{"id":22572,"date":"2025-11-25T21:50:50","date_gmt":"2025-11-25T21:50:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/?p=22572"},"modified":"2025-11-25T21:50:50","modified_gmt":"2025-11-25T21:50:50","slug":"balancing-childrens-autonomy-relatedness-shifting-culture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/balancing-childrens-autonomy-relatedness-shifting-culture\/","title":{"rendered":"Balancing children\u2019s autonomy and relatedness in a shifting culture: How prosocial development and parental goals are linked"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_79_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"cursor:pointer\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #121c4e;color:#121c4e\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #121c4e;color:#121c4e\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/balancing-childrens-autonomy-relatedness-shifting-culture\/#_Key_takeaways_for_caregivers%E2%80%8B\" >\u00a0Key takeaways for caregivers\u200b<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/balancing-childrens-autonomy-relatedness-shifting-culture\/#A_common_playground_moment\" >A common playground moment<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/balancing-childrens-autonomy-relatedness-shifting-culture\/#Autonomous_and_relatedness_goals_Two_complementary_paths_to_navigating_ones_place_in_society\" >Autonomous and relatedness goals: Two complementary paths to navigating one\u2019s place in society<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/balancing-childrens-autonomy-relatedness-shifting-culture\/#Parental_goals_and_preschoolers_prosocial_behavior_in_Chinese_families\" >Parental goals and preschoolers\u2019 prosocial behavior in Chinese families<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/balancing-childrens-autonomy-relatedness-shifting-culture\/#Practical_implications_for_childrens_prosocial_development\" >Practical implications for children&#8217;s prosocial development<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"_Key_takeaways_for_caregivers%E2%80%8B\"><\/span><strong>\u00a0<\/strong>Key takeaways for caregivers\u200b<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Cultural shifts change what adults try to foster in children. In locations that are moving from collectivistic to more individualistic values (e.g., many urban areas in China), parents are increasingly balancing two goals: encouraging independence (autonomy) and continuing to encourage connection and caring (relatedness).<\/li>\n<li>Kindness and parental goals show two-way links over time.\u200b In our study, Chinese parents\u2019 greater focus on autonomy predicted later increases in their preschooler-aged children\u2019s kind actions (e.g., sharing toys), and children\u2019s frequent kind actions predicted later increases in parents\u2019 focus on autonomy. Parents\u2019 relatedness goals also predicted children\u2019s later kindness.<\/li>\n<li>These findings matter beyond China: Teaching both autonomy and relatedness helps children adapt as their cultural settings shift.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000080;\">This blog is based on research originally published in Song, Y., &amp; Yuan, Q. (2025),<\/span> <span style=\"color: #00ccff;\"><a style=\"color: #00ccff;\" href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/01650254251324144\">Exploring the autonomous-relatedness model: Parental goals and preschoolers\u2019 prosocial development during cultural shifts.<\/a> <\/span><span style=\"color: #000080;\">Advance online publication. <em>International Journal of Behavioral Development<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_common_playground_moment\"><\/span><span data-olk-copy-source=\"MessageBody\">A common playground moment<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Picture this: Your four-year-old is playing happily on the only swing at the park. Another child is waiting politely and quietly. Do you step in or wait to see if your child offers a turn? How long do you wait before saying something, and what do you say?<\/p>\n<p>This scenario reflects opportunities parents often navigate. In these moments, parents may grapple with questions about emphasizing the importance of children&#8217;s autonomy and personal choice versus the importance of connecting with other people.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Autonomous_and_relatedness_goals_Two_complementary_paths_to_navigating_ones_place_in_society\"><\/span><strong>Autonomous and relatedness goals: Two complementary paths to navigating one\u2019s place in society <\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/autonomy-supportive-care-for-cognitive-growth\/\"><em>Autonomous goals<\/em><\/a> focus on supporting children\u2019s self-directed independence, including their confidence, assertiveness, and strong sense of self. <em>Relatedness<\/em> <em>goals<\/em> involve promoting children\u2019s social connectedness, including their concern for others, helping, and obedience to authority.<\/p>\n<p>Traditionally, parents in individualistic cultures (e.g., the United States, Canada, Australia, Western Europe) prioritize autonomous goals, which align with their cultural emphasis on independence, achievement, and decision making at the individual level.<\/p>\n<p>In contrast, in traditionally collectivistic cultures (e.g., China, Japan, India, Mexico), parents emphasize relatedness goals, which align with their cultural values of group harmony, shared responsibility, consideration of others\u2019 needs, and social cohesion.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Different experiences can lie beneath children\u2019s behaviors<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The child in the opening scenario might offer the swing to the waiting child because they feel capable of helping that child and actively choose to do so (autonomy) or because they feel it is their duty to share with another child (relatedness). The reasons parents give children for helping others can affect how children see themselves as they navigate social situations.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_22575\" style=\"width: 2570px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22575\" class=\"size-full wp-image-22575\" src=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pexels-xperimental-33069002-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1704\" srcset=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pexels-xperimental-33069002-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pexels-xperimental-33069002-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pexels-xperimental-33069002-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pexels-xperimental-33069002-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pexels-xperimental-33069002-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pexels-xperimental-33069002-2048x1363.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pexels-xperimental-33069002-356x237.jpg 356w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pexels-xperimental-33069002-700x466.jpg 700w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pexels-xperimental-33069002-50x33.jpg 50w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22575\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/mother-holding-daughter-in-traditional-asian-setting-33069002\/\">Vincent Tan<\/a> pn Pexels<\/p><\/div>\n<h3><strong>Parents pursue both goals: Changes in dynamic, shifting cultures <\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Autonomy and relatedness are both important. <a href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/east-west-parenting\/\">Some cultures have historically focused on one set of goals<\/a> more than the other, but many parents today try to support both. Children may need both sets of skills to find their place in different situations.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/doi\/10.1027\/1016-9040.1.3.180\">Starting in the 1990s<\/a>, scholars promoted the need to capture parents\u2019 support for both sets of goals. This shift from purely autonomous or relatedness models came amid \u200brapid socioeconomic change in many <a href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/cultural-parenting-child-development\/\">traditionally collectivistic cultures<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>For example, in <a href=\"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/0022022105284494\">research in the early 2000s<\/a>, urban parents from traditional collectivistic cultures (e.g., India, China) valued autonomy just as much as did parents in individualistic cultures. Meanwhile, these parents\u2019 focus on relatedness was retained but at an intermediate level \u2013 lower than the levels indicated by parents still immersed in more purely collectivistic cultures but higher than the levels reported by parents in individualistic cultures.<\/p>\n<p>In <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/01650254251324144\">our recent research<\/a>, my colleague and I asked two main questions: When parents value both sets of goals, do they support them equally or favor one over the other? Are there common patterns in how important the goals are to parents?<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Children shape parental priorities <\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Parenting is not a solo, independent act performed by the parent with children passively absorbing parental values and goals.<\/p>\n<p>For instance, a compliant but shy child may be afraid to initiate helping others (e.g., hesitating to offer their swing to a waiting child). That child\u2019s parents may shift their goals to cultivate the child\u2019s feelings of autonomy, satisfied that the child has already internalized a sense of responsibility to share.<\/p>\n<p>In our research, we also asked: Is there a two-way, cyclical relation in which parents\u2019 autonomous and relatedness goals predict their preschoolers\u2019 later <a href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/tag\/prosociality\/\"><em>prosocial<\/em> (e.g., kind) behaviors<\/a> and the children\u2019s prosocial behaviors also predict parents\u2019 later goals?<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Parental_goals_and_preschoolers_prosocial_behavior_in_Chinese_families\"><\/span><strong>Parental goals and preschoolers\u2019 prosocial behavior in Chinese families<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>To address these three questions, we conducted an online study with \u200b336 Chinese families\u200b of preschool-aged children (ages three to six). One parent from each family participated in the study; just over half were mothers and the average parental age was about 30 years old. More than 80% of the parents had a bachelor\u2019s degree or higher, indicating a highly educated sample, and families tended to be in the middle or upper class economically. Most of the families lived in cities.<\/p>\n<p>Parents completed online questionnaires three times over \u200beight months\u200b (November 2022 to July 2023), with four months between the two adjacent time points. At each time, they rated the importance of various autonomous and relatedness goals in their parenting and the frequency of their child\u2019s prosocial behaviors (e.g., sharing, comforting).<\/p>\n<p>Collecting families\u2019 responses repeatedly allowed us to examine possible two-way links between parental goals and children\u2019s prosocial behaviors. Our study revealed three main findings:<\/p>\n<h3><strong>1. Parents prioritized autonomy but still valued relatedness<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Chinese parents consistently rated autonomous goals as more important than relatedness goals. This result reflects China\u2019s cultural shift: As society becomes more individualistic, parents adapt by promoting independence.