone’s future parenting skills. Hence, the relationships and encounters children have with their parents; or other adult figures will significantly influence the kind of parents they will become in their adult life.
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