Predicting 2013 Parenting Trends
Now that we are almost two weeks into 2013, it's time to figure out what we all be obsessing about in the year to come.
The nice people at iVillage and the Today show say that in 2013 we will be thinking about the:
- 50 Shades of Grey baby boom (ugh)
- Apocalyptic parenting and preparedness (Water! We need water!)
- See and Sips (though my era of parents are more into the Sip and Snips) instead of baby showers
- Vintage birthday parties (looking backwards and forwards at the same time!)
Interesting. I much prefer Lisa Belkin's list on The Huffington Post. She identifies some trends coming up, including:
- Some mother will be shamed for the way she looks (probably a celebrity, but that still won't make it okay.)
- Someone will respond to mother-shaming and step up to celebrate mothers for what they are.
- A mother will be told not to breastfeed someplace she has every right to be.
- Technology will worry us.
I would also add a new focus on the violence around us: both in the form of gun control and also the violence in video games and movies.
The parenting agenda is more often set by the bit players that we haven't heard about yet -- the researchers who announce game-changing study results, the celebrities who make interesting choices, the authors that capture our imagination, the teen trends that shock us.
Parents will be talking about the usual mundane things in 2013 -- toilet training, sleep, sleep, more sleep and concerns. They will wonder if they are doing the right thing -- if they care too much or too little. Women will continue to agonize over their choices and their desires to balance/juggle work, family and themselves.
I have no doubt that 2013 will have moments that surprise us, bring us to tears and challenge our assumptions about ourselves, our children and our parenting. Some of these moments will be personal, some extremely public.
In fact 2013, will proceed just like 2012, and 1912, for that matter. Full of angst, joy and wonder.
In the meantime, I have a vintage birthday party I have to plan.
Want more chaos? Last year, I agonized when my son wanted to buy a "girly" piece of jewelry.
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