Imagine waking up to see parents caning their children for misbehavior, teachers whipping the students for poor exam performance, and people scorning kids for being sentimental. Yes, we know how ruthless it sounds, but unfortunately, this was the order of the day less than a century ago. This raises a lot of questions of why people thought it was okay to use brutality on children or why they wanted the kids to grow up in a militant way. Here in this article, we have mentioned some of the parenting techniques that were followed by society a couple of decades back but are sheer nightmares now. Read on!
1. A Child Will Be More Obedient If They Fear You
Fear was frequently used by parents to influence their child’s conduct. However, thankfully we know this is a form of emotional abuse. This is because expecting their mother to be kidnapped by the Bogeyman and overthinking that she would never return can leave a mark on a child’s mind and cause them to be reticent and afraid. The psychological well-being of a child should come before a parent’s fleeting urge to discipline them.
2. A Child Being Reprimanded In Front Of Other People Enhances Their Conduct
Conflicts of any kind should be resolved privately and in a way, the child can understand without fearing the parents. Disciplining your children is not like punishing them, so parents should be careful about how they approach these discussions.
3. Children Are Spoiled By Everyone
It can be difficult to refuse if a child asks for something. At such times, it’s essential to remember that this could jeopardize your and their future relationships. All because the child will eventually become genuinely agitated and demanding, and granting their requests won’t be an act of kindness; rather, it will be your responsibility. In the future, if the child continues to eat unhealthily, they may gain a lot of weight.
4. It’s Common For Parents To Yell At Their Children
When a child starts acting out, it can be challenging to control your emotions, especially around others who could judge you for being a “negligent parent.” However, when a parent screams at their kids, the situation worsens. The previous generation believed that screaming and yelling at the kids to make them study was acceptable and noble. Aren’t we lucky to belong to this generation!
5. Being Tender With Your Son Makes Him Effeminate
Thankfully we live in a generation where gender stereotyping of kids is not accepted, but this was not the story a generation back. They firmly believed that showing tenderness to kids, especially male kids, makes them grow up to be weak and timid. On the contrary, not showing physical affection to kids will make them feel under confident and develop low self-esteem.
6. Work And Finances Are More Important That Spending Time With Family
If you have parents and grandparents who spend time with you, consider yourself blessed, for the previous generations were molded to believe that playing with kids is a waste of money and time. Of course, planning your life and managing the finances is vital to living as a family, but that is no excuse for not spending time with family. We understand the current lifestyle dictates that both parents work on their careers and become earning members to live a comfortable lifestyle, usually leaving the kids with their grandparents or babysitters. But once you are home, spend 30 minutes uninterrupted quality time with your children.
7. Only Good Grades Promise A Successful Career
Thankfully the allure of high marks is fading. This generation realizes that other factors are also at play besides education. For example, personality attributes, including emotional intelligence, communication skills, and leadership ability, have been demonstrated to be considerably more predictive of a child’s success in life.
8. Only Adults Can Set Personal Boundaries
Sometimes, a child may not desire physical contact with anyone, not even close family members. Do you think an adult would enjoy being coerced into physical contact? Of course not! A child’s personal limits include the right to reject inappropriate adult attention. When children express a preference for staying within certain limits, it is appropriate for parents to respect that preference rather than try to force their children to go against it.
While reading these points could make you gasp; they were the norms of the day a few decades back. Every generation molds their parenting skills according to their lifestyle, and even though it may seem harsh, this was what was acceptable then. So, which of these rules do you find the most bizarre? Let us know in the comments section!