Research Around the World

Child Research Net (CRN) is a non-profit, Internet-based child research institute in Japan comprising a vast network of professionals, researchers and educators who care about children’s issues. Child Science needs to be interdisciplinary, and secondly, aims to be a science based on facts and evidence. Supported by principles of systems informatics, brain science, and child ecology, researchers in different fields, professionals, and guardians come together to exchange their views, and explore ways to prevent and solve issues that children face.

International Early Childhood Research

Survey of the Impact of COVID-19 on the Life of Young Children and Elementary School Students (Benesse Educational and Research Institute, 2021).

This research articles explores the involvement and awareness of parents regarding their child's life and learning and the effects on mother's during this Covid 19 pandemic. The survey method was an internet survey, with 2,266 mothers that had children from one-year-old to sixth grade. The survey focused on children’s living conditions, behaviors, and mothers’ anxieties and worries about child rearing during the pandemic. The research only analyzed 1,030 of the mothers response.

The research conclusion was that due to this Covid 19 pandemic families were feeling restricted and isolated from their normal lifestyle. Mothers had feelings of enjoyment because of the extra time spent with their children but also felt anxiety along with the need for human connection. The survey revealed that mothers that had a support system had lower levels of anxiety in childrearing and a higher level of positive attitude.

Survey of Father's Views on Childrearing in Japan - A Comparative Study of Fathers in Four Asian Cities: Ikumen in Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing, and Shanghai (Benesse® Institute for Child Sciences and Parenting, 2010).

This study was conducted on fathers of infants living in the Tokyo metropolitan area, focusing on the actual conditions of their child-rearing, relationship with other family members, their mindset toward child rearing, and work-life balance. The survey was conducted over the Internet, making contact with fathers in four cities: Tokyo (Japan), Seoul (South Korea), Beijing (China), and Shanghai (China). The scope of the survey was fathers who have a child aged zero to five. The questionnaire items include the actual conditions of involvement in housework and child-rearing; relationship with their child, wife, grandparents, etc.; concept of child-rearing; level of anxiety toward their future as a father, and the status of their work-life balance.

The survey results revealed that fathers in Tokyo are facing a tough working environment and fear of decreasing income in the future. Due to long working hours, they are unable to return home early and spend time with their wife and children, which, as a result, hinders substantial involvement in child-rearing on weekdays. However, they try to spend longer hours with their child on weekends, implying that they are certainly concerned about participating in child-raising. It also revealed that fathers in Tokyo are likely to have a lower degree of involvement in housework and child-rearing, compared with those in Beijing and Shanghai, implying that their child care efforts are concentrated into fewer hours.

The results of the survey also concluded that fathers from all cities worry most about the high cost of childcare and education.

Noteworthy Information

Exploring the Child Research Net website (https://www.childresearch.net/ ) I found it offered a variety of resources. There are projects, papers, essays, videos for making toys from common household items, posters, newsletters, a researcher's exchange program, anda director's blog section with some very interesting commentary. In the data section there was research and surveys results on early childhood rearing, education from elementary to university levels, international surveys on early childhood and school children, and digital media and children.

I also found that the section on Papers and Essays had some very interesting subtopics on children's rights and well-being, teacher and school, and new directions. I can use these varies studies as a resource support during my research work.

References

Center for Child Life and Learning Research, Benesse Educational Research and Development Institute. (2020, October 9). Survey of the impact of COVID-19 on the life of young children and elementary school students. Retrieved from https://www.childresearch.net/data/ec/2021_01.html

Benesse® Institute for Child Sciences and Parenting. (2010, January 15). Survey of father's views on childrearing in Japan - A comparative study of fathers in four Asian Cities: Ikumen in Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing, and Shanghai. Retrieved from https://www.childresearch.net/data/ec/2010_01.html