It’s amazing what 50 years will do to parenting standards.
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When my Dad passed away last summer my wife, son and I moved in with Mom to help out. At 86 -years-old, she splits time between a walker and a wheelchair. Although there have been adjustments us all, it was the right thing to do.
Moving back into my childhood home has given me a sense of Deja Vu. In August 1965 Mom and Dad moved into a new home with two sons—the younger, a chubby one-year old. Fifty years later, my wife and I moved into the same house with our own chubby-cheeked (almost) one-year old.
Many things changed in the years between the first and second set of Priegue parents moving into the Cape Cod house in Queens. In 1965 Lyndon Johnson was President, the Beatles played Shea Stadium and the Kansas City Royals didn’t exist.
Parenting norms and guidelines changed as well:
Guidance and Advice—Fifty years ago parenting books barely existed. There were no internet, parenting websites, or Google searches. How did they survive? Parents relied on common sense (not a common commodity these days), family traditions, and baby whisperers. Some methods were inconsistent but many generations of children were raised this way—I’m one of them. I won’t say I turned out ok—the jury is still out on that one.
Child Proofing—In the 50s and 60s child proofing was more of a suggestion than a rule. It wasn’t as bad as—he fell down a flight of stairs or pulled a heavy chair onto himself. He’ll learn. However, it wasn’t far off either. These days’ parents can do a quick Internet search for guidelines, checklists and services to childproof their home. It takes some of the anxiety out of that loud crashing sound coming from the other room.
Car Seats—They didn’t exist in the ’60s, and seatbelts were ignored as well. Back then mom cradled her newborn in the front seat while the older children rode in the back—unbuckled. Jamming on the brakes potentially shot one of your children through the windshield like a projectile. This was before ambulance chasers and frivolous lawsuits existed. Just roll around on the ground and look hurt.
Today’s parents have multiple car seat options —maybe too many. Infant seats, forward-facing, rear-facing, one-year-old seats, two-year-old car seats, click and go seats attaching to baby strollers etc. the four-point restraint system in my son’s car seat resembles what NASCAR drivers use. It keeps him safe, but we’ll have to find another way to pay for his college education.
Corporal Punishment—Fifty years ago slapping, smacking and hitting a child were acceptable forms of discipline. Things change over time and most parents use other methods. Have we evolved or has the invention of the cell phone camera changed our thought process?
Baby Thermometers—This may be the greatest advancement in the past fifty years. Parents now have an efficient non-invasive tool for taking a child’s temperature. A quick scan or swab is all it takes, much better than the old way—the rectal thermometer. Resembling, and feeling like, a small harpoon, it was the gold standard for many years. Memories of it and the jar of Vaseline it was paired with still give me the full-body shiver. I’m a strong believer that technology is a good thing.
Although parenting guidelines change over time a parent desire to do right by their child doesn’t. I’ve had mental images of my son holding his infant child while shaking his head and chuckling as he looks back at the things we used while raising him.
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Photo: Alan Levine/Flickr
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You mentioned car seats … I have to LOL. When my daughter gave birth to our first grandson, I figured I’d get a car seat for our car and bought a used one only to find out it had an “expiration date?” Seriously? This thing looked like a NASCAR seat and was in pristine condition. We had a “Wonda-Chair” for our kids. It was all inclusive and although it looked like a small version of an electric chair, it had multiple uses. It converted from a car seat, rocker, attached to a table and converted into a stroller. AND you… Read more »
It’s amazing how many changes they have gone through in the last 15 years when my brother had his older daughter. Things evolve and change and when you look back you wonder what where we thinking?