The family viewed as an environment that has a strategic role on child development, as described by Yusuf (2007: 105), as follows: (a) family is the first social group that became the center of the identification of the child, (b) family is the first environment to introduce value-value of life to the neighborhood children, (c) parents and other family members is "a significant people " for the development of the child's personality, (d) family as an

institution that facilitate the basic needs of the spiritual (human), both physical-biological, psychological and socio , (e) child spent much of his time in the family environment.

Family is the first social environment introduced to the child, or it can be said that a child was familiar with social relations first of all in the family environment. The existence of a single family member interactions with other family causes a child to realize about herself that function as individuals and as social beings. As an individual, he must fulfill all their needs in order to survive in this world. Meanwhile, as social beings, he adjust to life along the mutual-help and learn the customs prevailing in society. Thus, the development of a child in the family is largely determined by the condition of the family and the experiences that are owned by their parents so that, in the life of society we will find that the child's development with one another will varies.

Family environment in such explanation, indicating that the family environment serves as the foundation stone of the child's personality. Because the seeds of knowledge of children in the first getting in a family environment. Families also provide the basic skills of cognitive functions, social, emotional, religious and norms. not excessive when it is said that the family is the beginning of a decisive character and knowledge of children. Because in the family, for children is something that is most likely to gain knowledge and experiences that are still fundamental than other environments, such as social environment, schools and so forth. So the wise family environment in the sense of attention to the process of language development of children, most do not have to pay attention to various aspects of the basic needs in an effort to support the child's language development.

George Peter Murdock (Syaripudin, 2006: 92) suggested four family functions that are universal, namely:
a. As an institution that justifies sex between adult men and women based on marriage
b. Developing descent
c. Implement the education
d. As an economic entity
The role of the family (father and mother) as mentioned in one of these statements have a responsibility in educating. So the responsibility of education, was originally the responsibility of parents. As a human being that is natural, children have the right to getting education treatment from their parents since he was born to bring to the development process of all its potential useful as a means to an end his life.

One of the most influential factor in the readiness of children entering school is often caused by home and family environment, which has provided experience in children during early childhood. Home environment has a strong influence on the children of academic success, as the opinion of Hannon (Green, C: 2004). Because the child enters school has experienced a variety of experiences that support them in accordance with the school context. So from this statement that the child has been provided by the family environment in their daily life with a set of capabilities that form the basis of their initial understanding, relevant and material relating to the school. Because the child at home is always learning and searching for information about all things that are not known. He would always ask questions and find out, especially in the first years of life. Children will be shelter to the father, mother, or who is a parent representative. He will expect their guidance. (Hujjati, 2003: 111). Of course, the role and function of parents is the most important figure for the child to spill all their feelings, either from curiosity to something that is still not known.

M.I. Soelaiman (Syaripudin, 2006: 93) mentions the role of family for the next child's life, as follows:
"acquired the experience and treatment of children from their environment as a child - from her family - a kind of outline the pattern of life for the next life. Adler calls this lifestyle Leitlinie words, a kind of line that guides his life, which - consciously or unconsciously - attempted child to achieve it. "

Observing from that implicit in these expressions, that the family environment has a very large role to the success of children in the future. Environment outlined the pattern of family life for the next child's life. So the family environment should be created in such a way that can support the growth of children well. Both from the aspect of educating and experience of activities and providing material support for this growth. Because after the family environment would be arrested children as life's most closest and most real to the children in obtaining a variety of experiences. Family environment was one factor that is dominant in determining the child's future.

Intellectuals agree that the conditions of the various individuals in every stage of life is due to the effects of environmental factors. In other words, interruption of growth or offspring characteristics in a person, it is strongly influenced by environmental factors, education, and coaching (Hujjati, 2003: 127). Further disclosed that: "... in an effort to create literate generation, at least in the environment began to have a mass awareness in the collective contract isn't written ...". The definition here is as a form of collective consciousness in order to create a social environment that will contribute to each other in supporting development of children, with another expression of society least civilize ourselves with various activities that can display habits that can support the children develop in accordance with their development tasks.

Piaget (Puckett 1996: 16-17) argues that many children through their interaction with the environment and adapt and add to the composition of the brain as the new information. Piaget believed that children's thinking develops according to the stages or periods-the period of the growing complex. According to Piaget's stage theory, every individual will go through a series of qualitative changes that are invariant, always stay, no jumping or backward. Qualitative change is due to biological pressures to adjust to the environment as well as the organizing structure of thinking. To show the cognitive structure underlying patterns of organized behavior, Piaget uses the term schema and adaptation. With both of these components means that cognition is a system that is always organized and adapted, allowing individuals to adapt to its environment. Schema (cognitive structure) is the process or how to organize and respond to various experiences. So the role of parents in this study is very important to create an environment that can provide a wealth of information, experiences (experiences). Because after what he observed the child will be recorded in brain structure, which will be developed qualitatively, the results of various observations of the various symbols.

Soetjiningsih (1995) points out:
Environment is a crucial factor in the achievement of the potential default. A pretty good environment will enable the achievement of potential default. While the unfavorable environment will discourage it. This environment is an environment "bio-psycho-social" that affects individuals every day, from conception until the end.

However the family environment is the beginning of the life of the child, because children are quantitatively and qualitatively has spent much of his time in a family environment. Surely the education process started since when people were born on earth. So the family role is very important to provide education on child treatment for all its potential to develop properly. When parents or family are unable to provide good experiences in the lives of children, then most likely potential of children also can not develop properly.

Reference :

Green, C. (2004). Head Start Families Sharing Literature, Dalam Early Childhood Research&Practice [Online], Vol 6 (2), Tersedia http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v6n2/green.html [22 Februari 2009].

Hujjati, Muhammad baqir. (2003). Menciptakan Generasi Unggul. Bogor: Cahaya.

Puckett, M, B. & Black, J, K. (1996). The Young Child: Development From Prebirth Trought Age Eigh. USA: Merril Prentice Hall.

Syaripudin, T. (2006). Landasan Pendidikan Sekolah Dasar. Bandung: Percikan Ilmu.

Yusuf, Syamsu L.N. (2007). Pedagogik Pendidikan Dasar. Bandung: SPs UPI.

 

< Prev		Next >