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22 Part 1 Decisions About Parenting
Fulfilling Legal
Responsibilities and Rights
Regardless of parents’ marital status,
parents have a legal responsibility to support
and supervise their children. Parents have
corresponding rights to make many decisions
about their children’s lives, 1-8. For example,
parents have the right to choose where a
child lives and the responsibility to make
sure children are safe in this environment.
A parent’s legal responsibility continues
until the child reaches the age of majority.
This is the age, usually 18, when a person
is considered an adult by the legal system.
The law in each state sets the age of majority.
When children reach this age, they are free to
live on their own, make their own decisions,
marry, and financially support themselves.
With this freedom, comes the taking of
responsibility for their actions.
Meeting Children’s Needs
Children have many needs from birth to
adulthood. Babies are totally dependent on
parents for satisfying their physical needs. As
children grow, they can meet some of their
needs, but parents must assist and supervise
their efforts. Because meeting needs is critical
to children’s development, parents must be
prepared to give the required help. Here are
some ways that parents meet children’s needs.
Need for Unconditional Love
First, and foremost, children need
unconditional love. Children need to
know they are loved for who they are and
for their own special qualities. Constant,
unconditional love helps children feel good
about themselves, self-confident, and secure.
Physical Needs
Loving parents provide for children’s
food, clothing, and shelter and ensure their
health and safety. These needs change as
children grow and develop so parents must
continually adjust how they meet these needs.
For example, living space for a newborn can
be a small area in the parents’ bedroom or a
nursery. By school age, a child needs more
and different spaces. These include a private
place to sleep, dress, and study, in addition
to storage space for clothing and other items.
The child also needs a place to pursue quiet
activities and outdoor space for active play.
Abraham Maslow, a psychologist, felt that a
person’s physical needs must be met before
any other needs, 1-9.
Intellectual, Emotional, and Social Needs
Children are born ready to learn. Babies
learn through their “home schooling” as
they are carried, cared for, talked to, read to,
and played with by loving parents. Parents
also promote their learning outside the
home by taking them on trips to a library,
Parents’ Legal
Responsibilities
and Rights
Responsibilities
Support children by providing life necessities
(food, clothing, shelter), medical care, and
education.
Supervise and control children’s behavior. Parents
are liable for children’s accidental or intentional
injury of others, destruction of property, stealing,
truancy, and curfew violations.
Examples of Corresponding Rights
Determine where children will live, what medical
care they will be given, and which school they will
attend.
Control children as they see fi t as long as they do
not neglect or abuse children or ask children to do
something illegal.
NOTE: Courts may intervene on behalf of children
if parents’ do not adequately support, supervise,
and control their children’s behavior.
1-8 Parents are legally required to meet basic
responsibilities in parenting, but can make
choices in how to fulfill this role.