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Back in the early Neolithic (late 1950's) my family operated an amusement park. The miniature railroad was mostly started by my step father but later on built by me and some paid help. He was way too often too drunk to be very helpful. You talk about stress. That train and Carousel had to be operation by 6 pm every night and 3 pm every weekend no matter what. and I was 12 years old. Fortunately I was a damn good mechanic and, knowing no better, thought this was "normal".
I look around some 50 years later and see so many people running around trying to teach their kids to be perfect little angels by playing sports, being in the band or, Hallelujah, being on the FOOTBALL team. All apparently to show their equally frantic neighbors how much they care and what good parents they are. I feel sorry for the kids.
Fortunately for me, so long as I had the damn train running I could do pretty much what I pleased. What I pleased would have given them apoplexy if they ever figured it out.
Very unfair and inaccurate statement of a situation you know very little about.
Look, if we want our young people to grow up to compete successfully with the Chinese, they've gotta start in pre-school and keep on keeping on at 110% as long we all shall live … Amen ...
Chloe333-
Thank you for those insights. My question is, then why don't you all just stop it?
Why does everyone act like it's out of their control to put an end to this madness? I don't get it.
Just reading about it as you described was exhausting.
Chloe333-
Thank you for those insights. My question is, then why don't you all just stop it?
Why does everyone act like it's out of their control to put an end to this madness? I don't get it.
Just reading about it as you described was exhausting.
I'm actually trying to think through if or how I should stop it. For example, my son is in ninth grade and the course work is difficult and demanding, and it seems much more demanding than when I was in ninth grade. I would so love for him to just focus on developing solid study skills, master how to make good grades, reading, and work out just for his health and well being all the while living a balanced life of getting enough sleep and some down time in between it all. To me, that life of balance would be a real achievement and a life long skill to promote good physical and mental health. I feel that throwing lacrosse into the mix which he has played since first grade is too much. It requires so much time during both the fall and spring, and he would be so exhausted constantly on the go, rushing, tired, and staying up late all the time trying to get it all done. It seems so oppressive, frantic, and pointless, and as if society is trying to breed little budding workaholic slaves. I guess I feel the pressure of college looming on the horizon, and that colleges like extracurriculars. Yet, I feel extremely uneasy about the high school sports obsession in this country, and think students' time and energy should not be so monopolized by it. Most people will not earn a living by throwing a ball someday. What's wrong with just working out for one's own health outside of some competitive sport? We live in this extremely sports obsessed part of the country and most of the kids we know are very very competitive about their sport. I'm right on the cusp of telling my son to ditch lacrosse, focus on his grades, workout for his health, and do a few other moderate extracurriculars like a drawing class which he's great at, and spend the rest of his time relaxing and enjoying life. Apply for college and let the chips fall where they may...in the mean time, all of our lives were free from the time and energy consuming oppression of competitive youth sports.
People have not historically had to hold down two full time jobs, maintain a house, volunteer in their community, etc and so forth. Many people work 10-14 hour days now while in the 1940s-1970s many worked 8-10 hour days with one spouse at home and they were able to afford a middle class lifestyle.
Embellish much? How are they working two jobs, and volunteering, do they also walk to their jobs uphill both ways. I live in Southern CA, IDK anyone working two jobs, some may work longer hours, but not 14 hour days.
I do know one person who works on a popular sitcom, now they do sometimes have a 12 hour day they told me when they film the show. They also get paid quite well and have about 4 months off a year between seasons.
Many people do this to themselves. And as I already said by the 1970s both spouses were working, it became the norm. How did they manage? Maybe it had to do with not overextending themselves with activities as is the norm today, not having an electronic device in there all day?
Quote:
Originally Posted by BJW50
I think too many people are trying to have it all. We suffer from affluenza. Honestly the way people live now is how I envisioned rich people living.
Exactly, many are stressed due to financial situations they bring on themselves. I know of a young couple who have lived together for 5 years, getting married next year. MUST HAVE an elaborate wedding, they're already paying on two new cars(used wasn't good enough), student loans, and now this big wedding(the bride's father said he won't pay for an elaborate wedding....this is what you have today.
[quote=Chloe333;41861748]Even with me working part time while my husband works full time, I can attest that youth sports for our 2 kids impedes too much on our time and energy. These organizations are businesses trying to make a lot of money off kids with their constant offerings. I'm trying draw boundaries with it, and de emphasize the importance of it to my kids. My message is play, have fun, get in shape, but don't worry about being the best or winning all the time. Forget a college scholarship...it would take up too much time in college and few go pro anyway.
After 3 days of soccer practice and games on the weekends sometimes being 2 hours away since early August, I was so relieved when the season was finally over. The coach then emailed all the parents recently and invited the team to play in an extra 7 games on 7 weekends until Dec. with an indoor league. Most of the parents agreed to it, but I took a pass wanting to enjoy the holidays. Some of my son's friends literally play their sport year round with constant rounds of practice, games, and out of state tournaments and the parents are constantly shuttling these kids around. We are constantly getting barraged with emails to participate in clinics, camps, indoor leagues for both soccer and lacrosse, and one feels the pressure to compete with the many other kids who are constantly playing. We've consciously decided to just go moderate with the sports by drawing boundaries with time and money because I find the level of intense devotion to it to be oppressive and exhausting, and I see many families with 2-3 kids run ragged by it.[/
QUOTE]
Just what I was talking about, good for you to realize this and have boundaries.
Chloe333-
Thank you for those insights. My question is, then why don't you all just stop it?
Why does everyone act like it's out of their control to put an end to this madness? I don't get it.
Just reading about it as you described was exhausting.
Because many today, equate with constantly being busy that it somehow makes them more important than others....LOL.
I actually know someone who was running from Meetup to Meetup, booking 2 or 3 events in one day, who ended up in the ER. I'm serious. They were babbling and their friend thought they were having a stroke, turns out it was lack of sleep and being on the go too much.
God forbid, they just sit home and read a book.
Americans should take a look at the French, they enjoy life. They realize it isn't a competition.
Embellish much? How are they working two jobs, and volunteering, do they also walk to their jobs uphill both ways. I live in Southern CA, IDK anyone working two jobs, some may work longer hours, but not 14 hour days.
No I am not embellishing. Not every place is like Southern CA. Expand your sphere of perspective.
It's mainly feminist fault. They went way beyond fighting for women's rights. They wanted women to have the same working hours as men and get paid the same. Completely disregarding the fact that most women become mothers and need a sufficient time period to bond and take care of their newborns and they wouldn't have the strength or the tenacity to work the same as they did before. Women stayed home and took care of the children for a reason. None having to do with patriarchy. I'm happy alot of young women are waking up to the deception and lies.
That is nuts!! we wanted the rights- to study and have a career- not to be underpaid and subject to 3 part time jobs- and a lot of men have become total wusss dead beat dads --
give everybody a FULL TIME JOB with a living wage and much will change
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