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Polynesian child rearing: An alternative model

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Abstract

Literature on child-rearing practices and family style in Polynesia is reviewed. The five following themes common to Polynesian cultures are identified: community responsibility for the care of children, multiple parenting, early indulgence, early independence, and caretaking by siblings and peers. The persistence of, and changes in, the behavior patterns which flow from these themes are then described. Finally, the implications for Western child-rearing practices of Polynesian child-rearing patterns are discussed.

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Jane, Ritchie, J. Polynesian child rearing: An alternative model. J Fam Econ Iss 5, 126–141 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01091324

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