2024
Volume 24, Number 1, pp. 34-39
Effective parenting - compelled or encouraged?
A new marriage contract?
Peter Inson
"Swallows", 6 Dormy Houses, East Road, East Mersea, Essex, CO5 8UW, UK
As a head teacher I became particularly aware of the enormous difficulties for children growing up in broken families. Families are bolstered by marriage, a contract which is easily dissolved by the adults involved. In recent decades divorce has become a readily available option for adults. Increasingly there is reluctance to find fault with other people’s lifestyles, although it is known that happy families lead to better outcomes for children, who are inevitably affected by the de facto contract brought about by their creation. How then is it that children’s interests are not bound up in this contract? Should we seek to encourage or compel responsible parenting? The main political parties in the UK are not prepared to confront inadequate parents. Questions are asked of prospective adoptive or foster parents but not of people who breed children, although there is now scientific evidence of children’s need of reliable care and trustworthy affection. Prospective adopters or fosterers are questioned before they can take on a child. There are questions that we might ask of people who intend to breed their own children, on behalf of the child and on behalf of the community. Would the community be willing to require this of all parents, requirements that many parents, unfortunately, seem not to expect of themselves?