There is a dearth of research on aspects of child rearing and parent-child relationships in Asian families living in Britain. The literature indicates that there are variations in child-rearing practices that are informed by values and socialisation goals. Models of parenting provide framework for understanding parenting in different cultures, however, none specifically relate to Asian parenting in Britain. The effect of ethnic minority status on parenting and the acculturation process are important influential factors.;This study explored Asian Hindu mothers' views regarding child-rearing practices and socialisation goals in an attempt to understand parenting in a cultural context. Grounded theory method was employed to structure and analyse the interview data, in order to generate a conceptual framework that accounted for this process.;The findings generated a core theme, which encapsulated the mothers' perception of parenting, in terms of 'responsible nurturing'. This relates to the mother's responsibility in preparing the child for life. A process was identified in which perceived threats work to undermine the mother's confidence in her role and also affect the course of the preparation for life. Balancing strategies, such as cultural propagation and seeking help, are employed by the mother in order to set the process of preparation for life back on course. The mother first weighs up the intervening factors that act to hinder or facilitate the use of balancing. These factors include the mother's sense of cultural belonging, family trustworthiness and child characteristics. This study had clinical implications for the way in which parenting in Asian Hindu families is understood and identifies an active parenting model which may be used to guide assessment and intervention with Asian families who experience parenting difficulties. These findings are placed in a cultural context and are related to the literature on ethnic minority parenting.