Ten Key Trends in the Future of Parenting

The future of parenting in the aftermath of disasters such as 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina has cast a pervasive sense of insecurity and vulnerability, and has prompted many people to reevaluate the importance of their families. After all, in the last five years, we have witnessed natural and manmade disasters on a scale like never before. As we watch the devastation unfold on our television screens, we instinctively reach out to our families for comfort. Is it truly possible for parents to give their children a sense of strength, security, and faith in the future?

Dr. Caron B. Goode, director of the Academy for Coaching Parents International, has charted the 10 Key Trends in the Future of Parenting, and offers them these insights:

Ten Key Trends in the Future of Parenting

• Putting Family First. Parents are starting to say no to overtime and yes to family time. Fathers in the modern workplace have begun to replace an outdated cradle to grave mentality with a greater appreciation of family.

• Fostering Resiliency. Parents are now fostering resiliency--the ability to navigate stressors, major or minor, and then return to the business of living. Children who have close, supportive families and caregivers are more apt to deal with stress or trauma in a positive manner than those who do not.

• Raising Compassionate Children. As borders blur and the global community expands, parents are finding it increasingly important for their children to be understanding, empathic, and willing to help a neighbor in need. Parents, who treat their children with kindness and respect, will see those same children treating others in kind.

• Finding Faith. A growing number of parents are turning to spirituality, whether it is religious, iconic or mystic in nature, to help them navigate rough terrain and master the uncertainty that inevitably visits every life. The very nature of spirituality shows children that no one person is more important than another. It illustrates that we are, in fact, all part of a greater whole, and that this whole can be a powerful source of strength and a vital instrument for change.

• Reducing Stress. Over scheduling has affected the time spent together as a family unit, and it is also beginning to affect family health. This generation of families is aware of this fact, but they are also starting to say enough is enough. Mothers and fathers are beginning to recognize that they can’t nor do they want to do it all. Parents are spending less time on the things they feel they must do, and making room for the things they want to do, like spend time with their family.

• Consuming a more healthy diet. Parents are regaining control of what their children consume-- and when. Portion control and food choices are just as important as making sure every morsel consumed is pure. Parents are insisting on healthier school lunch choices and the removal of vending machines from cafeterias.

• Restricting Medications. Parents are becoming more hesitant to put their children on medications due to the side effects, which could include suicide, violence, psychosis, toxicity, and growth suppression.

• Improving on Mothering Instincts. A survey conducted by the New York Times reveals that 83% of working mothers have experienced conflict between their jobs and their desire to spend more time with their families. While this generation of women is still highly career motivated, they realize that having it all is a myth. More and more women are searching for a way to strike a balance between work and family.

• Experiencing Fatherhood. In a recent study of men best classified as Generation X, 63% reported that they do not believe traditional gender roles are better for family life. By taking a more active part in the household and childrearing duties, they believe they are offering their children stability and a sense of shared responsibility.

• Trending to Family Growth and Empowerment. Growing up as latchkey children, today’s parents place significant importance on the time they spend with their families. This generation of parents is also more conscious of developing traditions and expressing those traditions with all family members.

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