Anxious Parents : a History of Modern Child-Rearing in America

The nineteenth and twentieth centuries saw a dramatic shift in the role of children in American society and families. No longer necessary for labor, children became economic liabilities and twentieth-century parents exhibited a new level of anxiety concerning the welfare of their children and their own ability to parent effectively. What caused this shift in the ways parenting and childhood were experienced and perceived? Why, at a time of relative ease and prosperity, do parents continue to grapple with uncertainty and with unreasonable expectations of both themselves and their children? Peter N. Stearns explains this phenomenon by examining the new issues the twentieth century brought to bear on families. Surveying popular media, *#8220;expert” childrearing manuals, and newspapers and journals published throughout the century, Stearns shows how schooling, physical and emotional vulnerability, and the rise in influence of commercialism became primary concerns for parents. The result, Stearns shows, is that contemporary parents have come to believe that they are participating in a culture of neglect and diminishing standards. Anxious Parents: A Modern History of Childrearing in America shows the reasons for this belief through an historic examination of modern parenting. Annotation View the Table of Contents .nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Read the Preface . "In what is his trademark style, Stearns creates an artful synthesis that is both revelatory and captivating. An at times unsettling analysis of parental angst, the book is replete with worthy insights for historians and contemporary parents alike."--The Journal of American History "Anxiety is the hallmark of contemporary parenting. Today''s parents are tormented by fears of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, child abductions, and juvenile drug and alcohol use. In perhaps his most timely and exciting book, Peter N. Stearns explains with wit and humane insight how modern mothers and fathers came to agonize incessantly about children''s personality development, school performance, and psychological well-being."--Steven Mintz, University of Houston "Stearns ... argues that over the course of the twentieth century, a kind of down-home, common-sense confidence in the basic sturdiness of children in general was replaced by an idea of the child as psychologically and socially vulnerable." -Ruminator Review "Stearns takes readers on tour through a wondrous variety of twentieth-century worries about children." -American Historical Review"Grounded in research, this study offers insights into such school-related developments as the rise of grade inflation, the growth of parental ambivalence toward the schools, and the influence of escapist entertainment on learning and social development." -Education Week "A strong, effective, and readable portrayal of how twentieth-century American parents have invested and over-invested in their children. In a fairly short compass, Stearns has demonstrated many of the things that historians have tended to belabor-the role of expertise, why despite their declining numbers, children have become so important socially, the new realm of consumption, how the anxiety about children has become a central matter in twentieth-century culture and even an identifier of American life. Stearns knows what is going on and that children are not a means to express other anxieties, but the very source of many of the anxieties we express." -Paula S. Fass, University of California, Berkeley"Stearns has put a lot of thought into this dense but elegantly argued and thoroughly researched volume, and it should become a classic in the study of American childhood." - Publishers Weekly"Stearns points to a number of contemporary phenomena, each of which he considers an expression of parental anxiety. Steans appears to be particularly sensitive to the upward mobility of kids'' grades." -The New York Review of Books"It''s a shame that many new parents may not have time to read Peter N. Stearn''s Anxious Parents: A History of Modern Childrearing in America." - The Atlantic Monthly"Stearns is a prolific historian." - The Chicago Tribune"Recommended." -CHOICEThe nineteenth and twentieth centuries saw a dramatic shift in the role of children in American society and families. No longer necessary for labor, children became economic liabilities and twentieth-century parents exhibited a new level of anxiety concerning the welfare of their children and their own ability to parent effectively. What caused this shift in the ways parenting and childhood were experienced and perceived? Why, at a time of relative ease and prosperity, do parents continue to grapple with uncertainty and with unreasonable expectations of both themselves and their children? Peter N. Stearns explains this phenomenon by examining the new issues the twentieth century brought to bear on families. Surveying popular media, "expert" childrearing manuals, and newspapers and journals published throughout the century, Stearns shows how schooling, physical and emotional vulnerability, and the rise in influence of commercialism became primary concerns for parents. The result, Stearns shows, is that contemporary parents have come to believe that they are participating in a culture of neglect and diminishing standards. Anxious Parents: A Modern History of Childrearing in America shows the reasons for this belief through an historic examination of modern parenting

the Nineteenth And Twentieth Centuries Saw A Dramatic Shift In The Role Of Children In American Society And Families. No Longer Necessary For Labor, Children Became Economic Liabilities And Twentieth-century Parents Exhibited A New Level Of Anxiety Concerning The Welfare Of Their Children And Their Own Ability To Parent Effectively. What Caused This Shift In The Ways Parenting And Childhood Were Experienced And Perceived? Why, At A Time Of Relative Ease And Prosperity, Do Parents Continue To Grapple With Uncertainty And With Unreasonable Expectations Of Both Themselves And Their Children?

