Times have really changed

ND13

PhantomOG wrote:

As a parent today you can:
1) choose NOT to give you kids tv's and video games in their bedrooms and instead sign them up for sports
2) choose NOT to give your kids ritalin for behaviour problems and instead discipline them appropriately
3) choose NOT to pay for cable and allow your kids to watch MTV
4) choose TO be involved with your kids lives and know if they are on drugs/having sex
5) choose NOT to feed your kids fast food and pizza for dinner every night

So all the screwed up kids today are screwed up because of who?? Society? The government? Today's kids (not all of them) are screwed up because of their parents.

I'm willing to bet most of the fine folks here at Club Polk who are parents DON'T have kids that have these problems. But how is that possible when the cards are so stacked against them??? For every screwed up kid that's alluded to here and in the media I'm will to bet there are 5-10 oustanding ones who deserved to be praised instead of forgotten because of the bad apples.

My whole point is, comments like that make it seem like its impossible to have a child grow up today and not have all those problems. I'm saying it is possible, but it takes parents being parents, instead of parents letting the government/society/teachers/television be the parents.

Haven't you ever heard the term..."The squeaky wheel gets the grease"?

PhantomOG

ND13 wrote:

Haven't you ever heard the term..."The squeaky wheel gets the grease"?

Yep, and its my belief that our society/situation is pretty much still the same, only as a whole we've become a whole lot squeakier.

ND13

PhantomOG wrote:

Yep, and its my belief that our society/situation is pretty much still the same, only as a whole we've become a whole lot squeakier.

Yes indeed!!!

PolkWannabie

I wonder how many of that 12.6% are illegal aliens ... Clearly a lot larger percentage then in the 70's ...

steveinaz wrote:

This country started losing it when parents tried to be their kids "friend." A parent is far more than a friend, and parents don't have the luxury of being their kids friend until possibly, later in life.

Presactly

bobman1235

It's funny how defensive some of you are getting for your childhood days. Keep in mind most of these memories of Nirvana you guys have are from when you were children, and didn't have exposure to the nastiness of the world around you.

Early B. wrote:

Times are getting worse. How can you tell?

Just look at the children -- weaker physically and mentally, need to take meds to sit quietly in class, 15 years old kids shooting their classmates, music video attention span, rampant drug use, sex crazed, gender confused, suicidal, fatter, and less mature than their parents.

Sure, some of this is true. Most of it's an illusion perpetrated by an influx of global information that was never around before. You're telling me there's more "rampant drug use" and sex now than in the 60's and 70's? Studies show that teenage sex and pregnancy is WAY down even over the past 10 years. I won't even TOUCH the drug use. Do kids really need to take meds to sit quietly in class? Or are we just expecting too much? As soon as a kid acts up in the slightest, he is brought to the guidance counselor and treated for a behavior disorder. That disorder is usually just being a kid without decent PARENTS.

I think a lot of us are saying the same thing. I think there is a problem today that didn't exist in past generations, mostly due to lack of discipline by parents. It's an ATTITUDE problem. But the problems that STARTED this thread were mostly TANGIBLE problems that are NOT getting worse. There ISN'T more violence. There ISN'T more crime. It ISN'T any less safe to have your kids out riding their bikes all day. We're just so inundated with negative news from across the globe and all we hear of is the worst this world has to offer that we've become frightened of the world around us. And most everyone around here seems to have just developed a defensive "us against them" attitude about it, just furthering the fear and anxiety that brought this all on, rather than stepping in the face of the common viewpoint and living and acting the way you feel you should live and act.

