Generational shift in meaning of parenthood among Chinese parents

Abstract

The project examines the historical trends of parenting and generational shifts in meaning of parenthood in the Hong Kong Chinese context. Although the importance of historical perspective in understanding a phenomenon has been well-recognized, attempt to study generational shifts in parenting is meager and is almost non-existent in Hong Kong. Contemporary parenting is characterized as fraught with problems – anxieties about children, anxieties about one’s own adequacy as parents, and worries about adverse consequence of parenting on children. Rhetoric abounds such as irresponsible parenting, overprotective parenting, anxious parents, “helicopter parents”, and “monster parents” are terms frequently found in mass media sounding alarms over contemporary parenthood. However there is little study attempt to trace how contemporary parenthood has become characterized as such. This study seeks to unravel generational shifts in parenthood in Hong Kong, and investigates how the interplay between history, culture and contexts shaped and re-shaped the “ecology of parenthood”.

Employing a qualitative study method, the research conducted 120 in-depth interviews with 60 parents, each interview individually for twice. There were 30 mothers and 30 fathers involved. Narrative accounts of parents reveal generational shifts and gender disparity in meaning of parenthood. Draw on findings, this paper examines the cultural themes that account for Chinese parents’ construction on meaning of parenthood. Based on the findings, the presentation discusses implications of culture on meaning of parenthood, and proposes directions for child and parenting services.

This study was financially supported by the General Research Fund 2014/15 of the Research Grant Council, The Hong Kong SAR Government (Ref. No. U414053)