polish vs. american parenting style

[Anonymous]

hey,

what is the difference between the polish and the american parenting style? my grandparents were polish and i heard from my mother, that they were very strict.

[Anonymous]

I think most people's grandparents were "very strict" compared to parents today. Hell, my own parents were incredibly strict compared to my own parenting style.

[Anonymous]

My grandparents (and therefore mom) were Polish and they were all about chores, cleaning, and helping your siblings. But they all lived here, I don't know how Polish people in Poland raise their kids, except that they LOVE children there.

[Anonymous]

My Polish friends when I lived overseas were very indulgent. They loved their children and catered to them. They were on the wealthier scale of Polish society, though. I'm not sure if middle class Poles would be the same. And clearly it's a small sample size (a few families). I don;t know what the cultural norm is there.

[Anonymous]

My grandparents from Poland were mean, violent, and racist. Few tears were shed by their grandchildren when they died.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My Polish friends when I lived overseas were very indulgent. They loved their children and catered to them. They were on the wealthier scale of Polish society, though. I'm not sure if middle class Poles would be the same. And clearly it's a small sample size (a few families). I don;t know what the cultural norm is there.

This is my only anecdotal experience, too. One polish mother raising boys. Let's them do anything they want.

[Anonymous]

My grandparents were Polish immigrants, raising my mom in a predominantly Polish enclave in the US. Her parents believed in complete assimilation into US culture for the kids, although they did hold on to some basic Polish customs and foods. They came to the US to better their lives and become Americans so they didn't see the point in holding on to their way of life in Poland. They were strict, but it seems to me that was because of their Catholic religion as opposed to their Polish heritage.

That was 70 years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My Polish friends when I lived overseas were very indulgent. They loved their children and catered to them. They were on the wealthier scale of Polish society, though. I'm not sure if middle class Poles would be the same. And clearly it's a small sample size (a few families). I don;t know what the cultural norm is there.

This is my only anecdotal experience, too. One polish mother raising boys. Let's them do anything they want.

There is no Prince so great as the son of a Polish woman.

[Anonymous]

My Polish friends, who live in a small city, would be considered liberal and members of the intelligentsia. Very warm people, they fill their home with music and books and are always taking their children to museums and on hikes through the woods. I feel like they brag about their children a whole lot less than Americans, but their lives are very centered around their children.

Again, only anecdotal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My Polish friends when I lived overseas were very indulgent. They loved their children and catered to them. They were on the wealthier scale of Polish society, though. I'm not sure if middle class Poles would be the same. And clearly it's a small sample size (a few families). I don;t know what the cultural norm is there.

This is my only anecdotal experience, too. One polish mother raising boys. Let's them do anything they want.

There is no Prince so great as the son of a Polish woman.

The same is said of Ethiopians.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My grandparents were Polish immigrants, raising my mom in a predominantly Polish enclave in the US. Her parents believed in complete assimilation into US culture for the kids, although they did hold on to some basic Polish customs and foods. They came to the US to better their lives and become Americans so they didn't see the point in holding on to their way of life in Poland. They were strict, but it seems to me that was because of their Catholic religion as opposed to their Polish heritage.

That was 70 years ago.

+1. Very good description. My 4 grandparents were either born in Poland or Polish immigrants and they also believed in assimilation into the US culture. The older generation was Catholic and many of their beliefs stemmed from their religion. My father was born in Poland and when he came to the US in the late 1940s he also was interested in assimilating into the US culture, but was not Catholic, and was more open minded and liberal than many of the Polish Americans in the community where he lived.

[Anonymous]

My grandparents were Polish immigrants raising 4 children in the suburbs of NYC in the 40s/50s.

They were working class but disciplined and dedicated to good values, and worked hard (even the mom worked outside of the home). They were extremely devoted to their Catholic church and traditions, and the kids were raised to be religious and good people with good work ethics. They worked hard to make sure all kids went to parochial school and college or more. The kids (my dad and his siblings) all were loving and devoted to their mother for life, even if they didn't get along with each other. They were devoted to their father too, even though he was old school mean.

Visiting them was all about food - lots of it! - church, and otherwise seemed pretty normal. My grandfather didn't ever learn to speak english well, and as I said he was stern and kind of mean. Very heavy handed with the kids, sometimes heartless. Sweet with grandkids. I think a lot of this is how he was brought up, which was unimaginably tough.

I agree with a PP that it was more about Catholicism than Polish heritage. I recall them LOVING Pope John Paul the II (is that right?) because he was Polish. My grandma was a sweet, sweet lady. I miss her. And her keilbasa and pierogis.

[Anonymous]

My mom came from Poland in the 70s and I was born (to an American father) in the early 80s. I was taught enough snippets about Poland to know my mom was from there, but otherwise it was complete assimilation. No exposure to the language and minimal polish food in the house. 32 years later and I still haven't gotten her to teach me how to cook pierogis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My Polish friends when I lived overseas were very indulgent. They loved their children and catered to them. They were on the wealthier scale of Polish society, though. I'm not sure if middle class Poles would be the same. And clearly it's a small sample size (a few families). I don;t know what the cultural norm is there.

This is my only anecdotal experience, too. One polish mother raising boys. Let's them do anything they want.

There is no Prince so great as the son of a Polish woman.

The same is said of Ethiopians.

And Indians. And many other societies where sons are "wanted" and coveted more than daughters -- whether it remains PC to say it or not, the attitudes are there.

[Anonymous]

Hey.