Taffel Readings Summary

Posted: March 27th, 2020

Taffel Readings Summary

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Taffel Readings Summary

Introduction

            Parenting in the modern world presents new challenges for parents. The changing world also offers new opportunities and obstacles for parents trying to raise their sons and daughters to become responsible, ethical, socially conscious, and free to pursue their happiness and desires. Technological advancements in the post-1990s have also introduced new and vital dynamics in child rearing, given that young people spend a significant amount of their time online. It is therefore clear that parents need to apply new strategies of guidance for this new environment to raise successful children. Taffel focuses on the need to become physically and emotionally engaged with children to assist them to navigate the challenges that they face today.

The Post Boomer Era

The post-boomer era describes a period after the 1960s, which is characterized by significantly shifting ideologies concerning how children are raised. In this period, the relationships between parents and their children have changed considerably. The variations are attributed to the fact that children have become more expressive, honest, and open with their parents as compared to previous generations (Taffel, 2009). Furthermore, the social landscape has shifted significantly, which makes it more difficult for children today to be raised with the same traditional ideals as those in the boomer period.

Another defining characteristic of the post-boomer era is the fact that parents are much more involved in the lives of their children than in the previous generations. Parents can understand the social and educational pressures that children face in the 21st century because they faced similar experiences in their youth. Furthermore, family and social life have placed much more emphasis on the need for closeness rather than the “intergenerational warfare” that threatens healthy relationships between parents and their children (Taffel, 2009). Technological advancements have also defined the post-boomer era. New forms of automation have presented opportunities for movement and engagement across the two generations.

The ease of communication has also increased demands for social commitments and multitasking for the post-boomer parents and their children alike. At the same time, technology has also brought about challenges of personal connections in the 21st century. Young people are more immersed in the digital world at the expense of living in the present. The phenomenon is likely to put a strain on the relationships of young people and their post-boomer parents.

Raising Kids in the ‘Free-est’ Generation

According to Taffel (2009), the ‘free-est’ generation can be described as the children who experience little to no limitations in almost all aspects of life today. These children experience life in a significantly different way from that of their parents and the generations that existed before. Much of this phenomenon can be attributed to the fact that we live in the age of information. The digital platforms such as search engines and social media have made it significantly easier and economical for children to access and share information. Despite this, children still require close guidance to process all the information to which they are exposed. Post-boomer parents, therefore, need to provide this form of guidance, while at the same time ensuring they do not limit their children’s freedom of information access.

            The ‘free-est’ children are also not bound to the expectations of past generations. According to Taffel (2009), 21st-century young children are faced with a wide array of opportunities regarding individual pursuits. In comparison, young generations before the boomer era were often tied to the economic backgrounds of their parents and grandparents. Today, there is much less expectation for children to assume the economic and social roles of their parents. In light of this freedom, active parents will raise their children to explore these opportunities. They are required to encourage and support their children to follow their dreams, no matter how much they deviate from that of their own. The strategy is achieved by exposing the young ones to the wide variety of possibilities, desires, and opportunities for economic, social, and psychological fulfillment.

            Post-boomer parents face new experiences of raising children in the age of diversity. With the new generation, parents are stunned by their children’s capacity to transcend the differences that the previous generations faced, but were unable to because of their conservative and homogenous backgrounds. Children today cannot only acknowledge physical, religious, and cultural differences but also look beyond it to appreciate the individual for his or her personhood. While this phenomenon poses an excellent potential for unity and social advancement, it also presents challenges for post-boomer parents who grew up in a different environment. Parents of the ‘free-est’ generation, therefore, need to encourage their children to connect with people from different backgrounds as a way of raising socially conscious, fair, and responsible adults of the future.

            With the freedom and access to information that 21st-century children have today, the risk of teen anxiety becomes more prevalent. According to Taffel, “freedom brings anxiety, and trouble is its companion, driving both kids and parents a little crazy” (2009, p. 14). The multitude of choices is likely to cause anxiety in children, who are now under pressure to make the best decisions for their lives with this generational privilege. Lack of support from parents may lead to paths of self-destruction, characterized by drug abuse, self-harm, and various forms of mental illness. Therefore, the author maintains that parents need to engage their children on a deeper level.

Post-boomer parents have been tasked with the responsibility of connecting with their children on an emotional level, helping them to navigate these social challenges (Taffel, 2009). In the same quality as that of previous generations, family ties have maintained their importance, serving as anchors for young children who face an ever-changing world around them. The author emphasizes the need for emotional expression in a way that matches the world of today. The post-boomer parents need to provide love in a way that helps children to develop a sense of belonging, wholeness, power, and self-esteem. These are some of the most powerful tools required to overcome the challenges of today.

Conclusion

            Significant differences characterize the world of today compared to that which post-boomer parents lived. The change presents new challenges and opportunities for parents who seek to raise wholesome, responsible, and socially aware children. A central argument provided by the author to raise successful children is the need to develop engagement across all aspects of life. Engagement centers on the actions of being involved in the life of the child, helping them to navigate the increasingly challenging, ever-changing, and diverse world. A sense of balance is needed for children to control the countless opportunities and freedoms they face today. The equilibrium can be achieved through emphasizing expression, encouraging the pursuit of opportunities, and providing a family environment that is anchored in acceptable values.

Reference

Taffel, R. (2009). Childhood unbound: Saving our kids’ best selves–confident parenting in a world of change. New York, NY: Free Press.

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