Rethinking Parenting

Whether you're a parent or not, we have a collective responsibility to the next generation to sever the chains of generational trauma and authoritarian parenting. There is no such thing as a perfect parent, but we can all strive towards parenting a better future.
The list of artists used is in the outro.
Introduction - 0:00
Pitfalls of Parenting - 1:11
Mindful Models of Parenting - 6:26
Anarchist Alloparenting - 16:19
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Support me on Patreon!
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Follow me on Twitter!
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Music:
@ForeignManInAForeignLand
Sun (prod. salmon the ghost)
/ salmontheghost
outro music: Cedar Womb by joe zempel
KZbin: / @joezempel
Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/3vVDn...
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Sources & Resources:
Hunt, Gather, Parent by Michaeleen Doucleff
Mothers and Others by Sarah Blaffer Hrdy
Civilised to Death by Christopher Ryan
Anarchist Pedagogies by Robert H. Haworth
• JSYK: Slave Beatings a...

[@rincentvanuggh1911]

Its a misconception that giving a child things they want makes them spoiled. Spoiled children are children who have learned that if they kick off, they get what they want. You don't spoil a child when you give them ice-cream, you spoil them when you say "no icecream" then they throw a tantrum and you give them ice cream to appease them. That's essentially rewarding the child for being horrible.

[@ahuman5772]

That's not a misconception, if you give a child whatever they want, whenever they want, they will become spoiled. Children need to know that they can't have whatever they want whenever they want. It doesn't mean you should never give them anything, of course. Would you give an adult whatever they want whenever they want? Of course not, that's unreasonable, and it's the same for a child.

[@janniskastner4396]

​@@ahuman5772 Why wouldn't I give an adult whatever they want whenever they want, when I can and want to, when nobody gets hurt?

[@Nai-qk4vp]

@@ahuman5772 Absolutely false. Again, the falsehood here is that they will start taking from and stepping on others when they get what they want. This whole thing is not a zero sum game. They can have what they want and others too. Only when they start taking from others and being rewarded for bad behaviour(as hierarchies all do) are they actually spoiled. The "common sense" view is nonsense.

[@kilgore_trout_37]

@@ahuman5772 Respectfully to you both, these are both misconceptions. The idea that you can “spoil” a child is a Victorian idea, and also included things like hugging your kids and telling them you love them. They are people. You can’t ruin a whole ass person with how you parent them. There are plenty of people raised in extremely permissive households who turn out fine, just like there are people who survive incredibly abusive homes and escape to become their own happy and functional adults. These are two extremes obviously, and not great parenting choices by any of our standards, but I think one is better than the other! Spoiling isn’t a thing, so says any modern parenting books, but also your kid is gonna have tantrums- that’s just a normal stage of development. You can shorten the duration of the tantrum with how you respond to it, but there’s nothing you can do to keep it from happening. You can teach and train emotional regulation to your kiddo and eventually get those tantrums down to seconds. Personally I don’t find it very useful to reward a tantrum, but I don’t think poorly of any parent that makes that choice- sometimes yes is the shortest solution in the moment, with the only real harm being that you’re extending the period of time that your kid will use tantrums as their main form of expressing their upset feelings.

[@ambatuBUHSURK]

@@kilgore_trout_37 Spoiling is very much a thing whether you like it or not. You can absolutely ruin a person with how you parent them. Things like trauma & social conditioning are real.

[@EayuProuxm]

It's good to know even in Puritan times, there were people amongst the Puritans who saw child beating as cruel.

[@sillycookie]

Every era always had good people. I take comfort in that.

[@freyabee819]

My man bought a plane ticket and backpacked across all of Italy every time he had to say Montessori. Incredible.

[@freyabee819]

And several times he didn't have to say it

[@james-cal]

I wanna send this to my parents, but honestly I think they'd just take offense and react defensively rather than be open to learning and adopting a new perspective.

[@Andrewism]

Unfortunately these sorts of conversations can be difficult to have between family.

[@TheMPExperience]

Send them the video! You never know what might spark some new perspectives for your parents. It is worth a try.

[@soundofazure]

Yeah, I feel that. I’m hoping to bring up how helpful our relatives and neighbours were during my childhood, even more so when my siblings came along. Good luck to you, however you decide. ❤

[@freedomfighter4990]

Send it to them anyway. At the very least, seeing this video will open up a conversation.

[@Pingijno]

it really do be like that

[@jacktaipen2077]

This is how my sister and I were raised and it's the best. But parents who both work full time cannot raise a young child this way, but many are not ready for that conversation.

[@vanderdendur4640]

Child liberation 15 hour work week 🤝 Abolishing capitalism

[@elvil]

Who else aside from your parents took care of you? I have a baby brother. I want to know who else aside from us can help raise him.

