The Challenges of Parenting Today
Parenting today is a lot different from parenting a couple of decades ago. Our society is constantly evolving entailing various changes in the dynamics between parent and child.
Effective parenting today requires that the parent is fully aware of the world their children live in. Today’s world is highly technical, for one. Technology is very much part of our daily lives. You will see eight year olds with their own cell phones. Most kids spend time chatting online than watching TV. Protecting your kids from online dangers such as child pornography is a major issue in parenting today that all parents must educate themselves on.
Media and the fascination with celebrities also wield greater influence in today’s society than ever before and these elements affect parenting today because they help shape a child’s views. It’s all about me, me and me in the modern world so it is not surprising that children grow up focused on themselves and whatever they want.
Child experts have said that children today are more advanced and mature than kids in the eighties, for instance. Children today start dating at a much younger age, often before they reach their teens and many fifteen year olds are already sexually active. These are just some of the hard issues of parenting today that parents need to address.
Another major concern in parenting today is the development of a child’s physical self-image, often compared to celebrities and models. More and more teenage girls want to undergo cosmetic surgery to enhance their physical appearance and look like the people they see in movies, TV shows and fashion magazines – their models of perfection.
This goal of becoming “perfect” also leads to eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia in many teenager girls, which originates from poor self-image, insecurities and the constant message they get from media that being beautiful means being thin.
With all these challenges of parenting today, how can parents help and guide their children and keep them safe from harm? Communication, the basic principle of parenting, remains integral in parenting today. You need to verbally express your love to your children. Listen to them instead of lecture. Discipline in a firm but loving manner. Develop their self-confidence by allowing them to make simple decisions early in life and do not forget to praise their accomplishments or take note of their good behavior.
Build a strong foundation of love, respect, and self-confidence from the moment of birth so they will become well-equipped to make the right decisions on their own.
Written By Milos Pesic, A single father and expert in the field of Parenting who runs a highly popular and comprehensive Parenting [http://parenting.need-to-know.net/] web site. For more articles and resources on parenting, teen parenting, step parenting, parenting classes and much more visit his site at: [http://parenting.need-to-know.net/