Philadelphia is My Home

10
Sep

Philly Parents Under A Microscope

Author: Momish, Category: General, Just Ranting, Kids, Local News

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Have you had a chance to read the article in this month’s Philadelphia Magazine about Bad Parents, written by Tom McGrath? If you haven’t, then I suggest you take a moment and read it.  It’s that good.  And necessary, I might add.

I am so excited about this article and similar articles I have recently read that finally are speaking up and lashing out at the ridiculous parenting trends of today.  You know what I am talking about, where the child is the center of the universe and all that stuff.   Where parents are too emeshed and involved in their kids lives, to the point of overlooking their own lives as valuable.

My favorite passage was the author recalling how his parents never got involved in his childhood endeavors, yet alone managing and controlling them like today’s parents do:

“The only time I remember either of them getting involved was the day my mother casually suggested that rather than making 67 phone calls, we simply agree to meet every morning at a particular time. It was a great idea that I completely ignored, but to my mother’s unending credit, she never mentioned it again. Perhaps because she had a life.”

That last line had me cheering in my seat.  What is wrong with having a life? Why is it that parents suddenly forgo their own existence the minute they have a kid.  Suddenly, the kid’s soccer and ballet schedules override the parent’s social life.  Suddenly, the kid’s school achievements override the parent’s career advancement.

I don’t get it.  I don’t want to get. But I am glad other people are finally speaking out and doing valuable research that shows such over coddling only hurts and hinders in the end.

As the author keenly points out:

“Unfortunately, evidence is steadily mounting that The Way We Parent Now — roughly defined as giving your child as much opportunity and attention as possible, while requiring little from him or her in return — is turning out to be something of a disaster, at least in terms of producing, you know, well-adjusted, contributing human beings.”

Although he mentions many scenarios and tidbits regarding mostly Philly parents, it actually describes this budding generation of elite professional parents, regardless of where they live. 

Go read it, then tell me what you think.