Research Paper on Cognitive Development of a Child

Introduction

The social-cultural development of a child is affected by mothers work as the mother-child relationship forms the basis for a child's internalization of maternal values which can lead to stronger social relationships however it is not always the case as other studies conducted have proven that children of working mothers look for company from others which lead to the development of stronger relationships and stronger stability in social and cultural values. The mother's work can, therefore, have both a positive and negative impact on the child's social-cultural development. The emotional development of a child with a working mother, however, is negatively affected with the child experiencing psychological and mental disturbances as well as emotional distress due to the absence of emotional supports and dependence from the mother. It also affects the mother principally with an infant and working which leaves her feeling guilty for leaving the child at home or in a daycare service while she should be providing maternal care to her child.

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Impact on Cognitive Development

The cognitive development of a child involves knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation with reference to class performance and school participation. A study conducted by Gennetian, Lopoo and London, (2008) examined how mothers work hours affected adolescent children school participation and performance. Children with working mothers were found to perform less than average compared to children with a stay at home mothers. The results of the study are inconsistent with a study conducted by South Dakota State University which concluded that children with working mothers performed above average (Dejong, 2010). Both studies, however, concluded that children with working mothers were more likely to take part in extracurricular activities and school participation in comparison to other children with a stay at home mothers.

The child's development: cognitive, socio-cultural, emotional and infant development are therefore negatively impacted by the work of a mother for children from ages of infancy to adolescents. With many studies conducted to portray the above negative impacts, most working mothers feel that their work has a positive impact rather than a negative impact on their children and some even reveal that there is no effect on whether a mother works or not on the child as long as there is time spent with the child. Working mothers have increased by over 75% in 2015 and the numbers continue to rise yearly. The increase is great for the economy due to increased productivity and providing more opportunities in the economy and working mothers can also be great to their children having many positive impacts including being positive role models to their children.

Positive Impacts

Financial Providence and Work Ethic

Mothers in the workforce have the positive outcome of providing financially for their children. In dual earning families it means that there's more money to provide better facilities, increased health care covers, increased nutrition and better education facilities provided to their children. The financial accomplishment of a single mother also empowers the mother to proffer for her children and offer the best education, nutrition and healthcare she can afford. It, in turn, motivates the children to look up to their mother and appreciate them for their work. Mothers who can effectively manage work time and family time instil a great work ethic in their children. In 1991, the National Institute of Child Development showed that working mothers can afford the best childcare for their children and portrayed greater levels of sensitivity for their children's needs. Studies carried out on the positive impact of working mothers, therefore, show that a financially well off mother is more beneficial to her children than a financially struggling mother.

Great Role Models and Motivation for Children

A study conducted by the South Bank University on how working mothers felt the impacts of their employment on their children was revealed that most mothers felt that their employment made them great role models for their children. For a mother to have full-time jobs and still be able to raise her children can seem to be a daunting task especially if she wants to be successful both at work and at home. Children particularly adolescents show a motivation to be hardworking like their mothers when they grow up meaning that the children view their mother as a good role model. Researches in the 1990s proved that daughters of working mothers have higher academic success and definite career choices that are non-traditional thus helping them break stereotypes in the society.

Quality Time

Working mothers also revealed that they value the time spent with their children due to most time being spent working, time with their kids is very vital to them. Their children also value the time spent with mothers as they know they will not be available for long hours compared to stay at home mothers whose children may take their attention for granted. Although a study conducted revealed that time spent at work sometimes hindered the completion of activities that mothers and their children would have liked to do, (Gennetian, Lopoo & London, 2008) however the time spent with children was very valuable. Working mothers also manage a torrent of activities and therefore encourage their children to take responsibility for their actions. Children learn to take up a more active role at home taking up chores such as cleaning after themselves as they identify their mother is busy. Their children, therefore, end up learning skills that they would not learn otherwise and therefore become independent children who are prepared and have a sense of responsibility.

Mothers in the workforce, therefore, have the above positive outcomes on their children, better financial ground on their families, good role models for their kids, valued family time no matter how little and instilling a sense of responsibility in their children. Although they seem small compared to the negative impacts of hindrances in child development, reduced time spent with children that leads to less sensitive relationships and behavioural defiance, cognitive development that affects the child's likelihood to perform less than average compared to other children of stay at home mothers, the positive impacts are of greater weight for both the children, the working mother and the family as a unit. In today's society however, with over 90% of working mothers in society which improves the economy, the positive and negative impacts are overlooked as most mothers seem to have the opinion that maternal absence from a certain age may have no negative effects on their children rather the positive impacts portray themselves in a greater magnitude. However, it is important for mothers to know the age which she can leave her children to work so as to reduce negative effects such as tampering with infancy development when a child is left particularly in the 1st year of infancy.

Conclusion

As long as a mother has a balance between the time spent working and time spent with children the negative impacts may not affect one's child. A mother will always try to do what is best for her child including working to provide for her children. In a dual-earning family, the mother and father can strike a balance to make sure there is no parental absence and also spend quality time with their children. Working mothers are sometimes exhausted from work and the feeling may transfe...