Parents-to-be - To take basic parenting courses?

1. 60

   richtwfposted 14 years ago

   We learn to drive before we gain a license to drive responsibly on the road.
   
   As parents-to-be, they are expected to parent their future children as responsibly as they can.
   
   Parents are never given an instruction manual to parenting. It's up to the initiative of the parents to be informed.
   
   Do you think that in the best interest of our children that some form of mandatory parenting course should be undertaken by parents-to-be?

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2. 72

   WryLiltposted 14 years ago

   Yes but I think the course should be very basic.
   
   As soon as there is a mandatory course, someone will come along and tell everyone they're wrong - whether it's about Breast/Bottle, Controlled/Uncontrolled Crying, Smacking/Not Smacking, Too much love/not enough love.
   
   Although I think it would be good to give teenage girls mandatory implanon until they've passed a test involving caring for a young child for one week!

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   1. 60

      richtwfposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Yes I agree. I think that there should be some basic course and I like the idea of maybe putting teenagers through a simulator to see how they cope with the experience of day to day basic parenting tasks. It certainly would be interesting to watch them instead of them watching TV and being fascinated by the rubbish that the general media feed them.

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3. 87

   rebekahELLEposted 14 years ago

   ideally parenting skills should be taught long before one becomes a parent. parents used to do a better job of preparing their own offspring how to be adults.
   it doesn't happen that way anymore.
   
   it is rather insane that something so important is left to chance. some kids are fortunate, others not so fortunate. then you see why so much is expected from teachers. all parenting affects society and future generations.
   
   some basic parenting classes should be part of a high school curriculum. I don't think they have home skills classes any longer but they were helpful.

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   1. 60

      richtwfposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Agree and maybe it's about time, especially with the rise in general teenage pregnancy, that basic classes should be introduced into the curriculum along with other important basic life lessons like personal financial management skills.

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      1. 87

         rebekahELLEposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         I think we will start to see more of it along with classes on personal financial planning. personal finances should begin in elementary school in my opinion. many kids receive allowances. the value of work needs to be taught early.

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4. 69

   Mishaposted 14 years ago

   I don't think anything mandated by government could be in the best interest of my children. Oh, and btw, drivers license does not make a responsible driver - all those idiots on the road possess licenses, too...

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   1. 84

      Aya Katzposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I agree.

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5. 40

   Mikeydoesposted 14 years ago

   Find out everything you need through the internet via baby forums.
   
   It is always better to get free advice from people who have done it.

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6. 83

   wychicposted 14 years ago

   Ideally, we all have a "parenting training course" long before we become parents...it comes by watching and learning from our own parents. This is one of the fundamental things that can't be foisted off on the schools or other government structures, it is very squarely the parents' job to teach their kids. I agree that courses should be available, as they are now, for those who don't feel that they learned enough basics from their own parents, but it shouldn't be forced down the throats of those who got a very firm foundation while they were growing up. I think 18 years (give or take a few years) learning from your own parents will impart a heck of a lot more than a training course, even if some of us do learn plenty about what not to do.

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