Narcissistic parenting in an insecure world : a history of parenting culture, 1920s to present

In this provocative history of parenting, Harry Hendrick analyses the social and economic reasons behind parenting trends. He shows how broader social changes, including neoliberalism, feminism, the collapse of the social-democratic ideal, and the 'new behaviourism', have led to the rise of the anxious and narcissistic parent. The book charts the shift from the liberal and progressive parenting styles of the 1940s-70s, to the more 'behavioural', punitive and managerial methods of childrearing today, made popular by 'experts' such as Gina Ford and Supernanny Jo Frost, and by New Labour's parent education programmes. This trend, Hendrick argues, is symptomatic of the sour, mean-spirited and vindictive social norms found throughout society today. It undermines the better instincts of parents and, therefore, damages parent-child relations. Instead, he proposes, parents should focus on understanding and helping their children as they work at growing up. NARCISSISTIC PARENTING IN AN INSECURE WORLD Contents About the author Acknowledgements Introduction The argument The themes The broader context Some methodological considerations Part One. The origins of social democracy’s family ideal: 1920s–1940s Introduction 1. The re-imagining of adult–child relations between the wars The paradox of the inter-war years: ‘we danced all night’ through what was a ‘morbid age’ Inter-war science: children’s bodies and minds and child rearing Heroes of behaviourism: F. Truby King and J. B. Watson Susan Isaacs and the rejection of behaviourism The child guidance movement The influence of progressive education Looking ahead 2. Wartime influences: from the evacuation to the Children Act 1948 The evacuation The ‘problem family’ and social democracy The Children Act 1948 Part Two. Characteristics of the ‘Golden Age’: 1940s–early 1970s Introduction 3. Rebuilding the family: 1940s–1950s ‘To make men and women better than they are’ (Herbert Morrison) John Bowlby and D. W. Winnicott: imperfect visionaries ‘Adjusting the bonds of love’ ‘Home is where we start from’: the home as a ‘holding environment’ 4. The ‘long sixties’: 1958–1974 Parent–child relations and the changing perception of children Dethroning Bowlby? Second-wave feminism: the ‘captive wife’ Children’s rights and the beginning of the end of ‘progressive’ education Some left-wing attitudes toward ‘the family’ Part 3. Influences and examples from the USA Introduction 5. Social science and American liberalism Parenting democracy’s children The ‘Great Society’: the ‘war on poverty’, and the ‘will to empower’ The ‘new behaviourism’ Saving liberal individualism: Diana Baumrind and the invention of ‘authoritative’ parenting Part Four. Parental narcissism in neoliberal times: 1970s to the present Introduction 6. Aspects of neoliberalism: political, economic and social realignments From the ‘golden age’ to modern times The tribulations of ‘post democracy’: the rise of ‘political disenchantment’ Neoliberalism Narcissism in the nursery: feminism, neoliberalism and the social liberationist agenda 7. Laying the foundations for parental narcissism The New Right emerges: Sir Keith Joseph and the ‘cycle of deprivation’ The New Right, the Labour Party and the remoralising of Britain The ‘new behaviourism’ and problematising children’s behaviour 8. The New Labour era, and beyond: narcissism comes of age Neoliberal children: the ‘iconic’ child as human capital The discipline of ASBO (anti-social behaviour order) culture: breeding childism Parenting in New Labour’s neoliberal universe The ethics of the parenting programmes Childism unveiled: Supernanny – the dominatrix in the nursery Part Five. Therapeutic reflections Introduction 9. Narcissism and the ‘politics of recognition’: concepts of the late-modern self A late-modern point of departure: the ‘postsocialist’ condition and the politics of redistribution/recognition The self and identity politics Individualisation, identity and the self: ‘a fate, not a choice’ The therapeutic culture Index In this provocative history of parenting, Harry Hendrick analyses the social and economic reasons behind parenting trends. He shows how broader social changes, including neoliberalism, feminism, the collapse of the social-democratic ideal, and the 'new behaviorism', have led to the rise of the anxious and narcissistic parent. The book charts the shift from the liberal and progressive parenting styles of the 1940s-70s, to the more 'behavioral', punitive, and managerial methods of child rearing today, made popular by 'experts' such as Gina Ford and Supernanny Jo Frost, and by New Labour's parent education programmes. This trend, Hendrick argues, is symptomatic of the sour, mean-spirited and vindictive social norms found throughout society today. It undermines the better instincts of parents and, therefore, damages parent-child relations. Instead, he proposes, parents should focus on understanding and helping their children as they do the hard work of growing up Harry Hendrick shows how broader social changes, including neoliberalism, feminism, the collapse of the social-democratic ideal, and the 'new behaviourism', have led to the rise of the anxious and narcissistic parent, In this provocative history of parenting.