European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - October 13, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Better parents than their own by Glenn Collins n8w York times a new Survey of american parents shows thai Thema Onty believe they Are boiler parents than Niheu own wore and they arc More Albect Ionalee Vilh their children than their Mother and fathers were with them two thirds of those surveyed said they Are spanked by their own parents. But Only half of inc respondents spank their own children As olten As they wore spanked although 61 percent of those surveyed believe Hal communication in today s families is bolter and More open. 75 percent feel thai All things considered in is much harder to be a Parent today than in the past the Survey was conducted by Bella Homos and gardens Magazine and was based on the responses of 30,000 readers to a four Page questionnaire that appeared in last january s Issue in contrast to dire revelations Aboul the problems of american families Many of the i dings were pretty positive said kale Greer the Magazine s managing Zdilor some of inc parents Lold us they left the was the Tael educated most affluent and most socially aware general Ion of parents Ever there was a lot Al Confidence hero " in describing their family Lilu Al Homo 70 per cell said it War loving.1 65 percent said in was "fun,1 and Only a percent loll it Jas hostile however 51 percent als said their family life was chaotic a finding we Dindl necessarily interpret As negative said c Ray Dealon. The Magazine s director of editorial research it could mean thai there s an awful lol of Csc element movement and change " although Thuy Are less Likely to spank their children regularly the parents surveyed Are nevertheless very into rolled in discipline filly one percent believe that their child rearing methods arc Stricler than those of most parents they know the Survey s timing a were not  Rosy however the majority of All respondents. 51 percent said they were sometimes overwhelmed by their responsibilities As Parons of those factors causing the most difficulties in their families the primary one cited by 48 percent involved finances this was even True of Middle class parents and Erma Bombeck to were surprised that this was the lop problem 1hal Middle income people  Greer said among other problems Lor parents