Parenting is constantly changing.
(That's why your parents are always trying to tell you how to do it, and that's why you're terrified that your parents' way of taking care of your kids is going to kill them (even though you survived just fine).)
There's all sorts of trends that come and go, ranging from things like what toys your kids play with to parenting techniques and styles.
Justin Worsham of The Dad Podcast has looked through a bunch of 2019's parenting trends, and is a big fan of many of them, including toy sharing and scavenger hunt parties.
"I love this idea and I'm curious what it will do to the industry. Kids today have a ton of stuff and barely touch any of it. "Toy sharing" searches are up 313% on Pinterest. This would mean you could “rent” toys 'til your kid lost interest and then move on to the next. It’s like when video game stores first had the idea to buy and sell used games. It dramatically increased their profits, and cause a shift for the developers of the games because it meant they would sell less copies."
"Scavenger hunt parties are part of the pendulum swinging back. Parents are already pushing their kids outside, so it is just a matter of time before kids start to go back to the days of being out till the lights come on. I think the reason parents will do this is mostly for sanity, but say that they are doing it to get kids healthy and exercising. The unintended consequence will be kids being more independent and self confident."
You can read more about 2019 parenting trends at EverydayFamily, PureWow, and Mommyish
To hear more of Justin's take on parenting trends and other parenting topics, you can check out all of his stuff at The Dad Podcast
Check out his latest episode with pediatrician Dr. Jay Sutay about holidays, how big you should go for Christmas, and why cold medicine is no good for kids younger than 6.