Generations: A Scoop Of Gen X’s Parenting
By Mohamed Karrem
We have covered many aspects that genuinely affected generation X in the 60s & 70s of Egypt, but when it comes to parenting there’s no need to mention how much it can influence and affect any generation. According to the American Psychological Association, parenting practices around the world share three major goals: ensuring children’s health and safety, prepare children for life as productive adults, and transmit cultural values.
Baby boomers
These parents were born between 1946 and 1964 and matured during the 1967 war, which classifies them under the authoritative parenting style. Parents in this category are reasonable and nurturing, set high expectations, explain disciplinary rules clearly, and engage in frequent communication with their children (Baumrind, 1991). On the plus side, they’re ‘invested in their children and their futures’, and tend to listen to the advice given by teachers, but they also tend to be impatient and too demanding.
Know your parents
It’s so easy to know if you have a Baby Boomer at home or not because they have so much in common and are following the same pattern of life, so let me give you an example.
Most of the Baby Boomers are early birds with morning routine patterns. Every day they watch the news to make sure that the world is still fine, they have no trust in the government or banks and they always keep their money in cash or saving it. They are convinced that education is the only path to success and the worst thing about them, is that they think they know best concerning everything.
Generation X and baby boomers
Has anyone ever asked why our parents tend to parent us in a manner that’s almost the opposite of what they experienced from their own parents? I know it’s a little bit confusing, but regarding the generation X and the Baby Boomers case, it perfectly obeys to this concept and it makes good sense because no one could have witnessed the interwar period and act as a role model.
