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Parenting in Vietnam

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Parenting Across Cultures

Part of the book series: Science Across Cultures: The History of Non-Western Science ((SACH,volume 7))

Abstract

Vietnamese society is built around the family structure. Families tend to have clearly defined and hierarchical roles and there is a lot of emphasis placed on valuing them. Fathers tend to be central in the family and are responsible for providing for their family, disciplining their children and making family decisions. Mothers are traditionally responsible for monitoring children’s health, self-care and nutrition, and are expected to engage in domestic work and child bearing. The extended family and the community play an important role in individuals’ lives and there is much more multigenerational interaction than is commonly seen in western families. A lot of corresponding values such as harmony, duty, honor, respect, education, and allegiance to the family are derived from Confucian ideas and are emphasized heavily in childrearing. However because of economic reforms and more access to western cultures and beliefs, there have been new trends in parenting such as less enmeshment with the extended family, less use of corporal punishment and more acceptance of some individualistic values.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clinical Psychology, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY, USA

    Tatyana Mestechkina

  2. Department of Psychology and Education, Hanoi National University of Education, Hanoi, Vietnam

    Nguyen Duc Son

  3. Department of Psychology, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY, USA

    Jin Y. Shin

Authors
  1. Tatyana Mestechkina
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  2. Nguyen Duc Son
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  3. Jin Y. Shin
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tatyana Mestechkina .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Hampshire College, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA

    Helaine Selin

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Mestechkina, T., Son, N.D., Shin, J.Y. (2014). Parenting in Vietnam. In: Selin, H. (eds) Parenting Across Cultures. Science Across Cultures: The History of Non-Western Science, vol 7. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7503-9_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7503-9_5

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-007-7502-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-007-7503-9

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