Horrible Parenting Tips From Our Past

Commonsense child-rearing consists of giving them love and security when they are young, and then gradually teaching them and supporting them as they grow and branch out. But there have been many periods in our history when self-styled experts gave advice that will curl your hair today. Bad advice may have sounded sensible at the time, but wasn't based on actual long-range outcomes, just on the desired outcome a parent might hope for. Ignoring a child's pain or giving them drugs might result in less crying, but it could also scar their souls or their livers. Putting children to work in factories or mines was a desperate measure to bring food to the family table, yet it led to stunted growth and a lack of education. 

However, parents wanted to do it right, so they often take dubious advice from dubious experts even today. Read up on some of the worst parenting advice ever at Mental Floss.  

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