Parents today often have very different expectations for their children compared to the past. What are the reasons for this shift, and is it a good or bad thing?
Expectations of parents today are significantly different than those in the past. Reasons for this include overpopulation, different economic climate and social media. Mostly, elevated expectations are detrimental as they pressure a child into exhaustion and mental breakdowns.
In the year 2000, the world’s population stood at around 6 billion people. Just 25 years later, this number increased to over 8 billion, most of whom are young people. A rising number intensifies competition for a better life, especially in areas of education and employment, which means parents want their children to be competitive at all times. Thus, overpopulation can be one of the more obvious reasons for parents’ changing and ambitious expectations.
In addition to overpopulation, many countries have rising inflation and other economic factors that make parents more materialistic. In other words, most parents want their children to be financially literate and well-paid, which means there is a specific focus on money from a young age. In fact, some parents in my native Uzbekistan encourage their children to work from a young age, prioritizing income over education and health.
Social media is another major reason why parents’ expectations can vary and often change in an unexpected way. Platforms such as Instagram and Meta allowed users to follow other people and their achievements. Therefore, it is now easier for parents to compare the success of their child and another child. However, this comparison is often unrealistic. For example, a parent can watch a teenager become an Olympic champion and wonder why their son did not succeed in sports. However, these are the same parents who might have never invested money in their child’s sports career. This is just one example of how social media creates delusions.
With regard to the impact of this trend, it is mostly negative. Obviously, motivating children to be the best is a positive way to influence their character and life goals, but with the way it is done now, there’s likely to be some unintended damage. To be specific, children may feel overwhelmed with the pressure of new expectations and fail to live a regular life. They can also have a lifestyle that does not resemble the life of a child. Too many extracurricular courses and part-time work can destroy a healthy childhood, making children feel less mentally fulfilled.
In conclusion, parents’ expectations are changing because of overpopulation, the economy, and social media. When too much pressure is applied, their expectations can ruin a child’s life in certain ways.
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