Traditional Child Rearing: Among Hadiya Rural and Semi-rural Peoples

The purpose of this study was to assess the parenting values and beliefs that Hadyia parents use in their parenting practices. It specifically examines parenting values, beliefs and practices. This qualitative study adopted the thematic analysis approach. Purposive sampling technique was used to select the participants, and families both from the rural and semi-rural districts of Hadiya were included. In order to collect the necessary data Interview, FGD, and observation were used. Accordingly, the current study generally revealed findings about parenting values, beliefs, and practices of Hadiya people. First, in the process of child socialization the majority of Hadiya households endorsed conforming parenting values more often than self-directing parenting values. Second, the majority of Hadiya households endorsed traditional authoritarian beliefs more often than democratic beliefs in upbringing their children. Third, sex-role socialization; physical punishment; breast-feeding and provision of cow milk as well as infant mother co-sleeping are customary practices of Hadiya people in child socialization. Fourth, gender-segregated division of labor, harmful traditional beliefs and values, patriarchal family structure, and traditional Hadiya proverbs were perceived as major sources for the practices of sex-role socialization, physical punishment, and inadequate verbal interaction among Hadiya peoples. Lastly, paternal involvement in household chores and childrearing activity was found to be minimal compared to mothers. Moreover, based on the results of the current study, the following conclusions and implications were drawn. First, the parenting of Hadiya people is more characterized by conformity value orientations and traditional authoritarian beliefs where these, in turn, encourage the use of impulsive and overly harsh disciplines and leave little room for fostering self-directing values.