From ‘ the little prince ’ to childtyrant |
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From the moment reproduction was no longer a matter of chance but a deliberate choice , the scope of parental responsibility experienced an exponential growth : I have decided to bring this child into the world , and I must ensure it has the best possible life . The pursuit of happiness and the avoidance of frustration became the supreme objectives – objectives to be achieved by embracing the dogma of consumerist society : buy to be happy . The pressure on parents to satisfy their offspring ’ s every wish has turned children into miniature Kim Jong Uns : intransigent , impatient , and dictatorial , their desires brook no compromise . Parents are trapped in a hellish race that began with the laudable intention to protect their children , with no end in sight . |
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Employees or parents ? |
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Does becoming a parent really require exceptional courage , ironclad perseverance and an acceptance of privations ? Dressed in camouflage uniform , weighed down by a military pack filled with heavy responsibilities , the young parent blows an emotional kiss to their former way of life , bidding farewell to a serene home life , free of shouting and chaos … Might this be an over-dramatisation of parenthood ? Is it really so difficult to be a good parent ? |
It was better before ...
It ’ s tempting to look at the past through rose-tinted spectacles , with a sense of nostalgia , but giving some thought to how things used to be is not always a pointless exercise : immersed in our own story , it ’ s easy to forget that things weren ’ t always as they are now . Before the early twentieth century , the infant mortality rate was high and parental leave non-existent . Despite these harsh conditions , the parents of previous eras seemed to view their role with a serenity that we don ’ t see today . Having children was simply part of the biological process , not an act that gave rise to economic , ecological , or existential considerations . The number of children in a family was a matter for nature or divine will , depending on one ’ s personal beliefs . A parent ’ s mission was to ensure their offspring ’ s survival , while children were expected to be useful to the family . Pragmatism and productivity were the key words for families until modern medicine and the advent of consumer society changed the paradigm .
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While responsibility can be laid at society ’ s door to some extent , businesses also bear some responsibility . Meetings scheduled at the end of the day , constant pressure for results , and difficulty in disconnecting from work in the evening or at weekends mean that a choice has to be made : parent or employee . Although the expression “ work-life balance ” is omnipresent , the theory rarely matches the practice , and a smooth reconciliation of these two roles is rare . Parents are condemned to a schizophrenic way of life that encourages them to have children but makes it impossible to engage with them , as screens compensate for parental absence and erect walls of incomprehension between the generations . Against this backdrop , it can hardly come as a surprise that the birth rate is falling significantly in many countries . The younger generation , aware of the paradoxes created by our society , is increasingly reluctant to follow the path of parenthood .
The good parent may be an endangered species , but the threat to their existence has many origins : the inconsistencies of a consumer society , the harsh demands of the working world , and loneliness , faced with the complexities of parenthood . A parent ’ s role is undoubtedly to protect their children , but parents as a class must also be protected if we expect them to carry out this mission successfully . Society as a whole , as well as individual communities , must take on this responsibility .
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