“We Do Not Own Our Children”: Transformation of Parental Attitudes and Practices in Two Generations of Russian Israelis

As a result of migration and resettlement, the relations between parents and children undergo multiple transformations reflecting the new normative milieu and the demands of integration. This study compared parenting practices in two subsequent generations of ex-Soviet immigrants in Israel: the parents who immigrated in the early 1990s and their adult children who started families of their own. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 25 older and 23 younger couples, the findings show that parental styles evolve towards host-country standards already among the first generation, and this transition is enhanced among the 1.5ers. Yet, even the latter preserve some of the cultural principles under which they themselves had been raised (e.g., intense parental involvement in children’s education). The adoption of local parenting styles was more expedient among economically successful immigrants who joined Israeli professional class soon upon arrival.