10 Of Grandma's Best Parenting Hacks That Millennials Would Be Stupid Not To Follow

Parenting has never been easy. Not in 2019, not generations ago - not even hundreds of years ago. It's a universal fact that kids require a great deal of moulding, learning, and discipline, and this can prove difficult at the best of times.

These days, we might think kids have it a lot better than they did generations ago. I mean, for one thing, 21st-century parents tend to be less strict and more affectionate; they're less likely to use physical forms of punishment, and dads play a much bigger role in raising their children.

But there are many things we could learn from our grandparents about how to raise a child to become a decent member of society. Generally speaking, our grandparents were more effective at disciplining their kids and ensuring they didn't spoil them.

There are also plenty of other ways in which their parenting style may have been superior to that of millennials. Here are some of them:

1. Ignore your child's tantrum

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Kids are going to throw tantrums - it's part and parcel of that phase in their life. They want everything their own way and don't yet have the ability to use logic and reason to realise their demands are out of the question.

These days, we are far too quick to indulge our children by responding to their tantrums. Instead of giving their outbursts the attention they crave, a better solution could be to simply ignore it. It won't last forever, after all, and it's important that children learn that acting in such a way is not going to get them anywhere.

2. Giving your child more freedom

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Back in the day, kids were given a lot more freedom to play outside, blocks away from their home. These days, it seems that children are constantly being chaperoned by an adult as though they are always in harm's way.

We have this idea that generations ago, the world was a much safer place. You know, the kind where you could leave your front door open and never have to worry about being the victim of a crime as a result.

However, there is no real evidence to suggest it was really any safer back then. It's just that these days, with widespread social media use, it's a lot easier to access the kind of news stories that show us how dangerous our world can be.

3. Teach your kids basic skills for later on in life

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Back in the day, there would have been more of an emphasis on teaching daughters in the family how to be an ideal housewife. They would have learned how to do all sorts of chores around the house and that's something that is lacking in households today. Kids and teens simply aren't being taught basic skills like cooking and how to run a household.

4. Stop micromanaging your kids

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Sometimes children, even toddlers, need to work things out on their own. There's no point advising them every step of the way including how to go about their relationships with other children. It's a fact of life that often children argue and are mean to each other, but it's not the end of the world. Eventually, they will develop the skills to sort out their own problems.

5. Hand-me-downs are a good thing

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We tend to spoil children a lot more these days than we would have done in the past. In order to keep them grounded, it might be a good idea to give them hand-me-downs to wear instead of always buying them every item of clothing they desire.

6. Eating food at home

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Needless to say, it will become increasingly expensive if you choose to eat out or get takeout several times a week. It may seem easier, but it's much better to find time to cook your family a healthy, balanced meal that you can afford.

7. Eating dinner together

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Much has been made of the fact that these days we are less likely to sit down with our family at the dinner table and eat an entire meal together. And that's a real shame - it's a great time to be able to share things with your family and to talk about your day.

8. All in one bedroom

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Back in the day, most children did not have their own bedrooms. And this can be better for both parent and child. This is particularly the case when it comes to newborns. When you have a newborn, you will be up all hours of the night tending to their needs, so they really don't need to have an entire room to themselves.

9. Less emphasis on tech

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Children are using phones and tablets at an incredibly young age and it's ruining their childhood. Gadgets like these are incredibly addictive - we all know that. Let's protect our kids for as long as possible by ensuring they have a decent amount of tech-free time.

10. Set a bedtime for your kids

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Children need their sleep if they are to ensure healthy development. Unfortunately, getting your kids to go to sleep at an appropriate time can be pretty difficult. Even so, it's important not to give in and to have a firm, non-negotiable bedtime for your kids.

The truth is there are plenty of things we could benefit from emulating when it comes to our grandparents' parenting style. What do you think? Should we be taking a more old-school approach to raising our kids?