ece355 week 1 discussion 1 RESPONSE d.o.

Respond to a peer who shared different things than you that surprised them about how parenting has changed. Respectfully comment on their points, sharing why that didnât surprise you or adding further relevant information or examples. 5 sentences or more.

Describe at least two ways that you think parenting has changed in the last 25 years.

After reading this question, there is one thing that comes to mind immediately. That is just how much parenting styles are put under a microscope these days. So many people are quick to judge parents and whether or not they are parenting right, wrong, good, or bad. On a side note, the first way I would say parenting has changed is parents seem to discipline their children a lot less than they used to. As a matter of fact I know a lot of parents that seem afraid to discipline their child because their feelings may get hurt and they seem to be afraid to tell them no. They second way parenting has changed is there are less responsibility in the home now than there was 25 years ago, on the childâs end, and this is the parentâs not holding their child accountable for some things (i.e., make their bed, clean their rooms, help with the dishes, set the table). I was doing all of this at a very young age, yet I hear so often parents having a hard time getting their six year old to pick up their toys. I also feel that 25 years ago parents used to give their children a lot more freedom than they do now, such as go play outside and be home for dinner or before dark. I am not sure if that is due to the fact that the world seems to get scarier or if it is because children are less responsible and less disciplined; maybe itâs a combination of both? 15 years ago all I remember seeing around my small town was children in groups on bikes and walking around everywhere. Now itâs less and less and children seem extremely sheltered. Another way parenting has changed (I had to add another because I can relate to this), is that many parents get a lot less quality time with their children today than they could get 25 years ago. These days many parents are forced to work multiple jobs, attend college, and raise their children, making it hard to get good quality time with children like they need from us. This is my life to the T, and for this we should not count the moments but make the moments count.

Explain how your understanding of parenting that you shared in your introduction post does or does not align with the ideas shared in the article.

Well my understanding of parenting I shared in my introduction was âa blessingâ, and I still agree it is, although parenting is a lot of work. I wouldnât necessarily say it aligns with the article because the article talks about the way parenting used to be and the way it is different now. The article mentions dual family incomes, divorce, single parent families, gay families, and time and attention. However, I would not say that it doesnât align with the article either. Although parenting can be challenging at times it is also extremely rewarding.

Discuss at least two ideas that were shared in the article that were surprising to you about how parenting has changed.

One idea that was a bit surprising to me is that there are more fathers staying home with the children than the mothers. I really wonder why this is. Every family I know that has the mother working and the father staying home with the children is due to the father simply not wanting to work. (I hope nobody argues this, as this is what I have seen so far). I am certain there are other fathers staying home because it is something agreed upon and may be needed for child care, such as the father made less or was working less so he was the one to stay home with the children. Gender roles are just very reversed and flexible these days than ever before. The idea shared that boggled my mind the most was reading that working parents are spending more time than ever with their children these days (Morman, 2015). I have a heck of a time doing so, especially since I have been in school. Without working two jobs I would never be able to make ends meet. The article does give credit to a college education, so I would assume that after landing their career they work better hours, less doubles, less weekends, etc., leading to more quality time with their children.

Describe how using this information, along with your knowledge of child development, will help your work with families.

This information and my knowledge of child development will help my work with families because it will help me to understand different family backgrounds and dynamics. This will help me to understand their parenting styles and why they are the way they are. Their parenting styles and lives lived can also be crucial to understanding child development.

References

Morman, E. (2015). 25 years of parenting: A look back and ahead. Retrieved from http://www.metroparent.com/daily/parenting/parenting-issues-tips/25-years-parenting-look-back-ahead/ (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.