How to Ruin a Child [with Richard Glover]

What if some of the parenting advice you’ve been given was completely wrong?

Richard Glover has spent years digging through Australian parenting manuals, government advice and expert recommendations from the past 100 years. What he found is funny, disturbing and surprisingly reassuring.

From being told not to cuddle a crying baby to warnings that praise would make children arrogant, Richard reveals how generations of parents were taught to ignore their instincts. He also explains why looking back at parenting history can help us stop chasing every new expert theory and trust ourselves a little more.

KEY POINTS

• Why parents were once told not to cuddle crying babies
• How government parenting advice shaped generations of Australian families
• Why harsh parenting keeps coming back in new forms
• What history can teach us about today's parenting trends
• Why parents can be more forgiving of their own childhood experiences
• The simple things children actually need: love, stability and age-appropriate limits

QUOTE OF THE EPISODE

“Children need stability, a sense of order, a sense of rules, and they need a lot of love.”

RESOURCES MENTIONED

How to Ruin a Child by Richard Glover

ACTION STEPS FOR PARENTS

• Be wary of extreme parenting advice that promises one perfect way to raise children.
• Trust your instincts when something feels wrong.
• Give your children clear, age-appropriate boundaries alongside plenty of love.
• Remember that you don't have to get parenting perfect to raise a perfectly decent human being.

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