Do You Find Parenting Different Today?

Many grandparents are involved with their grandchildren today, many in active parenting roles.  Some parent with the parents while others have sole custody of the grandchildren.

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We live in a multi-generational household and have helped with the grandchildren during illnesses my daughter and her husband have experienced.  Everyone contributed to seeing to the welfare of the children.

?Do I find parenting different today?  We maintain the same values…religious, moral and ethical…that my parents did with me and we with our daughter.  The external world our grandchildren face has different challenges than my husband and I experienced and our daughter.  Sometimes they may be the same problems, but presented in a different atmosphere.

We also have the influences of the electronic world, the Internet, cell phones, text messages, television, video and DVD movies.  There is greater knowledge of the world and instant news.  The news media plays a greater role in shaping the world our children know.

A secret seems to be in maintaining communication with the youngsters so they feel they can come to the adults to discuss problems and accomplishments.  They like to feel they’ll receive encouragement along with discipline. 

A guidance teacher once told me that if youngsters feel secure and accepted at home, they’re less likely to seek the wrong kind of acceptance from their peers.  I’ve always kept this in mind as we raised our daughter and participated in providing love and a home for our grandchildren.

Do you find parenting different today and how do you cope with the challenges?