Parenting That Promotes Positive Social, Emotional and Behavioral Development in Middle Childhood

Middle childhood is a key period in the development of cognitive, social, emotional and behavioral capacities that establish the foundations of mental and physical health and academic success into adolescence and adulthood. Parenting during middle childhood occurs in a context of increasing demands and expectations on children, expanding social contexts, including school, peer and media influences, and broader economic, social and cultural influences. This chapter outlines how parents promote positive middle-childhood development in connection with wider and intersecting contexts, consistent with a bioecological model. We review research showing that parenting during middle childhood shapes children’s capacities for self-regulation, coping, problem solving, social responsibility, and academic competencies, and in turn, children’s social, emotional and behavioral adjustment. In light of the overwhelming evidence of the effects of parenting on middle childhood adjustment, it is clear that supporting parents and families by reducing stress and adversity, promoting parent mental health and well-being, and enhancing effective parenting is critical for laying the foundation for children’s mental health and well-being into adulthood.