Search

I have pleasure in introducing readers to this issue of Family Matters which focuses on multiple aspects of ageing as it impacts on Australia's families. Ageing is a topic which [...]

The role of the temperament and behaviour, and their 'fit' with parents' expectations The learning of social skills and socially acceptable behaviours is one of the most important tasks of [...]

The House of Representative's Standing Committee on Family and Community Affairs released its report on its Inquiry into Child Custody Arrangements Following Separation late last year. This has ensured that [...]

On 30 April 2004 we were sorry to farewell Dr Matthew Gray who is returning to Canberra to take up an appointment as a Senior Lecturer at the Centre for [...]

On 13 April 2004, the Australian Institute of Family Studies was pleased to host a seminar in Melbourne by Dr Wade Horn, the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families, in [...]

Following intensive planning and preparation, the large-scale longitudinal study of 5000 infants and 5000 four-year-olds, Growing Up in Australia, has taken to the field. At the time of writing, the [...]

I am pleased to announce that Dr Alison Morehead has accepted the position of Senior Research Advisor at the Australian Institute of Family Studies following the return of former Research [...]

This article reflects on the determinants and practice of child rearing in Australia over the past century. Two broad domains of influence on parenting practices are the beliefs surrounding childhood and child development, and the social context in which child rearing takes place. The authors therefore start by looking at the prevailing theories of children and childhood, and changes in understanding of child development, over this time, briefly outline some of the key societal shifts which affected family life and the parent role and draws on these analyses in discussing some of the changes in beliefs, attitudes, and practices regarding parents' care for their children over the century, particularly as reflected in the advice meted out to them by professionals. Looking back on an entire century of child rearing in western societies, a progression of views on childhood, child development and the role of parents become apparent. These had their foundation in the scientific understandings of the day, and were popularized through such means as child-rearing manuals, which aimed to help guide parents in this difficult task of raising the next generation.