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'Children Understand More at That Age': African American, Mexican, Dominican, and Chinese Heritage US Mothers' Conceptions of Race Readiness

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Title: 'Children Understand More at That Age': African American, Mexican, Dominican, and Chinese Heritage US Mothers' Conceptions of Race Readiness
Language: English
Authors: Yana Kuchirko (ORCID 0000-0001-8138-7224), Anna Bennet (ORCID 0000-0003-2131-3674), May Ling Halim (ORCID 0000-0002-8944-1472), Diane L. Hughes (ORCID 0000-0002-2605-1186), Erika Y. Niwa (ORCID 0000-0002-2395-9172)
Source: Social Development. 2025 34(4).
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 18
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Preschool Children, Mothers, Mother Attitudes, African Americans, Chinese Americans, Latin Americans, Mexican Americans, Beliefs, Race, Racial Identification, Socialization, Developmentally Appropriate Practices, Age, Racial Differences, Ethnicity
DOI: 10.1111/sode.70020
ISSN: 0961-205X
1467-9507
Abstract: Children are highly attuned to race early in life, yet parents often underestimate their capacity to process race-related information, delaying discussions about race. Research suggests that parents' perceptions of their children's readiness to learn about race influence the timing of these conversations; however, few studies have explored how such perceptions shape ethnic-racial socialization across different ethnic/racial groups. In this mixed-analytic study, we interviewed African American, Mexican-, Dominican-, and Chinese-heritage US mothers (N = 271) of 4-year-olds and assessed their conceptions of children's capacities through two lenses: (1) the age parents believed children should learn about ethnicity/race, and (2) whether parents thought children knew their own ethnic/racial labels. We tested whether demographic factors and parents' ethnic-racial socialization practices were associated with these beliefs. Findings revealed that mothers commonly estimated ages 5-6 as appropriate for discussing race, with over half believing their children know their ethnic/racial identity. Mothers provided a varied range of justifications for speaking early on ethnicity/race, delaying conversations, not providing an age, or adjusting age estimates depending on the child and their context. Notably, mothers' age estimates negatively predicted the frequency of ethnic-racial socialization practices, while beliefs about children's awareness of their identity positively predicted cultural socialization and egalitarianism. Our study highlights how mothers' conceptions of childhood can drive ethnic-racial socialization practices, offering insights into the socialization processes among children from minoritized groups.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1487722
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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IllustrationInfo
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  Data: 'Children Understand More at That Age': African American, Mexican, Dominican, and Chinese Heritage US Mothers' Conceptions of Race Readiness
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  Data: English
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yana+Kuchirko%22">Yana Kuchirko</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8138-7224">0000-0001-8138-7224</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Anna+Bennet%22">Anna Bennet</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2131-3674">0000-0003-2131-3674</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22May+Ling+Halim%22">May Ling Halim</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8944-1472">0000-0002-8944-1472</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Diane+L%2E+Hughes%22">Diane L. Hughes</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2605-1186">0000-0002-2605-1186</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Erika+Y%2E+Niwa%22">Erika Y. Niwa</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2395-9172">0000-0002-2395-9172</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Social+Development%22"><i>Social Development</i></searchLink>. 2025 34(4).
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  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Preschool+Children%22">Preschool Children</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mothers%22">Mothers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mother+Attitudes%22">Mother Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22African+Americans%22">African Americans</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Chinese+Americans%22">Chinese Americans</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Latin+Americans%22">Latin Americans</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mexican+Americans%22">Mexican Americans</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Beliefs%22">Beliefs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Race%22">Race</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Racial+Identification%22">Racial Identification</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Socialization%22">Socialization</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Developmentally+Appropriate+Practices%22">Developmentally Appropriate Practices</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Age%22">Age</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Racial+Differences%22">Racial Differences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ethnicity%22">Ethnicity</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1111/sode.70020
– Name: ISSN
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  Data: 0961-205X<br />1467-9507
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Children are highly attuned to race early in life, yet parents often underestimate their capacity to process race-related information, delaying discussions about race. Research suggests that parents' perceptions of their children's readiness to learn about race influence the timing of these conversations; however, few studies have explored how such perceptions shape ethnic-racial socialization across different ethnic/racial groups. In this mixed-analytic study, we interviewed African American, Mexican-, Dominican-, and Chinese-heritage US mothers (N = 271) of 4-year-olds and assessed their conceptions of children's capacities through two lenses: (1) the age parents believed children should learn about ethnicity/race, and (2) whether parents thought children knew their own ethnic/racial labels. We tested whether demographic factors and parents' ethnic-racial socialization practices were associated with these beliefs. Findings revealed that mothers commonly estimated ages 5-6 as appropriate for discussing race, with over half believing their children know their ethnic/racial identity. Mothers provided a varied range of justifications for speaking early on ethnicity/race, delaying conversations, not providing an age, or adjusting age estimates depending on the child and their context. Notably, mothers' age estimates negatively predicted the frequency of ethnic-racial socialization practices, while beliefs about children's awareness of their identity positively predicted cultural socialization and egalitarianism. Our study highlights how mothers' conceptions of childhood can drive ethnic-racial socialization practices, offering insights into the socialization processes among children from minoritized groups.
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  Data: 2025
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        Value: 10.1111/sode.70020
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 18
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Preschool Children
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mothers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mother Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: African Americans
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      – SubjectFull: Chinese Americans
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      – SubjectFull: Latin Americans
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      – SubjectFull: Mexican Americans
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      – SubjectFull: Beliefs
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      – SubjectFull: Race
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      – SubjectFull: Racial Identification
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      – SubjectFull: Socialization
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      – SubjectFull: Age
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      – SubjectFull: Racial Differences
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      – SubjectFull: Ethnicity
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: 'Children Understand More at That Age': African American, Mexican, Dominican, and Chinese Heritage US Mothers' Conceptions of Race Readiness
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