Parenting has come a long way since we were raised, and now that we’re finally embracing parenthood, we realize how shocking older parenting styles were:
Playing outside
Of course, children still play outside, but the world isn’t as safe as it was a few decades ago. The mere thought of leaving children unaccompanied while they played with strangers is horrifying now, but it was a common trend years ago.
Patching wounds
Older generations favored toughing it out over visiting the ER over short trips, so they’d bust out a first aid kit, patch up minor cuts and bruises, and clear the children to play. Of course, healthcare has since evolved, so we take a different approach now.
Ignoring germs
Most parents nowadays use antibacterial wipes and hand sanitizers to clean their children’s hands and faces. This habit intensified after the COVID-19 lockdown, so remembering how we used to run rampant in the soil is rather scary.
Unhealthy eating habits
Speaking of soil, older children grew up eating dirt, tissue, paper, and anything nasty they could handle. Although such eating habits still happen today, they’re much more controlled and openly discouraged.
No routines
Curfews and similar restrictive routines didn’t really exist a few decades ago; most parents would let their children play until late at night and only call them in for dinner. Naturally, this is a sharp contrast from the scheduled bedtimes and play times we have now.
Using devices
We may not have had smartphones decades ago, but the only devices children were allowed to use were themselves. Most parents left their children at the mercy of their curiosity, which could get them in nasty but happy accidents. Unfortunately, this is not the case anymore.
No safety precautions
Car seats for kids weren’t considered mandatory until the 1970s. Most parents held their children in their arms and sat in the back seat. These days, car seats are not only mandated but there are also serious fines for letting children sit in cars without their seats.
Correction methods
Older generations were much stricter; they would utilize outdated correction methods like scolding and physical actions like spanking. Of course, we’ve since dabbled into lighter modes, so old childhood stories look like a horror movie.
Expressing emotions
Older generations weren’t upfront about their emotions; most children were subtly discouraged from expressing themselves out of respect. Today, we teach children to express themselves openly, a genuinely positive change.
Body autonomy
While children are taught to respect their bodies, we didn’t start actively teaching them this until just recently. Today, children are taught all the dos and don’ts and classic stranger-danger signs, but older generations have grown amiss.
Lending an ear
We’ve all had to experience being silenced after trying to communicate with our parents. Luckily, younger generations actively hear out their children, listen to their concerns, and solve problems more efficiently than older ones.
Online help for parenting advice
In the good old days, parents turned to friends or relatives for parental advice. Thanks to the internet, nowadays, they no longer turn to relatives for advice but seek anything they need online, which we cannot say is bad, as there is a lot of useful parenting material and videos available online.
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This article was first published at Spatula Desserts.
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