parents and principals as partners in creating a culture of learning

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To the father the baby only becomes a reality when it is physically in the world.
After the birth the father is grateful that everything has gone well and he
experiences an overwhelming feeling of responsibility towards mother and child
(Le Roux: (ed.), 1993:55). When it is a first child the addition of a third person
to the family where initially there were only two persons dependent on each other.
requires a change of attitude. The parents realise that now they are not living for
each other alone, but that they have to and want to live for the baby as well
(Honig (00.), 1990:37-38).
Parenthood implies a whole series of attitudes, actions and inclinations that have
to be acquired (Phoenix, Woollett & L1oyd, 1991:88). The arrival of a child
brings about a change in the everyday family routine and family budget.
3.2.4 Parenthood implies child-rearing
The family is regarded as the primary environment for rearing the child (Kruger
(ed.), 1992:54). The parent who follows the Calvinistic Christian philosophy, for
example, will accept child-rearing as a transaction between two or more persons ­
on the one hand the educator and on the other. the educand. Conscious of his
vocation, the educator (parent) concentrates on the educand (child) in order to
equip, mould, lead him to and convince him of meaningful, conscious, voluntary
-and responsible acceptance of his task in life. The educand on the other hand is
a minor who requires assistance, advice, guidance and moulding from the adult to
enable him to fulfil his vocation as a responsible person (i.e. to love his God with
all his heart, soul and mind and all his strength and to love his neighbour as
himself (Grobler & M611er, 1991:134-135).
Child-rearing in its true form must therefore answer to specific norms. The
parents' task in rearing his child includes the following (Urbani, 1982:44; Munnik
& Swanepoel, 1990:5-7):