Parental Control Adopted by Agricultural Labourer Households of Odisha

A study was conducted to find out the parental control adopted by the families of women agricultural labourers. The study encompassed a sample of 160 households from 8 villages randomly selected from four blocks which were, purposively selected from four districts of Odisha. Data were collected through a questionnaire. Results revealed that majority of fathers (57.5 %) and mothers (69.37 %) used democratic methods of child training. Majority of both the parents (58.75 %) were giving moral teaching to the children. Fathers were found giving moral teaching more as compared to mothers. Disciplining children by telling stories was practised by 45.22 per cent mothers. More children seemed to obey their fathers than mothers. Majority (53.12 %) children believed their mothers more than fathers. For rectifying children's bad deeds punishing was executed by majority (59.38 %) of fathers where as more mothers use ridiculing/insulting the child. Father was found never isolating their children for this purpose. Comparatively higher percentage of mothers adopted the methods like "make children understand', 'deprive the children of the things they longed for' and 'divert children's mind' for rectifying children's bad deed than fathers. Consequences of parental control over children like develops resentment, fear and discontentment were more towards father than mother. Very few children seemed to change their behaviour as a result of parental control.