PhantomOG

that last paragraph says it all.

bobman1235

NOT TO MENTION, how many of you who are bitching about modern times grew up in the 60's? I know at least a few of you did. You're telling me YOUR generation, the freakin SIXTIES GENERATION, didn't have a more rebellious, drug-infused, free sex for all, attitude than TODAY'S? Are you out of your minds? Can you imagine what YOUR parents thought of your generation (I'm not talking about you ss individuals, whether you were hippies or whatever) as a whole, compared to theirs? The greatest generation, who basically saved the world in WWII? And looking back now, do you think they were right about you?

hearingimpared

ND13 wrote:

All I know is that I grew up during the 70s(in Memphis, Tn), in a moderately large city/metro area, and I could hop on my bike and be gone for hours on end and ride for miles and miles, without a worry.

Today, my boys aren't even allowed to ride their bikes without a friggin helmet on.

We have become a nation of pussified, politically correct, poorly educated, entitlist elitist.

I graduated high school 1973 in the suburbs of Philadelphia which was a very tough area to live, not low income just a tough area. I agree with that whole list in the first post. Yes, even the part about guns because kids were not shooting each other back then, we might kick the **** out of each other but that would be it, hands would be shaken and the fight was over. WE WERE ALLOWED TO HAVE OUTLETS FOR OUR EMOTIONS! Parents now use law suits to settle problems. If you see a kid with a black eye, Oh thats right you don't except in front of a friggin judge!!!

Criminals caused the problems back then and there seems to be more criminals now then there were back then.

My wife and I were discussing at dinner tonight how when we were kids we could go outside and make a game out of a flat Coke bottle cap and any kind of rubber ball (5 cents) and that we were never bored.

I'm not saying the "good ole days" were any better but I will tell you this, given the choice of growing up in the 60s & 70s or even the 80s & 90s like my 23 year old did vs the way my 9 year old has to grow up there is no comparison I'll take the days when a teacher was allowed to physically discipline a child.

I was a yuppie in the late 70s & 80s and raised a son. He is a well adjusted successful, respectful, really nice guy. I brought him up the way I was brought up.

I'm trying to bring up my nine year old the same way but keep running into brick walls for example; we just came from a conference with the school counselor & and school nurse this past week. He's not doing to good in school. 90% because he trys to take the easy way out and 10% because of his ADHD this is my opinion of course. I wanted to throw the eff up. They were appalled when they found out that I turned my little guy over my knee and gave his butt what for. They were appalled that he gets punished and has to pay consequences for his actions. If felt like I was in a Twilight Zone episode. EFFFF them. They are the problem. All they give a **** about is how good the school looks with their loaded tests and their politcally correct pussyfied bull ****. A lot of crap occured in that meeting that just was absolutely nauseating. My wife said that they probably haven't dealt with a parent like me in decades. . .all because I spoke my mind and refused to be politically correct.

We are moving to Delaware and fortunately they still use the "barbaric" way of teaching the kids in this school district.

To quote ND13 again, "We have become a nation of pussified, politically correct, poorly educated, entitlist elitist."

That is no bull ****!

hearingimpared

bobman1235 wrote:

NOT TO MENTION, how many of you who are bitching about modern times grew up in the 60's? I know at least a few of you did. You're telling me YOUR generation, the freakin SIXTIES GENERATION, didn't have a more rebellious, drug-infused, free sex for all, attitude than TODAY'S? Are you out of your minds? Can you imagine what YOUR parents thought of your generation (I'm not talking about you ss individuals, whether you were hippies or whatever) as a whole, compared to theirs? The greatest generation, who basically saved the world in WWII? And looking back now, do you think they were right about you?

You seem to be grouping an entire generation into this group described above. You are wrong, there were the, "rebellious, drug-infused, free sex for all" but that was not the majority. The majority made the 80s and 90s and 2000s a great finacial and technologically advanced success.

How old are you Bob?

PhantomOG

hearingimpared wrote:

You seem to be grouping an entire generation into this group described above. You are wrong, there were the, "rebellious, drug-infused, free sex for all" but that was not the majority. The majority made the 80s and 90s and 2000s a great finacial and technologically advanced success.

How old are you Bob?

