الفهرس 
Introduction
Early child development definition and importanceOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Parents are vitally important throughout a child’s life-as sources of love and security, as teachers and as role models-but they are particularly important in the earliest years. Canadian research shows that the early years are a crucial time in a child’s life, when every moment brings a new experience, a new chance to learn and grow. These years are critical for developing the emotional, social, physical, language and thinking skills a child will need throughout life. Depending on their own attitudes and behaviours, parents have a major influence on a young child’s social and emotional development(CCOL, 2007).
The aim of this study were to describe the parenting skills affecting the social, emotional and cognitive development of rural children from zero to three years old, to identify factors that influence parenting skills, and to assess the familial environment in which rural children aged zero to three years develop.
The study was conducted in Bani Ade`yat village, Assiut Governorate on 397 mothers who have a child aged birth to three years old. It was across sectional study.
The study instruments:
The study instrument was a semi structured pretested questionnaire filled through personal interview with mothers. The questionnaire included questions about socio-demographic characteristics of mother and father, familial environment of the child (family dwelling),
It also included items describing parenting skills as mothers’ knowledge of experiences that influence social, emotional and cognitive child development & mothers’ expectations for reaching developmental milestones & mothers’ interpretation of child behavior and how they react through describing some of vignettes.
Questionnaire also included emotional and behavioral challenges that mothers confront today in childrearing & people and sources parents relay on for parenting information as relative, friends, grandparents, web sites, TV programs, books and magazines & influences on parenting as environment in which parents developed, beliefs, goals, web sites, TV programs and professionals & time spent in child care and the role of fathers, siblings, grandparents with children and parents feel satisfaction with family, work and other responsibilities or not.
The summary of the results:
Personal and demographic characters:
A total of 397 mothers were included in the study. Regarding mothers62% of them were in the age 18-29 years. About 77.8% of mothers were multipara. Only 5.8% of mothers were working for cash. One third of mothers were illiterate and 10.8% had higher education.
More than one-half of the studed population had extended family type. About 98.5% of studied population had piped source of drinking water into their residence, 80.9% had a traditional sanitary facility and 96.5% had place customized just for cooking. Aproximatly 94% had television, 83.6% had satellite dish,78.6% had mobile telephone and 23.4% had computer .
Parenting skills: The mothers were asked about activities that influence social and emotional child development, a reasonable percent of mothers perceived the following experiences to have a major influence on helping child to develop socially and emotionally and cognitively:
• Playing and interacting with other children (53.7%),
• Comforting the child when upset (57.7%),
Then mothers were asked about activities that facilitate child learning, a reasonable percent of mothers perceived the following practices have a major influence on helping children to develop cognitive skills and facilitate learning:
• Speaking and singing to infant (62.2%)
• Mother playing with her infant or young child (60%)
• Playing with other children (50%)
• Talking to the newborn (48%)
The mothers were asked nine questions about her expectations of timing for reaching social, emotional and cognitive milestone. So each mother took score from 0-9. Mean of score was 2.77±1.05. Quantitative analysis shows that there is a significant relationship between mother’s expectation of timing of reaching social, emotional and cognitive developmental milestones and mothers exposure to parenting T.V programs for parenting information (p=0.02) and MCH brochures on ECD (p=0.000).
The mothers were asked nine questions about her expectation of timing for reaching motor milestone. So each mother took score from 0-9.Mean of score was 5.04±1.52. Quantitative analysis shows that there is a significant relationship between mother’s expectation of timing of reaching motor developmental milestones and being a mother for first time (p=0.001).
We used 3 vignettes to describe of mothers’ interpretation to child reaction. First one was about frustrated child, second about child curiosity and excitement, third about shying child.
Mothers were asked six questions 2 in every vignette. So each mother took score from 0-6. Mean of score was 2.3 ± 1.3. Quantitative analysis shows that there is a significant relationship between mother’s interpretation of child behavior in specific situations and how they react andmothers exposure to parenting T.V programs for parenting information (p=0.000), parenting books (p=0.03), and MCH brochures on ECD (p=0.003).
On asking about mothers practices with their children, about 46 % of mothers didn’t give their young child book or magazine containing pictures and told him what was in picture. Only 13% of mothers didn’t sing to their children, 7.3% didn’t play with their children and 82.1% of mothers take their children to space outside home mostly to family and relatives visits. Significant relationship between mothers’ practices (all previous activities) with their children and being a first time mother or not ( p=0.03), mothers’ age (p=0.006), mother educational level (p=0.000), exposure to parenting T.V programs for parenting information (p=0.001), parenting books (p=0.04), and MCH brochures on ECD (p =0.03).
Influences on parenting: religion, traditions and way by which mother was raised have a major influence on parenting. About 86% of mothers rely on mother or mother in low for parenting and child development information and 30% relay on spouse. Only 17% of mothers relay on child pediatrician.
Familial environment: the majority of children less than 3 exposed to accidents at homes, about 69% of them were punished by hitting by their mothers. The situation that forced 59% of mothers to hit their child is stubbornness and not obeying her orders and 30% of mothers hit child because of constant crying. About hitting for toilet training 53 % of mothers did that. Approximately 68.5%punish their child less than 3 years by hitting. Half of mothers didn’t have information about child development before child birth.
Approximatly 69% of mothers were satisfied with balance of family/ work/ other responsibilities. Only 15% of mothers always follow child development with doctor and 40% of mothers knew the guidance on the stages of child development which in vaccination card.
About 98% of mothers breast fed their children and 96% started breast feeding immediately after birth (First 30 minutes after birth). Only 17% of mothers add artificial milk to baby feed beside breastfeeding. Half of mothers started to offer mashed food their babies when they were less than 6 months. About 45% of mothers offered different (variant) types of food regularly to their babies.
Child rearing challenges: On asking mothers about child rearing challenges that she confront, challenges were child stubbornness and not listening to orders, crying and controlling emotions ,and food and eating issues(55%, 36%, 29%) respectively.
Information which mothers reported that they need to know about childrearing: most important issues mothers need to know about child rearing are how to deal with child stubbornness and not following orders (33%), how to deal with continuous baby crying (28.5%) and how to deal with aggressive behavior (fighting, hitting and biting) (25%).
In conclusion, mothers need to know more about early child development and parenting skills to improve her perception, expectation and interpretation to child actions
This study recommend performance of counseling card for mothers recommends play and communication activities to encourage and stimulate the child’s physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development.
Conduction of parenting T.V programs to increase mother awareness about child developments and parenting skills.