Generation Gap: Navigating Summer Activity Schedules for Children

Continuing into our 10th year with Generation Gap, Dorothy, Ray and Jason, talk about hard learned tips for navigating parenthood. OH, come on. We must know something. Dorothy observes that one thing that was the most successful tool for her children’s good behavior was sending them to their room - for an extended period. The time in the room was important to produce good character and providing a much needed break for Mom. A thing that surprised me today is that I heard parents comparing notes and mostly they had one or two children. I countered that I didn't expect to be very successful, but in the 1950's or 60's When summer came, children were much more likely to be ushered outside after breakfast and told not to come back until dinner. Ray says he was told not to come back unless you were bleeding. In today's show, you'll hear Dorothy and Jason recall their growing up years. Surprisingly they don't recall feeling neglected, but you may be surprised at how Ray looks at the changes the millennials have created. Each generation tackles unique major life events that shape their parenting style, causing it to differ from one decade to the next. According to Holly Schiff, PsyD, a licensed clinical psychologist, Gen X'ers are known for employing the helicopter parenting style. Helicopter parenting refers to a parenting style where the parent is excessively present in the child's life, and hovers over all that they do—similar to a helicopter. In today's show Jason, Ray and Dorothy each highlight how current events change your parenting skills. Jason outlines the issues that arise as children approach adulthood, Ray is dealing with a the daily discoveries of having a four year old, and Dorothy is facing the fact that her children are all senior citizens. She is bemused. [Gen X parents] support their children's individualism and making their own choices. They encourage their children to be more independent and try new things. Boomers are known for being a generation of parents that pushed high educational standards and high standards of living, which might explain why Gen X was one of the first generations of parents to move away from a more authoritarian discipline style and lean towards learning what the best ways to parent are. “Millennial parents tend to be more open minded than any of the generations before them,” Dr. Kelley says. “For that reason, they do not ascribe to overly specific parenting styles, but rather find value in positive parenting over authoritarian discipline.” This might be due to the fact that Millennials also have fewer children, explains Dr. Schiff. This is largely influenced by financial realities like growing mortgage rates, rising living costs, and the crash of the job market—which can make self-sufficiency unachievable for many.1 Furthermore, the rise of social media and technology very much shapes how they parent. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices