childrearing

American  

[chahyld-reer-ing] / ˈtʃaɪldˌrɪər ɪŋ /

noun

1. the raising and parenting of children.

   Childrearing extends beyond simple guardianship to nurturing and guidance.

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adjective

1. of or relating to the raising and parenting of children.

   The majority of childrearing responsibilities are shouldered by female family members.

Usage

What does childrearing mean? Childrearing is the raising or parenting of a child or children.The verb rear means to take care of, support, and raise until maturity. To rear children is to raise them. The word rearing can be used as a noun, as in the rearing of livestock. Childrearing refers to the overall process and effort involved with raising children, including the basics, like feeding them and keeping them healthy, as well as other aspects of nurturing them and teaching them how to behave.Childrearing can also be used as an adjective describing such activities, as in When my wife travels for work, I have to take care of all the childrearing responsibilities.The term childrearing can sound somewhat old-fashioned. It’s much more common to say raising children or raising kids or parenting.Example: They say that childrearing is the hardest job you’ll ever love.

Etymology

Origin of childrearing

1840–45; child ( def. ) + rear ² ( def. ) (in the sense “to take care of to maturity”) + -ing ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

We need to stop framing decisions about childrearing as simply another cost-benefit analysis and present young people with a more beautiful vision of what family life can be and do for the world.

From The Wall Street Journal

Hayashi noted economic instability, difficulties in balancing work and childrearing and other complex factors as main reasons why young people have a hard time deciding to get married or raise children.

From Seattle Times

The data was released as Japan’s parliament on Wednesday approved a revision to laws designed to beef up financial support for childrearing parents or those expecting babies, as well as to widen access to childcare services and expand parental leave benefits.

From Seattle Times

“Contemporary hunter-gatherer societies can offer clues as to whether there are certain childrearing systems to which infants, and their mothers, may be psychologically adapted,” Chaudhary said in a statement.

From Salon

Many women cite the high cost of childrearing, difficulty in continuing on their career, gender discrimination and not wanting to get married as key factors for not wanting children.

From Reuters