Youngsters

[georann]

I feel its time I waded in here and stood up for my generation (I'm 18 so I feel I can stand as rep for the 18 and unders )
First off thanks Mountainm for standing up for us earlier on!
Secondly, Man of Tanith, hopefully my perspective should maintain your hope of your kid experiencing a proper childhood

So I've spent the majority of growing up in the South in a fairly rural village with traditional northern parents. My parents weren't bothered by all the over protect your kids rubbish, sticking to the mentality that as long as they taught me to be safe (within reason) and aware of my surroundings, there should be no reason to worry that I might meet someone dodgy while out. They also subscribed to the idea that if I came home muddy and a little bit bloody then I'd obviously had a good time.

Ok I grew up with a playstation and there was nothing stopping me watching tele (never had one in my room though), but when I had far more fun outside with my mates why would I waste endless time with that? I only got a phone when I started secondary school and that was purely for contacting parents if there was a problem with the bus etc. I got my own laptop half way through secondary school as it got to the point of being necessary for my work. Growing up with access to a computer from a young age wasn't a bad thing either. I'm sure without I wouldn't be half as well equipped for my Engineering degree as I am.

Going out down the woods or to the river was never a problem when I was young either. Admittedly there were certain boundaries as I grew up but only within reason. For example I used to go out with my friends on my bike, but I wasn't allowed to cycle up to the next village 1 1/2 miles away till I'd done cycling profficiency when I was 10. I had a knife from a young age and again was taught to use it sensibly and have been part of that sensible education process through scouting (started when I was 6 and I'm now a leader, passing on the education). The list goes on but I think I've made my point.

The point I'm trying to make is that the negative opinions of youth, or the worrying about the nanny state are highly exagerated media revelations.
In reality with a bit of common sense and parents adopting the right frame of my mind, childhood hasn't changed one bit.

Sorry if that's a tad controversial for some of you to swallow.

 

[rik_uk3]

I know we are better fed, more long-lived and generally better cared for than at any point in previous history (unless you have the misfortune to have been born in some country east of Moscow and south of Gibraltar), but I don't think I'm alone in thinking that something has been lost.

My Mum nearly died of scarlet fever in the forties, and I personally knew one guy who contracted TB when I was at primary school. All that has gone now, along with smallpox and polio. And all right, if you were a teenager in 1914, thinks were starting to look a little precarious; but that's not really the point.

We're talking about the way life is lived right now. And I do feel that kids are missing something which was taken for granted thirty years ago: freedom. Back then you were credited with a little sense, and left to use it. Not a bad thing. Nowadays booze, porn and consumerism is pretty much hardwired into a lot of kids.

I've still a cavity on my right lung and very short of breath from my TB infection not long back and it (TB) is on the increase in the UK.

 

[santaman2000]

Born in 1921 is the childhood I'd love to give my son.

Moma was born in early 1922. Daddy late in 1909. Their stories of childhood are my ideals too.

 

[Harvestman]

Moma was born in early 1922. Daddy late in 1009.

Now that's what I call a marriage with an age difference

 

[georann]

Moma was born in early 1922. Daddy late in 1009. Their stories of childhood are my ideals too.

Bit of an age gap

 

[British Red]

Sadly they could only write through a magic mailbox at his lake house

 

[santaman2000]

Bit of an age gap

13 years. Same as the diff between me and my ex fiance; only ours was in the other direction. Sadly she passed away a few months ago.

 

[georann]

13 years. Same as the diff between me and my ex fiance; only ours was in the other direction. Sadly she passed away a few months ago.

I think perhaps you're missing the joke. You wrote 1922 and 1009 i.e. 913 years
Sorry for your loss.
ATB
Dan

 

[Toddy]

You're right Georann; it's not all gloom and doom or some hellish vision of Borg like youth
It is a very different world though. Lot of it very good, and we are incredibly lucky here that our lives are rich in both the modern hightec stuff and the benefits of things like good healthcare (Richard would most likely 'not' seen his grandchildren grow up, for instance, and might well have unintentionally infected them too). I think this is thread is more a grumble that as a society we're becoming more and more paranoid about children learning about the real world through outdoor play. The rise in numbers of children with asthma is supposedly down to immune systems that no longer get a constant work out; as in playing in the real world with others.
Busy lives too now though; everybody out of the home working so as fast as they can manage it parents have their children in nursery, where they spend 90% of their time indoors or on tarmac playgrounds.

