Parenting in Canadian Aboriginal Cultures

Abstract

Aboriginal children and parents in Canada experience conditions unique to their cultural group. There are large inequalities in social determinants of health for Aboriginal peoples. Aboriginal children are more likely than non-Aboriginals to be born to an adolescent mother, to be raised in foster care and almost half live below the poverty line. The impact of colonialism on Aboriginal parenting must also be taken into account. The colonialist practice of forced re-education in the early twentieth century interrupted and obscured knowledge of traditional parenting practices. General principles to support parenting in Canadian Aboriginal cultures include respect for the diversity of Aboriginal culture and its traditions and values. Two-generation programs that provide early learning and care, and nutritious meals for children concurrent with parenting and life skills training for adults have shown promise, as they support the economic and social needs of Aboriginal parents.KeywordsAboriginal PeopleAttachment TheoryAdolescent MotherAboriginal ChildAboriginal HeritageThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.