What's with kid's today? (sex offender, home, to buy)

[Unhappycamper]

When I was growing up I...well...Played video games (still do) and watched TV.

I don't know if I am actually contributing much to this topic...

This seems like a turning point in the generations. A new age or something. The IPod age.

[moughie]

[quote=Zymer;2016462]

Too much electronic stimulation, too early.

Children need to be taught, and encouraged, to read when they are young, both fact and fiction. Reading develops imagination and helps to instill a desire to learn.

They also need to be exposed to the wonders of nature- how a plant grows, how a tadpole turns into a frog. Then they need to be exposed to the more technical things- how gears work, how a motor runs, how electronics work./QUOTE]

Wise words, zymer and oh so true.

We were one of the weird parents who never bought for our girls any tv video games or nintendo handheld or other similar sets. All the arguements we heard about how such games help the mind-hand coordination were never convincing to us. Time will tell if we were right or not, though I have as neaking suspicion we were

[Huckleberry3911948]

lots of money does this to people.
here in california we give em lots of food and entertainmenet choices
but we do not send them thru the boot camp of preparation
for the fierce and competitive adult world that awaits them
this is supposed to be the primary function of home and parents
its not happening

[RANGER.101ST]

Im At A Disadvantage I Realy Have No Controle.
They Live With Their Mom And Im On The Road Some Times 3 Weeks At A Time.
When They Are At My House We Worke In The Wood Shop Go Camping Stuff
Like That . But The Older They Get The Harder It Is To Get Them Out Side.
Maybe Its Time For A Job Change So Im Home More..

[mainebrokerman]

im with most on here, i had very little growing up, but appreciated what i did have,,
however, i do believe this is where some parents make mistakes, is that BECAUsE they had very little growing up,,,,they had the drive to probly advance further than thier own parents(and parents probly helped with college)...that they say to themselves, my kids will not endure the hardships, that i had growing up,,
most of us, remember the good stuff,,,the outside play, friendships, creativeness,,but much of the stuff, isnt pleasant to remember,,,hand me down clothes, shoes that dont fit,,not going to dances, or any school events,,because you thought you didnt have nice enough clothes, etc.

so what do we do as parents?? if we mave the means for a better childhood, than what we had?/ we do and give for our kids,,what we never had,,,however,,what we overlook,,is the two different worlds,,,,and we think it would be appreciated, as if it were us growing up,,but two totally different frames of references,,,the appreciation not only isnt there,,they are spoiled beyond comprehension,,and expect more!!
if i ask,,my son (15) to think back of fond memories,,,of what he enjoyed, or remembered,,most of what he'd say,,is when we went fishing,,or went to the park,,played football with the other kids,,teaching him how to ride a bike,,going snowmobiling,,,hunting,,all outside stuff,,,all the hundreds of dollars id spend every christmas,,didnt seem to matter much beyond a week,,
now,,,if any parent can get thier teenage kids to work with them,,help them around the house,,then,,thats great!! you are doing well!
there are times, i think my son is very spoiled,,which he is,,however,,he does have excellent manners and is courteous and respectful toward others,,(which is very important to me) so, thru the years,,yes, ive given him much more than what i had growing up,,but ,,i also know my parents did the same,,(compared to what they had),and he will probly do to his kids,

the other aspect, and its always been there, is the one-upmanship,,,this kid (friend) has this,,so i want that,,or another kid has a new technical gagdet,,so i need it or want it,,etc,,the want never ends,,,its never enough,,
as far as working for the value of a dollar?? good luck with that,,,in most families, the mother and father is working,,,half the population is divorced, kids are as daycare,,or home alone,,,til the parent gets home,,a different world today,,parents often try to "buy" thier guilt away (or absence of time) with htier kids,
the other challenge,,compared to many of us growing up,,,is outside play,,,how many parents let thier kids go,,,but be home for supper,,without a worry thier kids would be there,, we didnt have the kook factor as much years ago,,,now most parents,,,dont want thier kids out of sight,,and would rather they be playing video games in thier bedroom,,,at least they are "safe" compared to being outside,,,for a few hours,,not knowing what dangers are lurking,,
listen to the news,,,,the friggin kooks are out there,, and it scares the hell out of every parent,,,,and that ,,,wasnt there when we were growing up..

