Final answer:
Parental aspirations for their children's traits like attractiveness, intelligence, and athletic prowess vary widely, and perfection is subjective. Genetic engineering of embryos raises ethical questions about health versus non-medical traits, and the debate is ongoing. Authoritative parenting is encouraged for fostering self-esteem, but styles may vary culturally.
Step-by-step explanation:
Not every parent aims to ensure their child has perfect attributes of physical attractiveness, intelligence, and athletic prowess. Parental aspirations vary widely due to different values, cultural backgrounds, and personal beliefs about what is important for children to possess. There is also a distinction in parental ambitions between wanting a child to be healthy versus being physically beautiful or intelligent. Perfection is a highly subjective concept and what one may deem perfect could be viewed differently by another.
When it comes to genetically engineering an embryo, whether it is moral for parents to seek to produce a healthier child is still a contentious issue. While preventing genetic diseases is often seen as ethically permissible and potentially beneficial, selecting traits like beauty or intelligence enters a murky ethical area reminiscent of eugenics. Greater resistance to disease is a goal that many would consider a reasonable use of genetic technology, but when it comes to non-medical traits such as attractiveness or intelligence, the ethical considerations become more complex. There is fear that these technologies might lead to social inequality and discrimination.
Parents play a crucial role in nurturing a healthy self-concept in their children. According to Diane Baumrind's parenting styles, the authoritative style is most conducive to fostering high self-esteem and social skills in children. It is practiced by setting consistent limits and being responsive and warm towards the child's needs. However, parenting styles can be influenced by cultural values and socioeconomic status, demonstrating that parental socialization is not uniform across families.