But no one here is over-generalizing about today's kids/generation, right? :rolleyes:

Every generation probably says this same crap when they get old.

bobman1235

hearingimpared wrote:

You seem to be grouping an entire generation into this group described above. You are wrong, there were the, "rebellious, drug-infused, free sex for all" but that was not the majority. The majority made the 80s and 90s and 2000s a great finacial and technologically advanced success.

How old are you Bob?

I'm 26.

I don't think the entire generation was like that at all. I DO think that at the time, and now, t hat is how they were PERCEIVED. Since this thread is only about what everyone PERCEIVES the current generation to be like, I figured I could use the perceptions of past generations. Like I said, imagine waht parents of the 60's kids thought when they saw the news of what the 60's generation was doing. Yes, it was a minority, but it's what was in the news. Most kids these days aren't shooting up schools and taking Ridilin - I'd say far fewer of those now than were doing drugs and **** everything that moved in the 60's - so what's your point?

hearingimpared

PhantomOG wrote:

But no one here is over-generalizing about today's kids/generation, right? :rolleyes:

Not like Bob did. He was speaking for the "Greatest Generation." Speak from experience or else state that you are speaking from opinion. Atleast that is how I try to live my life.

hearingimpared

bobman1235 wrote:

I'm 26.

I don't think the entire generation was like that at all. I DO think that at the time, and now, t hat is how they were PERCEIVED. Since this thread is only about what everyone PERCEIVES the current generation to be like, I figured I could use the perceptions of past generations. Like I said, imagine waht parents of the 60's kids thought when they saw the news of what the 60's generation was doing. Yes, it was a minority, but it's what was in the news. Most kids these days aren't shooting up schools and taking Ridilin - I'd say far fewer of those now than were doing drugs and **** everything that moved in the 60's - so what's your point?

I'm not talking about my perception of things at all here. I am speaking from my experience with these current times. What news did you watch in the 60s???? How can you make a point about something you have no experience with???

Polkersince85

I was born when there weren't but 49 states. the President's face is now on the dime. I have seen the transitions of our society occur which everyone is posting about. These are different times. It would be nice to pick and choose the facets of each period which are most desireable. That cannot be done. There was a time when people weren't classified to be living in poverty, it was called working and trying to survive. The statistics are created to support massive government handouts to get votes and get reelected. The funds expended to manage the programs could be used to bring every "Legal" resident out of so called poverty. The problem, IMHO, of today's society is that no one wants to take the blame. It's always some other reason or somebody's else fault, therefore either get a handout or take a pill.

I think some of these educators than have turned into drug pushers (60's term) for the manufacturers need to be put on Thorizine themselves. The kids may learn more.

There was a time when every male in school from the first grade up had a pocket knife in his pocket. It was a necessary tool. My geometry teacher smoked a pipe during class. The principal's office always looked like it was on fire. We had a second story and during class change the steam pipe insulation would always get batted by someone so that the snow (asbestos) would fall on everybody below. Did anybody get sued, hell no. It was fun.

Sorry for the rant but I think our country needs to remember the words of one of our old enemies, " We'll take the United States without firing a shot."

hearingimpared

PhantomOG wrote:

As a parent today you can:
2) choose NOT to give your kids ritalin for behaviour problems and instead discipline them appropriately

I agree with pretty much all your points. The one above is a little on the general side. Some kids like my nine year old has the physical chemical imbalance that causes ADHD. Normal discipline DOES NOT WORK in these instances believe me I know. Once this child takes his medication he is able to focus on the important things such as school work. It does not make him a zombe or change his personality or mood in any way. It keeps the 10 pinballs bouncing around the inside of his skull still long enough for him to focus on one thing at a time.

I know what the boy is going through. I have Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder complicated by a Panic Disorder. I've had both disorders since I was 7 years old but they didn't have these disorders identified then. Back then I was the kid with ants in his pants, the little "Tazmanian Devil" they used to call me, and I suffered my own demons in my own head until I was diagnosed properly. If I didn't take medications I would be tied down in a Mental Institution . That is a little bit of an exageration but you get the point.

