This archive report was first published on 18 August 2019.
Published on August 18, 2019, by Caroline Njung'E, the Editor of 'Society' and Magazines at the 'Daily Nation', this article delves into the crisis of modern-day parenting.
As the author recounts a conversation between a mother and her eight-year-old son, it becomes apparent that the parenting style of today is vastly different from that of the past.
While parents in the past would simply tell their children what to do, modern parents often suggest, reason, and negotiate with their children. Some even plead with them, and when that doesn't work, they take matters into their own hands.
The author reminisces about their own childhood, where a sharp glance from their mother was enough to communicate a multitude of things, including 'wait until we get home', 'stop what you're doing', and 'behave'.
However, with the advent of the internet, urbanisation, and modernity, parenting has become a complex and daunting task. The author notes that in today's perilous times, parents cannot afford to parent the way their parents raised them.
With the rise of 'how-to' parenting guides and seminars, it seems that parents are struggling to keep up with the demands of modern parenting. The author asks if we are indeed inept, clueless, and helpless when it comes to raising our children.
