Interprets the cultural values of different generations of Hmong parents resettled in Spokane, Washington, with emphasis on challenges related to family and parenthood. Among the key findings were that: (1) younger-generation parents were more likely than older generations to forge non-traditional survival strategies; (2) the parents who reported values differing the most from traditional Hmong norms also were those with the most education and better-paying jobs; (3) younger-generation parents were more likely than older to value play as a teaching medium and to make time to play with their children; (4) parents who had been in the U.S. the longest and had school-age children expressed the greatest concern about the freedoms allowed American children; (5) most parents identified the clash of home and school values and the prohibition on corporal punishment as the 2 most difficult aspects of adjustment to life in the U.S., from the child-rearing standpoint; and (6) younger-generation parents attempting to practice U.S. parenting methods received little emotional support from other Hmong parents. Effective intervention programs with Hmong parents must involve an understanding of their cultural background and respect for traditional parenting behaviors and also address the primary concerns of parents from their own perspective.