My son still gets disciplined just as if he had no problem at all. His condition requires me and his mother to be a lot more patient with his indiscretions.

It still doesn't change my view on the pussification of today's youth as ND13 so eloquently put it.

hearingimpared

Polkersince85 wrote:

I was born when there weren't but 49 states. the President's face is now on the dime. I have seen the transitions of our society occur which everyone is posting about. These are different times. It would be nice to pick and choose the facets of each period which are most desireable. That cannot be done. There was a time when people weren't classified to be living in poverty, it was called working and trying to survive. The statistics are created to support massive government handouts to get votes and get reelected. The funds expended to manage the programs could be used to bring every "Legal" resident out of so called poverty. The problem, IMHO, of today's society is that no one wants to take the blame. It's always some other reason or somebody's else fault, therefore either get a handout or take a pill.

I think some of these educators than have turned into drug pushers (60's term) for the manufacturers need to be put on Thorizine themselves. The kids may learn more.

There was a time when every male in school from the first grade up had a pocket knife in his pocket. It was a necessary tool. My geometry teacher smoked a pipe during class. The principal's office always looked like it was on fire. We had a second story and during class change the steam pipe insulation would always get batted by someone so that the snow (asbestos) would fall on everybody below. Did anybody get sued, hell no. It was fun.

Sorry for the rant but I think our country needs to remember the words of one of our old enemies, " We'll take the United States without firing a shot."

Right on! whoops 60s term . . . some may be offended!

hearingimpared

bobman1235 wrote:

I'm 26.

I'd say far fewer of those now than were doing drugs and **** everything that moved in the 60's - so what's your point?

Bob . . .the meth, heroin, marijuana and cocaine problem is far worse and more widespread now than it ever has been even in the 60s which you love to refer to. Hell you can't buy cold medicine with ephedrine without asking the pharmicist because they were forced to stock it behind the pharmacy with the nacotics because of the ease and epidemic of meth making these days.

There are more unwed mothers now than ever, there are children having children . . . there are young GIRLS walking around with four kids from FOUR DIFFERENT MEN! There sure was a lot of drug use in the 60s and there sure was a lot of people, "**** everything that moved" but it was nowhere near the epidemic it is now. You sound like you have some kind of resentment against the 60s or us who lived during that period.

ledhed

hearingimpared wrote:

Bob . . .the meth, heroin, marijuana and cocaine problem is far worse and more widespread now than it ever has been even in the 60s which you love to refer to. Hell you can't buy cold medicine with ephedrine without asking the pharmicist because they were forced to stock it behind the pharmacy with the nacotics because of the ease and epidemic of meth making these days.

Who is making and using the meth? Adults over 30.

As having just graduated, I have a VERY different opinion. A lot of this about how much worse my friends and I are is horseshit. Yes, there are druggies, most stop after sophomore year.

Yes, there is pregnancy but not that much. Maybe 5 a year in my school in the hick part of the south. Sure, all are out of wedlock but then again, my aunts were married at ages around 17 and 18 and had kids at this age but it was ok because they had a ring.

At least my generation has less and less prejudices towards minorities BECAUSE of networks like MTV and especially Nickelodeon showing what other people are like.

My dad was born in '58. He did a lot more, worse, things than any of my friends.

the biggest problem we have is obesity and that is because of 30 year somethings sitting on their fat asses because their jobs suck because that generation did not feel it was necessary to go to another school after high school and have a dead end job that they hate. So, their kids see this and figure it is ok.

If my generation is screwed up, it is because of parenting. Not really the parenting of a kid but of the kid's friends. And that is not my generation's fault, it is some older generation that deserves the blame. Guess when they grew up :rolleyes:



Edited first sentence to clear up my point.

hearingimpared

ledhed wrote:

A lot of this about how much worse my friends and I are is horseshit.

When you personalize these FACTS it can seem to hurt the heart. No-one said you or your friends are bad people or any worse than anyone who raised them.

