What children are taught changes depending on the circumstances and values of society.
Sometimes, however, we are surprised that something we thought was perfectly normal disappears from one generation to the next.
Here are 6 examples of things that no child learns anymore, or at least masters like children did back then.
Is this a bad thing? That remains to be seen!
Read also: How Do You Know If Your Child Doesn’t Respect You? (11 Easy Signs)
1. Stand on one leg
According to a study, 5-year-old children are increasingly less able to stand on one leg or walk backward.
A notable phenomenon in urban areas where more than 40% of children are considered to have underdeveloped motor skills.
Moreover, certain sporting activities such as rope climbing or balancing on poles, practiced at the time in schools, are no longer authorized because no child has the capacity anymore.
2. Sit quietly
Children of this generation find it difficult to sit quietly at a spot.
Most children these days can’t sit in one place to learn from their teachers or parents, they love to jump around.
It’s difficult to think about the time when children had to stand during lessons and when schools included long religious speeches or the flag salute in their daily routine.
3. Do the dishes
In 2016, 60% of American households had a dishwasher.
Today, this figure is on the rise, so it is no wonder that children are no longer learning to wash dishes by hand.
Children also vacuum less often, after all, what else would the robot vacuum be used for?
We can therefore wonder whether this reason explains the constant decline in the proportion of children carrying out household chores.
4. Make the laces
Only half of children aged 4 to 5 can dress themselves.
While 20 years ago, children considered it a point of pride to be able to tie their shoes before going to school, many primary schools today recommend velcro shoes because teachers don’t want to spend their time tying shoelaces.
5. Give a kiss to say hello
Before, it was normal for children to kiss the cheek and shake hands with visitors.
Today, parents no longer force children to have physical contact.
They can simply say hello verbally and no longer have to kiss or touch their visitors if they don’t feel like it.
6. Being alone
Taking care of your siblings, warming up your food, exploring your home by yourself, and being alone are things children get to do later nowadays.
This is good because parents spend more time with their kids.
In the past, some children had too much responsibility, which could lead to problems.
But childhood becomes less exciting when the only place for adventures is a city park.
Education reflects society.
In the past, kids were treated more strictly, but now we focus on their feelings and give them more freedom.
However, this has made some kids less independent.
In cities, children rarely play outside and do fewer chores at home.
So, it’s up to parents to decide what’s right for their child.
Do you think things were better before, or do you prefer how things are now?
Read also: How Do You Deal With an Arrogant Child? (9 Easy Tips)
Errors Parents Make Which Disrupt The Development of Their Children
Raising kids is hard. What we do as parents affects how our children grow and develop.
The way they grow up, how we act, and what we teach them all influence their personality and future success.
Psychologists have found that some parenting mistakes can even lead to problems like depression and stress in the future.
So, it’s important to be a good parent.
Here are the errors parents should avoid when raising their kids:
1. Yelling at children
If parents shout or say mean things to their kids, it’s really bad for them.
It’s like a cycle: when kids act up, parents get mad and yell, but that makes kids behave even worse.
A study found that yelling has the same bad effects as physical punishment, like causing behavior problems or making kids feel sad.
So, it’s better to avoid yelling and find other ways to discipline and communicate with your children.
2. Too much television
Excessive television consumption isn’t beneficial for young children.
A study in 2007 showed that too much TV can slow down how they learn to talk and pay attention.
It might also make it harder for them to learn.
That doesn’t mean they can’t watch any TV, just don’t let them watch too much.
3. Irregular bedtimes
There is a link between children’s behavior and bedtime.
This was proven by British scientists in a study carried out in 2013.
Children who go to bed at irregular times tend to be hyperactive and have social and emotional difficulties.
Additionally, significant changes in sleep duration can harm the brain.
According to one of the study’s authors, irregularities in sleep patterns, especially during crucial developmental stages, pose a significant concern.
4. Excessive mothering
Wanting to participate in your child’s life is completely normal and understandable.
But some parents go to excess by wanting to control everything and mother their children.
However, researchers at the University of Tennessee have found that this type of parenting can lead to depression and stress-related disorders in children.
They are also more likely to take antidepressants later in the future and be dissatisfied with their lives.
5. Being cold and distant
Teaching kids without showing them love or support can cause issues.
They might become insecure and have trouble forming bonds with others.
A study from 1986 found that not getting affection can make kids feel lonely and isolated.
So, it’s important to be loving and encouraging as a parent or educator.
6 Giving children few responsibilities
Parents who constantly tell their children what they should or should not do harm their development.
A Vanderbilt University study found that children who are given virtually no responsibility have less self-confidence later in life and will be very dependent on others daily.
Instead, parents should help their children act independently and take responsibility.
This helps them to better manage conflicts, resist group pressure, and be able to express their desires and opinions.
7. Being constantly distracted
Having parents who are constantly distracted can have a very negative impact on a child’s development.
Some doctors even believe that a large proportion of children’s disorders are caused by distracted parents.
A study conducted by Pennsylvania State University in 2015 showed that attention to cell phones can have a serious impact on a child’s health.
Indeed, parents spend their time on the Internet and thus pay less attention to their children, responding less to their needs.
8. Violent behavior with children
Researchers have looked at what happens when parents hit their kids since the 1980s.
They found that it often makes kids more hyper and aggressive.
Newer studies show that kids who act up at school are more likely to be hit at home.
Hitting can also cause mental and behavioral problems when they grow up.
So, it’s better to use other ways to discipline children.
9. Being bossy
Psychologist Diana Baumrinde divided parenting styles into three categories in the 1960s: permissive, disengaged, and authoritarian.
The authoritarian style is the lowest rated.
Authoritarian parents are more likely to favor punitive parenting over discussion and explanation.
Their children must obey, which hinders their personal development.
A 2005 study also confirmed that children of authoritarian parents do less well in school.
They do not understand why they should learn since they do not have the rational explanation of parents, who instead only give them orders.
What is right and wrong is, of course, unique to each individual.
Although many of the studies were not conducted over a long enough period, they do highlight that there are behaviors that parents should avoid in order not to harm their children in the long term.
Conclusion
Learning to be a good parent is a continuous process.
It is something you do patiently with love.
We need a lot of time as a parent to learn and understand our children better.
This helps us to give our children the best training they deserve.