Teacher Teresa Newman has taken to TikTok to share 11 things she agrees with boomers on when it comes to raising children.
The debate around parenting styles between millennials and baby boomers is a hot topic in the world of child-raising, with many millennials revealing what they wish their parents had done differently and begging them to keep their anxieties to themselves.
While millennials have popularised the empathetic gentle parenting style, many boomers lean more towards authoritative parenting styles - and this disconnect can cause friction between the generations in families.
Now, one teacher has revealed the 11 things she believes boomer parents got right when it comes to raising kids. Taking to TikTok, Teresa Newman explained, "Here are 11 things that I agree with boomers on about how to raise a child, as a teacher who's about to have a baby."
She went on to say, "As someone who's had 13 years of experience with hundreds and hundreds of other people's kids and seeing the effects of some of these things not being implemented, I promise you I have well beyond made up my mind."
11 things boomer parents got right, according to a teacher
@teresakayenewman ♬ original sound - Newman Music Academy
- No iPads: "All I’m going to say is my kid has a whole world to explore and none of that has to do with being stuck in front of a tablet."
- No smartphones until high school: "Kids that are younger than that age do not know internet safety to a point where I feel comfortable letting them have free reign of the internet."
- Teaching them the value of their education: "There are far too many parents that are teaching their kids that education is only linked to financial stability... What I’m going to teach them is this has nothing to do with how much money you’re making or how successful you’ll be professionally. But you will still value it, nonetheless."
- Respect their teachers and treat them well: "This may be biased because I am a teacher, but everyone who has gone through a professional degree program and has put in the time and is there, giving you the quality education, deserves some type of attention and deserves to be treated well."
- Be kind to elderly folks: "If they’re on public transportation and they’re sitting down and there’s an old lady standing next to them and there are no other seats available, my child will know to stand up and give that lady his seat."
- Using 'Yes ma'am/Yes sir': "It does not matter your age or status in society, as long as they are respecting their pronouns, that’s how we’re gonna be talking to other people."
- Terms of greeting and gratitude: "Simple greetings and simple terms of gratitude [such as 'please', 'thank you' and 'you're welcome'] are just not being taught like they used to. I think it’s really sad."
- Consequences for poor behaviour: "If they’re neglecting their schoolwork and not doing what they’re supposed to do, they get their technology taken away… Simple things like this are pretty common sense and I’m not sure why they’re not being done anymore."
- Respect adult conversations and adult spaces: "They don’t get to interrupt two adults speaking to each other... If they don't learn how to do that as a child they're going to be the most obnoxious adult ever."
- Cleaning your own mess and participating in chores: "My child is going to put as much work in the house as we are, regardless of whether he’s paying rent out of his own pocket or not. That’s because when my son becomes an adult, I want him to be a partner or a spouse or a roommate that someone is proud to have around."
- Bedtimes: "As long as he is living under my roof as a minor; he’s gonna have some sort of bedtime."
Teresa's video has a huge 2.1 million views on TikTok, and plenty of other users share her opinions. One commented, "I don’t think I’d ever get my future kids an actual iPad. Though I’d be fine with a Leapfrog tablet," while another said, "My dad (boomer) always told me. 'never stop learning, the day you stop learning is the day you die, so learn something every day'".
But others were quick to point out that not all these rules are practical or easily enforceable as a modern day parent. One user wrote under Teresa's video, "I can guarantee you taking away your child’s technology will never do any good whatsoever. Find another punishment that is related."
Another said, "No iPads...until the school set homework on apps that requires...an iPad", while a further user pointed out, "Although I agree with you, there’s some scenarios you haven’t considered… imagine teaching full time from home remotely during the pandemic, with 1-2 babies at your feet that you are full caregiver".
In other news, the days of grandparent childcare are numbered as millennials feel 'frustrated' with parents too busy to look after grandkids and more than one in 10 millennials and Gen Z adults expect financial help from mum and dad. Elsewhere, these 40 baby names have fallen ‘out of favour’ with millennial parents but ‘could be a perfect choice’ for those wanting a unique baby name.
