Parents in the Age of Anxiety: Intergenerational Reliance, Parental Self-Efficacy, and Developmental Priorities for Children

Contemporary parents have unprecedented access to information, yet many report self-doubt about whether they are doing enough for their children. This study examined the sources parents rely on for parenting decisions, their self-reported parenting efficacy, their fears about their child?s long-term development, and their five-year developmental aspirations for their child. A cross-sectional mixed-methods survey was administered to 43 parents of children aged 2-15 years enrolled in private educational programmes; responses were analysed using descriptive frequencies and percentages, and open-ended aspirations were thematically coded. Most parents (81.4%) reported relying primarily on their own childhood experience or on family members when making parenting decisions. Self-doubt was the most frequent efficacy state (48.8%), followed by confidence (37.2%) and feeling overwhelmed by advice (14.0%). Parents? five-year aspirations were concentrated on emotional strength and resilience (41.9%) and enjoyment of learning (34.9%), with a good decision maker/autonomous thinker (23.3%) the third category. The pattern is descriptive and cross-sectional and does not establish causation; the small convenience sample limits generalisation. The findings suggest that schools and early-childhood programmes may usefully offer parent-support activities that address parental efficacy and emotional development.