[@rishabhanand4973]

@@vanderdendur4640 funny how the party that claims to care so much about the family wants parents working 80 hour weeks, meaning they can't even be there to raise their kid

[@animation2649]

When I was younger my parents used to involve me in decisions, listen to me, give me tasks around the house, and buy me books of topics I was interested in learning. My best friend got whipped by his father instead, because he was supposedly lazy. But my father realized that my best friend was in fact, poor sighted and in need of glasses. Even after getting glasses, he still got whipped for the most absurd of reasons, like taking too much time in the restroom. When he became a teenager he started doing martial arts and eventually kicked his father out of the house.

[@ilikecookies9796]

Good for him.

[@ceasarsalazar5940]

--how exactly does one kick their father out of the house?

[@justthecoolestdudeyo9446]

@@ceasarsalazar5940 With martial arts

[@Nai-qk4vp]

@@ceasarsalazar5940 By dragging him and throwing him out.

[@PapaSmurf11182nd]

@@ilikecookies9796 👍🏻 I literally said those words before I read your comment

[@AndrewThoesen]

This is one of the best introductions to parenting strategy alternatives to Western culture that I’ve seen. I have a four year old and one year old and while we practice “gentle parenting” to a degree, seeing cultural precedent definitely helps solidify what it’s supposed to look like. Also, the punishment approach being rooted in Puritanism, especially in the USA, makes a whole lot of things make sense.

[@Vaeldarg]

To be fair to Puritans, organized religion (at least, Abrahamic ones) in general uses these kind of methods to make sure children are trained into incorporating the religion into their own identities by their parents. The local pastor couldn't come home with every family of a town after Sunday service, so parents were used to make sure the teachings were reinforced in daily home life. (now, it has gotten so ingrained in American culture, that people don't even need to physically go to any church, they can simply watch content that matches their own interpretation either here on KZbin or other social media platforms)

[@AlessandroBertolucci]

As a parent of two teenagers, I agree with your message; you do need a village to raise a child. There's no "but." My wife and I quickly realized that threats, and intimidation often had the opposite effect, so we've cut it out as much as we could (hey, we're not perfect - me in particular - and we lapsed many times) We generally spoke to our children as people, not as "things to be controlled or manipulated". Our goal was and still is to prepare our children to become part of their future society (not ours), hopefully with the skills and abilty they need survive, thrive and/or shape their future. I won't know for another 10 years or so, but I'm confident they will do just fine.

[@Alina_Schmidt]

It may also take longer than 10-ish years. Not because of a mistake of yours or anyone, just because.

[@stephaniechristiano9446]

I am so grateful that you make videos like this. I feel very isolated from other leftists because I have a child and try to include her whenever appropriate in our lives. The narrative of “I hate kids,” is strong where I am and it’s incredibly disheartening. The idea that she’s “my kid” and therefore “my responsibility” dehumanizes her and puts the burden of parenting and all its trappings exclusively on our very tiny immediate family unit. It’s a disservice and it isn’t radical.

[@phononanon]

This has convinced me that I should try to seek a job at a MonteSORRI school. Hopefully by embracing the MonteSORRI pedogogy I can bring the benefits of MonteSORRI methodology to another generation of MonteSORRI students

[@Andrewism]

🤌🏽🤌🏽🤌🏽

[@LucidiaRising]

Montesori is great but I think Sudbury is better :)

[@vaiyaktikasolarbeam1906]

stooop , I cant .........my brain will be full of montessorri

[@camelopardalis84]

Maybe you want to look into RIE parenting. There's a wonderful one and a half hour interview with Magda Gerber, the person who came up with the concept, here on youtube.

[@__-vb3ht]

Haven't looked that deep into it, but one thing I do know is that Montesorri is against telling fantasy stories to kids below a certain age, I think like eight or ten, because they say kids can't differentiate between fiction and truth. Struck me as pretty weird

[@maxhjermstad6710]

I'm about to be a parent and have been reading a lot lately about parenting that emphasizes true autonomy, equality, and solidarity, and I really appreciate you making such a solid, concise video on the subject. It's lot of good food for thought

[@Andrewism]

Best of luck!

[@nostalgiatrip7331]

Same here man. All the best

[@Nai-qk4vp]

Remember: what did your parents do that truly taught you your mosf important values, that most contribited to health and development? What did they do that you still disaprove and wouldn't want it done again? Remember these questions when raising your young ones. I wish you success.

[@ExperimentalSimplification]

Can you recommend a book on the subject?

[@Uhhliver]

As an anarchist preschool teacher, I appreciate this a lot

[@chidiokoro934]

Would you consider doing a video about living with neurodivergence in an anarchist society

[@Andrewism]

At first, my response to this comment was going to be, "It's something I've thought of but I fear I do not have the lived experience to do it justice." That may still be so, but I believe I might be able to present some thought provoking questions and scenarios that can potentially help us to develop tools and methods that can most effectively include those with neurodivergences. I'll give it more thought and see who I can reach out to to hopefully do this topic justice!

[@tyrreloneal5178]

I'd be interested in seeing that as well, because capitalism just ain't it for us!

