Evaluation of Post-Divorce Parenting through A Qualitative Study: Disneyland Parenting and Beyond

Sena Ozden; Fadim Büşra Keleş; Fatma Nur Aydemir; Mehmet Ak; Şahin Kesici

doi:10.54535/rep.1812014

Evaluation of Post-Divorce Parenting through A Qualitative Study: Disneyland Parenting and Beyond

Abstract

This study aimed to examine how divorced parents comprehend the time they spend with their children and to explore the phenomenon of “Disneyland parenting” that emerges during this process. Using a qualitative research design, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 16 divorced parents (10 mothers and 6 fathers) and evaluated using thematic analyses. Our findings revealed that parents developed a range of emotional and practical strategies while structuring the limited time spent with their children. Parents organized this time by balancing their children’s needs with everyday constraints such as fatigue, workload, and financial limitations. Furthermore, the parents tended to relax disciplinary rules and planned leisure-oriented activities in an effort to alleviate feelings of guilt caused by the divorce and to make the limited time spent together as enjoyable as possible. This tendency corresponded to the concept of “Disneyland parenting”. However, the present study indicates that such attitudes were not exclusive to fathers; similar emotional motivations could also be observed among mothers. In conclusion, post-divorce parenting emerged as a dynamic process that extended beyond caregiving responsibilities—representing an effort to balance emotional compensation, moral concerns, and practical limitations. Understanding this complex process can offer valuable insights for parents, families, family counselors, and policymakers.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Clinical Psychology , Family Psychology

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Sena Ozden ^*
0000-0001-9749-3945
Türkiye

Fadim Büşra Keleş
0000-0001-6656-5109
Türkiye

Fatma Nur Aydemir
0000-0001-7647-0840
Türkiye

Mehmet Ak
0000-0003-1771-5654
Türkiye

Şahin Kesici
0000-0003-3823-5385
Türkiye

Early Pub Date

December 17, 2025

Publication Date

December 17, 2025

Submission Date

October 28, 2025

Acceptance Date

December 12, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 9 Number: 2

DOI

https://doi.org/10.54535/rep.1812014

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA53JK59AC

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Ozden, S., Keleş, F. B., Aydemir, F. N., Ak, M., & Kesici, Ş. (2025). Evaluation of Post-Divorce Parenting through A Qualitative Study: Disneyland Parenting and Beyond. Research on Education and Psychology, 9(2), 440-456. https://doi.org/10.54535/rep.1812014