Basic HTML Version
Whatever Happened to
OLD-FASHIONED
H
NTS?
by
Sheila Graham
U
NWED,
s in-
se ries, children's
g l e
par-
books and the mem-
o ri es of grandpar-
e n ts, com-
ents?
munal rel ation-
Loving, affection-
s hip s, co u p l es
ate parent s who
who choose oth e r
wanted success for
so-called alte r -
thei r children , but
native
1ife-
weren 't domineer-
ing- who beli eved
s t y les-a11 a re
in ed ucati on and
defined as fa mi-
quietly set hi gh
lies today.
standards for their
Fa milies arcn't
offspring? Are their
like gane forever?
dying, we're told,
No, fortunatcly.
they' re j ust chang-
There have always
ing to survive.
been those sure of
I n the United
their own moral and
States, for example,
et hical standards. So
rece nt government
sure that they could
reports s how the
stand fast in a so-
s tereotyped tradi-
called enlightened
tional family, com-
age of child rearing,
posed o f a wage-
~
and continue to pro-
earning father and a
~
tect thei r children,
stay-at-home mother
s
st ressing self-disci-
with children, be-
~
pline, following and
longs toan exclusive
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---J
teaching biblical
club of on ly
13
percent (other
dren. When both parents are
g uidelin es. Old-fashioned?
repor ts say 7 percent) of Ameri-
more bent on acquiring material
Maybe.
can households.
things than spending time with
But, ironically, social and psy-
The accelerated change of the
their families, their offspring are
chological data now point up that
family structure in j ust one gen-
justas ignored and lonely as those
such patterns of child rearing
eration is alarming to those who
of an overworked single parent.
create a more confident , innova-
are openminded enough to see the
What happened to old-fash-
tive child, better prepared to go
effects on the children involved .
ioned parents who thought good
out and explore life on bis or her
And, more oftcn than not , even
parenting was one of the primary
own. The experts are finally
the beleaguered, dwindling, two-
responsibilities of life? Have they
beginning to understand what
parent families of today are not
all been relegated in two genera-
good parents knew aJI along.
meeting the needs of their chil-
tions to a couple of television
Why aren' t there more of these
May 198 1
31