Parenting and stimulation for child development at home: perspectives from Nurturing Care^*

Objective: to analyze maternal parenting practices aimed at the development of children under one year of age in the home context, from the perspective of the Nurturing Care framework.

Method: a qualitative study, grounded in philosophical hermeneutics and the conceptual approach of Nurturing Care. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 27 mothers, followed by inductive thematic analysis.

Results: maternal parenting practices involved interaction and engagement in play activities with the child, socialization with other children, early exposure to screens, relative paternal participation, and occasional book reading. Uncertainties emerged regarding setting limits, early childhood education enrollment, and perceptions of child development. The findings indicated a partial interrelation with Nurturing Care domains related to responsive caregiving, opportunities for early learning, and child security and safety.

Conclusion: maternal parenting practices, analyzed through the lens of the Nurturing Care framework, reflected the child’s care environment, highlighting both strengths and vulnerabilities in promoting child development in the home context. The Nurturing Care domains are useful for child care within Primary Health Care, reinforcing the relevance of parental responsiveness and the child’s daily routine for their full development. This suggests a potential strategy to promote nursing care in child health.

Descriptors:
Child; Child Development; Child Care; Parenting; Nursing; Primary Health Care

Highlights:

(1) Daily home routine reflects parenting practices for child development. (2) Maternal reports express strengths and weaknesses of the child care environment. (3) A nurturing and interactive environment provides opportunities of child learning. (4) Daily constraints expose children to developmental vulnerabilities. (5) The Nurturing Care framework offers analytical domains of child care at home.