Growing up in Chinese families and societies

Abstract

Socialization, which begins shortly after birth, is the process of learning interpersonal and interactional skills that conform to the values of one’s society. Socialization goals vary across cultures, and this chapter focuses on Chinese patterns of socialization during the early years. It focuses on factors that influence various parenting practices in Chinese societies, including Tiger parenting. It begins with an overview of the commonalities and distinctions in parenting practices between Chinese and non-Chinese families. Second, it considers how Chinese parenting practices and early childhood education have changed in recent years. Third, it summarizes relatively recent changes in preschool pedagogy. Finally, it considers how one major policy, the one-child policy, has influenced child-rearing.