Maja Larsson’s ”Föräldrarnas födelse” explores the ever-evolving landscape of parenthood over the past 250 years, tracing the influence of experts, relatives, and societal norms on child-rearing practices. From the first state-sponsored breastfeeding guidelines in 18th-century Sweden to the contemporary pressures of performative parenting, Larsson reveals the complex and often contradictory expectations placed upon parents across different eras and social classes. The book delves into the historical tension between individual parental instincts and external pressures, examining how these forces have shaped the experiences of both parents and children.
The book begins with an examination of 18th-century Sweden, where a declining population and high infant mortality rate led the king to issue the first state-sponsored breastfeeding guidelines. These early interventions, however, often blamed mothers, particularly those from lower social strata, for societal problems without acknowledging the underlying issues of poverty and lack of resources. Larsson highlights how class disparities influenced parenting practices, with wealthy families documenting childcare concerns in diaries while the struggles of poorer families were revealed through court records and social welfare documents. This class divide underscored a persistent theme: well-meaning interventions often failed to consider the lived realities of marginalized families.
As the book moves through the 19th and 20th centuries, it reveals how evolving social norms and scientific advancements continued to reshape parenting practices. The rise of foster care systems, driven by concerns about ”unfit” parents, led to the separation of countless children from their families, often based on subjective judgments about poverty or unconventional lifestyles. The book also examines the dark chapter of forced sterilization in Sweden, exposing the coercive tactics used to control the reproductive choices of vulnerable populations, revealing how societal anxieties about social ”undesirables” overshadowed individual rights and autonomy.
Larsson’s research underscores the significant shifts in parenting philosophies throughout history. From the permissiveness described in a 1975 magazine interview, where a father nonchalantly discusses children witnessing parental intimacy, to the emergence of ”helicopter parenting” and the pressure to curate a perfect family image, the book illustrates the dramatic pendulum swings in societal expectations. Larsson effectively uses excerpts from historical documents – like a beggar’s plea to keep her children, a doctor’s lament about the toll of large families on women, and a 1938 newspaper contest celebrating ”ideal” (and blond) children – to vividly portray the changing ideals of parenthood.
The book also examines the influence of prominent figures like artist Carl Larsson, whose idyllic family portraits helped shape a new bourgeois family ideal. His life, marked by a difficult childhood and subsequent family tragedies, followed by his successful second marriage and picturesque portrayals of family life, becomes a microcosm of the changing societal views on family and parenting. Larsson’s romanticized depictions of domesticity contrasted sharply with the realities faced by many families, further emphasizing the gap between idealized images and lived experiences.
As ”Föräldrarnas födelse” approaches contemporary times, the focus shifts to the pressures of modern parenting. The rise of ”curling parents,” ”supernannies,” and the pressure to project a glamorous image of motherhood are explored. Larsson suggests that parenting has become a performative act, a way to gain social acceptance and project a desirable image. This performance, driven by the need to ”belong” and ”look good,” contributes to the heightened anxieties and pressures experienced by modern parents. The book concludes by subtly highlighting the often overlooked perspective in these discussions – the children themselves – whose voices are often absent amidst the clamor of expert advice and societal expectations. Their silence serves as a potent reminder of the power dynamics inherent in the parent-child relationship.
