What First-Time Parents Want to Know About Parenting and Early Childhood Development

• In Event: What do parents want? Results-based interventions to promote family engagement and positive parent-child outcomes

Abstract

Introduction. Programs for young children and families often aim to promote parents’ knowledge about child development and parenting. Evidence shows a strong link between parenting knowledge and the quality of parent-child interactions, such as using developmentally supportive activities, having age-appropriate expectations, and using safe and effective discipline (Bornstein & Bradley, 2012; Morawska et al., 2009). The period surrounding the birth of a first child provides a critical window for primary prevention of harmful parenting (e.g., abuse, neglect), when negative behaviors have not been firmly established (National Academy of Sciences, 2016). However, we know little about parents’ perspectives on what they want to know, how they want to receive information, or if their preferences vary by race, ethnicity, income, gender, and urbanicity.
Method. To address this gap, we conducted a qualitative study: a comprehensive literature review and 13 focus groups in three U.S. cities with first-time parents of infants (<2 years; n=90). Focus groups were conducted in English and Spanish and included questions about parents’ knowledge on parenting and early childhood development, preferred sources of information, and barriers and facilitators to applying knowledge in everyday parent-child interactions. Two groups were held with fathers and all other groups with mothers, including one in a rural location. We recruited self-identified Black (52%), White (36%), and Hispanic (12%) parents, parents with low incomes (62%), and fathers (11%) via parenting programs and social media and conducted qualitative coding and analysis of focus group transcripts to identify how, when, and from whom parents wanted to receive parenting and child development information and potential subgroup differences.
Results. Most first-time parents were savvy consumers of information, appreciated the ease and speed of the internet, but struggled to discern what information was reliable. They also valued advice from their social networks. Parents had more difficulty obtaining information about children’s social-emotional development than physical development, especially from pediatricians. Knowledge-seeking occurred most around birth and developmental transitions, but parents noted they needed more guidance on how to apply the information they obtained. Regardless of their demographic background, they possessed similar knowledge and sought information from comparable sources. However, they were keenly aware of resource disparities between wealthy and poor communities. The most observable differences were among mothers and fathers: mothers felt pressure to be “super moms,” while fathers disliked low societal expectations for their involvement during infancy. Fathers focused on children’s future whereas mothers focused on their infant’s immediate well-being.
Discussion. Findings suggest the importance of optimizing parent education by: (1) delivering information with actionable recommendations in anticipation of developmental transitions, especially social-emotional challenges; (2) offering guidance for how to use their knowledge to interact with their infants (3) using a strengths-based, judgment-free approach that acknowledges the importance of fathers and family culture; (4) providing options to tailor approaches to each family’s needs and preferences; and (5) equipping pediatricians and other professionals with the skills and knowledge to effectively convey and help parents apply knowledge about parenting during challenging periods and at each stage of development.

Author

• Jessica Dym Bartlett, Thriving Together, LLC
  Presenting Author