Do you think older parents can manage the modern day parenting?

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   DDEposted 7 years ago

   Do you think older parents can manage the modern day parenting?
   
   Older couples have children at a much later stage in their lives and this can be frustrating. Raising  young children in this modern day is a challenging effort.
   How do older couples manage parenting young children?
   For example: If a couple had a  child in the eighties and they were then in their thirty to forties.  How do they understand their child now aged twenty eight? While the parents are now in their sixties it becomes a great effort.

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   Kathleen Cochranposted 7 years ago

   As a grandparent in her 60s, I can tell you I don't have the energy I had with my own children in my 30s.  But life's wisdom counts for a lot, and I think older parents have an advantage raising their children in patience and perseverance.  Maybe not so much in energy!

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      DDEposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Kathleen Cochran, energy and mental fitness, including patience is sometimes a problem with older parenting. An interesting and helpful answer. Thank you.

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   Ericdierkerposted 7 years ago

   This is a very interesting question for me as I am 60 with a 7 year old child. I was married before very young. And have wonderful children by that marriage.
   I remember there being big deals over what now seems just routine in a child's growth. Sicknesses, bee stings, having some problems with reading and stuff like spirituality. Worrying about being just right as a parent.
   The drama just is not there anymore. My boy keeps me active and learning and learning. 100 questions in a minute is what it seems like. Things like homework and physical training are made to be fun now and not serious. Well serious in effort but not as stressful.
   My wife now is much younger and our boy is her one and only. So her panic button is like mine was, so many years ago.
   My elder daughter remarks that she wishes she had me as a parent. The joke and irony are obvious.
   Love also seems to be the highest priority now. Where as before it was achievement.
   In my 20's I was still finding my own way. Now I am reflecting on it. It seems to me that I am more likely nowadays to respect my son's feelings and not say stuff like telling him to get over it. And probably now I am more concerned with sharing and friendship. I do not need to be a righteous dictator. Reason above "because I said so" is now the norm. I simply am more secure and comfortable in my own skin.
   But in the end all of my children love life and others. So perhaps parenting plays less of a role than genetics. And now I am good with that.

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      Kathleen Cochranposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      I had a stepfather in my teens who didn't get parenting.  His daughter was born when I was 15.  Through her childhood, he became a parent.  It was interesting to watch and I agree with your older daughter.  That was the father I'd liked to have had.

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      Ericdierkerposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Kathleen something tells me that you have been generally good throughout your life. I just did not come out that way. I am a slow learner. And so it is true for me that I inherited wisdom from my children.

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      DDEposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      The older parenting tricks can be a problem. Sometimes having a child at an older age can be alarming. Thank you for sharing your answer.

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      Ericdierkerposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Devika it is so very interesting that you and I see it completely different. There is no generation gap in my life at all and my children are from 7 to 34. I do not believe that Love allows for misunderstanding and different values a a core level.

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   peachpurpleposted 7 years ago

   Good question. My parents in law who are in their 70s could not accept out parenting patterns. They disagree that scolding, caning and proper diet are the right way to educate a child. They would try their way to stop us when we try to educate our child. In the end, we had to bring our child into our room for a good lecture. Without them seeing.

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      Venkatachari Mposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Scolding and canning are old methods of parenting. Nowadays, it is only love that teaches children. Otherwise, they get distanced from parents.

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      Glenis Rixposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      If a parent in the UK caned a child that child would be taken into care and the parent would probably end up behind bars.

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      DDEposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Wow!  That sounds unfair to you trying educate your child. Thank you for taking part here. I asked the question:   I know of couples in their sixties with a daughter of 28. Understanding is a problem.

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   Venkatachari Mposted 7 years ago

   Very good Question, Devika. But, I think it depends upon the approach adopted and not on the age of the parents. If the parents are good enough to adapt to the new environment of lifestyles and are smart enough to treat them with love and handle everything in a cool manner, it is very easy to parent even in modern parenting environments. It will be a good mix of the modern life and the great age-old cultures.

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      DDEposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Interesting answer, I have noticed that older parents are more concerned of their young child. A lot stricter and more cautious in some cases. Culture does have a lot with raising children at any age. Thank you.

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   Raimeeposted 2 years ago

   With wisdom and patience. We have to accept that generations are changing, that life is changing, and we can't be what we were 10, 20, or 30 years ago. I have always been there for the sake of evolving personally and professionally, to be in line with the young generation. I am 40 years old, and I have 3 wonderful children. I recently became a foster parent for a less fortunate teenager. She is a wonderful 15-year-old girl whose parents died in a car accident. When I heard her story from https://fosterplus.org, I was sensitized, and my husband and I decided that this little girl deserves to have a beautiful life with us and help her build a  future.

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