Mothers' and fathers' parenting challenges, strategies, and resources in toddlerhood

Abstract

Abstract This study examined mothers' and fathers' parenting challenges and strategies/resources used when parenting toddlers. Through a qualitative interview protocol, implemented with mothers and fathers separately at a university laboratory, this study found that both fathers and mothers appeared to be transitioning from traditional gender roles towards co-parenting practices. Thirty-eight, mostly Caucasian and middle-class, mothers and fathers of toddlers reported many similarities in parenting challenges, coping strategies, and resource use. Common sources of parenting stress for both mothers and fathers were developmental and behavioural concerns about their toddler and time management concerns in balancing between various responsibilities. Some fathers reported difficulty and less perceived competence in taking care of children during daily routines than did mothers. Mothers used a greater variety of emotion regulation strategies than fathers did. These strategies, which included support-seeking from more diverse sources (e.g. families, friends, books), were used to reduce their stress. Implications for the content and delivery methods of co-parenting and parenting education programmes are discussed. Keywords: parenting challengestoddlerhoodstrategiesresources Acknowledgments We would like to thank graduate research assistants at Georgia State University who assisted with data collection and coding, and all the families who participated in the study. Additional informationNotes on contributorsHyun-Joo Jeon Current Address: Department of Educational Psychology, Counseling, and Human Development, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, USA.