Even the Romans grumbled about the younger generation though, so not much changes

cheers,
M

 

[Laurentius]

I am not even 60 yet but looking back at the photographs of my childhood is like one of these period movies, it all happened in black and white. I grew up in Harold Wilsons "white heat of the technological revolution" but looking back everyday life was closer to my grandparents time than anything since. I could still manage without a fridge and hot water if I had to, but the internet never, that is how corrupt we have all become young and old alike

 

[santaman2000]

I think perhaps you're missing the joke. You wrote 1922 and 1009 i.e. 913 years
Sorry for your loss.
ATB
Dan

Indeed I did miss that! I'll correct it. And thanks for your condolences.

 

[santaman2000]

....Even the Romans grumbled about the younger generation though, so not much changes

cheers,
M

Yes and Rome fell largely because of it's excesses didn't it? Apparently they were right.

 

[santaman2000]

I am not even 60 yet but looking back at the photographs of my childhood is like one of these period movies, it all happened in black and white. I grew up in Harold Wilsons "white heat of the technological revolution" but looking back everyday life was closer to my grandparents time than anything since. I could still manage without a fridge and hot water if I had to, but the internet never, that is how corrupt we have all become young and old alike

I couldn't manage without the fridge. I depend on it for my meds. And as diabetes rises I suspect quite a fair few others do as well.

 

[British Red]

In fairness to georann, any lack of opportunity to "play out" must rest firmly with the parents - rather than the younger generation. I don't see kids as any the less willing to go out and do stuff - but many are denied the opportunity. I hear comments about "more cars" etc. But I suspect the real reason is more fearful parents - and perhaps increasing urban density meaning less places for kids to actually be unspervised.

I do wonder if the world is any more dangerous for children than it was in sixties ...personally I doubt it.

I know I did some things (sailing in tidal waters unsupervised aged 12 and up) that would probably be deemed "poor parenting" now. But it wasn't seen so then - just normal adventures of an older child. Similar to camping on Dartmoor with my slightly older brother for a week at a time at a similar age. No mobiles to check in - just get picked up at the same lay-by on a certain date and time.

Clearly the increase in cars hasn't made either of those things more dangerous....indeed with mobiles etc. they are probably safer. But I don't see as many kids doing that sort of stuff. I wonder why? I suspect because parents don't allow it now - which is a shame.

 

[wicca]

I am not even 60 yet but looking back at the photographs of my childhood is like one of these period movies, it all happened in black and white. I grew up in Harold Wilsons "white heat of the technological revolution" but looking back everyday life was closer to my grandparents time than anything since. I could still manage without a fridge and hot water if I had to, but the internet never, that is how corrupt we have all become young and old alike

It's easy to forget the rate of change, so if I speak of childhood to my Grandaughter (23) she is as intrigued as if I spoke of living in the Middle Ages... (Perhaps I did )

This is the main A30 road somewhere down in Dorset many summers ago..
I was nearly 13 so I got to use the Box Brownie camera..and the road was busy that day, we saw some cars..

 

[xylaria]

My son came back from cadets yesterday and said the other lads thought the distance he cycles to get there is very long, they all get picked up by car. The distance is 1.4 miles and he is 13. The roads are well lit but uphill both ways. Most kids think you get about by being driven by a parent.

Some parents are paranoid and risk adverse to the point of mental. I have known parents that terrify their children away from talking to random adults out of phobia of paedophiles been strangers. When I was kid you worked out the creepy teachers and didnt go in thier office without a mate. You worked out wierdos, sometimes you didnt, but generally you survived. Evereyone wasn't a preditor, just some. Child protection has thankfully mostly removed the real creeps from schools, so why the big fear factor.

 

[Laurentius]

I couldn't manage without the fridge. I depend on it for my meds. And as diabetes rises I suspect quite a fair few others do as well.

My grandmother died from diabetes, I don't know whether it was type 1 or type 2 but whichever, it was incurable in those days.

 

[santaman2000]

My grandmother died from diabetes, I don't know whether it was type 1 or type 2 but whichever, it was incurable in those days.

It still is. You can treat it and manage it but it's forever.

 

[mousey]

My wife picked up some worzle gummage dvd's and I've managed to re-watch a couple of minutes fottage - the kids quite like it too but the idea of a single parent moving with their two young children to live in a caravan on someone elses farm, who then proceeds to go to work, the pub and the bookies while leaving their kids on there own in the caravan probably wouldn't be allowed on t.v. these days...

 

[Tor helge]

"What is happening to our young people? They disrespect their elders, they disobey their parents. They ignore the law. They riot in the streets inflamed with wild notions. Their morals are decaying. What is to become of them?"
Plato, 4th Century BC

Nothing new under the sun it seems