This paper provides an overview of contemporary topics in parenting research and discusses the consequences of parenthood on the development and adaptation of parents due to parenting experiences. Considering the integrative theoretical model (Bronfenbrenner, 1986), contemporary research on parenting observes the influences and consequences of parenthood. However, most research focuses on children’s developmental outcomes, and such an approach considers parents only in the service of the child’s development. In general, the challenges of parenthood and the well-being of parents of children in different developmental stages raise many research questions, especially when children are in pre-adulthood. New approaches in the field of parenting psychology in Croatia should consider personal experiences and development of parents resulting from parenthood with reference to the dynamics of family relationships through parenting stages. The dynamics of the modern family, the expectations, and aspirations of parents today, facing the challenges of the pandemic, rapid technological development and the availability of information are only some factors that could affect the subjective experience of parenting. The paper will highlight current knowledge in the field of parenting, the psychological well-being of parents, and guidelines that foreign research emphasizes and may be useful for future research on parenting in Croatia.

integrative theoretical model of parenting, optimal parenting, psychological well-being of parents, helicopter parenting, parenting perfectionism, parental burnout