Abstract

The construct of protective parenting in Bangladesh is understudied. To address this gap, this study explored how two generations of Bangladeshi mothers constructed protective parenting practices. This study followed a cross-sectional hermeneutic phenomenological research design. Using purposive sampling, eleven maternal grandmothers (first generation, G1) and eleven mothers (second generation, G2) were selected. Data were collected using semi-structured in-depth interviews and analyzed using the hermeneutic circle. Eight protective parenting practices were uncovered: monitoring and choosing friends for children, gender boundaries, chaperonage, arranging marriage, religious upbringing, engineering fear, observing traditional rituals, and saving money. While protective parenting values were sustained across both generations, differences were revealed between the G1 and G2’s identification of security risks and modes of ensuring safety. The findings of this study emphasize the importance of considering cultural and social contexts in understanding parenting. The scholarly contributions of this article are the identification, contextualization, and definition of protective parenting practices. Additionally, this study contributes to research methodology discourses by presenting a parenting dimensions framework to study parenting practices in under-researched communities. In future studies, fathers, grandfathers, and paternal grandmothers should be included to glean a more complete picture of the protective practices of Bangladeshi parents. This study highlights the need to develop effective social safety policies with the efforts of administration, community organizations, and residents’ representatives. This study also offers insights into rendering parenting interventions more culturally appropriate.