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Chinese parents tended to emphasize both types of goals more than parents in individualistic countries typically do.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>But these parents have not abandoned traditional values. Relatedness goals \u2013 teaching children to care for others and respect authority \u2013 remained important. In fact, Chinese parents tended to emphasize both types of goals more than parents in individualistic countries typically do.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>2. Two distinct patterns emerged in parenting goals, with links to children\u2019s prosocial behavior<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>While Chinese parents valued both sets of goals and prioritized autonomy, not all parents rated the importance of the goals similarly. Two groups of parents emerged, with most parents fitting one or the other profile throughout the study:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Profile 1 (10% to 20% of parents): These parents rated relatedness goals as somewhat important and autonomous goals as moderately important.<\/li>\n<li>Profile 2 (80% to 90% of parents): These parents rated relatedness goals as moderately important and autonomous goals as very important.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In other words, while all parents rated relative importance the same (i.e., autonomous goals were more important than relatedness goals), Profile 2 parents rated both sets of goals as more important than did Profile 1 parents.<\/p>\n<p>Children whose parents fit Profile 2 showed significantly more prosocial behavior (i.e., kindness) across time than did children whose parents fit Profile 1. Profile 2 parents\u2019 greater emphasis on both relatedness and autonomous parenting goals was linked to more frequent displays of kindness by their preschoolers.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>3. There was a &#8220;kindness loop&#8221; between parents\u2019 goals and children\u2019s prosocial behaviors<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>We found a \u201ckindness loop\u201d \u2013 a dynamic, two-way relationship \u2013 between parents\u2019 goals and children\u2019s behavior over time:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Autonomous goals predicted kindness: Parents who emphasized independence had children who became more prosocial four months later.<\/li>\n<li>Kindness predicted stronger autonomous goals: When children acted kindly, parents became even more committed to fostering independence.<\/li>\n<li>Relatedness goals also predicted kindness \u2013 but unlike autonomous goals, they did not shift after increases in children\u2019s prosocial behavior.<\/li>\n<li>Short-term adjustments mattered: Even small, temporary increases in a parent\u2019s emphasis on autonomy predicted more prosocial behaviors by their child four months later \u2013 and vice versa. (Our study did not address whether these increases simply tended to predict each other or whether parents\u2019 changes in goals caused changes in prosocial behaviors and vice versa.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"attachment_22576\" style=\"width: 2570px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22576\" class=\"size-full wp-image-22576\" src=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pexels-kevin-malik-9016143-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pexels-kevin-malik-9016143-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pexels-kevin-malik-9016143-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pexels-kevin-malik-9016143-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pexels-kevin-malik-9016143-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pexels-kevin-malik-9016143-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pexels-kevin-malik-9016143-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pexels-kevin-malik-9016143-356x237.jpg 356w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pexels-kevin-malik-9016143-700x467.jpg 700w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pexels-kevin-malik-9016143-50x33.jpg 50w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22576\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/a-family-making-lanterns-in-the-living-room-9016143\/\">Kevin Malik<\/a> on Pexels<\/p><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Practical_implications_for_childrens_prosocial_development\"><\/span><strong>Practical implications for children&#8217;s prosocial development<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>While results might differ in other communities, our findings point to four implications for parents and caregivers of preschool-aged children to consider.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Parents can support both autonomous and relatedness goals while respecting their cultural contexts<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Without abandoning cultural heritage, parents in traditionally collectivistic communities can integrate autonomy in ways that honor traditional relational values while also adapting to societal shifts (e.g., globalization, urbanization).<\/p>\n<p>For example, instead of insisting that their children help others simply because it is expected, parents can encourage children to decide how and when to help, making kindness a personal commitment, not just a duty.