Interview with Juanita Hinton and Karen Lyons

My initial thinking for this project was that I wanted to know how peoples personal experiences mold what they do with their own kids. Are we really as similar to our parents parenting styles as we have been led to believe? I was curious.

• What Grandma/Grandpa Hinton did as parents. 
• What their experience was growing up. 
• What Grandma Lyons experience was growing up. 
• What Grandma/Grandpa Lyons did as parents.

Pregnancy

Girls/Boys: 

"Did you find out gender? How did pregnancy with boys differ than with girls?"

Grandma Hinton: "When I was pregnant you couldn't just get an ultrasound to find out the gender so babies were a surprise. I had very easy pregnancies, no heartburn or nausea"

Grandma Lyons: "All of the genders were a surprise - by choice. Girls were an easy pregnancy but with boys I had heartburn. I had trouble with my sciatic nerve with all pregnancies"


Hospital/ Home: 

"Did you have babies at home or hospital? Why?"

Grandma Brooksby: "There was no hospital access so she had all babies at home"
Grandma Hinton: "I chose to deliver my babies at the hospital because they are cleaner and safer"
Grandma Lyons: "I had 2 at hospital then decided to have home births for 6 kids because of a bad experience at the hospital"

Breastfeeding: 

"Did you breastfeed? If so, how long?"

Grandma Brooksby: "Breastfed for a year with each child. Weaned before getting pregnant with the next baby."

Grandma Hinton: "Breastfed for a year with each child. Weaned before getting pregnant with the next baby."

Grandma Lyons: "Emily: 17 months, Jessica: 15 months, Stephanie: 22 months, each of the others I weaned during pregnancy with the next one. Nursed for 15-17 months each girl, nursed each boy longer"

Birth Control: 

"Were pregnancies planned or was each a surprise?"

Grandma Hinton: "All pregnancies were planned, including the number of kids they wanted to have"
Grandma Lyons: "I wanted 12, pregnancies were unplanned, I was just willing, we didn't really discuss"

Infants/ Toddlers/ Kids

Crying: 

"When babies cried what did you do?"

Grandma Hinton: "Picked up"
Grandma Lyons: "Picked up baby, satisfied needs, need goes away"

Picking up: 

"Babies getting used to 'the arms' was it an issue for you, how did you manage it?"

Grandma Hinton: "I asked them: Do you want to walk or be carried? Kids reach a point where they want to be down."
Grandma Lyons: "Do you want to walk or be carried? I had sling with Tyler and Jason had a leash."

Sleeping through the night: 

"Did your babies sleep through the night? 

If not, who was responsible for getting up to take care of them?"

Grandma Hinton: "Once I weaned they slept through the night. I got up with the baby"
Grandma Lyons: "Earlier 2 kids would sleep in their crib. From Stephanie on they would co-sleep. I got up with the baby"

Saying No:

"Did you hit their hands or talk sternly or what?"

Grandma Hinton: "Instead of just saying no, I picked them up and moved them."
Grandma Lyons: "I picked them up and moved them too. I didn't whack them."

Babysitting:

"Who babysat for you?" 

Grandma Hinton: "Children - 10 years and older could babysit"
Grandma Lyons: "Children - based on responsibility of kid about 12... If we hired a sitter your dad handled paying them"

Tantrums:

"How did you manage tantrums?"

Grandma Hinton:
Grandma Lyons: "Child had to 'rest' in their room"

Bedtimes:

"What time was bedtime?"

Grandma Hinton: "8 pm"
Grandma Lyons: "8 pm"

Picky eaters:

"How did you handle picky eaters? 

Did you force them to eat it or did you alter a recipe so that they would eat it?"

Grandma Hinton: "No tolerance. I made what I made and the kid ate it of not. Didn't force."
Grandma Lyons: "Thank you bites. Sometimes made special."

Baths/Showers:

"Did kids have baths or showers?"

Grandma Hinton: "Baths"
Grandma Lyons: "Baths"

Reading stories:

"Did you read to your children?"

Grandma Hinton: "I would read to all the kids together"
Grandma Lyons: "I would read to all the kids together"

Punishments: 

"What sorts of punishments did you enforce?"

Grandma Hinton:
Grandma Lyons: "Put kid in their room"

Tantrums/fighting with sibs:

"How did you handle these?"

Grandma Hinton:
Grandma Lyons: "Separate the kids"