Slow Parenting Vs Concerted Cultivation Parenting: Which Style Do You Prefer?

Most parents are not following a strict guideline on how to take care of your children but are rather going with the flow and seeing how things turn out.

However, it might be interesting to know which parenting style camp you fit into as it can help you to better understand the relationship with your child. Furthermore, you may find that you and your partner are not on the same page when it comes to parenting styles which can cause a lot of conflict.

Slow parenting and concerted cultivation are two of the more drastic and the more controversial parenting styles. They are, in essence, completely opposite from one another and are based on the recent trends of the 21^st century. Slow parenting focuses on letting a child explore the world at his own pace without the use of scheduled activities and consumer products, while concerted cultivation stems from the idea of fostering a child’s talent through organised activities, schedules and resources.

The Financial Side of Things

One of the main things that will impact your type of parenting style is your financial situation. After all, if you have the money to enrol your kids into all types of sport, music clubs and extra-curricular activities, then this may be an option for you. However, many families do not have this in the budget, and thus are required to look into other avenues to help their children develop and learn at their own pace. And thus, concerted cultivation is often found in families that are well off.

Slow parenting focuses on letting a child explore his world without the need to enrol him in sports, clubs and other activities. Instead, it takes on a more natural approach in which a child is able to entertain himself and explore the world with just the surroundings that are given to him.

Television Yey or Ney?

In addition to making use of activities and scheduled organisations, concerted cultivation also focuses on using the technological advances that are available. Using mobile phones, televisions and the internet as learning resources are all welcomed by this type of parenting style.

Slow parenting, on the other hand, does not believe that television or any other technological device is an active form of parenting and instead suggests that it evokes consumerism and the need for unnecessary things in life.

The End Result

All parents want their children to be confident, successful and happy. However, the way in which we reach this end goal is often extremely different. Concerted cultivation focuses on bringing up a child that knows what she wants and that has the confidence to get it. It uses real life experiences (such as competition) to emulate the real world and to teach them important lessons such as management, leadership and organisation. Children in this model are exposed to socialisation at a younger age and often adapt to the world quite well. They are competitive; they are socialised; and they are ready to take on anything. Children are taught to go hard and to dream big.

Slow parenting, on the other hand, focuses on bringing up a child that is satisfied with their own achievements even if their achievements do not make them all the money in the world or bring them a life of fame.

Where to Learn More

Regardless of where you stand, it’s always fun to learn more about the different styles of parenting and to compare the different theories. To learn more about slow parenting and converted cultivation, check out:

• Annette Lareau’s Unequal childhoods
• Madeline Levine’s The Price of Privilege
• Tom Hodgkinson’s The Idle Parent
• Lenore Skenazy Free Range Kids: Giving Our Children the Freedom We Had without Going Nuts with Worry
• Muffy Mead-Ferro’s Confessions of a Slacker Mom

Which parenting style do you prefer?