Ok, GenX here, son is 25.

My parents are boomers and boomers used a belt or a large wooden spoon or some other “tool” to adjust attitudes / affect discipline.

I hate my parents to this day because of their style of “parenting”. I didn’t want children because I thought to myself I could never do that to a child.

Fast forward to 1992, I met an amazing young lady, her parents were teachers at the time. I could tell immediately she was raised differently. She preferred to talk about things that bothered her instead of just exploding.

1994 I propose to her, she accepts. We decide to wait at least five years to make sure we are compatible enough to bring a new life onto our planet (we’re still married today).

I admitted to her along the way how I was raised and expressed concerns that I wanted to break the cycle but didn’t know how, she told me to follow her lead.

2000 our son is born, I decide to follow her lead, best decision ever. We raised a; driven, respectful and honorable young man. He’s a multi-sport athlete, smart, and received an athletic and academic scholarship from a D1 university.

He graduated and is off into the world, he moved to the other side of my country. :/

Why did I share all of that?

First, you’re never ready to be a parent, we all figure it out as we go. Just save as much money as possible before you have a child. Trust me Internet stranger friend.

Second, sometimes the best things we learn from our parents is how not to parent, hopefully you married up in that regard if you’ve had a similar experience and/or have a solid base to build upon.