“Kramer v. Kramer” In the beginning of the movie, Billy was primarily raised by his mother while his father, Ted, was apathetic towards the raising of his child. Not even aware of Billy’s grade level, Ted was seen as a workaholic with an overall permissive parenting style. He was always subject to Billy’s desires, had little punishment, and also little bonding time with Billy. For example, Ted was working on a project for work and Billy, being a kid, wanted him to play with him.

Instead of spending time with his son, he chose to send Billy to the corner of a room to play with himself. Soon because of the neglect of his father, the boy almost became withdrawn from their relationship. Once the mother leaves the house, Ted’s parenting turns for the better. He soon begins to bond with Billy and create a concrete relationship. Though it was not a quick process, in the end, Ted’s parenting style had improved immensely. He began to become an authoritative parent both demanding from Billy, but also responding.

He explains and reasons for the rules in which he sets for Billy and also encourages Billy to converse with him. Examples from the movies would be the times where Ted tucks Billy into bed and reads him stories, or where even Ted explains to him the difficult understanding of his wife and his relationship to Billy in simple terms. The love and bond in which they both grew in their relationship could not be broken. Billy during the time that his father was not around much was in Piaget’s sensorimotor and preoperational stage.

During these two stages is where the child is both extremely egotistical and begin forming a theory of mind. Therefore, Billy noticed the dysfunctional aspects of his parents, especially the father, and was able to understand it in a mild sense. Whenever the mother leaves Billy was in the concrete operational stage. He was able to understand mathematical transformations and conversations. Becoming more able to logically understand events impacts Billy’s behaviors. For example, Billy understood what his father meant when he said that his mom had won custody of him.

Thus, because of the logical understanding, Billy reacts in a negative way towards leaving his father. If he was unable to logically understand the concept, there would have been no issue with the switch in custody. This affects parenting because parents are no longer able to hide as much about the real world as they were once able to. New experiences and findings are going to continuously be discovered from the concrete operational and to the formal operation stage.

Therefore, the parents have to be sure to be helpful, assuring, and always open if needed. The child will also be granted more privileges at this age, though not that large, and also responsibilities. At the end of the movie, Ted’s ex-wife realizes that Billy is at home with his father in his room painted with clouds. The ending was a happy win-win situation for the two parents and for Billy. Ted’s growth as a parent is evident and improving throughout the entire movie and therefore Billy is able to become socially competent and happy.