Parental Practices Through the Eras

Abstract

This chapter examines changes in parental practices over time and their cultural influences across different countries worldwide. It discusses differing eras of ancient civilizations, such as Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, Rome, China, and India, followed by the medieval era, the Industrial Revolution, the twentieth century, postmodernism, and beyond, to illustrate the historical impacts on family life and parenting styles and their contribution to the development, well-being, and academic success of children. Tracking these parental trends over time will demonstrate parental practices that were consistent throughout time versus those that were adjusted and changed due to governing edicts and cultural transitions, and impact these practices had on childhood development and success both now and moving forward. Further areas explored are the impact of cultural trends, gender roles, social expectations, economic trends, and family law. The chapter reviewed the influence of technological advances such as social media and artificial intelligence (AI) on parenting and educational success.