Today’s Cloism: Traditional Moms vs Moms of the Culture

Today’s Cloism is about saluting all Moms and their parenting styles. I grew up with a traditionalist Mom and my daughter is growing up with me as a mixture of traditional and modern era mom. The parenting styles balance out to an extent. Let’s delve in:

Mothers of Yesterday (Traditional)

• The “Second Shift” Trend: While many moms worked, the “nuclear family” structure often placed the heavy lifting of housework and child-rearing solely on Mom.
• Respect through Authority: Parenting was largely authoritarian. The “because I said so” model wasn’t about being mean; it was the standard way to build discipline and character.
• Community as a Safety Net: There was a higher level of “village” parenting. Neighbors and extended family were active participants in keeping kids in line.

Mothers of Today (The Modern Era)

• The “Mental Load” Struggle: Today’s moms are more likely to be in the workforce than ever before (nearly 72% of moms with children under 18), leading to a massive struggle to balance professional life with “intensive parenting.”
• The “Friend” Dynamic: Modern parenting has shifted toward authoritative or gentle parenting. This focuses on emotional intelligence and “giving children a voice,” which can sometimes blur the lines between parent and peer.
• The Digital Burden: Today’s mothers have to navigate “Comparison Culture” on social media and manage their children’s digital lives -stressors that simply didn’t exist 30 years ago.

I’m hopeful you’ve enjoy today’s Cloism. I will be back this week with more lifestyle topics for all families and communities. The Village is back!