What is your opinion of parenting now compared to fifty years ago?
Do you think parents were more involved in their children’s life before and less involved now or vice versa? Does this have any impact in our society?
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The parents who do get involved, are more involved than most were fifty years ago, but far more parents are not involved at all than ever before. I am starting to think that child labor laws should be lifted, to give kids a safer place to be than on the streets, at home alone, or at home with unconcious parents.
A bit less since it’s now less common to have a two-parent, one-income household. Between rising cost of living, stagnant wages, divorce rates, etcetera, the days of a happy couple with a working dad and stay-at-home mom are long gone…. and not because of role reversal, which was considered shocking 30 years ago.
No, we now have more kids raised by single parents, absentee (always working) parents, in poverty, and otherwise in less optimal ways than before.
@Here2_4 Given the way employers treat adults, that would be having a fox guard a henhouse.
@jerv : Your manner of speech is delightful. I love the way you put things. That’s very admirable. I think that is a marvellous response.
Too much sparing of the rod and spoiling the child.
It is pretty sad that we are no longer allowed to beat our children into submission.
Only if they start bleeding will they start to respect your authority.
I think parents today want to be their child’s friend instead of being a parent.
I have none, opinion that is, generations are always going to differ vastly…okay, maybe a tiny opinion then.
This was 50 years ago. Our parents just cut us loose.
I think social and cultural mentalities play an important role in how kids are, or were, raised. Not the only factor of course, but a significant one, which I think is evev responsible for some parenting methods. Good or bad I couldn’t say, all I know is that I’m glad that being a housewife wasn’t the only thing I was told I could be.
As oppose to 50 years ago IMO today’s parents are wimps who try to play the appeasement game way too much, and get mad if it is pointed out to them that they gave the butlers the keys to the Bentley. In the process we have a generation of rude, arrogant, twits who believe they are all that and a back of Oreos.
More involved now, but kids are not appreciative of the advantage we are giving them.
Lifelong bachelor will likely give the worst answer. I believe we (high school friends) were the last wild generation. Todays’ youth live in conditions like Pelican Bay SHU. Aye, small exaggeration.
50 years ago, nearly every couple had a mother that stayed at home with the kids.
There’s no way to compare that to now?
It’s the same.
We still have overbearing parents, parents who care and parents who are just along for the ride.
Overall parents (especially dads) spend a lot more time with their kids now than they did 50 years ago. They’re more involved, generally.
Fathers spend seven times more with their children than in the 1970s
Men vs. women: How much time spent on kids, job, chores? – compares 1965 to 2011
I think the impact ends up being kids and parents are more involved with their own families and probably less involved with their neighborhood and peers that would be nearby. Parents end up driving their kids everywhere to organized activities rather than kids playing with neighbors in the street.
Families are probably stronger for it, but neighborhoods don’t feel as connected.
I love watching my son and his wife interact. They just work so well together, be it the one who changes the diaper or the one who starts dinner. They’re both always doing something and there are no gender lines involved.
Most parenting in the 60’s when I grew up was based on good old fashioned values, manners and parents were not afraid to discipline.
I don’t mean beating their children but an occasional spanking.
There was usually a mother in the home, kids were not latch key kids as often as they now are and there were not as many fears of allowing your child freedom to roam the neighborhood and not worry about sex offenders around every corner.
I think most kids had more true security, parents that were really available and learned good manners as well as differed gratification.
Narcissism has become rampant in our culture in the last 40 years, and between immature and selfish parents, the economic climate, no parent in the home anymore and a tendency to try and make up for quality time with stuff, well…every generation has its challenges but I believe we have lost something over the years with both parents needing to work and leaving the kids to fend for themselves.
@longgone What do you mean?
Are you being sarcastic? Do clarify. :-)
No, I’m being serious. Parents are much less physical with their children, and I think that’s a good thing.
@longgone Parents are much less physical with their children, and I think that’s a good thing.
How so? If shelving spankings produce children that are arrogant, rude and self-absorbed where is the ”good thing” found?
spanking produced a history drenched in war, suffering and oppression.
And the total absence of war (and riots) today is the result of fewer people spanking their kids.
Can’t tell about fifty year ago but i have seen my mom dad and my grand parents relation so i would say there a lot difference. Every generation is different and think differently.
Today not all but many of them are free with there kids and try to be thee friend which was hardly seen a years back.
@longgone Right, youth is spoiled. That’s a convincing argument
The short of it, in spite of the mistakes made by parents of yesteryear, parenting was far better then than now.
^ What’s your definition of “good parenting”?
Letting kids suffer the consequences of their actions. Not jumping in to save them all the time.
Forcing kids to suffer the consequences of their actions. Making them confess and apologize when they did something wrong. Not making excuses for them or being blindly supportive.
Exactly. Kids need to learn that when you run out on the street, they get run over by a car.
At least the 3rd one learned his lesson.
Then there are logical consequences, @ragingloli, when natural consequences are too severe.
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