Parenting as an Acculturation Process: The Case of a Group of Indonesian Families

Meilanny Budiarti Santoso,Nurliana Cipta Apsari

doi:10.5539/ass.v14n9p1

Abstract

Understanding role of the mothers in delivering their functions within families is an important factor to the formulation of profile of their children. Three main roles of mothers studied included parenting, learning at home and communicating, emphasizing to parenting only. The research was conducted to 13 mothers and children who are in their first grade of elementary school using in-depth interview and observation techniques. The research found that all informants are housewives, with level education of elementary school, and in their late thirties. The research confirm all of the children in the study are interacting with their mothers. The informats utilize trial-error strategy, and does not have sufficient comprehension in playing their roles. In this study, parenting function is conducted through verbal actions such as giving advices, prohibition, and forcing the children. However, there is also mothers who involve the children without forces, thus bringing awareness of the child to help the mother. Informants are not too actively involve in learning at home and communicating with school is limited to taking the child to school. Children experience psychic issues because of their environment, and academic achievement are below average. These indicated the need of performing competency enhancement for the mothers to help them in delivering their roles.

Highlights

Serves as the smallest institution in community, yet hold a biggest responsibility to ensure the ability of every members to live a life
In Asian countries, including Indonesia, in Java Island, the community still hold the believe that fathers will take on the role as the breadwinner, yet mothers will take on the roles of parenting at home, as housewives
There is a proverb in Sundanese (West Java Province Indonesia) “kaciwit kulit kabawa daging” or “katempuhan buntut maung” which explain that when a child is having problems, the parent will infuenced by the problems

Summary

Introduction

Serves as the smallest institution in community, yet hold a biggest responsibility to ensure the ability of every members to live a life. In order to achieve the responsibility, the family has functions and every family members have roles to play, within the family, community and society. As Parson (1951) mentioned that individuals in social environment have different and separated roles, and the responsibility to fulfil the role is needed to ensure the live sustainability. In Asian countries, including Indonesia, in Java Island, the community still hold the believe that fathers will take on the role as the breadwinner, yet mothers will take on the roles of parenting at home, as housewives. The division of role between fathers-mothers; husbands-wives implicitly creating situations where mothers will spend more time with the children, during breastfeeding and when the child is still young. The similar situation is found at many Chinesse and Malaysian families residing at Malaysian coast (Noor, 1999)

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Conclusion