parenting

American  

[pair-uhn-ting, par-] / ˈpɛər ən tɪŋ, ˈpær- /

noun

1. the rearing of children.

   The schedule allows her very little time for parenting.

2. the methods, techniques, etc., used or required in the rearing of children.

   a course in parenting.

3. the state of being a parent; parenthood.

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adjective

1. of or concerned with the rearing of children.

   good parenting skills.

parenting British  

/ ˈpɛərəntɪŋ /

noun

1. the care and upbringing of a child

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Usage

Parenting has come to be favored over parenthood, rearing, and bringing up in sociological and educational literature and in popular writing.

Etymology

Origin of parenting

First recorded in 1955–60; parent + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

There is no separate category for pregnancy or maternity but there is a special topic category of parenting.

From BBC • Jun. 3, 2026

I didn’t keep up with the franchise—somewhere around GTA IV, I got married, and before long I was immersed in an even more chaotic open-worlder called parenting.

From Barron's • May 21, 2026

In the movie, Bargatze plays a dad drowning in parenting duties while his wife chases a business dream.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026

Eventually, the two explicitly talked about how they wanted his paid time off to factor into their parenting strategy.

From MarketWatch • May 13, 2026

Theirs is a gesture of love, surely, but also a gesture of what might be called obsessive parenting.

From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt