Supporting parents in late modernity through parent education: A mixed-methods study in Hong Kong

Abstract

While the increasing awareness of risk in late modernity has resulted in the proliferation and complication of parental roles and choices, few attempts have been made to explore how parent education can empower parents to reconstruct parenthood and transform parental lives. Based on the results of a mixed-methods study conducted in Hong Kong, this article discusses the possible outcomes and experiences of a parent education program that aimed to facilitate parents' holistic growth in dealing with the prevailing culture of intensive parenting. The program was composed of 30 h of seminars and workshops. The participants included 387 Hong Kong Chinese parents recruited from seven primary schools and 27 nursery schools. A pretest-posttest assessment survey and postintervention focus groups were adopted for the evaluation methods. Findings: The quantitative results showed that the participants experienced an enhancement in confidence, understanding, and trust in parenting. The qualitative

Parent Education for Migrant Mothers of Left‐Behind Children in China: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

“…With the increase in selfawareness and self-acceptance, their parental self-perception is reconstructed. The accumulated findings on the possible outcomes of the program To, Iu Kan, Tsoi, & Chan, 2015;To, So, Iu Kan, Tsoi, & Chan, 2018;To et al, 2014) have also demonstrated its usefulness in facilitating a healthy parental self-perception among parents in China who are not migrant workers.…”

“…In treating identity formation as a social product (Polkinghorne, 2004), the approach understands parental identity as inextricably constructed from interpersonal interactions, particularly parent-child exchanges, within the sociocultural context of parents and their children (To et al, 2018). In treating identity formation as a social product (Polkinghorne, 2004), the approach understands parental identity as inextricably constructed from interpersonal interactions, particularly parent-child exchanges, within the sociocultural context of parents and their children (To et al, 2018).…”

“…In treating identity formation as a social product (Polkinghorne, 2004), the approach understands parental identity as inextricably constructed from interpersonal interactions, particularly parent-child exchanges, within the sociocultural context of parents and their children (To et al, 2018). Although the approach does not directly focus on the transmission of parenting skills, accumulated research on its possible outcomes has demonstrated its possible usefulness in enhancing parent-child relationships and improving parenting practices To et al, 2014To et al, , 2015To et al, , 2018. The existential-narrative approach likewise recognizes parents' profound relational connectedness to their children, through which their innate tendency of having unconditional love and concern for their children comes to the surface.…”

“…Although the existential-narrative approach places significant emphasis on cultivating parental selves, it does not ignore parent-child relationships and childrearing. In treating identity formation as a social product (Polkinghorne, 2004), the approach understands parental identity as inextricably constructed from interpersonal interactions, particularly parent-child exchanges, within the sociocultural context of parents and their children (To et al, 2018). By narrating stories of their lived experiences, parents in the program are thus encouraged to gain greater awareness of their relationships with their children and to reflect on the ways in which social constraints and dominant discourses influence their perceptions of themselves and their children.…”

“…With greater awareness and expanded narratives, parents can redirect their parenting to be characterized by more warmth, emotional nurturance, and democratic communication with their children, which are hallmarks of authoritative parenting (Chen, 2002;Robinson, Mandleco, Olsen, & Hart, 1995). Although the approach does not directly focus on the transmission of parenting skills, accumulated research on its possible outcomes has demonstrated its possible usefulness in enhancing parent-child relationships and improving parenting practices To et al, 2014To et al, , 2015To et al, , 2018. That potential outcome was expected in the examined program because www.FamilyProcess.org 322 / FAMILY PROCESS improving parent-child relationships and parenting practices are particularly relevant to migrant mothers, who tend to adopt more authoritarian parenting styles and have difficulty in maintaining close ties with their left-behind children (Tao et al, 2016).…”