[@diegoevrard-broquet8050]

YES about ADHD also please

[@keelymepi9668]

PDA profile too

[@chidiokoro934]

​@@Andrewism overthrow media is neurodivergent he's good

[@TheXFireball]

It sadened me when folks around my age supports "strict" and/or old school parenting. I do not want my kids to go through what I went through and compared to some folks I got off easy...

[@kuman0110]

same :(

[@horsepowermultimedia]

Already, these old school parenting methods have been proven to actually worsen the child and lead to the methods themselves backfiring.

[@madeline6951]

"when we constantly interfere with the agency of children, we undermine their confidence, problem-solving abilities and self-reliance" Unfortunately, I understand what you mean a touch too much. I was raised isolated, depressed and purposeless. My only motivation became escaping my situation. And now keeping contact with parents is difficult. Just as I think we are having a normal conversation, they start "reminding" me to go to the doctor, eat healthily, etc. These are all good suggestions in a vacuum, however always being undermined like that makes me feel untrustworthy, meek and, frankly, stupid. I feel disrespected and infantilized. That is to say, I think "rebellious" children aren't rebels at all. They are simply human and want to avoid the shame and dehumanization of being dragged through life. They are desperate for respect, boundaries and support. And the parents that respond by trying to boss around their kids even more only make things worse: they erode their relationship with their child, while also pumping them full of shame, isolation and anxiety.

[@courtneys.7113]

i’ve been beginning to think of my childhood in terms of the workplace. where i was forced to do whatever my parents wanted me to do, purposeful or not. i see some of those same things, being forced to do meaningless menial work because the person in charge is feeling particularly spiteful that day. i want to put emphasis on the part of that you eventually just focus on trying to escape your situation. there has been a grieving process with my childhood knowing that my growth was stunted because i was forced to sit in my little box, without any stimulation, and the depression that followed from it was so natural and inevitable. especially as a woman where being trapped in my house wasn’t even a direct punishment but supposedly a way to protect me from the outside world. i’ve had to learn how to live since leaving and seeking resources to self parent has also made me realize how similar it is to community parenting. my parents failed in raising me but the community (people who speak on these subjects) are teaching me. it helps to know i don’t have to work from scratch

[@neeeee7367]

Parethood has been for generations the first form of domination and hierarchy we've been exposed to. Always loving that there are solutions included!!

[@dustind4694]

One thing I'll be proud of on my death bed is that my Ohio River Valley settler-descended father broke the cycle, and I kept going. Kid's graduating college, soon, and giving space while allowing them to return if they need advice or company has some real benefits over trying to train up a kid like a soldier.

[@dustind4694]

Though it helps that grandparents and extended family were involved in both cases. There's no silver bullet, but we can do better, little by little.

[@allyson--]

[@__-vb3ht]

Do you know of Alfie Kohn? He has written many books on non-coercive, anti-authoritarian, peaceful parenting and schooling. His first book is a great condemnation of competition and what it does to the human soul. Also, parenting is what Graeber calls a self-defeating hierarchy. As are all relationships that are commonly used as examples of justified hierarchies. Doctors, teachers, parents, all aim to make you independent of themselves

[@Duiker36]

I'd never heard the term "self-defeating hierarchy" before and I *adore* it. That helps align so, so much of my thinking. Thank you! I'll have to google what Graeber said about it to expand, but I can do that now that I've got some keywords.

[@crystalunaluminescent4033]

Never heard of him before but I’m definitely looking into him now :) I’m learning so much toward the type of parenting I’ve wanted to give my future kids… And now, not only this video but also the comments section is giving me lots of new resources and knowledge to research more on! 😁 Thanks for sharing everyone!

[@OllyPolly674]

Kohn is great, definitely worth reading some of his articles and books. He also talks a lot about how to break out of reward/punishment models for raising children (both for parents and teachers) and helping a child learn to evaluate themselves freely rather than rely on external approval. For example, if a kid draws a picture, instead of telling them they did a good job, making the picture about how you feel about it, Kohn suggests talking about the picture, mentioning things you see like color choice and stuff, and letting the kid talk about why they made their particular artistic choices.

[@000Idiote]

As my great grandfather would say: The best way to stop a child from jumping around and tipping the boat isn't to hit them, it's to explain in vivid detail what drowning is

[@communist_kirby]

this could be worse for certain kids at certain ages. for a 4 year old, hearing an in depth explanation of what it feels like to drown could be effective to stopping the kid from messing around while around water, but it could also give them anxiety disorders in general or a phobia of water in specific. when they're 4 it's probably better to just watch over them, let them play but not let them put themselves in danger. but if a kid is 10 or 14 or something and is still fucking around around water like a 4yo would and hasn't gotten some sense, maybe then would be a better time to instill some seriousness in them, bc at that point they can handle it.

