Has Parenting Changed?
I am not a big proponent of “it was not like that ……” when referring to something in the past. Most people do not have clear memories of the past by either accentuating the positive or negative aspects.
You hear the term Helicopter Parent said today. It refers to a parent who “hovers” around the child almost all the time in order to prevent something bad happening, even if the “bad” thing is just part of growing up. I don’t buy into the thinking that today is any more dangerous for a child than some time in the past. I could argue in some ways growing up in earlier times, say 30+ years ago, may have been more dangerous. There were no cell phones for constant contact with parents. Most kids were allowed to run free around town or in my case out in the country. There were plenty of times my mom did not know where we were just that we were supposed to be home by dinner. We could leave in the morning saying we were going out to play. That could mean anywhere in town or beyond.
Where parenting has changed is in the public disciplining of children. My parents would have had no problem with neighbors giving me a smack on the ass if I acted up. In school, it was routine to go the PE teacher to get a swat if you did something in school. No parent ever complained.
Today the police would be called if a parent hit their kid in public or a teacher had any contact with the child. Any physical discipline on children is viewed as kid abuse today. Was I permanently hurt because I was swatted by my parents, no. Did anyone of my friends become suicidal due a hit by the PE teacher, no. You acted up, there were consequences, the kids self-esteem be dammed.
There will always be each generations argument about “how tough it was back then.” Parenting is the same and very different, but only from your point of view.
No comments:
Post a Comment