Caption: Healthy Relationships with Mother in youth could bring a stable future.
Photo Courtesy of Good Therapy.
There’s no secret parents have unique bonds with their children — but there’s always been something special about a mother’s touch.
A study in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence published in January confirms that notion.
Washington University’s research on a child’s interaction with their mother led them to an interesting conclusion.
The thesis summary reads as such: Children who have more conflict in relationships with their mothers during early years of elementary school may find it more difficult to find a sense of purpose in life as they reach adulthood.
Roman Fontenot, director and owner of Child Growth Development in Tallahassee, weighed in on the study’s findings.
“Well I do believe, not just in this setting but in most setting that I’ve seen, that that nurturing that a mother gives outweighs pretty much anything else,” Fontenot said.
Research led by Patrick Hill focuses on children in their early childhood stages, specifically those in grades 1-5 and led to follow ups that evaluated the satisfaction of young adults. In a Science Daily article discussing the study, Hill addressed what the research allowed them to see.
“This research shows that it's the child's perspective of conflict that has the greatest effect on later sense of purpose and what matters most in this equation is the child's relationship with his or her mother."
Ashanta Williamson, a single mother who is frequently in Tallahassee frequenter during the legislative session, says she’s not surprised at all about the study’s findings. Williamson understands the power of influence she has on her little one.
“As a mother of a soon-to- be 1-year-old I’m not shocked that us moms have such an effect on the outcome of our kids. I do think it’s a way for us to understand how to be better parents. I mean no parent should want their child to feel as if they have no purpose later in life. So, building a healthy dynamic is key,” Williamson said.
Marissa Moore, the mother of a 3-year-old, understands how a nurturing mom could strengthen a child’s purpose and how having a negative relationship with your child can be damaging.
“With men children look for like security, but being a mom you get to mold your child into emotionally sound people and when that relationship is torn or not as strong, it’s sad because their future is in jeopardy,” Moore said.
With new research constantly offering new insight into our daily lives, Washington University took a step in furthering how we see child development.