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Kimmerly, N. L. (1999). Choice of child care in Black, White and Hispanic families: Relation to parents' child-rearing and educational beliefs and practices. Dissertation Abstracts International: Section B: the Sciences & Engineering, Vol 59(10-B), 5621.
This study examined parent preferences, beliefs, and attitudes and their relationship to types of child care used.
The Study
- Data were gleaned from the 1991 National Household Education Survey. The original study included 4,380 parents of 3- and 4-year old children.
- Parents’ beliefs and attitudes regarding activities and educational involvement with their children and child care preferences were measured.
The Methods
- Of parents surveyed, 78% of respondents were mothers, 18% were fathers, and 4% were other primary caregivers.
- The sample included 72% white children, 12% black, 12% Hispanic, and 4% other. Parents’ education and incomes were mixed.
The Findings
- Analysis of home learning activities showed:
- White parents were more likely to read to their children compared to black and Hispanic parents.
- White and black parents were more likely to receive a newspaper compared to Hispanic parents.
- Black parents were more likely to have rules regarding television for their children compared to white parents.
- There was an association between ethnicity and type of care parents selected:
- Black families were more likely to use center care and less likely to use parent-only care compared to white and Hispanic families.
- Black families were less likely to use informal care than Hispanic families.
- White families were less likely to use informal or parent-only care than Hispanic families.
- Regardless of ethnicity, parents who used any type of non-parental care were more likely to participate in educational activities with their children than parents who chose parent-only care.
- Parents whose children were in out-of-home day care were more likely to engage in academic activities with their children and allowed their children to watch less television than children reared in parent-only care.
- Parents across ethnicities identified provider’s communication with parents, cleanliness of facilities, and warmth and attention towards children as the features they consider important for high quality care.
R2P Evaluation
Results indicated that it matters less to parents where the child is taken care of – rather it is the quality of day care and quality of attention at home when not in care.
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