Oh What A Time... #8 Parenting
Sep 3, 2023
Explore the fascinating evolution of parenting across cultures, from Spartan militaristic training to bizarre 16th-century English practices. Dive into humorous anecdotes that capture the joys and challenges of modern parenting, including funny shoe shopping stories. Engage in a playful discussion about time travel and its chaotic implications, contemplating fun hypotheticals like altering history. With a mix of light-hearted banter and insightful commentary, this episode offers a captivating view of parenting's quirks through the ages.
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Modern Parenting Slip-Up
- Tom forgot to put his child shoes on for a museum trip and had to buy replacements from the gift shop next door.
- The hosts use such parenting mishaps to illustrate imperfect, human parenting contrasted with historical extremes.
State-Enforced Childhood Discipline
- Spartan boys left home at seven and entered lifelong state military training that lasted until age 30.
- If you value structure, Sparta shows how a society can centralise childrearing to produce disciplined adults.
Toughness Built Into Everyday Life
- Spartan upbringing normalised physical toughness, emotional restraint and social bonding through communal barrack life.
- This produced citizens highly effective at war but likely emotionally scarred and hard to reintegrate into family life.
