Child Rearing In The 1920's

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Throughout the decades, parenting has evolved resulting in altered child rearing experiences for adults. It has changed from the 1920s, when children had to work no matter where they lived, to now where you can't discipline your kid and society decides what is right. Punishing your child became customary over time, but today physical punishment is highly frowned upon. Looking into each of the decades since 1920, family life has been focused on the child and influenced by community expectations.

To start, 1920s-30s were mainly about the children's change from working to learning. In the 1920s children in the city were seen by society as adults that needed to be working. Rural kids worked on their farms as soon as they could. This was expected …show more content…

Starting in the 1940s kids were able to have more of a sense of adventure and go exploring things. They also created a stronger bond with their mom. This was because the community saw it as she brought the child into the world and therefore knew the best life lessons to give. As John B Watson's philosophy was dying down, Benjamin Spock and his parenting tips came into play. He leaned more toward understanding of the child than punishment. He stated to parents, “Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do.” Spock was more about how kids need to explore and how they deserve love. Furthermore every child needs a father and a mother to be there (Spock). In the 50s, the Attachment Theory was coming into play allowing children the sense of security and giving them the opportunity to be more adventurous. Punishments were still in play and even to a harsher degree. Some boys would get hit with a cane and girls on the knuckles with a ruler. These punishments were commonly afflicted due to the child not acting as proper as expected …show more content…

Beginning in the 80s, divorce rates began to skyrocket and parenting itself started to become hands off. On top of all this, there were a few people who gave advice on baby care. This being the hot topic of these decades (BBC). One of these people, Nancy Kohner wrote, "For the first two months or so, the safest way for babies to sleep is on their fronts, head to one side, or else curled up on one side. Then if they are sick there is no chance that they will choke." This was horrible advice from the child rearing "experts" at the time because they hadn't realized the baby would suffocate if placed face down (Gil, Ali, Jenny). For older children disciplining had transferred into the reasoning and praising of good behavior. The 1990s saw the continued rising of divorce rates and an increase in close parenting. This close parenting was known as “helicopter parenting". This form of parenting created antisocial behavior from children, yet children were increasingly independent

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