Several studies have revealed that for over two decades, parenting in America has become an obsession. For many moms and dads, being a lot more involved in their children's activities has become an important routine and obligation.
This child-centered obsession, however, also consumes the parents, especially among well-off families, to the point of competing with other parents. It also highlights the difference between low-income and affluent parents. Is America's obsession with parenting getting out of control?
In a think piece on The Atlantic, America's obsession with parenting highlights the disparity between low-income and affluent parents. It cited that college-educated moms and dads, who have the means to provide for their kids, are ramping up the way they parent following studies that suggest brain stimulation is the key to raising children to become successful.
#Parents of all income & education levels are spending more time promoting their kids' development https://t.co/X83Oj4WkyU @TheAtlantic
— ZERO TO THREE (@ZEROTOTHREE) December 13, 2016
So then the more capable parents bombard their kids with plenty of activities. Since the '90s, childcare cost saw an increase as parents willingly spend for what they think the children need. They believe that this will prepare the kids for good colleges.
Low-income parents, on the other hand, do not have the economic means to provide for their kids. They are slowly catching up though. Studies have also shown that by 2012, there has been a slight increase among low-income parents who have become more engaged in their children's development in the recent decade.
This came with the help of certain organizations that subsidize and provide for low-income families. Now, children from the poorer sectors have access to books and other activities for free and their parents are taking that opportunity.
This has indeed become a small but significant step to parenting among low-income American families, but experts say that it's still not on the same level as the more affluent and educated parents. Still, the intent to be involved is present.
The Conversation describes America's obsession with parenting as "parenting determination." It centers on the idea that parental involvement is the only determinant to a child's success in adulthood, even as there are still other factors.
This has its advantages in many ways. But on the flipside, America's obsession with parenting also brought on paranoid parents who constantly worry about their children's future.
