The Evolution of Parenting: Easier Now or More Demanding?

Through the years, parenting has never been an easy task; even now it isn't, but then it's understandable that several factors have made it much bearable for the current generation of parents. However, one of the main reasons I believe people feel like the present generation has it easy is because they're presented with a mixture of challenges and conveniences that are driven by technological innovation, unlike previous generations that had to deal with a complex society. With that being said, I'll be walking you through some of the reasons why the present-day generation of parents have parenting become more seamless to them compared to previous generations of parents.

To start with, it's worth noting that I personally believe that present-day parents having parenting easy is a blend of blessings and curses, and I'll get back at the later part of this article, but for now, let's delve into some of the reasons why parents are said to have it much easier than the previous generations when it comes to parenting, and to start with, I'll say it's their easy access to information.

Unlike previous generations that have little or no access to technology devices, present-day parents have access to vast amounts of information through the internet, blogs, and even parent forums where they can easily meet up with like-minded people that'll educate them with valid information that can help with their duties as parents to their wards, be it in health, education, or child development. All of these, coupled together with access to expert advice that present-day parents have, is one of the reasons why I believe the present-day generation has it easy, as it grants them opportunities to make informed decisions at the nick of time.

Another reason why I believe present-day parents have it easy with their parental duties is their access to educational tools and resources. I could vividly remember my childhood days of how my parents struggled to help me with some difficult school assignments, questions, and more. Fast forward to present-day technology, as made that seamless, with loads of educational apps, interactive educational toys, virtual training, and many more that go on to not just promote the development and learning of their child but also reduce the amount of pressure parents would have undergone without such devices.

Last but not least, I'll say, is present-day parents access to a support network, a few years ago, especially using my childhood days as a focal point. One thing we notice is that parents back then relied mainly on their family and people of immediate society to get advice and share their experiences for better discharge of their duties as parents; however, present-day parents aren't held back by the barrier of their current location, as they've got access to a global community of parents to share their experiences with and seek advice from. This goes a long way in improving the efficiency of present-day parents.

With those few points, I believe we can all agree that, in truth, present-day parents have had it easier discharging their parental duties than previous generations; however, like I said in my opinion, this act is both a blessing and a curse. While I've focused on the blessings above, I'll briefly touch on the curse now, one of which is the challenges faced with digital safety. With the evolution of technology, children now have long hours of screen time, which not only exposes them to inappropriate content but also hinders them from having quality social and physical interactions, not forgetting the health repercussions such as eye strain, physical health risks, and more.

Additionally, too much dependency on social support and technical gadgets to help out with our duties as parents can go on to hinder parents-children's relationships; that'll help one bond well with their children and decipher what's wrong easily via the connection than the usual dependency on such devices. Well, the ability to strike a balance would greatly ease that downside, and I hope we as parents don't let technology override all our responsibilities.

All photos are mine.