1. Poor Parenting
2011
Trishana
[Type the company name]
10/19/2011

2. Title Page
Student: Trishana Richardson
Candidate Number:
Subject: CAPE Communication Studies
Tutor: Mrs. Laurence
Theme of portfolio: “Poor Parenting”
P
Sub-theme of portfolio: Is poor parenting the root cause of the many socio- economic
problems in society?

3. Table of Content

4. Introduction
“Children live what they learn”.
Anonymous
Sub-Theme: Is poor parenting the reason for the socio-economic problems in the Jamaica?
Theme & purpose of portfolio: The theme, Poor Parenting, is a social dilemma that
impacts the socio-economic structure of Jamaica in a negative way. Evidence of moral
deterioration, unemployment and a high level of teenage pregnancy are resulting factors of
poor parenting. This portfolio was done to examine the effects of poor parenting and how it
perpetuates the many challenges that Jamaica faces.
How theme relates to academic interest: The candidate is currently studying sociology
which deals study of society and it members. A sociological analysis of the problem of poor
parenting, will allow the researcher to examine this problem from a standardized perspective
in sociology.
How theme relates to candidate’s work-related interests: The candidate, having
aspirations of being a sociologist choose this topic has it was deemed relevant to the desired
field of work. Poor parenting is a topic
How theme relates to candidate’s personal interests: The candidate having seen the
negative impact of poor parenting on the development of children, strongly believe that this
problem must be addressed by members of society, in order for the future of Jamaica
development to be brighter.

5. Exposition
Is poor parenting the root cause of the many socio- economic problems in society?
Jamaica is faced with several social problems because of large amount of juvenile
delinquents that live there. Whitney Houston stated in one of her most revered songs that “the
children are the future” but if these many juvenile delinquents are the future, then the future of
Jamaica does not look bright. It is said that many parents in Jamaica have failed to instill proper
values in their children from a tender age and now many of these children have grown up to
become unproductive members of society; engaging in counter-productive activities; but how
accurate is this statement?
This dilemma faces the country of Jamaica to a great extent; leading Psychologist like Dr
Leahcim Semaj and other sociologist; to look into the ill-effects of poor parenting; however
others social scientist like Cody Kulla are now claiming that a increasing amount of delinquents
are those coming from good families with strict parents who love and care for them; so what
could be the root cause of a problem that so desperately needs solving? As a young person the
problem of juvenile delinquency worries me deeply, as children some whom who have not even
left high school as yet are now terrorizing our society, putting the noble name of Jamaica into
disrepute.
The country of Jamaica is plagued with the problem of crime and violence; many homes of
our nation are nurturing criminal and individuals with serious behavioural problems. These
social problems according to Dr Leahcim Semaj can be linked to poor parenting, he stated at a
forum, held at the Jamaica Observer's North Street, central Kingston offices.

6. "In Jamaica, a lot of persons go straight from childhood to parenting," he said, noting that more
than three-quarters of children in the country are born to couples who will not have a long-term
relationship.
"Many Jamaican children don't even know their puppa (father)," he added, also noting the
continued absence of the father's name from the children's birth certificates. He said people who
take on parenting responsibilities in many cases cannot provide for themselves, let alone a child.
"Our society is just totally short of what is required for parenting," he said. "Just because a
fertile man and a fertile woman get together and breed, that don't make you a parent!" he
exclaimed. However Dr Semaj himself stated that parenting today is growing more increasingly
difficult, taking into consideration the large amount of external negative influences that
sometimes affect our children, he said "Parenting is about moving children towards pro-social
activities and to a large extent the media in Jamaica supports antisocial behaviour in Jamaica,"
he commented ."What parents had to compete with 20 or 30 years ago, the average parent
cannot compete with what the media influence is now." So is Dr Semaj being too judgmental of
the parents of juvenile delinquents.
Some parents of the delinquents are in many instances those who really try to make the best
of a bad situation and try to instill proper values in their child but their efforts somehow prove
futile. An article published on Yahoo’s contributor network, on the Nov 8, 2006 by Journalist,
Cody Kulla she expressed her views, that poor parenting was not main reason for rising rate of
juvenile delinquency; she said in the article “I believe that one's social class play a big part in
his or her behaviour. Being in a low social class, it is obvious that these people are not equipped
with the same opportunities as the rest of us. They are just making it by and they are not "cool"

