Citation

Smith AB, Ballard KD, Barham LJ. Early Child Res. Q. 1989; 4(4): 523-532.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1989, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/0885-2006(89)90007-0

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Aspects of children's perceptions of the roles of mother, father, and teacher were examined in a sample of 31 boys and 28 girls attending three types of early childhood centers: full-time child care, kindergarten, and combined care. Interview data were coded into four main role categories of Domestic, Child care, Paid Work, and Personal. Results showed that mothers were perceived as doing the most domestic work and custodial child care. Teachers were seen as doing the most play/stimulation, followed by fathers, with mothers doing the least. Fathers were much more likely to be perceived as doing paid work than mothers or teachers, despite the fact that more than two thirds of the mothers were in paid employment. Types of early childhood center experience showed no clear relationship with children's perceptions of adult roles. The results showed both overlap and some differentiation between children's views of mother, father, and teacher.