[@Azurethewolf168]

@@communist_kirby yeah

[@SamudExu]

@@communist_kirby Not if the kid ends up having a great experience on the boat with their grandfather. I don't think the person in question would explain drowning vividly to a kid and not say anything else during the rest of the boat ride or fishing session. That would be traumatic and awkward.

[@T--xo2uq]

My first thought would be to tell them to look into the water, because that's what I was doing when I realized that death is a thing. It was just so pretty and deep but I knew it was dangerous so I stayed well on the dock

[@iferlyf8172]

@@communist_kirby I think only saying enough for the kid to realize that they really should be more careful would be fine. No need to go into the messed up details to convince them that they do not want it to happen

[@dile5879]

I'm traveling tomorrow with my best friend to her house to be with her and her baby for the rest of the year. I have always known I didn't want to have children, and I have been for as long as I remember always on the side of children. But now I'm an adult and I can see the responsibility that we have with children, not only "our" children, but the children in our families and communities. I'm going as a helper because I recognize that I have a responsibility with my best friend, but also with this new born human, children need supporting adults outside of the structurally authoritarian legal role of the parents, they need to know that belonging doesn't end with our legal guardians, there are options to be and people to trust regardless of legal status.

[@cometogether]

People are sometimes uncomfortable when first hearing about family abolition, but as you've correctly pointed out in this video, the hegemonic nuclear family structure is authoritarian, colonial, and does not provide caretakers with enough support to raise young people. When I start to get into what I mean when I talk about family abolition (which is to say the abolition of the social/political/legal status of the nuclear family and to center care and solidarity in the community instead) it's often parents who are the most supportive of the idea!

[@Andrewism]

I think you'd appreciate my video on Rethinking Family! kzbin.info/www/bejne/np7Uf4Z5mpWqaNk

[@Azurethewolf168]

I do get why they do it like this, it’s their child. They want to protect them.

[@ItIsTheLordWhoKeepsme]

​@@Azurethewolf168and some people don't trust their relatives to care for them. I know I don't

[@cometogether]

@@Andrewism i do appreciate it! been slowly working my way through your references in that video

[@drphosferrous]

Truedat. Kids need lots of healthy adults around and solid breeder relationships also need friends and family. The model of dad/mom/kids alone in a house as a whole family isn't really healthy for anyone. Its taxing on parents and important things can be neglected.

[@edwardwalter3100]

Stay at home dad with a 5 and 3 year old currently. You hit me hard with this one man and I've been trying to implement as much of the gentle practices and child led approaches. It is difficult on your own which has been my route as my son was born just at the start of the pandemic. The focus on having a group of adults to share the load is vital and is something I've been working on developing myself over the past few years. Hard work for sure but absolutely rewarding seeing my children turn into thoughtful little humans.

[@gittevandevelde2208]

that monteSSOOOOORRRIII was lowkey traumatizing tbh

[@something1600]

Why what's wrong with the MonteSSOOOORRRIII method. People fear things like the MONTESSOOOORRRIII because they don't understand things like the MONTESSOOOORRRIII method.

[@happygucci5094]

@@something1600 😂👌🏽

[@ericosagie3046]

You always see videos of “doing x in an Asian, African, Caribbean home”. People make jokes about this but people are suffering

[@JustGensin]

I don't know if this was an intended effect, but this literally restored my desire to raise children as a queer person. I've been so afraid of raising a child or several children because my own childhood was so traumatic. This video has not only showed me that there is an alternative to traditional US parenting, and gave me one of the best examples of something I've tried to imagine on my own in futility. Thank you so much. I can't express how much this means to me.

[@allyson--]

:)

[@kateherr2893]

You will be great, I just know it!

[@user-gu9yq5sj7c]

Children need a dad and mom.

[@bounty_hunter101]

There is not point to 'raising' your child to be deviant. They are or they aren't. Let them just exist, and if they happen to resemble yourself, so be it.

[@1snivy10]

The most important thing from my perspective, beyond the methods shared in this video, is having a supportive network of people to help raise a child. The network should not only be able to assist the child, but you as well- you can't be the best parent if you need to work full time to meet your basic needs. The network should also consist of people who want to help you raise the child, as in, they are not helping just because they're being forced to.

[@xxx_putin_has_a_flaccid_pe5374]

I remember being told by an uncle, as an adult, that my mother intentionally didn’t hug or comfort me that much. It was so that I wouldn’t get too “soft”. Now all the mommy issues and the longing to be held suddenly make sense

[@rowanpaws2975]

As a teenager who still lives with my parents, these methods of breaking generational trauma with parenting really resonate with me as important to implement, and as early/consistently as possible. I feel like my parents have done the best they could have since I was born, both being rather conscious of alternative parenting, but still I find that there has been unnecessary conflict and trauma from parenting techniques that they never fully unlearned from their parents and from society at large. My parents are aware of where they feel they could have done better, and I am aware of how I can still make it difficult sometimes, but I'm wondering if there is a particular part to parenting in a decolonised way that addresses the child, who is beginning to self-actualise more and more, and particular ways to address the harm of the past and help them grow even with previous experiences making it difficult for them to see the parents' guidance/requests as anything but more authoritarian demands.