7. enough to fit in with the innocent people of their age group. This causes them to find comfort in
other people like them, who are more times than not, Growing up in a happy home, it is hard for
me to imagine that these aggressive behaviours are a direct result of the parents' mannerisms
delinquents themselves
In evaluating the sources, all of the sources in my estimation are reliable and are authorized to
give information, with some having experience on the subject matter or others having intellectual
knowledge based on research and statistics. The first source consulted was Dr Leahcim Semaj;
he is a psychologist by profession; this psychologist believes that by working with our ideas
(human capital) and each other (our social capital) we can change the world. It is with this ideal
that Dr. Leahcim Semaj takes on the mantle of motivational speaker, career developer and a
professed agent of social change. With all this said I have no reservation in deeming him a
credible and reliable source, having the credentials to speak on the topic of poor parenting. The
information given in Dr Semaj’s speech is valid and reflects the current situation in today’s
society and is reasonable and correct based on common sense reasoning, despite of the five year
lapse in time, the information is still reliable, due to the fact that much as not changed since the
last 5 years. The medium for which this information was collected was via the Jamaica Observer
news paper. The second source Cody Kulla is a lecturer of journalism at the Greensburge
university in Pennsylvania, and would be considered a valid source however, Cody Kulla’s
isolation from the circumstances of the lower class and the negative effects of poor parenting
does not make her opinion the most credible source, however she does make a excellent point
when she states that poorer children do not have the means to fit in with children of the upper
class. It is a known fact that children of the upper class have parents who can afford to send them
to the best schools, buy them the best learning materials and afford them opportunities that a

8. poor child can only dream off. This puts children of the lower class at a disadvantage, and some
fall to the vicious cycle of poverty. The Yahoo! Contributor Network allows writers,
photographers, and videographers to share their knowledge and passion with hundreds of
millions of people worldwide. Find your audience and earn money by publishing your unique
perspectives on Voices and other Yahoo! sites. Requisite
The problems I faced in doing this research paper is finding credible opposing arguments on this
topic.
In my conclusion use the definition of Claudette Crawford-Brown/ 1999 stated that “parenting
involves the encouragement of socially approved patterns and the discouragement of other
habits”

9. Preface of Reflection
The following reflective piece will take the form of a drama piece and the purpose of it is
to highlight the negative effects of poor parenting practices (such as poor socialisation of
children, neglect, and child abuse) on a child social development. The fictional characters of
the reflective piece will demonstrate the effects of poor parenting through their interaction
with each other.
This reflective piece is intended for audiences above the age of thirteen, as some of its
contents may not be suitable for children under the required age limit and is only for viewing
by adults. However; the candidate in preparing this reflective piece had two target groups in
mind and they are:-
1. Parents and
2. Prospective parents
Parents: This group was selected as a target audience because, the morals of this story;
written by the candidates, informs parents of what are poor parenting practices. It is the hope
of the candidate that on reading this story parents will be sensitized on what are inappropriate
ways of socializing children and deviate from them.
Prospective parents: This group was also selected as a target audience because this reflective
piece will sensitize prospective parents on what are poor parenting practices and instill the
importance of practicing proper family planning methods, so that they will be able to provide

10. for their children in the future both socially and financially. This reflective piece can be made
into a play or movie to be used parenting seminars or just for general viewing.

11. Reflection
A B r o k e n C h i ld h o o d
Characters
Monique - Daughter of Nicky, friend of Miss Joy.
Miss Joy - Mentor of Monique, Teacher of Wolmers girl’s school.
Nicky - Mother of Monique, Mario and others
Scene1- The search for food
Scene: [Monique walks through the streets of March town in search of something to eat after
her mother (Nicky) leaves her and her younger siblings hungry, to attend a dance, she looks
over a fence to see a woman busy in her kitchen]
Monique: “A wonda if I ask har fi some food, if shi wud gimme? Afta all I duh know this
woman, what if shi run mi away?”
[Miss Joy then leaves the kitchen, Monique then enters the yard put then stops on seeing a
sleeping dog, who is apparently sick. She then continues walking and then makes her way in the
kitchen, she then makes her way to the stove and opens the pot and begins taking food out of the
pot and starvingly feed herself. Then Miss Joy enters the kitchen and then grabs Monique by the
shoulder.]
Miss Joy: “What you doing in my house little girl?! That’s the reason why unu poison ma dog,
so unu can come in here and thief”!

12. [Monique tries to break free from Miss Joy firm hold]
Monique: “Let mi go ouman, mi wid cum outta u place, just kool an let mi go nuh”!!
Miss Joy: Is that how you speak to an adult little girl”, [in a stern voice] “After all you are the
one that broke into my kitchen, I have every right to ask you what you doing here”.
Monique: “Well, [in a humbled voice] “mi did jus hungry an a look a ting fi mi eat”.
Miss Joy: “So if you were hungry, don’t you think the right and proper way was to ask me for
my food.”
[Monique looks at her in silence and then holds her down to eat the chicken again and looked at
Miss Joy in intervals to see if she is making her upset.]
Miss Joy: “What is your name child”?
Monique: “Mi name Manique”.
Miss Joy: “So Monique where is your mother”?
Monique: [ pauses a while ]“Mi nuh know”.
[Miss Joy looks at Monique with discernment on her countenance. She then moved to the
kitchen cupboard and took out plastic dish with a lid and then began to share out some of her
food in the dish]
Miss Joy: “Listen mi young lady, the next time you want something to the eat call at the gate
and then wait for my acknowledgement, ask nicely and I will give you something to eat” [She
then hands Monique the bowl of food and immediately Monique reaches out to take it with
much anticipation. Miss Joy then withdrew the plate] “What must you say”?
Monique: [reluctantly] “Thanx”.
[Miss Joy then escorts Monique out of the yard and stop to ask]
Miss Joy: “A nuh you poison ma dog, little girl?”

