Parenting - Then and Now....

I somehow stumbled upon a site which mentioned ‘When should I start reading to my baby?’  It took me down my memory lane.  Back then, sixteen years ago, though not a pre-internet era, the accessibility was limited or so I thought.  To my surprise, it was the same method I had adopted.  I used to sing a rhyme to my three months old baby while I fed and bathed her and she watched me with her eyes wide open, smiling.  Soon she had picked up the lines too.  I had never referred to any information.  I never had felt the need or the necessity of it. Rather I believed it is the instinct that comes along with motherhood.   

‘Right potty training age’ caught my attention as I scrolled.  I had exactly done the same way what had been mentioned. And I still remember when my child started sitting upright, I gave her pieces of crushed dry fruits in a bowl and she picked the pieces one by one, slowly putting into her little mouth.  A few crayon colours were enough to keep her occupied while I left for my job in the morning. 

Today, there are too many manuals to count and Google is just a click away.  Looking back at the way I grew up, I really feel parenthood was much simpler compared to today.  We would go out and play with our friends.   We were really left to our own devices and what was great about that was there was a feeling of autonomy and self-direction.  But of course there was a much greater risk.    

What do you think are the biggest differences between parenting today and back in the '60s, '70s or '80s? Chime in the comments below.  

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