Doug & Jenn

Doug & Jenn

Doug & Jenn look forward to spending their mornings with you. They hope that for you, like them, it's an every day thing.Full Bio

 

These Parenting Methods Over the Last 100 Years Are Nuts!

Parenting trends come and go, but some advice from the past for raising kids seems downright laughable now. Things that were recommended to parents of previous generations sound crazy today, even some that were backed by science. Rest assured, whatever mistakes you’re making with your kids probably aren't as bad as some of these terrible parenting trends of the last century.

  • Showing babies too little affection - Back in the 1920s, John Watson was the first American pop parenting expert and in his book, “Psychological Care of the Infant and Child,” he writes, “Never hug and kiss them, never let them sit in your lap.”
  • Baby cages - Another big trend that started in the 20s was the “portable baby cage.” They attached to windows so city kids could climb out on this suspended metal playpen-type thing and get fresh air.
  • Potty training newborns - In 1932, the U.S. Government published “Infant Care,” a booklet advising moms to start potty training their baby days after they were born. The idea was to get them trained by the time they were eight months old, and if you’ve ever potty trained a toddler, you can imagine what a mess this was.
  • Feeding babies solid food and coffee - In his 1962 book, “Bringing Up Baby,” pediatrician Walter W. Sackett, Jr encouraged parents to start feeding newborns cereal two days after birth, then moving up to bacon and eggs at three months. And he said by the time they were six months old, they should be drinking coffee every morning.
  • Not using common safety devices - Being a kid in the 60s and 70s meant riding in a car without a seatbelt and riding a bike without a helmet. It may seem like fun, except for the 116-thousand kids a year who suffered bicycle-related traumatic brain injuries that could’ve been prevented with a helmet.
  • Baby Einstein - By the time the 90s rolled around, the Baby Einstein series of early childhood education videos had parents plopping toddlers down in front of the TV to learn. Unfortunately, they were shown to delay language development, not boost it.
  • Helicopter parenting - This trend from the 2020s has parents with the best intentions getting involved in every single aspect of their kids’ lives and hovering over them. Being hands-on is good, but getting in the way of them learning independence? Not so much.

Check out today's Podcast where Doug & Jenn discuss these ridiculous "trends" in parenting!


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