Family structure, religiousness and infant gender effects on parenting practices in the African-American family

Parenting is a stressful and consuming occupation, even under ideal circumstances. Infants require constant attention and, particularly in the first few months of life, must have their every need met constantly. Thus, it is clear that the full-time job of parenting ideally involves multiple caregivers. Yet the reality is that many children grow up in homes that do not have two parents. This is especially true in the African American community, in which nearly 50% of children are born, or live at some time, in homes without one parent or the other. Social work research, and this study in particular, seeks to identify the circumstances that make parenting more or less stressful, and thus to contribute to knowledge that might support parents and families in their efforts to provide the best care possible for every child.