To wonder how people will parent in 30 years...

[Oakenbeach]

I’m mid-40s and remember when smacking, even in school, was accepted, back seat belts were optional, let alone car seats, and bike helmets just didn’t exist.... it got me thinking where we’ll be in 30 years or so if things continue as they are. I’m thinking:

It will be mandatory for children to wear safety helmets and an assortment of pads when taking part in any physical activity at school. Parents who don’t dress their kids to go out will run the risk of zealots reporting them to SS

It will be expected that you supervise your children up and down stairs until the age of at least 12.

Chocolate and sweets will be treated like tobacco is today.... sharing a mouthful of cake with their children will be a safeguarding matter

Telling your child to do anything, even calmly, will be decried as abusive by many, as “you’d never tell an adult to do anything!”. Asking politely, whatever the circumstances, will be the only acceptable way to get a child to do anything. Teachers will risk the sack if they don’t.

Kids will be chipped, like pets.

Kids being chipped would actually be a good thing?!

Kids will be chipped, like potatoes

I think it could go the other way. The rather bloodless teens of today strike me as likely becoming this sort of parent... I think their kids will be the next wave of rebellion and fight back and probably be much less helicopterish in their parenting style.

I don't see that extending to "here's a sandwich, sod off for the day" to youngish dc though, we are rightly careful now.

It will be outlawed that every parent will look after their off spring until they die and you won’t even hint that they should get a job.

They should be waited in hand and foot and not expected to lift a finger around the home

Extra tuition and after school clubs will be mandatory and you’ll get reported for not allowing Sophie to play clarinet and drums if she so chooses

@AirBiscuit

I’d love if we could chip them

You’ll need to ask for permission to bathe or change your small child.

You won’t be able to say ‘it’s a girl/boy!’ as you’ll be seen as forcing them into a gender choice.

Giving sandwiches for lunch, and not some painstakingly weird and wonderful choice made into the shape of an animal, will be classed as abuse.

There'll be no next generation because contractual consent can't be obtained from an ovum or sperm. Therefore no one can ask to be born and therefore shouldn't be!!

@AirBiscuit

You won’t be able to say ‘it’s a girl/boy!’ as you’ll be seen as forcing them into a gender choice
And they'll be referred to as "it" untill they're able to tell you otherwise

Actually there is so much research now showing that not letting children take risks or have freedom is linked to anxiety and depression in teenagers that I think and hope it will go the other way.

They will all be crate trained.

I wouldn't be surprised if in 30 years there was a new word to describe children that was gender neutral. And I don't think that's a bad thing!

Hopefully things will swing back to be more about community than the individual, less permissive parenting and greater respect eg for others (eg teachers)

CoastalWave
please tell me you are being sarcastic!

If you are white, middle class and male you will find it next to impossible to get a job.

If you are the above and privately schooled, you will be unemployable.

I remember reading a book about the history of childhood/parenting. The overall impression it gave was of a continuous pendulum swing between permissive (child-centred) and authoritarian (adult centred).

It'd be great to grow up during a permissive period and live your adulthood in an authoritarian one. Unfortunately I and the rest of my generation did the opposite.

Children will be able to eat anything they like from the fridge, at any time. Even if they eat meals the rest of the family were going to eat. To ask them not to do this will be abuse, controlling and overly strict. (Actually some parents think this is okay now)

I think excessive helicoptering may switch to increased independence.

Maybe the offspring of babied adult-children will be totally feral because their parents are completely unable to do grown-upping and lack the skills and resiliance to parent their children. I am exaggerating, but I think there could be a swing.

Contemporary play equipment is being designed to be more challenging than 20 years ago because it wasn't stimulating children's physical development.

We certainly aren't seeing a happier generation of teenagers at present.

I reckon angrily shouting at your children will become more unacceptable, and will start to be seen the way hitting is now.

Woah... Have you been in a coma since 2005... Shouting at children is seen as abuse by many today!...

I think cars will be built with the rear seat facing backwards as standard so that extended rear facing until they can drive themselves will be the norm.

They will be allowed to do exactly what they want, when they want - with no thought of how their behaviour affects others, and if anyone objects they will have the parent of the dear little darling screaming in their face...Oh! Hang on! .....

It will be mandatory to have your child wrapped in a heavy layer of Nerf (other soft, protective materials are available) at all times.

No Nerf? Child protection plan.

Also;

• Safeguarding procedures if your child consumes any sugar at all.
• Compulsory school age will be between 3 and 21.
• Parents must save up enough to provide their child(ren) with driving lessons, a car, insurance and a hefty deposit for their first home. This will be a requirement (proof of savings before TTC.)
• McDonalds will be an 18+ only 'establishment'
• Children must have planned entertainment/activities for every waking minute of their day. Free play? ABUSE.
• Saying 'no' to your child(ten) or calling them naughty will be a punishable offence.