Theory and Practice in Child Development

An Assessment of Screen Exposure According to Parental Acceptance and Rejection in Early Childhood

Sun, 01 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0300

The purpose of this study was to examine screen exposure according to parental acceptance and rejection in early childhood. In addition, depending on this purpose, it was also examined whether children's screen exposures differed according to socio-demographic variables. The study group consisted of 297 parents with 36-59-month-old children from intact families who were attending pre-school education institutions in Turkey, İstanbul. In the study, an "Individual Information Form", and the short form of 'Parental Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire' were administered to the parents. As a result, it was found that the duration of screen exposure differed according to the age of the child, the mother's level of education, the type of technological devices the child was allowed to use, the purpose of using these devices, whether there was a rule about watching television at home, and whether the television was always on. It was also found that the children who watched TV for at least four hours a day were rejected by their parents more than the children who watched TV less. It is thought that the findings obtained in this study may shed light on interventions related to screen exposure.

Gendered Norms and the Evolution of Early Childhood Education: Historical Influences and Pathways for Change

Stephanie Quon, Erica Nichols, Justin Tan — Sun, 01 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0300

The field of early childhood education has long been influenced by gendered norms rooted in maternalist discourse, which historically linked childcare to women’s innate caregiving abilities. While this association created career opportunities for women, it also perpetuated the essentialization of women’s identity and shaped the profession’s educational requirements, remuneration, and working conditions. This literature review examines the historical development of gendered norms in early childhood education, the enduring impacts of these norms today, and opportunities for change. Key historical influences—including the Second World War, feminist movements, maternalist ideology, and the work of figures like Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi, Friedrich Froebel, Maria Montessori, and G. Stanley Hall—are analyzed to understand how they contributed to the predominantly female composition of the profession in North America. Present-day consequences of this history include inequities in professional recognition, compensation, and working conditions for early childhood educators, with over 96% of the workforce in Canada identifying as women. The review concludes by exploring a vision for the future of early childhood education, emphasizing the importance of fair compensation, professional recognition, and dismantling gendered stereotypes. Based on the findings, it is clear that addressing these systemic issues requires both local and broader societal changes, with a focus on equitable compensation, gender-neutral training, and policies that challenge traditional caregiving roles. Opportunities for local and systemic change are discussed, including reforms to educational requirements, remuneration practices, and working conditions, as well as broader shifts in societal perceptions. This analysis seeks to inform efforts to create a more equitable and inclusive future for the field.

Parents’ Opinions on The Zoom-Ç (Curious-Child in An Enriched Play Environment) E-Twinning Project

Mürüvvet Kartal Baş, Belma Tugrul — Sun, 01 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0300

ZOOM-Ç (Curious-Child in an Enriched Play Environment) was designed as an E-twining project in the 2023-2024 academic year. Throughout the project, lists of open-ended materials belonging to children in early childhood, reflections of the project process on families, and not determining perspectives on materials for open ended materials before and after the project. A case study design was used to reveal in detail the sections of children and families who met open products with the ZOOM-Ç project, how and to what extent the open-ended materials were included in the homes. 80 parents were included in the study on a voluntary basis. While determining the participant details, it was stated that they should participate in all themes and families, fulfill their responsibilities and have the competence to fill out the online form. The interview formula with semi-interviews used in the research was prepared by the researchers. This data, designed as a case study, was obtained through content analysis. According to the parents' opinions, opportunities were reached to support all development processes, including the variety of children's play sections, strategies and social development, with open products entering schools and homes thanks to the project services. At the same time, he states that thanks to the ZOOM-Ç project, children actively participated in school activities that were separated from each other and that they experienced a good unity with the school and their children.

Doing Fatherhood: Recognizing the Effect of Work Schedules on Fathers' Child Caregiving Responsibilities in Scotland

Dinesha Kankanamge, Dineshika Prasadi Jayathunga , Lakmee Nilanka De Silva — Sun, 01 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0300

We examined the abilities of working fathers and how they manage work and child care responsibilities while conducting white-collar job recruitment for 10 professionals working in the academic and administrative divisions at the University of Dundee. The various elements were covered, and structured interviews were used to gather data by holding virtual team meetings. To fill positions, the snowball sampling method was used. The primary goals of the study were to identify different types of dads' childcare propensities in the setting of modern families and to investigate the effect of a father's employment on child caregiving in the context of family duties. In a nutshell, it's imperative to keep up with household duties, which encompass childcare obligations. Fathers manage to balance their hectic work schedules with helping out with the household tasks and child care requirements. It can be extremely scary and difficult to juggle fatherhood and a white-collar career, but thanks to corporate cultures that support families, this is becoming a manageable challenge for working fathers. The results of the study demonstrated the significance of dads' involvement in their children's interests in food and nutrition, health and development, entertainment, mental health, gender role modeling, and educational and enrichment opportunities.

Nurturing Young Minds Through Nature: Investigating Children’s Executive Functions in a Forest Kindergarten in Turkey

Deniz Kahriman Pamuk, Tulin Güler Yıldız, Gözde Erturk Kara — Sun, 01 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0300

The research aims to examine the executive functions (EFs) of children who attended a forest kindergarten. Therefore, a case-study approach is utilized to scrutinize how participants in this study constructed their executive function within a particular case. The study group consists of 35 children aged 50-70 months (17 females, 18 males) in a forest kindergarten in Mersin. The data were collected via observations and interviews. The results based on observations during forest time and the teachers' views showed that the time spent in the forest supports EF's components. Therefore, a kindergarten's adoption of the forest school approach contributes positively to the development of children's executive functions (EFs). Based on this result, it is recommended to expand this approach in kindergartens.

Reflections of Perceptions of Old Age in the Drawings of Preschool Children

Seçil Yıldız, Nihal Akalın — Sun, 01 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0300

This study aims to explore the perceptions of preschool children aged 4–6 regarding the concept of old age. The research adopts a phenomenological design, one of the qualitative research methods. The study group comprises 25 children aged 4–6 who are enrolled in preschool education. Data were collected using a semi-structured interview form consisting of questions and children’s drawings. The collected data were analyzed through content analysis techniques. According to the findings, children perceive elderly individuals in terms of their physical characteristics, such as appearance and deficiencies; the activities they can engage in with the elderly, such as participating in activities, playing games, traveling, showing affection, and caring for garden animals; and the actions elderly individuals can perform, such as household chores, garden animal care, sedentary activities, worship, interacting with grandchildren, exercising, and working. Moreover, children associate elderly individuals with spending time with family members and other individuals. The findings of the study are discussed, and recommendations are provided.

Validation and Reliability of the Turkish Adaptation of the Observation Inventory of the Preschool Children Enneagram

Sema Büyüktaşkapu Soydan, Elmedina Nuredini Aliu, Kamile Mutlu — Sun, 01 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0300

The aim of this study is to determine whether the Observation Inventory of the Preschool Children Enneagram is a valid and reliable measurement tool in its Turkish adaptation. The study sample consisted of 394 parents and 141 teachers. Among the children of the participating parents, 194 were girls and 200 were boys, with an average age of 65.1 months. Among the children evaluated by the participating teachers, 64 were girls and 77 were boys. The results of the Exploratory Factor Analysis confirmed the nine-factor structure of the Observation Inventory of the Preschool Children Enneagram. The Cronbach’s Alpha reliability coefficient for all dimensions was found to be above .70, indicating strong internal consistency. The total correlation values of the dimensions ranged between .35 and .77. Additionally, the Confirmatory Factor Analysis demonstrated that the scale had acceptable fit indices. Overall, the findings suggest that the adapted version of the scale is a valid, reliable, and applicable tool for use in the field.