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Article
Parental Leadership: The Mary Poppins Metaphor
Journal of Conscious Evolution
  • Brad Van Alstyne, Department of Communication and Media Studies, Dominican University of California
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2010
Department
Communication and Media Studies
Abstract

Existing theories on leadership are usually based on efforts we are familiar with in which leaders are easily defined (work, war, sports, etc). Little analysis to date has been placed on the role of parents as leaders outside of the social sciences where the focus of the research is usually an offshoot of psychology or childhood development. The parent as leader is a unique focus in that there are several qualities of the parent role that are quite different from that of the typical supervisory roles we normally discuss, while at the same time it would be foolish to think of parents as anything but leaders. The disconnect in this idea is evident in the ways western society regards employment as it relates to parenthood, specifically pregnancy and the inequities with which “stay-home” parents are regarded. Few job sites provide adequate pregnancy leave, or childcare opportunities, and western society in general tends to regard stay at home parents with contempt in terms of their contribution to our vocation oriented society in which accolades are usually work achievement oriented. Society in general The list below attempts to highlight a few significant differences which merit discussion.

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Citation Information
Brad Van Alstyne. "Parental Leadership: The Mary Poppins Metaphor" Journal of Conscious Evolution Vol. 5 (2010) p. 1 - 5 ISSN: 1555-9262
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/brad-vanalstyne/2/