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Taiwanese–Canadian Mothers’ Beliefs About Personal Freedom for Their Young Children
Author(s) -
Chuang Susan S.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
social development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.078
H-Index - 91
eISSN - 1467-9507
pISSN - 0961-205X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-9507.2006.00354.x
Subject(s) - psychology , laziness , ambivalence , developmental psychology , negotiation , compromise , acculturation , social psychology , everyday life , task (project management) , personal jurisdiction , jurisdiction , ethnic group , sociology , social science , management , psychiatry , anthropology , political science , law , economics
This study examined Taiwanese–Canadian mothers’ conceptions of personal freedom in everyday situations for their children and the influence of acculturation on their beliefs. Forty mothers of six‐ to eight‐year‐old children participated in a semistructured interview and sorting task. Interview responses revealed that, regardless of acculturation, child decision‐making was important and that mothers should negotiate and compromise with their child on everyday issues such as clothing, food, activities, daily routine and homework. They believed that child resistance was motivated by the children's personal interests, laziness, limit testing and their emotional state. Sources of conflict were resolved by parental authority, discussing/negotiating and conceding to the child. The sorting task also revealed that personal issues were judged as within their children's jurisdiction.