[@Andrewism]

It is important to remember that thought they were not successful in breaking all generational curses, our parents may have broken some. The world is not black and white, and I consider it necessary to extend a reasonable measure of grace.

[@Mythil]

I love the comparisons with parenting as it looks in other cultures. As someone who definitely did not want to follow in my own parents' methods but didn't know what an alternative might look like, it gives some great perspectives on what it could look like when decoupled from all the individualistic, hierarchical baggage of the western world.

[@lolaquafleur]

hey andrew, this was pretty great as im currently pregnant and although i've done alot of research, it was lovely to see all of my emergent parenting understandings in your eloquent flow.

[@Andrewism]

Best of luck with your parenting! Hope you get all the support you need.

[@bedheadzen]

"All power to all the people, including the little ones." was somehow both a very cute yet meaning-heavy way to end the video. Amazing work!

[@HotDogTimeMachine385]

"The only way to win is not to play" The bloodline ends with me. I refuse to continue this cycle and make anyone suffer like the people directly before me.

[@SpiritGreatness]

Yes❤

[@ruckly1241]

As a parent, I have a lot of anxiety (I could honestly stop typing there, but I shall continue) about what lessons and example I am setting for my children. How do I respect their autonomy and self-directed learning, while trying to encourage them to do the course work the school district requires of them, even though their neurodivergance makes such work especially difficult and I don't believe that work is necessary? Every suggestion feels like another weight on my already wobbling plate, and another way I can fail them. I need to remind myself that my spouse and I are neurodivergent ourselves. We are disabled, overworked and burnt out. Apart from one grandparent, we have no support, as we have been socially isolated long before the pandemic. And have continued to isolate as the pandemic is still a thing. I know I shouldn't be so hard on myself for failing at a task that was never reasonable or possible. And yet I am.

[@AG_KEMPER]

My nieces and nephews are all 4 y/o and under, so I've started using gentle/team childcare techniques on them. They respond so well to it, that their parents are like "I wish I had your patience, because then I could be that kind of parent." They're glad that the kids have an adult in their lives with the patience and emotional capacity that comes with not being the parent. I was raised in a large family that included many non-related "family" members who took on a childcare role. We had a team of individuals who loved us and wanted the best for us, and now I'm trying to keep that going with this next generation.

[@MegaAthir]

It's time to break free from Aristotelian taxonomy and love children as love heuristically meant and not in the context as shaping them, fantastic work, Andrew!

[@cb034]

I've been watching a *lot* of gentle parenting content lately, so this is a fun video to see from you

[@KatKit52]

I'd love to see you talk about child-specific "neurodivergence", such as ODD (oppositional defiance disorder) and how that could go with parenting.

[@LPSlight0]

Hey just to weigh in here, ODD is only a disorder because we as a culture value obedience and authority and expect everyone, especially kids, to uphold those values. As a result, when children try to resist coercion in extreme ways, instead of recognizing this behavior as kids trying to assert their needs for autonomy and self-determination, we interpret it as a disorder, as if something is *wrong* with them, because why wouldn't kids be obedient to adults? Basically, the pathologization of a particularly salient need for autonomy in children (what we call ODD) is a reflection of our cultural values, not of an objective scientific-medical reality. If children actually were raised with autonomy in a context of a self-determination culture, ODD wouldn't be a thing. This also correlates with the social model of disability: it's not that there is something inherently wrong with kids "with" ODD, ODD is only a disability in the context of an authoritarian society.

[@kezkai]

ODD is also heavily criticised for how it's disproportionately used against black children, particularly black boys. These black boys may have neurodivergences such as ADHD or Autism or may just be "acting out" or even in many cases just acting as normal children do, and rather than being supported in the same way their white counterpart would be, are pathologised - labelled pathologically defiant - and thus all interaction with "authoritive figures" such as parents, teachers etc in the future are shaped by this pathologisation. This disproportionately punishes black children's behaviour and stunts their ability to grow and learn. It fuels the school to prison pipeline. Kids who are not allowed to grow or learn autonomy because they're "defiant" being pushed further and further into difficult behaviours and towards not trusting authority. I mean, if you were regularly being shown that adults don't have your best interests at heart, you wouldn't trust or listen to them either would you? When learning how ODD pathology is unfair and based upon flawed practice in general, it's even easier to see how further traumatising and abusive it is when used against black children especially within a context of the US or UK for example, where these black children are already in a world that criminalises and demonises them especially the police - police who are called by schools against "defiant" "scary" "angry" black boys, who shoot those same boys. Who will identify that same distress in older black men and those detainments end in death as well, that is if they weren't shot on sight. the PDA profile in Autism is criticised in some similar ways for how it's used against autistic children and used to introduce punishment and negative reinforcement, and many are working hard to build a better understanding of PDA profiles. A better understanding of what ODD actually is and if its fair or accurate for it to be it's own distinct disorder etc are all being studied and discussed too. Its not necessarily accurate to say that anything considered ODD simply doesn't exist, but it's definitely accurate to say that it is a discriminate diagnosis both within how it's pathologised and how adult figures are taught, or not taught, to deal with or understand it.

