So this article goes on for paragraphs blaming republicans and evangelicals and the red scare and slavery. But why do democrats (apparently) hate their children as well? After all, education is 90% funded by states and municipalities. That’s not unique to the US—education is a local issue everywhere from Sweden to Canada to Germany. Why are schools falling apart in Baltimore and Chicago? Why aren’t social services for children materially better in Illinois and New York?<p>For example, the article prominently quotes a state Rep from Idaho to illustrate why the author’s political opponents have the wrong values. But 8th graders in Idaho do better in reading than those in California, Delaware, Oregon, and Maryland, and comparably to New York, Vermont, Connecticut, and Minnesota. <a href="https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/subject/publications/stt2022/pdf/2023010ID8.pdf" rel="nofollow">https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/subject/publications/s...</a>. And Idaho is a lot poorer than those states!<p>The author’s comparison to Greece is unintentionally revealing. Allegedly, Greece doesn’t hate its children. But Greece spends only 4% of GDP on education, in comparison to 6% for the US. Another telling data point: over 90% of Greek children live with both parents, compared to under 70% in the US.
Children don’t vote. If they would only get up off their butts and vote, they’d get some representation. Imagine what they could do if they pooled all their lunch money and started a SuperPAC! Then Congress would take notice.<p>Their parents sure as hell aren’t going to do the voting for them. They just want lower taxes.
Also, recently in the Atlantic: Why Parents Struggle So Much in the World’s Richest Country<p>Gift link:<p><a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2024/01/america-failed-parents-rich-countries-raising-kids/677023/?gift=Ex_YT3j3w4bpWvzqHtkwO4cFDxU4siZoPzA_k5RwGk0&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share" rel="nofollow">https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2024/01/america-f...</a>
> At root, we must overthrow the persistent delusion of rugged individualism — the perverse American mythology that everyone must fend for themselves, no matter the cost.<p>I don't think the author considered their own bias since there is no mention of movements like gender ideology that are the epitome of individualism, which says that anyone can declare their own gender and identity. If you can define your own identity, how is society supposed to function in any coherent way? People can't predict your role in society, and so the default behavior is to ignore people and let everyone live their lives in whatever way they please. I'm not saying whether it's right or wrong, but it's a blind spot of the article's analysis.<p>Progressivism is aiming for the maximum amount of individualism, as it aspires to maximize individual freedom and create technology that empowers the individual, from cars to VR. The alternative is to maximize the family as the basic unit of society, but in order to do that you have to define what a family is, and right now it seems the status quo is dismantling the family structure and giving individuals direct control of their role and identity in society (which amounts to having no roles).
"Last summer, my kids and I spent a month in Greece, where their grandfather lives."<p>Very first sentence of the article.<p>God do I hate this style. Do we always need to start with your own, personal, true-to-you, totally-happened experience this one time?<p>Is it a new thing or it's always been like that and I didn't realize it?
> How many articles have I read about whether children should be allowed on airplanes, or at weddings, or in restaurants?<p>American culture’s view of children as burdensome is a self fulfilling prophecy. Parents may sarcastically quip about their children’s imposition on their careers, finances, and sex lives, but they practice genuine resentment when they get some “me time” by encouraging a child’s screen time addiction, or by refusing to punish a child’s antisocial behavior. Their mal-adjusted children are unsuitable companions in a social venue, a genuine burden unwelcome to society for many years longer than they need be.<p>You can break this cycle by not thinking of your child like a burden, and by training them to not be a burden to others.<p>Shortly after I could talk, I was raised to address adults respectfully and to say please and thank you. My dad would also have us practice sitting still and quiet for a few minutes before bed. These basic manners elicited a decade of compliments from wait staff and flight attendants effusively telling my parents what nice children we were. Given what a small effort it takes to make eye contact and say “thank you”, even at the time I understood their praise as more a comment on society.<p>Now that I have children of my own, I’ve taught them from a young age how to attend a funeral or wedding (or grocery store) without ruining it for others. I can bring them without hesitation to a meeting with my banker or lawyer, excellent learning opportunities. They say please and thank you, and in response, adults across our community dote on and encourage and appreciate my children, and their good behaviour has earned them privileges and opportunity that I couldn’t personally have awarded them.<p>I refuse to call my wife a “ball and chain” or to refer to nun
> How many articles have I read about whether children should be allowed on airplanes, or at weddings, or in restaurants?<p>American culture’s view of children as burdensome is a self fulfilling prophecy. Parents may sarcastically quip about their children’s imposition on their careers, finances, and sex lives, but they practice genuine resentment when they get some “me time” by encouraging a child’s screen time addiction, or by refusing to punish a child’s antisocial behavior. Their mal-adjusted children are unsuitable companions in a social venue, a genuine burden unwelcome to society for many years longer than they need be, and it breeds anti child sentiment.<p>You can break this cycle by not thinking of your child like a burden, and by training them to not be a burden to others.<p>Shortly after I could talk, I was raised to address adults respectfully and to say please and thank you. My dad would also have us practice sitting still and quiet for a few minutes before bed. These basic manners elicited a decade of compliments from wait staff and flight attendants effusively telling my parents what nice children we were. Given what a small effort it takes to make eye contact and say “thank you”, even at the time I understood their praise as more a comment on society.<p>Now that I have children of my own, I’ve taught them from a young age how to attend a funeral or wedding (or grocery store) without ruining it for others. I can bring them without hesitation to a meeting with my banker or lawyer, excellent learning opportunities. They say please and thank you, and in response, adults across our community dote on and encourage and appreciate my children, and their good behaviour has earned them privileges and opportunity that I couldn’t personally have awarded them.<p>I’ve done my best to avoid the attitude trap of treating my children like a burden. They are each individually and altogether one of the greatest joys I’ve ever known. And teaching them a modicum of manners early on seems to have reopened whatever doors for them that American anti-child culture would have closed.
"Virtually every other industrialized nation provides more government aid for their children than America does. "<p>Somehow I knew that would be the main point as soon as I saw the title and the publication. For many, the answer to all problems is government spending.