What's wrong with the way we were raised???

Shannon - posted on 01/30/2010

i was told the reason why our kids today can't eat what we did so many years ago is because no days there is so much stuff put in our food that is not safe for baby's

Carol L. - posted on 01/30/2010

Somehow, though we may have done things "wrong", you survived and so has most of the world. Is anyone perfect? Sharing ideas is great - however, listen and learn don't be "a better than thou"! A granny who tries to keep learning -



There is NOTHING WRONG WITH THE WAY ANYONE WAS RAISED - that's what I am attempting to say. Each parent has done the best they could with the information they had. I was pleading for a little understanding and tolerance between people. To say this is the way you do something is fine, however, that doesn't make it better or worse than someone else.

Marianne - posted on 01/30/2010

nothing was wrong with the way we were raised! it's just different. not everything "modern" is wonderful either and I've used the "old-fashioned" way on my kids for different things. my older boy was "failure to thrive" at 6months (he weighed 12 1/2#) because he was puking up just about every bit of formula - even the "allergy free" ones. my mom said to get whole milk & mix 8oz with 2 Tbsp of corn syrup and see what that did. guess what? he gained 1 1/2# in 10 days and didn't throw up anymore! I also put cereal in my younger boy's bottles at 4 weeks because he was constantly hungry! ( I breast fed him 20minutes each side, then topped him off with a bottle!) neither kid has food allergies or issues with food, the younger one even LOVES his vegies! I wouldn't worry too much, just use what you know and what you think is best for your kids. everybody is different

Leanne - posted on 01/30/2010

My grandmother raised me.. I know for a fact I was given stale beer as a baby, fried foods and other over-processed foods and who knows what else as well..
I have very many health problems and im only nineteen years old.. I don't know if I can say what my granny did when I was little caused all of this, but I cannot write it off all together.

So im raising my son differently. I'm following doctor recommendations more and the food guidelines as well. Another thing im doing is not giving my son juice and pops until he is older.. Same with fried foods.

I don't know if what they did in the past is necessarily wrong, but I know it isn't right for me.

Antoinette - posted on 01/30/2010

I am proud of you as a mom. See common sense is what we need. I take what the doctors say in stride and do I what I feel is best.

Mary - posted on 01/30/2010

Sharon, good thing you didn't resort to the blackberry brandy (my mom did that with us, btw), or next thing you know, that toddler would have been putting your beer away in the fridge, and cracking one open on the sly!!!

(Sorry, I couldn't resist!)

I agree with most of the posts on here...not everything past generations was wrong, or bad. We can learn a lot from our parents. However, it would be foolish not learn from their MISTAKES as well. I'm sure that our children will be advised to do somethings differently when they have kids. Some of the things that this current generation is so passionate about being "right" may be taboo in 20 years. Parenting is a constantly evolving process, as is humanity. It is also something that has no absolutes or guarantees.

Sharon - posted on 01/30/2010

I used a mix.

My mom obviously did a great job.

But now we know unpasturized honey can kill. Is it likely? no. But it can happen, so why risk it?

My mom advised to let a baby rinse out his mouth after a formula/milk feeding - so we did that. A sip of water or two after every feeding.

If anbesol + tylenol hadn't worked for a teething baby - i would have tried my MILs blackberry brandy idea.

when my friends started having kids, it was recommended that babies sleep on their tummies, then it was their sides, then it was on their backs....

I decided that on their side was best... it just made more sense to me.

We also know that loose covers and pillow can kill a baby. Something different from the old days. Is it likely? not particularly - but it does happen and its easily avoided so why not avoid it?

Rosie - posted on 01/30/2010

we are learning alot of things when it comes to raising children. "older"advice can sometimes be harmful, like giving babies honey (it has botulism in it), and letting babies sleep on their tummys (we now know it reduces the chance of SIDS) and so on. there are choices that mothers have to make when it comes to raising our children, and i personally would like to do what is the least likely to hurt my child. sure, alot of babies slip by without being hurt by introducing solids early, and sleeping on their tummies, but i would rather not take a chance. i don't see introducing solids early as life threatening, but it can cause allergies to certain foods later in life. if your family doesn't have any history of food allergies, and that's what u want to do then go for it. i don't necessarily think u are wrong, i just think for my family i would rather do what my doctor says than my mother or grandmother. they do have great advice on some issues, and i will take it, but when it comes to my sons life-i'd rather not take a chance.

Natalie - posted on 01/30/2010

For me personally, i take advice from my Mom, my MIL and also books and doctors and then do what i feel is right for my child. Ever child is different.

I'm from Germany and over there we do things so much different than over here in the States. It's normal to put cereal or carrots in the bottle after maybe 6 weeks if the child is not getting full anymore from just the bottle. My mom raised me, i am 25, have no health problems and never so much showed a sign of an allergy.

So i think every mother knows their child best and should do what they think is right for that child. I think it's wrong to judge other Mom's for their decisions on raising their children .There is no "Either you do it this way or you're wrong"

I hate Mother's who seem to think everything the Doctor says is gold and you should follow every book out there exactly s it says or you're a bad mom and putting your kid in "danger"

Renee - posted on 01/30/2010

I can understand that some parents raise their children the way that they were raised but sometimes new information comes to light over the years that you just can't ignore. When I was a kid we used to sleep in the back of the station wagon with no seat belts on road trips. Does that mean that I will let my kids do the same. I THINK NOT! I think a responsible parent will seek more information on risks and benefits and THEN make an educated decision whether it be on nutrition, education, discipline etc...