[@kilgore_trout_37]

Just excellent stuff here, thank you. I spend all day thinking about these things as I raise two kids with my partner. “What does “success” in school look like?” “What are bad words?” and just generally trying to have a collaborative approach with these kids about everything. Life is better I think when you treat kids with respect.

[@Mr.Goodkat]

There is no bad words, only bad intentions. We often say "actions speak louder than words" but then we treat words even ones done out of context and with no intent to harm (like someone blurting out sh*t or fu*k when they drop something) with such a severe response but (and this is even worse) only to youth as if that's not a bigotry, hypocrisy and unnecessary double standard, it's simply "doing unto other's what's hateful when done unto you" so also breaks the "golden moral rule" we'll preach to our kids which is yet more hypocrisy. Now we have a society full to the brim of people obsessed with and engaged in conflict over words, labels and speech almost like constantly having that conditioned into us in the home had an effect? we weren't born fighting over them went into those homes/environments and came out like this. Now everyone is hurting each other over words (an action) because many in society are mistreated into acting like words speak louder than actions and when someone says the wrong word they're justified now in breaking the "golden moral rule" but only if they're the one with more power again mimicking the parent situation to a T as only ones in lesser power have to follow the rules and those with more can do as they want not an attitude we're born with but one we all learn in our first environments over the course of many conditioning years. Now we have a society and countless relationship with everybody jostling for power and people in power acting like "might makes right" all of it can be traced back to the home and school, every single bit and even those from perfect ideal households which are the exact opposite of what I am speaking out against can adopt that toxic attitude just from living in a society it entered into through the home and school.

[@ericrae7531]

I love the commitment to the "Montessori!" bit. Great video :)

[@withbirds]

i loved this. i feel i was raised in a somewhat individualistic and disconnected way, and I'm trying to get more in touch with community and connection. the idea of re-parenting oneself and the ideas/models mentioned in this video feels like possibly something for me to pursue as well

[@FourtyParsecs]

I'm white and was taught to use corporal punishment. When I had kids, I fortunately had a wiser wife and she showed me that kids don't to be beaten into submission. So I've been able to break from generations of this wrong parenting. It seems like it'd be obvious, but when you grow up being taught to treat children a certain way, you just naturally do that when you have kids of your own, without even thinking about it. New parents are already freaked out about all the new responsibilities a child comes with. So breaking from your own traditions in parenting and forging a new path is very daunting. And sometimes the grandparents can put pressure on the parents to try to get them to revert to "traditional" forms of correction. So, to you parents out there that are breaking free from these generational problems, thank you! You are building a much better world for us all!

[@danceteacherrlb]

I'm a teacher and double parent working homes with no community are being CATASTROPHIC to this generation. Children have prepackaged cookies and chips for lunch because mom doesn't have time to make them a sandwich. I know fourth graders who CANT TIE THEIR SHOES because it took less time for the parents to buy velcro shoes than teach them how to tie.They kids at my school don't seem to know how to function around other children and adults who don't just pacify them.

[@bilalafzal7442]

You might want to read john taylor gatto's book, dumbing us down: the hidden curriculum of compulsory schooling and weapons of mass instruction

[@EvilWeiRamirez]

There's a difference between a hierarchy based on skill and one based on authority. Parents are more skilled at life, and can deal with more problems. That doesn't necessarily enforce a power disparity. A parent child relationship is more like a mentor student relationship. The point isn't to keep the mentor status forever. It isn't too oppress the other. It is to lift up. And that hierarchy is limited in nature. It doesn't expand to being the answer to every situation.

[@SloMoMonday]

Growing up in a vibrant muti-generational/cultural household and neighborhood did a lot to offset the trauma and anger from my more puritanical father and fundamentalist schooling. It was obvious that living in constant fear and anxiety was not normal and I later learned that it was a inherited problem going back beyond when anyone can remember. Your words have further fueled my conviction to break this senseless cycle and have inspired me to further explore these cultures/mindsets. I am grateful good sir.

[@symmetrysystem1642]

really really amazing video. we literally had to stop watching bc we were crying too hard bc it is everything we craved as a child but didn't have the words for -Evi

[@allyson--]

[@gentle2k504]

i work for a non profit after school program, i’ve been really inspired to be in the community more, this video is perfect for finding new ways to lead my class in a way that doesn’t just repeat the cycles the students might experience at home and in school

[@AndrewRGross]

This reminds me of a conversation that really impacted me a few weeks ago. I was talking with my grandmother, and reflecting on the fact that it seems like my parenting style is largely a copy of my mother's, and hers seems to have been based on her own upbringing, which was quite gentle. I asked her if she copied her approach from her own parents and she said not really. Not that they were strict, just that the world changed a lot between when she was a girl and when she was a mother. I asked her then where she got her inspiration, and she said she just acted with the recognition that my mom and her siblings didn't ask to be born, and so their love was something to be earned rather than expected. This struck me as remarkably forward thinking, especially for a woman born nearly a hundred years ago. It also reminded me how fortunate I was in the circumstances of my birth. Also, if anyone is curious, I'm fifth generation American, Jewish.

