The parenting guilt of Generation X
Posted: December 27th, 2009 | Author: Dave | Filed under: Coping | Tags: education, Fatherhood, features, gen x, generation x, kids, parenting, rug time | 3 Comments »
“Go outside and play.”
“But…”
“No ‘but.’ Go.”
I looked at my mother through the dirty screen door. She wore bright yellow elbow-length rubber gloves and a look of determination — “You are NOT coming back in this house.” I turned around and walked into the yard, defeated.
A few hours later, when my mother was again talking to me through the screen, the conversation was quite different.
“I said come in here now! It’s time to eat”
“No! I want to stay outside.”
“David, I am not kidding…”
Such were my childhood summers. I spent a lot of time outside so that my mother was able to get things done unburdened by a whining, needy kid.
Today, I feel guilty if I don’t spend every waking moment on the floor, exploiting every educational opportunity that presents itself. I recently read an article that described this phenomenon as a generational thing, more prevalent among parents in their thirties than previous generations.
Call it The Parenting Guilt of Generation X.
