Frank Field's idea is not all bad!

Reading Frank Field’s “The biggest crisis faces Britain” I could see where he is coming from – in that parenting is partially a learned skill, we watch our parents and our friends and relatives parents and later copy them. Some of us carbon copy them some don’t. Parenting is mostly a learned skill, even the instinctive accepts of it is a shared learning. So for Frank Field to consider teaching it in school is not all that bizarre.

His suggestion to incorporate parenting into daily subjects is great [it’s what most parents do around the kitchen table, in the car, while watching TV and whenever the opportunity presents itself] but in the absence of a parent, I guess the classroom will have to do. But making it a GCSE requirement is a step too far! As it is, there are too many dumbed- down and diluted courses in our schools which in reality are hobbies or extra curriculum activates that don’t merit being a curriculum.

But, once the foundation is set, in the classroom, nature should be allowed to take its course – kids are smart, we need to give them credit and allow them to differentiate for them selves between good and bad parenting. Just look at the animal kingdom, it is full of good parenting examples, none of whom needed a qualification to achieve it. I’ll say it again, although learned parenting is predominately an instinct.

The problem some families are facing today, is mostly a culture of irresponsibility, dependency, and lack of self-worth – if we can get a handle on these issues, parenting will take its natural course – but Frank Field’s idea of weaving good parenting behaviour and techniques in everyday lessons is a well thought start and an excellent substitute for the lack of parenting some young people suffer today.