CHILD Rearing Practices

CHILD-REARING PRACTICES OF FILIPINOS COMPARED TO OTHER NATIONALITIES Philippines The family is the foundation of the Philippines’ society and often embraces three generations. The Filipino child is pampered for the first four years of life. Physical contact in the form of hugs, kisses and cuddles is the norm. Children are not pressured to become toilet trained or to learn to eat at the table. They are spoon fed or eat from a parent's plate, rather than having their own, up until the age of six. Spoon feeding continues until about the age of three or four years. Respect for ones elders is instilled in Filipino children from a very young age. Gestures such as kissing the hands of elders are commonplace. Whilst doting on a child is routine, parents are also, generally authoritarian. They have an expectation the children will be docile, submissive and obedient. The final decision falls to the father who is regarded as the head of the family, yet the mother’s responsibility for budgeting and running the family home is similarly valued. Traditionally child care was the province of the females in the extended families. With more and more Filipino women joining the workforce, particularly in the cities, young girls were employed as live-in helpers, however, even this has changed and particularly with the more affluent families, child care centres are operating within the Philippines. In rural areas the traditional child rearing practices continue with women being the primary carers. China Traditionally male children were valued over female children. It was believed that the family line and family property were continued through the male line. Changing roles of women have altered the former valuing of males over females and it is less prevalent in modern times. A Chinese child is seen to be one year old at the time of birth although many Chinese families migrating to Australia adopt the Western calendar as their birth date. Traditionally the role of child care fell to the extended family; in particular the grandmother.

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Transcript of CHILD Rearing Practices

CHILD-REARING PRACTICES OF FILIPINOS COMPARED TO OTHER NATIONALITIES

Philippines

The family is the foundation of the Philippines’ society and often embraces three generations. The Filipino child is pampered for the first four years of life. Physical contact in the form of hugs, kisses and cuddles is the norm. Children are not pressured to become toilet trained or to learn to eat at the table. They are spoon fed or eat from a parent's plate, rather than having their own, up until the age of six. Spoon feeding continues until about the age of three or four years.

Respect for ones elders is instilled in Filipino children from a very young age. Gestures such as kissing the hands of elders are commonplace. Whilst doting on a child is routine, parents are also, generally authoritarian. They have an expectation the children will be docile, submissive and obedient. The final decision falls to the father who is regarded as the head of the family, yet the mother’s responsibility for budgeting and running the family home is similarly valued.

Traditionally child care was the province of the females in the extended families. With more and more Filipino women joining the workforce, particularly in the cities, young girls were employed as live-in helpers, however, even this has changed and particularly with the more affluent families, child care centres are operating within the Philippines. In rural areas the traditional child rearing practices continue with women being the primary carers.

China

Traditionally male children were valued over female children. It was believed that the family line and family property were continued through the male line. Changing roles of women have altered the former valuing of males over females and it is less prevalent in modern times. A Chinese child is seen to be one year old at the time of birth although many Chinese families migrating to Australia adopt the Western calendar as their birth date. Traditionally the role of child care fell to the extended family; in particular the grandmother.

Thailand

When a newborn is three days old, the family holds a ceremony called tham khwan believed to ward off evil spirits. A coin is given to the spirits by an old woman as a way of ensuring they stay away. The baby is also rocked in a basket. A ceremony marks when the baby is one month old, at which time the baby receives its first haircut. Children are given a lot of attention by their mothers. They remain in close proximity to the mother at all times. Generally pampered, young children are given considerable freedom of movement. Weaning usually takes place when a child is two or three years old. Another haircutting ceremony and family get-together is held when the child reaches puberty.

Sources:

http://pscwa.org.au/getdoc/cdb92b72-87fa-46ae-8350-44f1338f93b5/Philippines.aspx

http://pscwa.org.au/getdoc/736c4511-a608-425d-980d-beba130514fe/China.aspxhttp://pscwa.org.au/getdoc/ab17f955-34d4-466c-b848-86c250b734da/Thailand.aspx