May 24, 2003
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Is it harder to be the parent of a child or the child of a parent?

I'm not sure. I think being the parent of a child is tougher...but then, all parents of children are also and firstly children of parents. There's surely more stress being a parent of a child ~ more worries. Ok my brain hurts now. Phew.

Fisch, 47
Preston, CT USA

I'm not a parent, so I don't know.

Laura, 38
Lowell, MA USA

I'd imagine its harder to be parent of the child. when you're a kid, you just float along in life. As an adult, you have to be responsible.

Stephanie, 27
TX USA

I find it harder to be a parent of a child. You have to make so many decisions as a parent. What you decide and how you act directly affects their life and its outcome. You are always on. As a child of a parent, (I am now an adult) they just have to accept my choices.

Janet, 45
E. Brunswick, NJ USA

I haven't been a parent yet. . .and I think it depends on the parent and the child. One parent (even within a family) may make it easy to be a child, and the other may make it hard to be a child. I imagine kids can make it tough or easy, too. Ha, ask me again when I'm a parent.

Karen, 23
Ames, IA USA

It's hard to be the child of a parent when you get older and don't like what your parents have become.

Reba, 57
Gaithersburg, MD USA

Right now, I'd say it's harder to be the parent of a child. My childhood was pretty much carefree. My parenting days, especially the first year, were more stressful. I think I said more four-letter words the first year of my daughter's life than in my whole previous life (28 years) put together. Fortunately, I didn't say them loudly enough for her to learn them. I may change my mind later. While I am now the child of an elderly parent, my Dad is still independent.

Cathie, 53
Novi, MI USA

I thought it was tough when I was a kid because my parents wouldn't let me do this or they wouldn't buy me that. Oh how I suffered being the child of a parent! *snort* But now...I realize that the toughest job in the whole world is BEING THE PARENT OF A CHILD!!!

Tam

For everything there is a season.

Jill, 61
Saylorsburg, PA USA

That depends on the age of the child and the parent!

Jane, 63
West Linn, OR USA

Don't have a kid, so I say for me being the child of a parent.

Ryan, 29
Riedlingen GERMANY

Boy, there's a loaded question. I have much more experience at being the child. I became a stepmother of a (currently 20-year-old) less than two years ago. Since she is a college student, my
interaction in her life doesn't really give me a whole lot to go on. She is already who she is. It is hard being a stepmother because when I take a stand (usually in defense of my husband) he (said
husband) defends the daughter.

Cindy, 41
VA USA

I only have the experience of being the child of a parent, but in seeing my friends who have kids, I've got to believe it is by far harder being the parent of a child than vice versa. But then again, I
suppose it is all a matter of perspective. The 14 year old Felicia would have answered quite differently and the 50 year old Felicia taking care of an aging parent might as well.

Felicia, 37
Lowell, MA USA

A parent. Definitely. Although being the adult child responsible for the care of an infirm parent has to be a close second.

Judy, 62
Easton, KS USA

As most parents will agree, definitely it's being the parent of a child. No need to explain it as I'm sure someone else will and most parents already know.

Doug2, 30
Kansas City, KS USA

Parenting must be about the toughest damn thing I could ever think of trying to do.

A-Dog, 20
Eugene, OR USA

It depends on the situation.

Melodi, 19
Gahanna, OH USA

I've only had experience as the later, but my guess is that both are pretty hard. I guess it's all relative to where you're standing.

Keri-Jade, 23
Brampton, Ontario CANADA

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