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Article
Parental Leadership: The Mary Poppins Metaphor
Parenting Journals (2008)
  • Brad Van Alstyne, California Institute of Integral 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 a 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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Keywords
  • parenting,
  • leadership
Disciplines
Publication Date
August 22, 2008
Citation Information
Brad Van Alstyne. "Parental Leadership: The Mary Poppins Metaphor" Parenting Journals (2008)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/brad-vanalstyne/3/