13. Monique: “No a nuh me”.
Miss Joy: “Oh o.k. then, don’t let me see you in my yard again uninvited, you hear mi?”
Monique: “Yes Miss” [Monique leaves to go home, to her younger siblings]
Scene 2 – Becoming friends
Scene: Days after, Miss Joy and Monique meets again on the street.
Miss Joy: “What school you attend, Child?”
Monique: “March town primary”.
Miss Joy: [worriedly] “So how come you’re not at school today?”
Monique: “Mi nuh have nuh money fi go” [holding her head down, sweeping the gravel with
her bare feet, sensing Miss Joy pity]
Miss Joy: [lefts Monique’s head to gain her attention] “So what you want be when you grow
up?”
Monique: [doubtingly] “A doctor”.
Miss Joy: “So how you plan on becoming a doctor by breaking into people’s houses?”
[Monique holds her head down in shame. Miss Joy nods her head in pity and then invites
Monique into her house and they become good friends, Monique continues to visit Miss Joy’s
house every day, much to Nicky’s disgust]
Scene 3 – Monique passes for high school
Miss Joy: “I am so proud of you, you passed for Wolmers” 

14. Monique: “I can’t believe it myself; it would not have been possible without you Miss Joy,
cause my mom nuh business wid mi, Shi not even now how mi go school”.
Miss Joy: “Ah Child, your mother will come around eventually when she learns what a bright
girl you are; speaking of your mother did she hear the good news?”
Monique: “No, Miss Joy”. 
Miss Joy: “Well what are you waiting for go and tell her”.
[Monique looks at Miss Joy and then heads out to tell her mother the news, on her way she sees
her mother on the road, in high spirits and Walks to her mother and her mother reaches out to
hug her]
Nicky: “Si mi bright daughta yah weh pass har GSAT, oounu look pon har good a my star
dis”.
[The people on the road, greets Monique with cheers of congratulations, the curtains on set
falls]
Scene 4 – Two years later, an abusive mother
[Monique walks home from Miss Joy’s house to be greeted by her very upset mother]
Monique: [remorsefully] “Good evening Mummy”,
[Nicky then grabs Monique by the hair and pulled her in the house, while Monique screams]
Nicky: “yuh spen whole day a that deh ouman yaad a clean it an nuh si say fi u house duty, yuh
tink yuh betta dan this yah house yah, Miss stushy, yuh tink yuh betta dan me”?!! [Nicky then
throws Moniques face in the wall of the house breaking her nose]
Nicky: Clean up this damn house gal and don’t mek mi haffi mash yuh up in yah, yuh damn
nassi” !!!!

15. [With tears running down her face and blood dripping from her nose, Monique sweeps the
house]
Nicky: “Idiat gal tap nassi up di blasted place, a wah do yah fool fool gal yah man”? A soon
mash up yuh wid yah damn cup yah. Tru yuh start chat English now and a go big high school
now yuh think yuh a smaddy an yuh better dan mi in yah. Mi nuh know wah u mek that deh
ouman a full up yuh head wid caz yuh is nobody. !!!!!
[Monique hearing the words of her mother throws the broom down and runs out of the house]
Nicky: [shouting] “Come back here”!!!!!
[Monique falls to the ground under a tree and continues to cry bitterly]
Monique: “I will proof to my mother that I am somebody and I won’t grow up to be a prostitute
and a horrible mother like her, cause your right mom I am better a better human being than
you!”[The curtains fall]
The End!!!!

16. Analysis of Reflective Piece
In the reflective piece; “A Broken Childhood”, the interactions between the characters brings
out several elements of communication. However, only two will be analysed and they are
dialectal variation and communicative behaviour.
Throughout the reflective piece different dialectal variation was used by the characters. Miss
Joy spoke mainly the acrolect variation (standard English) and one can deduce that Miss Joy
spoke that way because her level of educational attainment as seen in this example: “Is that how
you speak to an adult little girl?” It should be noted that Miss Joy used the dialect variation
when they were angered as seen this example of Miss Joy’s speech: “That’s the reason why unu
poison ma dog, so unu can come in here and thief”! Miss Joy used creole as it is more emotive
than the acrolect variation. Nicky spoke only in basilect variation (deep patois) which illustrates
that she as a low educational attainment and poor mannerism as seen in this example: “Idiat gal
tap nassi up di blasted place”.
Examples of communicative behaviours were illustrated by the characters in the drama
piece. Vocalics was used by Nicky when was calling her daughter as illustrated in this example:
“[shouting] “Come back here”!!!!! Vocalics is used to denote emotions by the use of pitch,
volume and tone. Proxemix was show by Monique when she ran out of the house crying.
Monique used space to show that didn’t want to be around her mother. Monique also used body
language to show emotions when her mom was cursing her, gestures such as crying, screaming,
throwing down the broom and running out of the house shows her emotional hurt and
resentment towards her mother.

17. .