Is Parenting Getting Harder These Days??

Parenting is the process of raising and educating a child from birth until adulthood. This is usually done in a child's family by the mother and/or father (i.e., the biological parents). Where parents are unable or unwilling to provide this care, it is usually taken on by close relatives, such as older siblings, aunts and uncles, or grandparents. In other cases, children may be cared for by adoptive parents, foster parents, godparents, or in institutions (such as group homes or orphanages).power of the state to usurp the rights of the natural parent, legal guardian or informal caregiver, and to act as the parent of any child or individual who is in need of protection (i.e. if the child's caregiver is exceedingly violent or dangerous). Aspects of parenting : Physical care: Reliably providing shelter, education,medical care, physical safety, and nourishment. Social development and emotional support:# Love, play, and physical touch # Social skills and etiquette # Ethics and value systems Moral and spiritual development Norms and contributions to the child's religion and ethnic customs Financial support: Money provided as child support by custodial non-custodial parent(s), or the state Insurance coverage and payments for education Parenting methods and practices g During pregnancy the unborn child is affected by many decisions his or her parents make, particularly choices linked to their lifestyle. The health and diet decisions of the mother can have either a positive or negative impact on the child.

I definitely think that parenting is getting harder and harder because kids today do not listen to what their parents tell them to or not to do. Peer Pressure is one reason but it is not the only out there.

I have 2 kids ages 4 & 19. I feel it's very different now than it was for my 1st born. But I also feel it's different because I've changed and have become more mature. With my 1st born, I was more carefree and there were less medical concerns from now. Times are getting harder and more brutal than before. I can totally relate to what you're saying. I find myself thinking about the predators out there more than I ever did in the past. I'm not saying I didn't have those thoughts, but I didn't have them almost daily like now.

Yes I do agree with you on that one. The kids today are a handful. I think it was alot easier years ago. We didnt have as much to worry about. Be strong.

My kids are 5 and 3 so I can't say that I have experience in raising kids and comparing "now and then". But, I do know the differences in the way I was brought up compared to my youngest sister who is 11 years younger than me and also now with me raising my kids. These days there is so much more to worry about. Of course things happened back when I was a kid, but it wasn't AS prevalent as it is now. When I was in school, there were no cops in schools...no need for metal detectors in schools, etc. We, as parents, can't discipline our children like we used to because of fear of being investigated or arrested. Our children can't be disciplined at school because of fear from some overbearing parents who don't believe their child can do anything wrong. I remember my mom letting me play outside while she cleaned house or cooked. I would NEVER even THINK about letting my kids outside without me! EVen in the small town I live in...it's terrifying!

Thanks for posting this thread,although we are from different country,we maybe face varied issues on children's parenting,i agree with your opinion--it is getting harder and harder to bring up,to educate. I am from China,i have a daughter who is a junior school student,she studies well and has a great mark,so i have never encountered those problems you metioned above,however,what i am worrying about is how to guide her fulfil her study,how to teach her fighting with overloaded schoolwork.on the other hand,we are only allowed to have one child,so my daughter neither has brother now sister,she is always alone at home after school,so being parent in China,another issue(perhaps the most important)we meet is their mental problem--loneness.

Yes, it is become very difficult in today's world to bring up the kids, when both the parents have to work in office to make ends meet...

Yes I believe it is specially with the restrictions set in by the Law to and that is why it is so hard and why Kids are worse then what used to be. And Kids know that to as it is always on the News how are Parents are being charged for smacking Kids and that

I agree with you completely that it is much more difficult to bring up kids these days. My oldest is now grown, but when he was a child, there was very little to worry about. My youngest two are now 13 and 14 and I worry about them every day. They can get into so many more troubles. Peer pressure is a terrible thing, and can get our children into major trouble. We always want to think that it cannot happen to our children, but the truth is that it can.

Yeah it is i guess because of parents having very busy life and working schedule, sometimes it hard to make a choice between earning more money for ur kids or spending more time with them

Yes, as the world is changing, everything is getting harder and harder in life! As same thing is happend with parents, it has become more difficult for them to keep thier children from bad society! I am not a parent, i am only just 23 and i know what dificulties parents face if their children are involved in bad habbits. I have seen lot of parents who didnt care for their children well and lost them! You are right that parenting is gettting harder and harder, i totally agree with you.

I think parenting is more difficult now than before. I don't have kids yet but I can say this by observation. Children are getting wild now with the influence from the outside. They become unrespectful to their parents and no longer obey them. That's why parents should see to it that they have time for their kids to supervise them.

I think as far as peer pressure it's always been there was when I was growing up we just didn't think about it in a parents perceptive as we do now that we are parents. when I think of the crazy things I did as a teenager I think god I would not let my daughter do that but then I thought my mom was a bit strict but now realize she was not. Also we got more worries as AID's wasn't out there too much when I was growing up and now not only do you have to worry bout teaching children about pregnancy but also all the diseases that they can catch. Not to mention the government and schools now a days seem to dictate more of what you can or can not do with your child as far as reprimands go yet years ago sometimes a pop on the bottom was called for. I don't blame the parents in a lot of cases some do the best they can and just can't control their children. I do blame society however for not allowing parents to be the parents. It just seems less kids were doing criminal things when I was growing up and even less when our parents were growing up makes me think that our morals have changed over the years of what was appropriate when it comes to children and how bad doings were dealt with.