Parenting Trends: In and Out(sourcing)
As we've seen in the corporate world, outsourcing and insourcing, have more or less taken over the way companies traditionally run. By assigning work responsibilities to someone who can do the same job more effectively, more efficiently and more cheaply, we've lessen our workload to focus on the higher-level management type activities, the stuff that "really matters", the things that are less mundane and more strategic (hence important).
Seems like parenting is heading that way too - well, in all honesty, it already has over the past decade or so. I just wanted to point it out.
With more and more people able to afford domestic help, today's parents "insource" the mundane, low-value work to these willing workers. The bathing, feeding, carrying and even general entertaining of children is often handled by our helpers. I admit it, we do it ourselves at home, so if this is a crime, we've just as guilty. And the thing is, I do feel guilty - these tedious, tiring jobs, in my opinion, are essential and extremely important for me, as a father, to bond with these little offspring of mine. I might not feed real well (food falling everywhere, giving up too easily) and bathe real clean (ask Celest, I over-rely on the powerful shower-head waterjet), but it's the interaction that counts. I'm sure you would argue that the nutrition and cleanliness are crucial, and I don't deny that, but the communication, joking and laughing are just as essential. Nigel might grow up to be skinny, dirty, comedian that is close to his dad, I don't mind.
"Outsorcing" is when we rely on childcare services or other family members (like grandparents) to take over the job of minding the kids. Granted, everyone has their own thing to do and it's good to give the grandpas and grandmas time to spend with their grandkids - it sometimes comes to the point of abuse where we pass the entire responsibility on to them in a way that it looks like it is their full-time job. Childcare centres are convenient too and easy to find - hence have become a necessary service for many modern parents (if the grandparents option is not available) - however, if you're just looking for a place to dump the kids while you go about your daily life, then the parents need to think back and ask "why did you have kids in the first place?".
Having children is a life-changing event. So be prepared to change your life. Their formative years are the best time to be with them, inculcate values and communicate. So be prepared to drop the other things. Time is short and before you know it, they will be out of the house, with their own friends and then all you can do is regret.
Seems like parenting is heading that way too - well, in all honesty, it already has over the past decade or so. I just wanted to point it out.
With more and more people able to afford domestic help, today's parents "insource" the mundane, low-value work to these willing workers. The bathing, feeding, carrying and even general entertaining of children is often handled by our helpers. I admit it, we do it ourselves at home, so if this is a crime, we've just as guilty. And the thing is, I do feel guilty - these tedious, tiring jobs, in my opinion, are essential and extremely important for me, as a father, to bond with these little offspring of mine. I might not feed real well (food falling everywhere, giving up too easily) and bathe real clean (ask Celest, I over-rely on the powerful shower-head waterjet), but it's the interaction that counts. I'm sure you would argue that the nutrition and cleanliness are crucial, and I don't deny that, but the communication, joking and laughing are just as essential. Nigel might grow up to be skinny, dirty, comedian that is close to his dad, I don't mind.
"Outsorcing" is when we rely on childcare services or other family members (like grandparents) to take over the job of minding the kids. Granted, everyone has their own thing to do and it's good to give the grandpas and grandmas time to spend with their grandkids - it sometimes comes to the point of abuse where we pass the entire responsibility on to them in a way that it looks like it is their full-time job. Childcare centres are convenient too and easy to find - hence have become a necessary service for many modern parents (if the grandparents option is not available) - however, if you're just looking for a place to dump the kids while you go about your daily life, then the parents need to think back and ask "why did you have kids in the first place?".
Having children is a life-changing event. So be prepared to change your life. Their formative years are the best time to be with them, inculcate values and communicate. So be prepared to drop the other things. Time is short and before you know it, they will be out of the house, with their own friends and then all you can do is regret.