Comments on: The decline of parenting skills

By: Club Troppo » Missing Link Daily

Club Troppo » Missing Link Daily — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 19:04:12 +0000

[...] for the money presently allocated to the Baby Bonus policy – increase teacher pay.tigtog points out the elephant in the room in discussions of declining parenting skills22. GT: I hope someone’s keeping an eye on it to [...]

By: Sister Suffragette

Sister Suffragette — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 23:33:54 +0000

This goes straight to my heart Tigtog. So much of what you’ve written is just so spot on, but your idea about the mobile workforce is what rings especially true for me and my family. We have a master plan of returning to our home city and living in two houses on one block with my parents- to create this exact sort of communal living set-up with a vegie garden and four pairs of adult eyes to watch the children (and dog) as they go about their learning and growing. For me, being the SAHM we are daily reiterating the gender roles. Daddy goes out early and returns after dark while Mummy is home cooking and wiping bums. We’re a happy clan, but knowing life could be so much more pulls at the heart strings- I feel the kids’ world view could be so much more varied. If only life were different eh? If my feller could find fulfilling work in a small city, if his brother and family were there too. Career choices made in early adulthood can have these life-changing ramifications for years down the track. Our culture needs to talk about this more so that people can make their decisions in an informed way- to be encouraged to stay put rather than to roam the globe in persuit of career goals. Family goals deserve to be held as at least equally important.

And, Ms Kate- sending your older kids over to watch your neighbor’s littlies is just brilliant grass roots community building- hurrah for you!!!

By: “I’ll get your mother” « Wallaby

“I’ll get your mother” « Wallaby — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 15:50:05 +0000

[...] Jo Tamar I’ve been thinking about parenting in various ways lately, kicked off by various posts. I’ve even written a couple of posts. These have mostly been to do with the roles of mothers [...]

By: Two Unusual Tales at Hoyden About Town

Two Unusual Tales at Hoyden About Town — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 02:54:16 +0000

[...] discussed alternative co-parenting arrangements a few weeks ago: the nuclear family is not necessarily the best way to raise children. Marriage and [...]

By: Where are the men? « Wallaby

Where are the men? « Wallaby — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 22:46:20 +0000

[...] are the easiest or best way to raise children. I’ve thought this for a long time, and tigtog’s recent post on this reflects very strongly some of my thoughts about this. Interestingly, this comment describes pretty [...]

By: Brett

Brett — Tue, 27 May 2008 23:10:10 +0000

I completely agree with your blog and ideas about the needs to change our parenting ways. We certainly have some challenges to overcome if we want to get back to some sort of basics in bringing up our children.

By: If you were the parent you want to be, who would you be? « blue milk

If you were the parent you want to be, who would you be? « blue milk — Thu, 22 May 2008 13:17:31 +0000

[...] know shit about babies, even after having them. There is an interesting discussion over here that I meant to link to a while ago (like when it was actually [...]

By: kate

kate — Thu, 08 May 2008 03:48:42 +0000

kris: Our midwife gave the Bloke a refresher course on cloth, maybe that’s a hippy birth centre thing. Our Nappy Wash deliveries also came with a set of helpful diagrams. This resulted in visitors coming to meet the baby and staying to fold nappies. Mates who had younger siblings had flashbacks.

I meant only that learning to stick a nappy on doesn’t take that long, and once you’ve learned it you’re done. Except of course that the little buggers start moving around and running round the house half naked while you chase after them trying to catch up before they wee on the carpet.

By: Wednesday Linkblogging 07/05/08 « (Liminal) Spaces

Wednesday Linkblogging 07/05/08 « (Liminal) Spaces — Wed, 07 May 2008 10:56:18 +0000

[...] The decline of parenting skills at Hoyden About Town tigtog discusses the declining knowledge people have about child development and some of the possible reasons, and has some suggestions about community-based parenting. Even in my adamant child-free-ness, I think there are some great ideas. [...]

By: Rebekka

Rebekka — Wed, 07 May 2008 01:24:43 +0000

” Of course, the Baby’s First Year Books aren’t marketed to the fathers, are they?”

Actually, they used to be – well into the 18th century almost all child care manuals were addressed to fathers. Of course this may have had quite a bit to do with a gender imbalance in literacy rates, but the father was seen as the primary parent – and the work women did with children, like nursing and changing nappies – wouldn’t have had to have been taught, as they would have watched other women do it all their lives.