Definition, synonyms and related words
The process of raising and educating a child from birth until adulthood.
"After years of dedicated parenting, she watched her son graduate college and start his own family."
In plain English: Parenting is the act of raising and taking care of your children.
"She found that effective parenting required more patience than she had expected."
Usage: Use "parenting" as a noun to refer generally to the activities, methods, or overall process of raising a child, such as when discussing parenting styles or the challenges of modern parenting. Avoid using it as an adjective before a noun like "parenting room," which is incorrect; instead, use the adjective "parental."
present participle of parent
"After years of dedicated parenting, Sarah finally felt ready to let her children go off on their own adventures."
In plain English: Parenting means taking care of and guiding your children.
"She spends her evenings parenting by reading bedtime stories to her children."
Usage: When using "parenting" as a verb, treat it as an active process that involves raising and caring for children rather than simply being their biological parent. Use this form to describe the ongoing actions, such as feeding or guiding, that define the role of a caregiver.
Derived from Old French parantir and Latin parens, meaning to bring up or rear, the term originally referred specifically to the act of raising children rather than the state of being a parent. It entered English in the mid-19th century as a gerund form emphasizing the process of child-rearing.