Before the nineteenth century, maternal instinct was considered the only tool essential for successful childrearing. Beginning in the 20th century the science of child development was first established, and with each subsequent generation new theories are introduced about the most appropriate way to raise children. This scientific development brought about the deliverance of an abundant amount of child rearing advice that could be found in anything from books to magazines, journals, and public health pamphlets. This surplus of often-contradictory information frequently caused undue parental anxiety and stress. One 1920’s mother who was overwhelmed by all the wisdom confessed, “I just try to do what you say, but I am a nervous wreck just trying to stay calm.” Although parental pressure and anxiety has been seen as a recurrent grievance through every generation, stress levels have progressively increased to what they are now. An analysis of the child rearing advice given in the early part of the 20th century and that of the new millennium revealed the following things: a steady progression from an authoritarian type of discipline to that of a more authoritative type, the emergence of a paternal role in child rearing, the apparent difference in personality traits of adults that were raised under particular parenting methods, and several distinct reasons for the change in the advice being given.
Even before the start of the seventeenth century, experts were concerned with how, if even at all, parental love and child rearing practices affected a child’s personality. Prior to the late 1940’s specialists believed that the previous two factors did not directly affect the behavior of the child. Eventually, experts began to see how parental factors actually influence a child’s development. According to Berk (2008), “Parents can foster children’s competence – by building a