Essay: Parenthood

Have you ever thought about how much work and responsibility comes with parenthood? I mean you have to take care of a living, breathing human being.
Put yourself into your parent’s shoes they feed you, care for you and love you (even in times where they might not really like you) but those are just a few of the basic responsibilities a parent has.
There are loads more to think about when becoming a parent like teaching your child right from wrong, ensuring that you raise them with respect, giving your child the freedom they deserve and trusting them.
Parenting isn’t easy and has become a lot more complicated since the Shakespearean era, in the world we live in today. In my opinion, I think that it was much simpler being a parent in those times than today.
Shakespeare’s era was patriarchal, households were run by the male or the father in the family, he was responsible for all the decisions and the wife and children obeyed him, it was all about hierarchy and respect. It was especially difficult for a girl child in these times as you were not allowed the freedom to make your own decisions; for example decisions on education and marriage. There was no dating or ‘falling in love’. Your father chose a suitable partner for you and you had to respect the choice even if you did not agree. I think this made it easier for fathers as they believed that they had their daughter best interest at heart and this gave them peace of mind. Personally, I think parents experienced less stress and were a lot happier because they were in control of their children and were not as challenged by external factors as parents are today.
The situation today is very different as children are given a lot more freedom and with this freedom comes a lot more problems. Parents are under pressure to give their children everything ‘they never had’. Some children take things for granted and do not appreciate the effort parents put into providing all life’s essentials ‘ a home, food, clothes, education etc. and the luxuries. Children feel that they can take on the world and do it all on their own ‘ they create an unpleasant environment at home when they deliberately disobey basic rules which are meant to ensure their safety and grow them into responsible adults. Parents are forced to become strict and take away certain privileges and punish them. These unnecessary misunderstandings create trust issues and tension between parents and children.
As a parent, it is your moral duty to raise your child with love, dignity and respect for all forms of life. However, in today’s times it has become more difficult as there are more broken families than happy ones.
The fast pace of technology has exposed children to a lot of information both good and bad and children are much more advanced in their thinking and are losing their innocence much earlier. Parents are pressured into purchasing expensive gadgets and branded clothing so that their children can fit in and be socially accepted by their peers.
It is sad when parents say that they feel like they are losing control as their children get into the wrong company where alcohol and drugs are being used and the children get lost on the dark side of substance abuse.
Parents are the foundation of a child’s perception of life and the role models which form the character and personality of the child. Teach them love and respect for themselves and humankind and teach them about their religion and create a safe and happy environment for them to grow into responsible adults.