Why do people answer PARENTING questions if they are NOT a parent?
Sharon F asked:
If you are a parent, or an experienced child-care provider that is one thing to share your opinion. You have something to offer. I’m just trying to get a truthful answer, not some silly comment. If you are not a parent, is your answer based on your observations? What is your purpose for answering a parenting question? Is it for research purposes?
I appreciate the honest answers given. I was simply curious-that’s all. Just because I have driven a car for 17 years does not make me feel qualified to answer mechanical questions. Again, thank you to those who answered my question without being a smart-alec.
Lillian Millsaps
If you are a parent, or an experienced child-care provider that is one thing to share your opinion. You have something to offer. I’m just trying to get a truthful answer, not some silly comment. If you are not a parent, is your answer based on your observations? What is your purpose for answering a parenting question? Is it for research purposes?
I appreciate the honest answers given. I was simply curious-that’s all. Just because I have driven a car for 17 years does not make me feel qualified to answer mechanical questions. Again, thank you to those who answered my question without being a smart-alec.
Lillian Millsaps
August 11th, 2008 at 1:14 am
theyre stupid
August 13th, 2008 at 8:46 am
get over it
August 13th, 2008 at 10:07 pm
i answered one parenting question, im not a perent, i based it of what my parents do. and to me they are great.
August 16th, 2008 at 5:34 am
what is your problem?
August 17th, 2008 at 5:53 pm
maybe because they wanna be a parent and are looking at useful tips.
August 20th, 2008 at 5:52 am
Some people have a answer for everything
August 22nd, 2008 at 6:27 pm
Many parenting experts do not have children of their own.
While the parenting experience is a great teacher, one can also know about parenting without having raised a child.
August 22nd, 2008 at 11:17 pm
Same reason they answer political questions and have never voted (and won’t be old enough for years).
August 23rd, 2008 at 1:47 pm
Because everyone was a kid and most of us have opinions about the brats that parents let run around and don’t control and then get angry with us when we get fed up and tell the kids to behave themselves.
August 26th, 2008 at 1:48 am
cos maybe some of them have little bros n little sis.. and they always help to take care of them..maybe some.. dun have parents with them anymore..so the burden is on them as in they in charge of taking care of the young ones? jus my point of view..lol..
BUt some.. really.. based on observations, i hates thats when they jus see and thot what they see is what they know.
August 29th, 2008 at 3:16 am
well many times children answer these questions because they have more experience from what the parents tell to do than the parents realize. also if a grandparent was to answer a question would criticize the parent. If they did don’t pay them any attention because they only reason that they do that is because they did they same thing and now they feel that you should listen to them only because it is the second time around with grandkids
August 30th, 2008 at 5:28 pm
No need for the snotty attitude my dear.
If I remember correctly , Beethoven once said “I don’t have to lay eggs to know which is rotten” to a disgruntled young musician who showed him some work.
Parenting is not an elite club whose members are in the very few. Each of us has seen & dealt with kids in & around family. Also , we were all once kids & we know kids’ tricks of trade.
August 31st, 2008 at 9:36 am
I am not a parent, but i can give advice based on the fact i was once a child (I’m not anymore) with parents (who were terrible and ended up losing their parental rights). I can say now as an adult how things worked or didn’t work with me.
September 3rd, 2008 at 5:41 am
Here, everyone are going to share their experiences or learn something about others experience ,so it is not a law, to be an expert in everything.
September 5th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
do u need to be an astronomer to know how big is the universe is? NO! there is 1 word called ” KNOWLEDGE”
so there is nthg wrong if ppl who is nt a parent answer the parenting question, as long as they have the knowledge
September 7th, 2008 at 7:38 am
there bored besides they were children once.
why are you so exclusive-no one has to take advice.
September 10th, 2008 at 6:09 pm
I’ll admit I’m not a parent, but I answer these questions based on my observations, how I would have wanted to be treated when I was younger by my parents, and how I plan to raise my children when I do have them.
September 13th, 2008 at 9:30 am
well naturally sumtimes itz said that people who havent experienced it before have a lot of sense in dese matters. i do plus thy might wanna b 1 later why do u care anyway xx
September 16th, 2008 at 7:33 am
i asked a couple of questions about smoking.(i am one)got flooded with answers from non smokers.some here give an answer,some give an opinion.you have to sort and ignore the answers from the opinions.
September 18th, 2008 at 7:10 am
well they might have experience from there mothers or fathers or brothers or sister etc..
September 20th, 2008 at 5:50 am
Why would you have to be a parent to know something about it? Do you have to have walked on Jupiter to know something about the geography? Do I have to stick my finger in a power outlet to know that it is a bad thing? Do I have to have done drugs to tell someone else not to do them? Do I have to have a high interest checking account to know that it will gain me money if I do? My point is just this: You can study something and learn without ever having to do it. It would be insane to require drug counsellors to get themselves addicted to drugs and then get counsel to get off of them so that they can help others. In the same manner it would be insane to tell a suicide counsellor to kill himself so that he can counsel someone else not to. And in the same manner it would be insane to disreguard someones advise concerning children because they have never had them. I wouldn’t tell you to just take what everyone says as gospel, but I would tell you to check out everything that is advised to you and make sure it is right before you do it.
September 22nd, 2008 at 4:50 pm
what i hate more is when you put parents only and you get 11 and 12 year olds answering
September 25th, 2008 at 8:49 am
I know lots of people who respond with how they “think” they would behave if they were a parent. You know, the “If that were my child…”
It is far easier to opine from afar than to actually walk a mile in a parents shoes. (I am a parent, I have a teenager and a toddler…)
September 27th, 2008 at 11:57 pm
i’m from a very large family – my mother has 10 brothers and sisters, i have tons of cousins, i’ve known my great-grandparents on both sides. i’m fortunate to have seen many parents in action. IF – emphasis on IF – i answer a parenting question, it’s based on what i’ve seen growing up and now as an adult. if you don’t like the fact that i don’t have children of my own (yet), simply ignore my answer.
September 28th, 2008 at 8:54 am
Well I’m 15 and work at a daycare. I have been to loads of child development classes, probably more than most parents. I honestly hope I’m helping the person when I am answering. When your getting on the Internet asking for other peoples advice you are going to get every bodies opinion, not an expert or maybe not even a parent. Its the Internet, if you want a professional opinion, than find one.
October 1st, 2008 at 3:22 am
I AGREE. If you have NEVER been a parent or been pregnant then don’t answer questions… because YOU do not know what it is like until you have experienced it.