Culture Do Your Political Beliefs Affect Your Parenting?

[Husky_Khan]

Interesting Blog Post from an author with a Doctorate in Psychology whose been a practicing family physician for over thirty years. His name Leonard Sax. The commentary was hosted by an organization called the Institute of Family Studies.

I have been a family doctor for nearly 34 years. Until recently, I saw no connection between politics and parenting. Left-of-center parents were no better and no worse parents, on average, than right-of-center parents. Some left-of-center parents were Too Harsh, some were Too Soft, and some were Just Right; and the same was true of right-of-center parents.

Eight years ago, I wrote a book called The Collapse of Parenting, which became a New York Times bestseller. I wrote the book because I had noticed that more and more parents were becoming too permissive. As I showed in the book, that trend toward permissiveness wasn't confined to families in my practice: scholars now find that the culture of the United States is increasingly a culture in which "children rule."

Basic thesis seems to be that not too long ago parents were just parents with little variation in regards to their political affiliation but now left of center parents, while just as loving of their children, are far less strict, challenging of their childrens misbehavior and lack authority. This form of parental philosophy is known as 'gentle parenting,' 'intentional parenting' or 'mindful parenting' and largely removes any sort of punishments of any kind, including wrongful imprisonment times outs.

This sort of permissiveness in turn has knock on effects. For example Left of center offspring spend more time on social media which in turn leads to depression because teens who spend more time on social media tend to lean to experiencing depression and this in turn can lead to things like drug and alcohol abuse, lower academic performance, less autonomy and emotional intelligence and so forth.

Do Your Political Beliefs Affect Your Parenting?

A mom brought her six-year-old daughter into the office with a fever and a sore throat. I asked the girl to open her mouth and say “Ah.” The girl shook her head and clenched her mouth shut. I said “Mom, it looks like I’m going to need your help here. Could you please ask your daughter to open...

ifstudies.org

 

[ShieldWife]

My politics absolutely influence my parenting. That is why I home school my children instead of sending them to public schools. I also try to limit their influence to mass media and entertainment, which is almost all left wing, especially recently.

I am more of a Disciplinarian than more permissive left leaning parents, but I feel like home schooling is a much more profound parenting choice than how they’re disciplined.

 

[The Whispering Monk]

I first read that and thought, "Nope! My dad is definitely a Leftist, and he managed to raise 3 conservative men!"

As for my parenting, it absolutely affects how I parent my kids.

 

[LordsFire]

It's less that my politics affect my attitude about parenting, and more the theological and philosophical root that my politics flow from, will be the same that my parenting flows from.

I'm only recently married, and no children as yet, but if they do come, being a committed follower of Christ will be foundational to that the same way it is foundational to my political stances.