ABSTRACT

PARENTING STYLES HAVE A PROFOUND IMPACT ON CHILDREN'S PSYCHOLOGICAL, EMOTIONAL AND COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT. IN MACAU, WHERE EASTERN AND WESTERN CULTURES MEET, YOUNG CHINESE MOTHERS FACE THE UNIQUE CHALLENGE OF BALANCING TRADITIONAL VALUES WITH MODERN PARENTING CONCEPTS. THIS STUDY AIMS TO EXPLORE THE PARENTING STYLES, STRATEGIES AND GOALS OF YOUNG CHINESE MOTHERS IN MACAU, AND ANALYZE THE CULTURAL AND SOCIAL FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE THEIR PARENTING CHOICES. THIS STUDY ADOPTS A QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHOD, THROUGH SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS WITH 12 MOTHERS AGED BETWEEN 30 AND 40 YEARS OLD, WITH AT LEAST ONE CHILD OVER 3 YEARS OLD, AND THE DATA ARE ANALYZED THEMATICALLY. THE RESULTS SHOW THAT MOTHERS' PARENTING GOALS ARE MAINLY FOCUSED ON PROMOTING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, IMPROVING EMOTIONAL HEALTH, AND CULTIVATING INDEPENDENCE AND RESPONSIBILITY. THE STUDY FOUND THAT MOTHERS IN MACAU GENERALLY ADOPT AN INTEGRATED PARENTING STYLE, WHICH COMBINES TRADITIONAL CHINESE VALUES (SUCH AS DISCIPLINE AND FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES) WITH WESTERN CONCEPTS (SUCH AS AUTONOMY AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT). AT THE SAME TIME, MOTHERS GRADUALLY SHIFTED FROM AUTHORITARIAN PARENTING CENTERED ON CORPORAL PUNISHMENT TO MORE SUPPORTIVE AND OPEN-MINDED AUTHORITATIVE PARENTING, EMPHASIZING OPEN COMMUNICATION AND LANGUAGE NORMS. THE STUDY ALSO REVEALED GENERATIONAL DIFFERENCES, WITH THE MOTHERS REFLECTING ON THEIR OWN CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES AND DEVELOPING MORE ADAPTIVE AND EMOTIONALLY SUPPORTIVE PARENTING STRATEGIES. HOWEVER, IN MACAU'S COMPETITIVE EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT, BALANCING HIGH ACADEMIC EXPECTATIONS WITH CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH REMAINS A MAJOR CHALLENGE. THIS STUDY PROVIDES A NEW UNDERSTANDING OF PARENTING STYLES IN A MULTICULTURAL CONTEXT AND PROVIDES VALUABLE REFERENCE SUGGESTIONS FOR POLICYMAKERS, EDUCATORS AND SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS. THE RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDE PROMOTING FAMILY-FRIENDLY POLICIES, STRENGTHENING PARENT EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND IMPROVING COMMUNITY SUPPORT SYSTEMS TO MEET THE INCREASINGLY DIVERSE NEEDS OF MACAU FAMILIES. THIS STUDY HIGHLIGHTS THE DYNAMIC DEVELOPMENT OF PARENTING STYLES IN THE FUSION OF TRADITION AND MODERNITY AND ITS PROFOUND IMPACT ON CHILDREN'S GROWTH.