A study of Latino Parenting Culture and Practices: Listening to the Voices of Latino Parents

[[abstract]]This study employed a qualitative methodology to explore the nature of the Latino parenting culture and parenting practices. It attempted to understand and document Latino parenting practices for the purpose of identifying those traits and traditions that would enable the creation and execution of a better family program for Latino population. The participants were recruited from three parenting programs offered by a non-profit family and child support organization in the Southern California Metropolitan area. The study population mainly consisted of low-income, predominately first generation immigrants from Mexico. The study found that Latino mothers are primarily responsible for childrearing whereas Latino fathers are absent from such practice. The results indicated that the participant mothers perceived that communication plays an important role in their families and they made an effort to have open lines of communication with their children. The findings suggested that traditional Latino parents, in general, may have more rigid parenting values compared to their Caucasian counterparts. It was revealed that physical discipline, screaming and profanity were common disciplinary practices in participants’families