Research linking parental practices with children’s social development yields inconsistent results, warranting culture-sensitive models to explain the various trajectories of child development. This study explores disciplinary practices and perceptions of disciplinary situations among nine Chinese mothers. Thematic analysis of interview data refined a model of parental practices that considers Chinese mothers’ references to emotions and various strategies used in discussions with their children. Recurring cultural patterns focused on the child’s emotions and positioned the child as a central figure. Moreover, the model revealed that constructing the child as a mature or immature agent reflected the transformation model of social development, while self-perceptions as a dominant agent in the parent-child relationship suggested traditional aspects of Chinese culture in their concept of upbringing. Future research could validate this model on Chinese families functioning in diverse cultural environments, as well as multicultural and expatriate families in China and other national cultures.