[@DocKrazy]

All of this (as well as this shift in paretnting tactics as I keep increasingly seeing on my social media feeds) is so much what I've always felt. I don't realy have the desire to have children of my own (though adoption is very much on the table), but I aim to be an alloparent whenever I can. Children are wonderful people and they deserve respect and care.

[@MainelyMandy]

My sister is a mom following gentle parenting methods and I astonded at her patience and understanding with her kids. Just so different than what we experienced growing up. Gives me a lot of hope seeing her work so hard to unpack and unlearn how we were taught. Thanks for making this!

[@davidfetter]

Parent here, absolutely love this. We've come a long way, and have a joyous exploration ahead.

[@mikevallerga1295]

As a parent exhausted by what it takes to raise a kid and get by under capitalism, watching this was really invigorating! It made me excited to be more mindful of these kinds of parenting ideals.

[@niahexe738]

This is the first time I am hearing from (supposedly) another anarchistic parent, who is trying their best to find a way between community, autonomy und looking what works best for them as an individual. I would love to have a group with parents who think like that. Our way to give our child this feeling is also living with three friends of ours, so we are 5 adults and a child in one household. We cook, eat, garden and clean togeher and whenever i tell other parents about this, they are fascinated. Something about raising a child in a group just feels right.

[@tonyisnotdead]

you are deciding what is best for them? to make them more of a individual?

[@Patchouliprince]

My partner and I are helping my grandmother raise my little brother, we have split custody and he goes between us every other week. I talk about this a lot with my therapist, and I’m constantly doing work to make sure I’m able to show up the best I can for my brother. My therapist recently recommended Parenting From the Inside Out and it’s a great book, highly highly suggest a read

[@tayb4812]

As a teacher and a new parent, thanks for putting this video together. It's put words to a lot of things I've felt and seen at work and home. I get a lot of confusion from colleagues when I approach teaching using I guess would be closest to gentle parenting, I've been called too soft or a push over. I've always said that "kids don't do what you say, they do what you do", so if I want kids to listen and show respect, I have to do the same, if I don't want kids to shout and scream in anger, I can't shout at the kids in my class. If I want them to be quiet, patient, respectful and kind, I have to show them what that looks like first, in the same way were expected to demonstrate reading and writing.

[@chrisdethlefsen9853]

You were just having so much fun saying Montessori, and I love it!

[@garaicaruth3536]

I’m sorry I’m CRYING at “MonTeSooooRi 👨🏻‍🍳🇮🇹🍝”

[@magepunk2376]

“All power to all the people, including the little ones.” -Beautiful

[@BurnBluefireK]

I went to a Montessori School for Pre-K and it's definitely been an integral part of my creative and curious development especially as an autistic person. which is kind of nuts since it was just one year. I really wish I could have continued with the school because I was immediately more alienated in the traditional public school structure. My teachers were baffled just because I asked questions about why we did certain things and it got shrugged off by my parents as me learning defiant behaviors from my older brother or something. School only got worse as kids learn to bully then prey on me as someone who was already ostracized. and teachers in the broader school structure are only going to reinforce those authoritarian tendencies from other kids.

[@Duiker36]

IMO, the Montessori Method works extremely well at the pre-K level and becomes less and less capable as the child grows older, so I don't think you actually missed all that much. During my dive into the literature, I mostly saw a lot of focus on 2-5 year-olds and very little work done on how older children should be guided. Maybe that has changed since I moved on from learning about that area, but I doubt it. You probably would have been bullied less, but mainly because the teacher-student ratio would have been better.

[@youtubeuniversity3638]

It is earnestly a bit disturbing to think there are currently worse parents out there than I am convinced I would be...

[@thrillhouse4151]

10:35, as always I really love the choice of art, I’m having lots of good memories of my old reading textbooks in the mid 90s.

[@johnnyokeeffe6577]

I love your channel Andrew. Thank you for getting these great ideas out there!

[@im-here]

Every time I see one of your videos I have the urge to show it to everyone I know, thank you for these

[@fluffynyasquirrel]

im quechua and its nice to see people mention us. great content as always.

[@unitymomentum]

Thank you, thank you, thank you for this SO MUCH!!! My heart has been crying this since I was a young tween

[@mwenyachikwa4685]

I started watching this with high doubts but I leave with the usual shading away of ignorance I get after watching your videos. Keep it man. Your channel is def working.

[@josiahklein70]

I feel so afraid. I've been missing out on much of this wisdom for most of my life. We make it work, but it could work much better. Thank you, Andrew.

