ICYMI: An Iowan’s Advice After 70 Years of Parenting

An Iowan's Advice After 70 Years of Parenting
By Senator Chuck Grassley
December 26, 2025
Wall Street Journal

Last weekend I encouraged everyone to read Rahm Emanuel's op-ed "Lessons From Modern Parenthood" (Dec. 20). He's a Democrat, and I'm a Republican, but his advice is sound for moms and dads of any stripe. Kudos to him for speaking up on a consequential issue on many Americans' minds.

After years of policymaking and parenting, I agree that there's no "secret sauce" to raising a family. Good parenting isn't partisan. My wife of 71 years and I agree with the Emanuels on the ritual of eating together as a family. The conversations around the table in my own childhood are seared in my memory-they prompted an interest in government that turned into my vocation.

When our five kids were growing up, I can't pretend I was at every meal. I give Barbara credit for serving as commander in chief of our household, acting as mom, homework-helper, chore-taskmaster and more when I was in Washington. Yet there was no daylight between us in our approach to parenthood. We taught our kids to work hard and live by the Golden Rule. Farm chores and school work didn't leave much time to waste on television.

Raising kids today comes with new challenges, but the fundamentals haven't changed. Our advice: Stick your nose in their business and keep strict boundaries. The internet poses risks beyond idleness and harm to mental health. Nefarious predators are targeting children with all manner of schemes.

As chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I'm leading bipartisan efforts with Sen. Dick Durbin (D., Ill.) to combat online child exploitation and keep the next generation safe. Our reforms will help deter bad actors by revamping federal sentencing laws, targeting online criminal networks and cracking down on offenders who use child sex-abuse material to extort and coerce children.

Having and raising children is our nation's most important work. Parents deserve to feel empowered, to be assured that Washington is an ally.

Barbara and I didn't fall into helicopter- or tiger-parenting categories. Our Midwestern philosophy was handed down from our parents: Have faith in God and yourself; don't worry about failure-it yields resilience-and remember that love guarantees you a permanent seat at the supper table.

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R., Iowa)

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