ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on parenting in Sweden. Generally, Sweden is a country where young people are seen as equal in status to older family members. Swedish parents tend to view their task as parents to be a resource and always available. Child development is not regarded as something that has to be shaped or formed; instead, parents express the opinion that children are individuals, not to direct, but to support. The focus of the chapter is on change over time, from child’s age 7 to 16, in four major domains of parenting—warmth, behavioral control, rules/limit-setting, and knowledge solicitation regarding children’s activities and whereabouts—and whether there are differences in change over time in parenting as a function of parents’ age at the time of the child’s birth, parents’ education, or child gender.
