Strategies that Cuenca parents use to raise their children

Abstract

This study is a quantitative research conducted in the city of Cuenca, Ecuador, with the objective to determine the parental practices of the socialization function of families. A sample of 445 parents, with children in the second year of basic education, participated in the survey using the questionnaire “Analysis of the socio-educative and behavioral habits of families with children in the second year of basic education”. Processing of the collected data revealed that: a) child care and administration of home resources are activities that parents perform together, while follow-up of school activities and food preparation usually falls on mothers; b) parental participation in games is different and depends on the type of play: fathers tend to engage in games that require physical activity, while mothers are more involved in educational games; c) truth, solidarity and responsibility are considered the most valuable family attitudes, and transmitted by fathers and mothers to their children; d) kisses, hugs and a gentle or loving touch are strategies fathers and mothers use to reward their children, while the banning of things are traditionally considered punishments, on the basis of which it is concluded that fathers and mothers of Cuenca are more expressive in their socialization attitude than instrumental.