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The problem is that parental figures previously based such general information on gut feelings, personal anecdotes and old wives tales. A lot of what parents sa

The problem is that parental figures previously based such general information on gut feelings, personal anecdotes and old wives tales. A lot of what parents say can be correct, but when there is a lack of information to fill the gaps to a childs understandable inquisitiveness it's filled with ignorance or scorn by the parents that are going through the motions who have no answer. It's an interesting dynamic with the resources available for information to the general public that it will be the children that can quash misconceptions perpetuated by parents. We all, including future generations, will become better parents for it.

hawski 8y ago
I agree, but at the same time I feel that we are losing some of this common folk knowledge. It is strange, because we are in this information age, however it's full of noise. I'm not saying that it's bad to know how things are extensively with scientific rigor. It's good, but we are sometimes throwing the baby out with the bathwater. My parents had limited vocabulary, but in a way they meant the same thing. Stale air (a hopefully faithful translation from my language) can have many meanings, but in context it means air with high CO2 concentration. I'm wondering how much of this is also the disconnect caused by fast technological progress and evolving language with it.
patal 8y ago
I thought the same. Rearing a newborn recently, I find that much of the parental/pre-parental advice works well. However, I just now realized, they probably actually understood the problems. But since only the advised actions stuck in my mind, without the problem analysis, I came to think they would act on gut feelings. I think this is sort of a child/grandchild bias. This leaves aside parental scorn/ignorance as you describe it. Sounds like stressed-out parents, if I may say so. However, I don't know how future generations will get better at it, only that you may get better at it.

hawski 8y ago

I agree, but at the same time I feel that we are losing some of this common folk knowledge. It is strange, because we are in this information age, however it's full of noise. I'm not saying that it's bad to know how things are extensively with scientific rigor. It's good, but we are sometimes throwing the baby out with the bathwater. My parents had limited vocabulary, but in a way they meant the same thing. Stale air (a hopefully faithful translation from my language) can have many meanings, but in context it means air with high CO2 concentration. I'm wondering how much of this is also the disconnect caused by fast technological progress and evolving language with it.

patal 8y ago

I thought the same. Rearing a newborn recently, I find that much of the parental/pre-parental advice works well. However, I just now realized, they probably actually understood the problems. But since only the advised actions stuck in my mind, without the problem analysis, I came to think they would act on gut feelings. I think this is sort of a child/grandchild bias. This leaves aside parental scorn/ignorance as you describe it. Sounds like stressed-out parents, if I may say so. However, I don't know how future generations will get better at it, only that you may get better at it.