<\/p>\n<p>In the opening scenario, the parent could remind their child that someone is waiting for a turn on the swing or encourage their child to imagine what the waiting child might feel or think. The child might then come up with a plan for when to get off the swing and move to another part of the playground.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Parents can highlight opportunities for their young children to choose how and when to be kind \u200b<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Parents should view autonomy and relatedness not as opposing forces, but as complementary tools. Fostering both kinds of behavior allows children to become independent individuals who can assert themselves while also <a href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/social-emotional-development-2\/\">connecting meaningfully with others through kindness<\/a>. For example, a parent might say, \u201cWould you like to help set the table now or after you finish your puzzle?\u201d and \u201cYou chose to share \u2013 that was kind.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>\u200b<strong>By promoting both autonomous and relatedness goals, parents offer children tools to understand and act on different motivations for prosocial behavior<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>In today\u2019s globalized world, many children grow up navigating multiple cultural norms. They may encounter different expectations at school, at home, and in the media about how to relate to others and how to assert themselves. This makes flexibility \u2013 not rigid conformity \u2013 an essential life skill.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_22577\" style=\"width: 2570px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22577\" class=\"size-full wp-image-22577\" src=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pexels-norma-mortenson-8457822-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pexels-norma-mortenson-8457822-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pexels-norma-mortenson-8457822-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pexels-norma-mortenson-8457822-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pexels-norma-mortenson-8457822-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pexels-norma-mortenson-8457822-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pexels-norma-mortenson-8457822-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pexels-norma-mortenson-8457822-356x237.jpg 356w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pexels-norma-mortenson-8457822-700x467.jpg 700w, https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pexels-norma-mortenson-8457822-50x33.jpg 50w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22577\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/group-of-students-standing-next-to-each-other-while-smiling-at-the-camera-8457822\/\">Norma Mortenson<\/a> on Pexels<\/p><\/div>\n<p>A child raised with both goals can recognize that sometimes people help others because they care about group harmony, and sometimes people help because it reflects who they are as independent moral agents. This dual understanding may <a href=\"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/how-is-empathy-developed-mother-father\/\">foster empathy<\/a> across cultural contexts and prepare children to thrive in diverse social settings.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Both parents and children contribute to children\u2019s socialization<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The results of our study suggest that changes in parents\u2019 goals might lead to changes in children\u2019s behaviors. That said, parenting is not a one-way transmission of values. In their everyday behavior, children can profoundly influence the way their parents think and act.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Parents should pay close attention to their children\u2019s behavior \u2013 not only to correct or guide it, but to reflect on what it reveals about children\u2019s emerging values in relation to themselves and the world.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>In our study, increases in children\u2019s prosocial behaviors predicted changes in parents\u2019 goals over time. Although we did not address causality, parents may have changed because of their children\u2019s actions.<\/p>\n<p>Parents should pay close attention to their children\u2019s behavior \u2013 not only to correct or guide it, but to reflect on what it reveals about children\u2019s emerging values in relation to themselves and the world. These insights can inform future parenting decisions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u00a0Key takeaways for caregivers\u200b Cultural shifts change what adults try to foster in children. In locations that are moving from collectivistic to more individualistic values (e.g., many urban areas in China), parents are increasingly balancing two goals: encouraging independence (autonomy) and continuing to encourage connection and caring (relatedness). Kindness and parental goals show two-way links [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":361,"featured_media":22579,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5794,438],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22572"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/361"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22572"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22572\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22607,"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22572\/revisions\/22607"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22579"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22572"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22572"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/childandfamilyblog.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22572"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}