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Don't blame parents for teenagers' bad behaviour - study
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Parents are not to blame for the rise in bad behaviour among
teenagers, research suggests today.
There is no evidence that parenting is worse today than it was 20
years ago, according to a study by the Nuffield Foundation.
Today's parents are more likely to know where their teenage
children are and what they are doing - in 2006, 85% of parents
regularly asked their child where they were going, compared to 79%
in 1986.
And parents expectations of their children are now higher - between
1986 and 2006 the proportion of young people who said that their
parents expected them to do their homework rose from 90% to 95%,
and the proportion who said they were expected to be polite rose
from 75% to 87%, the study found.
Children are also more likely to spend quality time with their
mothers and fathers now than they were 20 years ago, it said.
It concluded there is no link between standards in parenting and
the increase in bad behaviour among teenagers.
A Nuffield-funded study published in 2004 found an increase in
problems among teenagers such as lying, stealing and disobedience
in the last 25 years.
Dr Ann Hagell, head of the Nuffield Foundation's changing
adolescence programme, said: "Despite public concern about
declining family life, the research funded by the Nuffield
Foundation has found no evidence of a decline in parenting over
recent decades. To the contrary, most parents of teenagers seem to
be doing a good job."
Jerry
Commented 131 weeks ago
Interesting that Nuffield have found that the "increase in problems among teenagers such as lying, stealing and disobedience" is actually the result of good parenting.
So does their research not suggest that we should quickly put an end to good parenting? Or is that what such research and reportage is trying to do? Why bother trying to bring our kids up properly and lead by example when the 'experts' tell everyone it makes no difference? Must be the Silly Season.
Fortunately, history suggests that in two years' time we'll get another Expert Study that instead concludes that children are, after all, influenced by what they are taught. Would you like me to write the report now, or do you need time to steel yourselves for such shocking and controversial news?
I can't wait for the Nuffield research explaining that Swine Flu is proof that pigs can fly. Please do report it as soon as it arrives.