Importance Of Autonomy In Children

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Autonomy in Children Holding up a chair or standing alone in the corner while others start the class when you're late to school, getting hit by a ruler when you don't do well on a test, or getting pinched by your teacher when you forget to do your homework was nothing out of the ordinary. A part of your everyday life. Since everyone was treated the same way no one dared to complain. Being Asian and living in America was an eye opening experience.You realize the difference between the two cultures and you get to reflect on the things you once thought was normal. Being told what to do for every step you took, everything starting from when to eat, play, do your homework, or even what to wear. “Autonomy.” According to Oxford University Press. …show more content…
Sometimes it is necessary for children to realize that the world is not a Disneyland, kids need to make mistakes, take a few tumbles before being able to succeed in life. In our society that is immersed in gadgets, studies and peer centered activities these bubble bred children who are are poorly equipped to deal with any tasks that may come along such as applying for jobs, or washing their own clothes are hard to succeed in life. Only by developing a sense of autonomy from a young age are they allowed to test their ideas and master difficult accomplishments as a preparation for real world living (Sneddon 1). If children are motivated to study solely by grades in fear of parental disapproval of bad grades then their motivation is controlled because the children value neither the activity of learning nor the outcome of having learned but is that after in response to external pressure. If they are motivated in part by a desire to learn and an understanding that learning can be intrinsically rewarding and relevantly connected to other goals, they indorse then the motivation is autonomous. Autonomous motivation is associated with well-being, psychological health, and the ability to persist in pursuit of goals (Kaap-Deeder et al. …show more content…
Different from Asian children growing up in modern Western societies, parental overprotection, involving tight control of children and lack of parental warmth, is culturally tolerated in traditional Asian societies (Ho 319). Most Asian-American parent’s expectations of their children's achievements are often so high it is sometimes impossible to attain. Besides academic achievements and successes they expect first-time obedience, excellence in every endeavour and a child who never talks back. Asian parents assume their children owe them and expect their children to repay them by being obedient and making them proud. Since they want their child to be successful and they themselves hold deep insecurities about their own and their children's future, and because it was already expected of them in the first place despite all the effort that the children put into accomplishing that goal most Asian parents often fail to praise their children for any achievements. Without the encouragement most kids usually receive from their parents and plus the constant punishments for never being perfect many Asian American teenagers always go through some sort of depression or psychological distress. To further prove my thesis that autonomy doesn't exist in some countries and their cultures, Asian American teens are always comparing themselves with others,