[elston]

Forty Years Ago this song opened on Broadway in "Bye Bye Birdie". I guess its not a new phenomenon.

Kids!
"I don't know what's wrong with these kids today!
Kids!
Who can understand anything they say?
Kids!
They are so ridiculous and immature!
I don't see why anybody wants 'em!
Just you wait and see
Kids!
Kids! They are just impossible to control!
(Soon you'll be old enough to be)
Kids! With their awful clothes and their rock an' roll!
(Another teenage delinquent)
Why can't they be like you were,
Perfect in every way?
What's the matter with kids to--
Kids!
What the devil's wrong with these kids today?
Kids!
Who could guess the they would turn out that way!
Why can't they be like we were,
Perfect in every way?
What's the matter with kids?
What's the matter with kids?
What's the matter with kids today?"

[Maine Writer]

Originally Posted by RANGER.101ST

Im At A Disadvantage I Realy Have No Controle.
They Live With Their Mom And Im On The Road Some Times 3 Weeks At A Time.
When They Are At My House We Worke In The Wood Shop Go Camping Stuff
Like That . But The Older They Get The Harder It Is To Get Them Out Side.
Maybe Its Time For A Job Change So Im Home More..

I bet that's a decision you'd never regret. That has to be tough on you.

[elston]

MBM, you describe the diminished influence of parents in kids lives today "in most families, the mother and father is working,,,half the population is divorced, kids are as daycare,,or home alone,,,til the parent gets home,,a different world today"

I grew up in small New England towns up until I was in Jr. High School. That was back in the late 1940's and 50's. I can remember once when I got home from school and my Mom and Dad were out, (seldom happened), in a little bit, the phone rang, and when I picked it up the OPERATOR, addressed me by my childhood nickname and told me....."Your Mom is up at Mrs. Coops, she will be home by......you are supposed to stay in the house and she wants you to get started on your homework."

[Submariner]

My parents grew up in the age before public-funded school systems. Two of my grandparents were grammar school teachers, paid from the donations from families [a hog, coal, firewood, chickens, eggs, etc]

With the WPA and the huge push to keep everyone employed [and the new concept of income taxes], blacktop roads, rural electricity, telephones, Radio and TV. Our society has came a long way in one generation's time. From walking behind a plow pulled by a team of horses, all the way to the moon, and now the internet.

How often does anyone pause to consider, if any of these things have been 'good' changes.

Fraternities, clubs and churches no longer draw a crowd; as folks are too busy to socialize. Few know their neighbors, and we wonder what happened to 'community'.

The love of money, has many working over-time and chasing ever faster after 'the Joneses', and what is popular.

We can see this in our children, babysat by electronics, often as they have no adults around them.

We have spent a number of years as foster-parents. And we have had the opportunity of seeing what happens when a group of forty eight-year-olds forms their own peer-group and attempts to govern with peer-group pressure. The lowest common ethic of the group soon becomes the group norm. State operated group homes are like this, and foster-children who spend any time in one, will come away an out of control child.

When foster children were living in our home, and we did spend a lot of time with our children, and we did firmly limit how much time each day they could spend with electronics. Yet the state, in each case, came through to 'rescue' the children, with gift boxes filled with X-boxes, and all of the last electronic gadgets. Anytime that any foster-children complains to a case-worker that he/she does not have enough toys, the next visit will bring yet another box filled with gadgets.

Most state case-workers that we knew, had boxes next to their desk filled from the donations of churches for 'those poor needy children'.

[Zymer]

Ranger, my father drove truck for a while, I went with him in the summer. I learned to drive a big rig years before I was old enough to get a license. It was a lot of fun traveling around to different places.