Raising Young Children With Cariño: Intentional Parenting in Response to Trump-Era Politics

• In Event: Communities of Care: The Possibilities of Collective Engagement in Early Childhood Contexts

Abstract

Utilizing a plática-based methodology, this qualitative study considered the ways in which families used cariño, or love and care, to resist Trump Era politics specifically in regard to im/migration and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Focusing on child rearing practices of young children, these family stories offer perspectives into the ways in which families protect their children, although often through very different modalities. The following themes characterize the findings: children’s awareness of the sociopolitical climate, the importance of togetherness and living life, and the concept of love being dynamic. Examining the strengths in family child rearing using a culturally relevant lens has the potential to contribute to a growing body of literature that situates families as expert knowers and carers.

Author

• Larisa Callaway-Cole, Oklahoma State University - Stillwater