Abstract

SAMPAIO, Isabela T. A.. Parental educational practices, child gender and birth order: an update. Rev. bras. crescimento desenvolv. hum. [online]. 2007, vol.17, n.2, pp. 144-152. ISSN 0104-1282.

Parental educational practices regard how parents monitor, control and socialize their children. This article aims to update the literature about this issue, considering especially two factors: child gender (boy or girl) and birth order (only child, first, middle and last born child). Brazilian and international articles were considered, the latter from 2001 onwards. In relation to parental educational practices and child gender, it was observed that parents seem to prefer children of the same sex as theirs (fathers prefer boys, and mothers prefer girls). The literature also shows that there are differences in the way boys and girls react to family stressors: boys usually externalize and girls internalize behaviors. The articles referring to birth order, on the other hand, discuss mainly how the family resources allocation works according to the birth order of each child. It was noted that firstborns, especially boys, receive the greatest part of parental investment. Literature, however, is fragile and contradictory in relation to both issues; thus, more research is needed, especially in Brazil.

Keywords : Parenting; Educational practices; Gender; Birth order.

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