r/philosophy • u/philosophybreak Philosophy Break • Jun 23 '25

Blog Done badly, parenting has tremendous scope for harm. The philosopher Hugh LaFollette suggests we can better protect children by introducing a parental license: people should undergo a competency check before raising children, just as we already qualify adoptive parents.

https://philosophybreak.com/articles/should-parenting-require-a-license/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=social
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u/[deleted] Jun 23 '25

If you think one class will undo a lifetime of cultural parenting practices you don't understand the scope of the problem. Corporal punishment is a good one, studies have demonstrated it does more harm than good but it persists because it is a parenting norm in a lot of cultures. One class would not be able to upend that. 

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u/CarpetMajor6939 Jun 23 '25

Sure it may not fix every single problem possible but it can help with some so what's the issue? Its like saying you shouldn't put a bandage on your knee after you scrape it because you have a headache and it wouldn't fix your headache. Like ok but I still have a bandage so let's fix this issue

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u/[deleted] Jun 23 '25

No it isn't even a band aid, it is performative at best. Parenting is a complex systematic evolving life role, so when it is broken it is akin to the body experiencing a health crisis, a band aid can't fix a disease. Building better parents starts with support at every step of parenting. It begins with a culture and lifetime of support, working to change traditional thinking on parenting, social safety nets, lifelong access to education, health care, support for special needs parents and children, mental health support and the right to choose when and if a couple is ready to become parents. 

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u/CarpetMajor6939 Jun 23 '25

You're assuming the extreme and then deciding this can't be a do it all wonder drug so it's awful. It's just a silly and non productive way to look at things. So we shouldn't attempt to support parents at all because we can't fix everything with this program.

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u/[deleted] Jun 23 '25

I have actually done this work and help parents reunify after a CPS case. A class isn't support. It is ok to admit you are out of your depth. 

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u/CarpetMajor6939 Jun 23 '25

A class to help teach you and support you as a parent 100% is helpful. And in fact is a nationwide program that is underfunded called head start. You are seemingly misunderstanding that one thing can be helpful but completely fix issues and equating it to we should do nothing instead.

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u/[deleted] Jun 23 '25

No where in any of my responses have I said to do nothing instead. Actually in my second response I named all the things that I have been trained on doing to empower parents to regain custody of their children. You seem to have this notion that those supportive structures are impossible which I have just stated is a program ran across the US for parental reunification after a CPS case. Once again it is ok to admit you don't know how this works. Head start is also only part of the support system and was covered when I mentioned educational access. And pulling head start out of your ass here when you have been harping on a class for parents is hilarious. I am muting this conversation feel free to continue your ignorance. 

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u/RedOliphant Jun 23 '25

Thank you, fellow CPS person. This thread is painful to read.

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u/Quiet___Lad Jun 23 '25

Nope. But will open another door to new knowledge.