The development of a child is complex and unique but paramount. Several psychologists and scholars have researched the variables affecting children’s social and emotional development. To understand better the social and emotional development of children, psychologists should consider several variables influencing their growth. According to several researchers on child development, the family, environment, risks, and peers significantly affect child development.  Several factors cause observable differences in the social and emotional development of children. From several results obtained from the research, it is clear that various scholars differ on the variables affecting human development. Some argue that parents and caregivers play the most prominent role, while others claim the influence of their peers. Generally, parents spend most of their time with children when growing up hence offer a consistent relationship. In this case, different scholars disagree on whether parents or peers are responsible for children’s emotional and social development. Bernstein claims that parenting styles are related to a child’s emotional and social development. On the other hand, in her interview, Harris argues that peers are responsible for growth. Therefore, the focus is whether parents or peers significantly affect how children are brought up.

Judith Harris claims that a child’s peer matters more than parents when determining their behavior. According to her, children are widely influenced by their friends compared to their parents. She claims that parents do not have an enduring influence on their children compared to people they hang out with. From the video, Harris believes that human beings are designed by evolution to adapt to a group and be accepted. It is always a desire of a child to interact with the people they are like and figure out how they act. She illustrates by quoting teenagers smoking. Teenagers tend to smoke not because their parents do but because their peers do. Hence, Harris strongly believes that peers are the primary influencers in child development (Harris, 2010). On the other hand, Bernstein claims that parenting styles are responsible for a child’s development. Different parenting styles like authoritarian, and uninvolved impact children’s behavior. A parent can influence a child’s fundamental values like religious and educational choices. Generally, a child can be easily influenced by their parents since they value their parent’s good opinions, advice, and support. Hence, it is clear that Harry claims that peers influence the social and emotional development of a child, while Bernstein argues parenting styles. Although they both vary in their arguments, it is clear that they both agree that a child’s behavior is a result of influence from certain variables. Harris’s view is not by psychological research but rather scientific research. According to her, most research that uses rigorous means produces meaningless results and does not support the assumptions.

Harris’s theory claims that parents play a minor role in a child’s development is worth criticism. It is not that I refuse her theories, but her main ideas are exceptionally replicated, and her messages go over people’s minds. It is widely accepted and known that parents shape their children’s behavior. Therefore, her idea that parents not influencing their parents doesn’t’ play an important role is not penetrating. Currently, parents have a significant influence on their children’s choices. A parent can decide what kind of education their children can pursue and the type of religion to follow. Most children see their parents as their role models hence will follow what they decide for them. Besides, children spend most of their childhood with their parents, thus learning most of their behavior from them. Therefore, her ideas of peer influence are not penetrating at all. Often parents have been given too much blame for how their children have turn out socially. Most of the guilt comes from being the primary influencers of their children’s behavior (“Judith Rich Harris: 1938 – 2018 | Edge.org”, 2021). Hence, according to her, their peers are the primary influencers of a child’s behavior. Therefore, parents should not be blamed for their children’s behavior, but rather people should consider the influence of peers.

Biblically, parents are given a significant role in their children’s development. According to the Bible, parents should be good stewards of their children. They are given the responsibility to care for their children’s emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being. The Bible commands parents to teach their children diligently, talk to them when they sit in the house and even while walking by the way. The Bible clearly spells out the role of a mother in society. Mother love is different from other kinds of love.  The purpose of love is to care for their children, support them, embrace them, and bring them up to be good people in society (Shaw, 2016). Fathers are given the role of not provoking their children to anger but rather by providing discipline and instructions of the Lord. Therefore, the Bible demonstrates the role of parents in bringing up their children. From various bible verses, parents are responsible for bringing up their children to be good people in society. They are responsible for their children’s emotional and social development. The scriptures help us understand the need for parents to provide care that will promote health development and growth among children. The scripture helps us to get a deeper understanding of children’s development.  Parents are expected to train their children the right way, that they will not be able to forget even when they get old. In addition, they are expected to discipline and instruct their children accordingly. In the biblical view, it is evident that the scripture emphasizes nurture over nature. Parents should nurture their children in the right norm in their emotional and social development.

 To sum up, it is clear that the main focus of today’s society is on the upbringing of children. Many scholars and psychologist have taken their time to study children’s behaviors and what cause them to behave the way they behave. It is has come out clearly that many variables influence children’s social and emotional development. From the above discussion, it is evident that the main focus is on the parents and peers.  More emphasis is placed on the role of parents in bringing up their children.  Since parents are the primary caregivers of children, they ought to significantly influence their children’s growth. However, in today’s society, most youth and children act in a way their peers work. It appears that children identify themselves more with their friends and peers compared to their parents. This is evident from their dressing styles and even body modification. Therefore, the development of the twenty-first child is primarily influenced by their peers.  As much as their peers influence them, parents play an essential role to some extent. The Bible also clearly demonstrates that parents play a crucial role in bringing up their children. The scripture emphasizes the duty of parents in the development of children more than the influence of peers. Therefore, as much as Harris claims that peers play the most significant role, parents also have a good share of their power in the development of their children.