Using a "typical" family as an example of an informal use of power, discuss the

following: The parents have the authority to make the decisions for the family, while the children
are responsible for obeying the decisions. Problems arise when authority and/or legitimacy are in
question. If the parents disagree as to a course of action, the children may perceive a problem
with authority. Which parent has the authority to make the decision? When the parents leave the
children with a sitter, there may be a problem with legitimacy. Do the children obey the
decisions of the sitter?

Technically speaking, I think that both parents should have an equal opportunity to make
and enforce decisions for their children. The man and the woman play an equal role in bringing
the child into the world and they should both have the authority to make decisions concerning the
child’s wellbeing. In today’s society, people want to believe that the woman has as much
authority to make major decisions for the child as the man, but I think the job of decision-making
is more influenced by culture and tends to fall towards the man of the family in most cultures.
There is no question that the parents should be the ones making the decisions for the
children and not the other way around. Children should obey their parents, mother and father,
diligently. Parents should want the best for their children and the parents should behave in front
of them as they want their children to behave. When making decisions for their children the
parents should get together and discuss the options available. The parents should then discuss the
situation with the children before making the final decision. The decision should be made by the
parent who has the most experience in the field of the question at hand.
Authority will be with the parent that has the most direct contact and influence on the
children. In some cultures, such as in the middle-east, the father is considered the head of the
family. Growing up in a Pakistani household, I have come to experience that the father is seen as
the head of the family and he makes most of the authoritative decisions pertaining to the
children. Living in America has lessened the authority of the father in a subdued manner. The
independence that women have in American has permeated into Pakistani households and given
women the chance to make choices for their children as well.
Besides the cultural influence on the parental status, I think that the parent that has the
best in mind for the children should have the authority to make decisions for the children. The
parent who does make the decision should confer with the other parent before the decision is
final. I think the decision making should fall to the parent who has more experience in the field
concerning the question at hand. When the parents leave the children with a sitter, they should
both decide who would make an appropriate substitute for their authority.
When parents leave children with a sitter they are passing their authority to the sitter and
expect their children to obey the sitter. Children will not understand this until they are told to do
so. To avoid problems with legitimacy the parents need to sit down with the sitter and the
children and explain the situation to the children. The parents need to let the children know the
sitter has the authority to tell the children what to do and the children need to follow the
instructions. The children will obey the sitter if they understand the sitter has the authority to tell
them what to do. There will be problems with legitimacy when the children are left with a sitter
who does not behave properly and does not assert their authority. The parents need to make sure
their children respond well to the sitter they are being left with to avoid problems with
legitimacy.