Some
parenting trends are influenced by friends or social situations, while others
are influenced by the current environment. The recession was a big teacher, and
parents are passing down budgeting lessons to their children. Real talks about
life, work and future planning are picking up speed (thank goodness). Parents
are realizing that they should prepare their children for the real world, and a
few bubbles are getting popped.
Of
course, some parents will also be looking to royalty for inspiration. Will and
Kate’s bundle of lucky joy is sure to become center stage, even on our side of
the pond. Just like when you're shopping for a new crib orsolid wood wall units
for baby’s room, everyone will have an opinion on what’s best. Here’s a look at
a few more recent trends in parenting.
Envy’s Next Move
For some
reason, American parents have an addiction to picking other countries to envy.
The French mommy was the latest fad. However, it’s about time a new region was
picked. Given the unfortunate events in 2012, it’s likely that the country of
choice will have strict gun policies (or no guns at all).
The sale
of bullet-proof backpacks went through the roof after the Newtown tragedy. Parents
are seriously focusing on safety in a way never seen before. The number of home
schooled children has increased in the past year, and it’s likely that parents
will make a bigger commitment to volunteer in classrooms.
Overly Permissive or Just
Progressive?
Surprisingly,
saying yes to children is simultaneously picking up steam. Everything from
swearing to drinking at home is being permitted more so than in the past in an
attempt to let kids do things in a safe environment (because they’ll do it
anyway). What’s another big trend? Dad is getting a lot more involved.
Dads
aren’t the only ones getting into the business of raising kids. More people are
depending on outside help, such as nannies that specialize in certain areas
(like teaching foreign languages) or sleep coaches. It seems that parents are
going back to the idea that it takes a village to raise a child. The days of
the nuclear family seem to be slowly slipping away.
Taking it Public
Some
parents have resorted to publicly embarrassing their kids as a means of
punishment. The usual MO is to have children hold up a sign in public declaring
what they did wrong. Does it work? Just like anything else, it’s bound to work
with some children and not with others.
Whether
or not it’s bordering on abusive is up for debate. However, the overarching
trend is to instill social protocol into children. If they’re embarrassed,
that’s a sign that they are striving to fit into society. Parents will always
be looking for magic pills and better solutions to problems, and the only way
to find it is with trial and error.
Michelle is an aspiring writer who currently freelances for a
company that sells solid
wood wall units. When she’s not working she loves writing
about anything and everything and blogs as much as she can. She loves that
blogging allows her to share her writing with an unlimited audience.
