My new video-ethnographic project has received a $251,327 grant from the National Science Foundation - Sociology for 2022-24. Learn more about the grant and project here.

Abstract

The objective of this project is to examine through in-home video footage how families from different social class backgrounds develop early-life skills, attitudes, and expectations in their children. There is overwhelming evidence of the importance of children’s earliest years and the power of parenting in shaping young children’s skill development. Each year, the United States invests billions of dollars into programs to support parents including through parent education classes, parenting supports, and home visitation programs. Developing parenting initiatives that better address families’ daily needs and reflect their knowledge and expertise requires a deeper understanding of the circumstances of children’s lives. This in-home video study of parent-child interactions is an unprecedented examination of how families support their children’s early learning.

Data for this study come from 5,700 hours of video footage contained in 463,000 discrete video clips, from a two-week in-home video-ethnographic study of 21 families, each with a child aged 2-4. These data are analyzed through a multi-step process that includes completing daily and thematic content logs, writing narrative summaries and memos, and selecting episodes for closer analysis. Outcomes of the project include rich descriptions of the everyday, in-situ parenting practices of families with young, preschool-aged children, and new measures of parenting behaviors and new concepts to be tested in future studies. These outcomes will enhance public conversations concerning families’ daily accomplishments and their challenges in supporting their young children.