PatsWSB47

Better? My parents both worked, sometimes two jobs. The highlight if the week was Sunday night when our treat for the week was a pot of popcorn popped on the stove and a pitcher of cool aid. We'd sit down as a family and watch Walt Disney. We had one beat up old car, one second hand TV with three channels, almost never ate out and my outfits consisted of my brothers hand-me-downs. Credit cards didn't exist as they do today, so what you owned, you owned. I never felt it but my family was poor based on today's standards and expectations. I guess I wasn't enlightened enough to know I had it so bad.

There's an old Carly Simon song that that has a verse that I first heard back int the 70's that really fits here: "I can't help feeling a little bit blue, thinking 'bout the precious nothings I once knew". We've been enlightened some and that's good, but we've also lost some good things along the way. I also think a lot of people today that didn't grow up then are a little arrogant about their "states of goodness's". If that's any of you then get over it, you simply fell into it.

DarrylS

Not so sure of that, things were much simpler, the expectations were real for all and even though there were rich and poor, there were far more middle class getting by. Many families were recovering from the effects of World War II Moms usually did not work, they belonged to the local church ladies group or girl scouts. We ate roasts on Sunday, with overbaked potatoes and a nice portion of Veg All. My parents house cost $13,500 and they paid it off in 10 years...

You did not have to be that much smarter then, there were many entry level jobs in which you could find reasonable fulfillment and you could switch jobs easily. My father went to Indiana Tech for engineering on the GI Bill, and when he graduated(1951) we went back to Newport and he became an engineer working on the Mark 44 Torpedo.. when we travelled back and forth from Indiana we slept in the car.

Arguably healthier now, but drug addiction only happened in NYC. Autism, learning disabilities, HIV and many other illnesses were unknown. Polio gave us a good scare, but Salk figured it out. Pregnant girls went to special places to have their babies. My doctor used to smoke while he examined us, Lucky's I believe. Aside from some broken fingers, an occasional broken arm do not remember anyone who was really sickly..

__________________
"Being the best doesn't mean you always win. It just means you win more than anyone else".. tweet from Kurt Warner to Tom Brady.

wistahpatsfan

Nothing beats the late 60's and all of the 70's because that's when I grew up!

Seriously, in response to Chico, parents do over-react today to imagined threats. In the summer, my mom didn't see me except for lunch and when it got dark. "Did you have a good day, Honey?" was the greeting I got when I came home. We rode our bikes as far as we could. We spent all day down at the pond. We had one week of vacation at the beach. Maybe saw three of four movies all summer. Not once did I ever hear of a kid being kidnapped. Crazy people were locked up. Crooks who were sentenced to 5-to-10 actually did 5-to-10.

Kids don't get kidnapped as often as it seems and they get abused a lot less. Kids are safer today than they ever have been, but you wouldn'y know it looking at the helicopter parents of today. Nothing can be done without adult supervision, and we'll be seeing the effects of the first generation to come of age after "free range kids" became outlawed. Thanks a lot, John Walsh.

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

PatsWSB47

Yeah, we do conjure up a lot of fear but you know what? Your parents and mine might be reported to the proper authorities for child neglect today by nosy do-gooders. Prosecutors run for and get elected by tough on crime campaigns and the put away minor offenders by the truck loads to prove it but I digress.

BSR

Yes, nostalgia is a wonderful thing and I am sure most fondly recall the simplicity of their childhoods. I think most of that is a mater of perspective, of course. We look at the world and parenting of today through an adults eyes, whereas we had a much more innocent and ignorant view of the world when we were growing up.

I would still say an objective view of parenting today versus then would show today's to be for the most part better. I look at my children and, despite having far less freedom, I see far more confident and well-rounded children as compared to myself at my age. I think many like to think back positively on all the free time they had as a child but I think for the vast majority it simply resulted in bored under-stimulated children and led to more bad habits then good ones.

wistahpatsfan

Not so sure of that. Maybe I'm being romantic.

I can't remember being bored where I lived. Three families to a house, houses right next to each other. Waiting for winners at the courts every night. Pickup games at the diamond every nice day. Street hockey behind the church. Pond hockey without helmets or pads (couldn't afford them). No adults in sight. Freedom for kids builds character, creativity, communication skills, courage, and wisdom.

Are you confusing "well-rounded" with "adult-like" or "compliant"?

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

PatriotsReign

Children are definately NOT healthier today...see childhood obesity trends 1950 to present.

Smarter & more enlightened? Who knows? Do you have data that confirms these opinions? If so, I'd love to read it.

__________________
"No one walking this earth knows what is truly righteous"

PatriotsReign

We didn't have the internet, video games and only 3-4 television stations, so we had no choice but to PLAY! And I'm very grateful we did!

Nice post Wistah!

__________________
"No one walking this earth knows what is truly righteous"

The Brandon Five

It's amazing that any of us survived. A bike helmet? Never heard of it.

Real World

Every era has it's benefits and drawbacks. There are some definate positives today, that didn't exist years ago, but from a certain pov, I think life was easier 20-30+ years ago, than it is today. Obviously that's not going to be the case for everyone. I'm sure if you're gay, or black, you'd prefer the 21st century to the 20th, for obvious reasons. As it related to me though, I think life was simpler then. No cell phones, or internet. No texting or emails. One TV in the house for the most part, probably only one car. No call waiting even. Most people could survive on one income, which meant more homes with a parent inside at all times. Overall, I think life was simpler, and to me, better. Being from a generation that pretty much crossed the recent electronic revolution, it's an open debate as to whether or not I'd trade all the technical advancements of today, for the simplicity of 70's and 80's.

One thing I will say that sucks today compared to the past, is people skills. today, people email, text, and IM you instead of talk you in person, or even on the phone. Kids play video games alone at home, instead of actual games outdoors with friends. I think one of the consequences of technology, is the ever evaporating ability to deal with people more personally. Among other things anyway.

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


"The most difficult subjects can be explained to the most slow-witted man if he has not formed any idea of them already; but the simplest thing cannot be made clear to the most intelligent man if he is firmly persuaded that he knows already, without a shadow of doubt, what is laid before him."
Leo Tolstoy, 1897