[@anettera3460]

such a good topic, thanks andrew :)

[@jasonjacoby]

Man, I'm trying to pay attention and you've got me in tears laughing at Montessori

[@BL-sd2qw]

Inuit people are one of the most gentle, and have one of the most respectful children. Who would have guessed that treating people with respect would make them learn to treat others with respect?

[@LaramidiaWX]

Thank you! You've summarized precisely the sort of parenting and community style I am striving for.

[@RoamingTofu]

Thank you, Andrew! Love the videos; appreciate your insights.

[@stekra3159]

I just love how you clealy had fun pronucing the Montessori method.

[@FinntasticMrFox]

Your videos always leave me so hopeful and motivated.

[@flora9866]

Another great one! Love this!

[@readreadwriteread9039]

As always, love that artwork and the message ❤

[@RevShifty]

I don't have any children and never even really liked them all that much, and this was still an amazing video. The variety of approaches mentioned, the over arching goal, the community building, and the ease with which you explain such complex topics made this a pleasure to watch. I'm not sure it made me want to have children around me any more than I did before watching it, but it definitely gave me a lot to think about when I do deal with children. Thank you.

[@tavitafish]

Honestly so glad this video exists, not because it enlightened me a whole lot (I already agreed with everything said) but I can send it to my partner and watch it with my daughter to make sure we're all operating on the same wave length

[@theonlymegumegu]

im so glad i ran across this video. whenever my brain goes down the rabbit hole of how to change culture, i inevitably end up at raising children and this has given a lot of good info to mull over on that subject.

[@lukehorton4373]

I’ve realized over the past couple years that I do want to be a parent. Not sure what that would look like yet but this video makes me feel inspired!! ❤

[@drphosferrous]

Its hard to teach kids that heirarchies are fake because sometimes you have to get a little authoritarian. It helps when they know your motivations and goals. It helps to pick your battles very selectively and only make a hard rule or promise when you can absolutely follow through. Kids dont really need to learn obedience or heirarchy. First 6 years are very important. If you can keep them close to a main caregiver and involved throughout that time, they will have the confidence to think clearly later. If you can't make close time with them a constant priority in their first 6 years, the damage will be worse than the damage of poverty,divorce,or iffy nutrition. Too many parents both work full time because they're afraid poverty makes them bad parents.

[@saumyam8492]

WHAT AN ABSOLUTE GEM OF A VIDEO

[@Sarah-James]

Another great video. Thank you so much.

[@michaeledwin2072]

Thank you for this video Andrew

[@runawaythoughts5183]

As someone that went to a Montessori school, the way you say it makes me cackle everytime

[@nsjhdhdhdbhsudgvdydb7751]

the book "complex ptsd from surving to thriving" by pete walker really helped me with my trauma and understanding my families generational trauma.

[@koda_pop7849]

I’m very mad that around the 8th “Monte-sooori~” I snort laughed. How dare you sir, I was drinking

[@ninety1nethagawd]

great video as always.

[@mattbartlett0]

I’d love to see a part 2 where you have a kid and report back on your experience with implementing these suggestions ❤️

[@Hemphunter94]

I’m a fan of your thought process

[@kateherr2893]

Keith Haring would be SO PROUD to have his artwork associated with your artwork! Great taste in your art picks.

[@SpecialInterestShow]

This is why I absolutely adore the TV show Bluey. It shows such good parenting!!!

[@brodyjohnstancliff4822]

Quibble: "Nahua" is pronounced like "Nawa" because it's spelled using (quite old) Spanish spelling rules. Love your videos! They always have something in them that expands my perspective and understanding! Thank you for your work!

[@Jesse-bv1kp]

Thank you so much for providing a proper contextually accurate explanation for "the rod" analogy used in Proverbs at time stamp 2:20 in the upper right hand corner.

[@rmt3589]

Aloparents. I love that word now! Finally subscribed.

[@rb1054]

Thabk you for your work

[@gwenrees7594]

Awesome video, thank you.

[@suolainenomena7631]

Thank you ❤️

[@durtpon5967]

Don’t have a kid, but you’re video is help to think about all relationships, thank you and people who support cared process in time

[@IndomitableAde]

2:40 long before I became a parent I'd heard the phrase "schoolhouse to jailhouse pipeline" and I was sickened but not surprised by its practice and ramifications. My justification was that my son needed to behave in school in a way that would minimize his encounters with the penal system and police, thereby diverting him from the pipeline and avoiding modern lynchings. I'm realizing I expected a 3rd grade school child to regulate his emotional behavior in accordance with the understanding that he might be disciplined more severely than his white classmates even though they were academic peers and friends. That's an incredibly heavy and adult burden to place upon a child. Thank you for making me realize I want to apologize to my soon-to-be twenty-year-old.

[@happygucci5094]

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[@Andrewism]

You are so welcome!

[@Sirianta]

Beautiful video!