Turkish children kiss elders' hands and touch them to their foreheads as greeting.
This ritual of el öpmek reflects deep intergenerational respect embedded in daily Turkish family life.
Take the 2-minute parenting style quiz to see how your style fits in Turkey.
Children in Turkey
Context & Trends
Turkey sits at a demographic crossroads — birth rates have fallen sharply in western cities while remaining higher in the southeast. This creates stark regional contrasts in school crowding, resources, and outcomes. The Syrian refugee crisis added over one million school-age children to the system, straining capacity in border provinces.
Get the Turkey culture brief
The 5 things that catch expat families off guard, delivered to your inbox.
What surprises expat families
Parenting philosophy
"Raise the child not for yourself, but for the world"
▸
Turkish parenting blends protective warmth with expectations of respect and obedience. The concept of saygı (respect for elders) is foundational. Extended family involvement is intense — grandparents, aunts, and uncles all participate in child-rearing decisions. Urban middle-class families are shifting toward more child-centered approaches, but traditional hierarchical values remain strong, especially outside major cities.
Sources: Kağıtçıbaşı 2007; UNICEF Turkey Country Report 2023
Play culture
"Streets were playgrounds — now malls are"
▸
Traditional Turkish childhood featured extensive outdoor street play, with games like saklambaç (hide and seek) and yerden yüksek (the floor is lava). Rapid urbanization has moved children indoors and into shopping malls. Village children still enjoy more outdoor freedom, but urban children increasingly spend leisure time with screens and in organized activities. Tea gardens remain family gathering spaces where children play while adults socialize.
Sources: Turkish Statistical Institute 2023; UNICEF Turkey
Discipline norms
"Shame before the community carries weight"
▸
Turkey banned corporal punishment in schools in 2002 and in all settings in 2002 via civil code reforms. In practice, mild physical discipline at home persists in some regions. The dominant approach uses social shame and community reputation — ayıp (shame) is a powerful word in child-rearing. Urban educated families increasingly favor dialogue-based discipline, but respect for authority and obedience remain widely valued across the country.
Sources: endcorporalpunishment.org; Kağıtçıbaşı 2007; Council of Europe 2023
Turkey's education system is centrally managed by the Ministry of National Education. Compulsory education spans 12 years in a 4+4+4 structure. Religious education (imam hatip schools) has expanded significantly since 2012.
The emphasis on national exams drives tutoring culture. Private dershane (tutoring centers) were banned in 2014 but evolved into private schools.
Homework Norms: Moderate to heavy homework from primary school onward. Exam preparation dominates upper secondary, with families investing heavily in private tutoring.
Assessment Approach: High-stakes centralized exams at ages 14 and 18 determine school placement and university access. The LGS exam for high school entry is intensely competitive.
Parent Teacher Dynamic: Parents are actively involved but defer to teacher authority. Parent-teacher meetings are formal events. Mothers typically manage school communications.
Sources: Turkish Ministry of National Education; OECD Education at a Glance 2023; UNICEF Turkey
Countries with similar parenting culture scores
Planning a move to Turkey?
Family Integration Playbooks — your parenting style mapped to Turkey's culture, schools, and norms.
Plus Caregiver OS — bilingual do/don't guidelines for your caregiver.
$99 per playbook · $29 for Caregiver OS