Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Parents now spend twice as much time with their children as 50 years ago

economist.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

41–50 of 336 posts

Re: Parents now spend twice as much time with their children as 50 years ago

#41

Post by ovulator »

thriftwy wrote: post #8
tomc1985 wrote: post #2

Probably because helicopter parenting is in vogue (at least in the US). It is seriously messed up that you can have CPS called on you for letting your kid wander freely in the neighborhood

I've read in some paper about Ice Cream Test: Whether your 7 years old can get to the corner store and back after buying an ice cream there without encountering any dangers such as traffic. Immediately thought that you could be jailed for that in some jurisdictions. Having said that, I think the number of people who let their kids free-range is decreasing everywhere unfortunately.

Corner store? You mean the Mega-lo-mart only accessibly after hopping on the free way?

Re: Parents now spend twice as much time with their children as 50 years ago

#42

Post by jMyles »

Pulcinella wrote: post #9
tomc1985 wrote: post #2

Probably because helicopter parenting is in vogue (at least in the US). It is seriously messed up that you can have CPS called on you for letting your kid wander freely in the neighborhood

You won’t have CPS called on you for letting your children wander and play in the neighbor. Please don’t spread nonsense. Edited with my response to everyone depositing articles about the Meitivs: Nobody “called CPS on” the Meitivs. Somebody called the polic because they saw the children wandering around a parking garage (not a park like in many of the news stories. See [1].) The police officer then called CPS severa…

This literally happened to me last week in Fresno, CA at @dmpayton's house. Fortunately, it's not possible to directly call CPS here; one needs to go through the police first. The police arrived and questioned me. I explained to them that I had no intention of changing my behavior and that I didn't want to answer any questions. They were polite and eventually left.

But it was still bizarre. I don't understand why the response (to the caller) isn't, "M'am, there's no violation of the law in your description of this event. Please keep this line open in case of actual emergencies."

Re: Parents now spend twice as much time with their children as 50 years ago

#43

Post by pwinnski »

> One analysis of 11 rich countries estimates that the average mother spent 54 minutes a day caring for children in 1965 but 104 minutes in 2012. Men do less than women, but far more than men in the past: their child-caring time has jumped from 16 minutes a day to 59.

So that's 70 minutes combined up to 163 combined, or a 133% increase, more than double.

The ratio used to be 77/23, and is now 64/36, mothers/fathers.

Re: Parents now spend twice as much time with their children as 50 years ago

#44

Post by btilly »

Pulcinella wrote: post #9
tomc1985 wrote: post #2

Probably because helicopter parenting is in vogue (at least in the US). It is seriously messed up that you can have CPS called on you for letting your kid wander freely in the neighborhood

You won’t have CPS called on you for letting your children wander and play in the neighbor. Please don’t spread nonsense. Edited with my response to everyone depositing articles about the Meitivs: Nobody “called CPS on” the Meitivs. Somebody called the polic because they saw the children wandering around a parking garage (not a park like in many of the news stories. See [1].) The police officer then called CPS severa…

Yes, you will.

http://reason.com/blog/2015/06/11/11-year-old-boy-played-in-... http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/neighbor-calls-cops... https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/apr/22/canadian-mo...

Do you have any more "corrections" to make?

Re: Parents now spend twice as much time with their children as 50 years ago

#45

Post by dragonwriter »

dinoleif wrote: post #28
dragonwriter wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Fathers can be around without being married to the mother.

From a technical perspective sure. From a statistical perspective, the point is a distraction.

It's not, because unmarried long-term cohabitation has exploded.

Re: Parents now spend twice as much time with their children as 50 years ago

#46

Post by roflchoppa »

baldfat wrote: post #7

The problem is that 90% of the time the parents are now on their phones. Seriously I find myself on my phone and not interacting with my kids at times and I am super sensitive about phones. I don't allow phones during meals, during family time and not when someone is talking with you. I break my own rules a ton :(

Two of my buddies had kids when they were 19-20, when I see one of them his daughter is basically watching youtube videos all the time sitting on the couch.

The other guy does not really let his kids around phones or tablets, they can watch TV, but thats also heavily regulated. But usually when we are around, they hang out with us and work on cars. Its really fun to teach them stuff about cars even if they are only 5 and 6. When we sit and have meals, I try to engage them as much as possible, talk about music, and math.

But yes I agree with you, phones are really killing it. Have you tried deleting apps you like to use? Switch to web apps with difficult logins?

on a side note does anyone else find those youtube videos for kids hella creepy?

Re: Parents now spend twice as much time with their children as 50 years ago

#47

Post by TheAdamAndChe »

dragonwriter wrote: post #18
dinoleif wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Fathers can't be involved if they aren't around. Single motherhood rate in 1950: 5% Single motherhood rate in 2010: 41%

Fathers can be around without being married to the mother.

Yes. Do you really think most unmarried families have both mother and father in the household, though? Regular contact with the father would be a lot more difficult if he's not around except on weekends.

Re: Parents now spend twice as much time with their children as 50 years ago

#48

Post by bunderbunder »

nicholasjarnold wrote: post #38

I don't have any peer reviewed studies to point to here, but I do remember reading about both the stagnation of middle-class incomes and the rising cost of childcare in recent years. If you take those ideas as fact and couple them with the people commenting on the 'parenting police state' it makes sense that we're seeing an increase in time spent with children. Will this increased parenting time lead to humans that a…

I'm not prepared to dig up any articles right now, but a lot of child psychologists seem to be worried that it will make children worse off in the long run. All that constant parental contact inhibits their learning how to be independent.

Re: Parents now spend twice as much time with their children as 50 years ago

#49

Post by wiredfool »

kelukelugames wrote: post #5

> One analysis of 11 rich countries estimates that the average mother spent 54 minutes a day caring for children in 1965 but 104 minutes in 2012. Men do less than women, but far more than men in the past: their child-caring time has jumped from 16 minutes a day to 59. I spend 100+ minutes every day changing diapers. Actually that's not true, most of my time is spent trying to put the stupid newborn to go to sleep. I…

I remember that. A newborn who didn't want to sleep, no matter the hour, and parents so far into sleep deprivation that the only thing that mattered was sleep. I'm not sure how a baby that's supposed to sleep 18 hours a day can be awake all night, but... it certainly seems that way. Looking back, trying to make a baby sleep is like pushing a rope. It only works when they want to.

If you can, tag team. For at least a while, let the baby's sleep schedule be what it is, and just hand off every few hours so someone can sleep. If that's in the dark hours, great. If not, you'll be tired enough anyway that it doesn't matter.

Re: Parents now spend twice as much time with their children as 50 years ago

#50

Post by tgb »

aidos wrote: post #11
tomc1985 wrote: post #2

Probably because helicopter parenting is in vogue (at least in the US). It is seriously messed up that you can have CPS called on you for letting your kid wander freely in the neighborhood

Or maybe because fathers are much more involved than 50 years ago? There are probably a load of reasons and I don't think it's just helicopter parenting. My father in law never changed a nappy for any of his 3 children, and that was normal. It certainly isn't now.

The article gives statistics broken down by mother/father time as well - there is a substantial increase in both.
Post reply on HN