Peter N. Stearns Explains This Phenomenon By Examining The New Issues The Twentieth Century Brought To Bear On Families. Surveying Popular Media, Expert Childrearing Manuals, And Newspapers And Journals Published Throughout The Century, Stearns Shows How Schooling, Physical And Emotional Vulnerability, And The Rise In Influence Of Commercialism Became Primary Concerns For Parents. The Result, Stearns Shows, Is That Contemporary Parents Have Come To Believe That They Are Participating In A Culture Of Neglect And Diminishing Standards. anxious Parents: A Modern History Of Childrearing In America Shows The Reasons For This Belief Through An Historic Examination Of Modern Parenting.

publishers Weekly

while Other Authors Have Stressed The 20th Century's Emphasis On Parental Anxiety By Focusing On The Advice Industry (e.g., Ann Hulbert's Recent Raising America, Forecasts, Mar. 10), Stearns, A George Mason University History Professor, Takes A Broader Approach. If The 20th Century Invented The Scientific Approach To Child Care, It Was Partly Because Parents Were Seeking Expert Opinions. Modern Life Had Created Real Changes In The Lives Of Children: Urbanization And Smaller, Nuclear Families. While Earlier Generations Of Parents Had Viewed Children As Resilient, In The 20th Century They Were Considered Vulnerable, Which Shaped Parents' Approaches To Children's Discipline, Schooling, Chores And Uses Of Leisure Time. The Impact Of Parental Anxiety On Children's Daily Lives May Not Have Been Drastic, But It Did Steer Children In Certain Parent-sponsored Directions, Says Stearns. Children Became More School-oriented, Their Free Time More Regulated. As Parents Worried That Their Kids Were Bored, Kids Began Describing Themselves That Way. Parental Hovering Increased Adolescent Need To Differentiate From Parents; Constant Emotional Temperature-taking May Have Led To An Increase In Childhood Depression. Stearns Urges More Parental Backbone To Reject Guilt Tripping By The Experts And More Decency From The Advice Givers. Less Nostalgia And More Study Of How Things Really Were And Are (i.e., By Reading Excellent Texts Like This One) May Give Parents And Educators A Clearer Picture Of How Well They're Doing. Stearns Has Put A Lot Of Thought Into This Dense But Elegantly Argued And Thoroughly Researched Volume, And It Should Become A Classic In The Study Of American Childhood. (may) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

The 19th and 20th centuries witnessed a dramatic shift in the role of children in American society and families. No longer necessary for labor, children became economic liabilities. At the same time, parents exhibited a new level of anxiety concerning the welfare of their children and their own ability to parent effectively. What caused this shift in the ways that parenting and childhood were experienced and perceived? Why, at a time of relative ease and prosperity, do parents continue to grapple with uncertainty and with unreasonable expectations of both themselves and their children? Peter N. Stearns explores this phenomenon, examining the new forces that the 20th century brought to bear on families. Surveying popular media, "expert" childrearing manuals, and newspapers and journals published throughout the century, Stearns shows how schooling, physical and emotional vulnerability, and the rise of commercialism became primary concerns for parents. The result, Stearns shows, is that contemporary parents have come to believe that they are participating in a culture of neglect and diminishing standards. Anxious Parents: A Modern History of Childrearing in America shows the reasons for this belief and its consequences in terms of parental satisfaction through an historical analysis of modern parenting. "The 19th and 20th centuries witnessed a dramatic shift in the role of children in American society and families. No longer necessary for labor, children became economic liabilities. At the same time, parents exhibited a new level of anxiety concerning the welfare of their children and their own ability to parent effectively.". "Peter N. Stearns explores this phenomenon, examining the new forces that the 20th century brought to bear on families. Surveying popular media, "expert" childrearing manuals, and newspapers and journals published throughout the century, Stearns shows how schooling, physical and emotional vulnerability, and the rise of commercialism became primary concerns for parents. The result, Stearns shows, is that contemporary parents have come to believe that they are participating in a culture of neglect and diminishing standards. Anxious Parents: A Modern History of Childrearing in America shows the reasons for this belief and its consequences in terms of parental satisfaction through an historical analysis of modern parenting."--BOOK JACKET. Annotation The nineteenth and twentieth centuries saw a growing level of anxiety among parents about their children's welfare and their own effectiveness as caregivers. What caused this shift in the ways parenting and childhood were experienced and perceived? Why do parents continue to grapple with uncertainty and unreasonable expectations of both themselves and their children? In Anxious Parents, historian Peter N. Stearms examines mounting pressures on modern families. Surveying popular media, "expert" childearing manuals, newspapers, and journals, Stearns shows how schooling, physical and emotional vulnerability, and the rise of commercialism became primary concerns for parents. The result is that many contemporary parents believe they are participating in a culture of neglect and diminishing standards. Anxious Parents explores this troubling notion through a compelling history of modern parenting Anxious Parents......Page 1 Contents......Page 8 Preface......Page 10 Acknowledgments......Page 12 Anxious Parents......Page 14 The Vulnerable Child......Page 30 Discipline......Page 70 All Are about Average......Page 94 Work and Chores......Page 138 I'm Bored......Page 176 Conclusion......Page 224 Appendix......Page 246 Notes......Page 248 Index......Page 258 About the Author......Page 264 Anxious parents : a 20th-century history The vulnerable child Discipline All are above average : children at school Work and chores : do I have to? I'm bored : the two faces of entertainment Conclusion : the impact of anxiety