Countries where children are almost non existent (credit, theater)
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This is one way to look at it, but the other ( European way) to look at it, is to understand that once you hit 25 and get children, your life of an adult isn't over, you should keep on progressing and developing, and that involves a lot of things. That doesn't mean that children are not your first priority, but they have their own time and space for growing, without your every-minute involvement. At the end of the day they have something to share with you, and so do you, because ( as I've said) you keep on growing and developing, and when you are "recharged" with your adult life, you might have better reflection on what your child has to say.
I didn't know that Europeans had a monopoly on this approach. This is how I raised my kids - in Texas.
In the US there are tons of children, but like another poster noted, most of them, at least those in the middle-class families, are scheduled and micro-managed to a T. This makes parents' life ...a ...well, they don't have one. Your adult life is pretty much over once you have children - unless you're one of those who mange to self-brainwash and accept that they absolutely enjoy their life when sitting at their children's activities on the side. "It is what we do as a family and we enjoy it to death!".
It is work + children supervision. This is the life of a married person with children.
There is also a very special little video made especially for suburban American fathers. Every time I see it, I absolutely crack up. It never gets old because it is painfully true. You can't even begin to describe what this state of affairs has done to the American male's testicles...
In many European countries, not only are children fewer in absolute numbers, but those who do exist are often left in the care of grandparents (in the evenings, week-end-s, or even most of the time) and who may keep them in the house, as they do not have the energy to ride the city with the grandparents.
In the meantime, parents get to have a little life after work.
This is one way to look at it, but the other ( European way) to look at it, is to understand that once you hit 25 and get children, your life of an adult isn't over, you should keep on progressing and developing, and that involves a lot of things. That doesn't mean that children are not your first priority, but they have their own time and space for growing, without your every-minute involvement. At the end of the day they have something to share with you, and so do you, because ( as I've said) you keep on growing and developing, and when you are "recharged" with your adult life, you might have better reflection on what your child has to say.
Absolutely. I have heard many Americans using this line "my children and my family ARE my life, that's why I like being at their activities at all times".
This sounds to me like an excuse for not having to develop their adult brains and/or interests any further. I don't think it is normal for adults to never have a minute outside of their children's lives. I don't think it is normal for them to use each and every second of their leisure time by being involved in their children's play or activities. This is abnormal. I don't care how much you say you love your children and how much you "wouldn't have it any other way"; if you wouldn't you might want to question why you wouldn't. Could it be because you're not capable of anything more evolved for an adult: such as an intellectual conversation with a friend? An adult book read in peace and quiet? Some time spent exclusively with your spouse or a sibling to whom you are very close? A play at the theater? A session of chess or game of cards with friends?
An adult-oriented dinner where everybody doesn't gush over the jrs and people have other things to talk about than paying attention to what the jrs do every 2 minutes?
Your children need to have some life outside of yours and you need to have some life outside of your children's. THIS is normal and not sticking like glue to your child's every step, every moment of play and every activity.
It is great that you signed up your child for soccer. But if your entire non-work life boils down to cheering at your child's soccer games...this is pathetic and historically abnormal as far as I'm concerned.
Now you do. So when you are raising your kids European way somewhere in Texas, you need to pay them ( Europeans that is ) royalties.
I'd be curious how the Texas lady or gentleman manages to raise his kids the "European way" in Texas, 'cause in my experience this "way" requires also some infrastructure and the cooperation of others outside the family. I wanted to raise my children the European way in the US but I found I cannot be successful on my own.
Birth rates aren't the only thing that decide how many kids there are, or the average age in a place. Kids, just like any other people, can also come into a country through immigration, and leave through emigration, you know. Just sayin'.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trimac20
Well then there are obviously other reasons why you tend to see kids out a lot more here than in the US.
Well, even if the lower birth rate meant there were fewer kids in Oz, that would make Aussie kids even more overrepresented in public according to what you mentioned, not less compared to the Americans.
So, (if what you see reflects reality) what do you think are the most plausible reasons why the Aussie kids are seen out and about more? Is the cliche about the outdoorsy, sporty, rough-and-tumble lifestyle accurate? Have you guys not fallen for the soccer-mom and helicopter parent type fads of arranging and micromanaging lots of busy activity for kids? Maybe the climate's better for outdoor activity down under (unless you saw the American kids on pleasant days of the year too). Or something else entirely?
Last edited by Stumbler.; 07-25-2012 at 08:33 PM..
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Stumbler.
Birth rates aren't the only thing that decide how many kids there are, or the average age in a place. Kids, just like any other people, can also come into a country through immigration, and leave through emigration, you know. Just sayin'.
Well, even if the lower birth rate meant there were fewer kids in Oz, that would make Aussie kids even more overrepresented in public according to what you mentioned, not less compared to the Americans.
So, (if what you see reflects reality) what do you think are the most plausible reasons why the Aussie kids are seen out and about more? Is the cliche about the outdoorsy, sporty, rough-and-tumble lifestyle accurate? Have you guys not fallen for the soccer-mom and helicopter parent type fads of arranging and micromanaging lots of busy activity for kids? Maybe the climate's better for outdoor activity down under (unless you saw the American kids on pleasant days of the year too). Or something else entirely?
I just saw less of them walking out in the cities with their parents, or the gangs of teens and stuff you always see here. I think our birth-rate is similar to the US, the difference is probably due to Hispanics and Blacks.
I really like this 25 m2 (269 f2) studio apartment. Price: €990,000 / $1,217,700. It is perfect for a small family...
Well yeah, I personally don't count Monaco for that very reason. But I find it odd the Axis countries proved to be the longest-living.
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