Parenting Is A Source Of Joy Not Angst

The many so-called experts in the field of parenting including government officials, celebrities and psychologists have issued so many dos and donts about parenthood that it has made parents look like they are the ones who have no parenting expertise at all. Some people have criticized parents for being too controlling and holding their children back. Others claim that some parents are just not too pushy.

All these pronouncements, based on neuroscience, sociology and pscyhology, point to a perceived parenting deficit. However, many have wondered if these sciences can indeed provide the necessary blueprint for what proper parenting should be.

Spiked said there are two new books that reassure parents that while they are very important in the lives of their children, parents do not really determine what type of adults their children will end up later on. Parents who want to get a combined historical and scientific take on parenting should read Alison Gopnik's "The Gardener and the Carpenter: What the New Science of Child Development Tells Us About the Relationship Between Parents and Children" as well as Robert and Sarah LeVine's "Why Japanese Babies Sleep Well, Mexican Siblings Don't Fight, and American Parents Should Just Relax"

While the authors of the two books have different perspectives, both aimed to lessen the anxiety of parents amidst the terrible pressure they find themselves in nowadays. Psychology of Wellbeing said research shows that most parents have become unhappy because of the pressure, and are a lot less happier than childless couples. The responsibilities of parenthood have started to drain parents who have to wash the dishes and clean the house or watch the children instead of going out on a date. This reality has seemed to debunk the belief that parenthood brings joy beyond imagination.

f you're the parent of a teen, you may already have witnessed it: hair-trigger moods and drama worthy of a midday soap opera. The frustration and anxiety kids feel about life at this age bubbles up as teen angst.

WebMD stressed the difficulty of becoming parents especially of teens who themselves are beginning to undergo physical, psychological and social changes. Teen angst can be very challenging for parents who would easily feel helpless and angry when they realize this angst is directed towards them. There are however ways to lessen the generation gap and help children deal with their angst and one way to do that is spend quality and scheduled time with the children.