The issues of drug use and abuse and children out of wedlock or as you want to put without a ring is way more out of control than it has ever been.

No offense to you or your generation in general, it is what it is, call it horseshit it still is.

I raised my older son and raise my younger son with the fine, outstanding morals and work ethic that I was taught and brought up with.

PolkWannabie

ledhed wrote:

If my generation is screwed up, it is because of parenting.

That's an interesting comment which implies that children of "The Greatest Generation" must have done what they did because of some parenting related problem.

hearingimpared

PolkWannabie wrote:

That's an interesting comment which implies that children of "The Greatest Generation" must have done what they did because of some parenting related problem.

You just hit the nail on the head about the entitled generation and the generation of non-responsability!!! Ya see my older son, 23 years old takes responsibility for his life and actions because I TAUGHT HIM that, my father taught me that, my grandfather when he came over from Italy taught my father that etc.

hearingimpared

ledhed wrote:

At least my generation has less and less prejudices towards minorities BECAUSE of networks like MTV and especially Nickelodeon showing what other people are like.
Edited first sentence to clear up my point.

That is an asinine statement!!! My sons are not prejudiced because I taught them not to be. They didn't learn it from some idiotic television show.

How can you put goodness in the same sentance as MTV??? I hope you didn't learn the rest of your morals from MTV or the fantasy of Nickelodeon.

PolkWannabie

hearingimpared wrote:

You just hit the nail on the head about the entitled generation and the generation of non-responsability!!! Ya see my older son, 23 years old takes responsibility for his life and actions because I TAUGHT HIM that, my father taught me that, my grandfather when he came over from Italy taught my father that etc.

Yes and I suspect this was probably more true with each generation as you go back in time ... My point was that unlike some have stated it isn't totally a parenting thing ... If it was then one would have to acknowledge that parents of the hippie generation as a group had by and large no values ... and as a result, for at least a time, neither did their children i.e. my generation. That's hardly the case. There were other forces at work.

hearingimpared

ledhed wrote:

My dad was born in '58. He did a lot more, worse, things than any of my friends.

the biggest problem we have is obesity and that is because of 30 year somethings sitting on their fat asses because their jobs suck because that generation did not feel it was necessary to go to another school after high school and have a dead end job that they hate. So, their kids see this and figure it is ok.

If my generation is screwed up, it is because of parenting. Not really the parenting of a kid but of the kid's friends. And that is not my generation's fault, it is some older generation that deserves the blame. Guess when they grew up :rolleyes:Edited first sentence to clear up my point.

Wow this is the generation that is going to run our country in 20 years . . . everything is everyone else's fault. . very scary!!! No self responsibility for anything. . . boy MTV did a bang up job!

tommyboy

Settle down children

Polkersince85

This 60's generation parent takes the blame for how my son turned out:

Senior in High School
Straight A's since Kindergarten
Green belt
Crew cut
Built like a Navy seal
Citizenship award from the Gov. of South Carolina
Gives personal items to his friends of lessor fortune
Likes Polk Mon. 7's
As good as it gets.

hearingimpared

Polkersince85 wrote:

This 60's generation parent takes the blame for how my son turned out:

Senior in High School
Straight A's since Kindergarten
Green belt
Crew cut
Built like a Navy seal
Citizenship award from the Gov. of South Carolina
Gives personal items to his friends of lessor fortune
Likes Polk Mon. 7's
As good as it gets.

I take the blame for my son:

Graduate of Penn State U
Straight A's in College
Job = QVC Video Production
44 jacket, 32 waist built like Adonis
Crew Cut
Great easy, going, level headed guy
Very respectful and caring
Puts family first
Great Work Ethic

Boy I really made a mess of things during my stint in the 60s & 70s. . .

tommyboy

hearingimpared wrote:

I take the blame for my son:

Graduate of Penn State U
Straight A's in College
Job = QVC Video Production
44 jacket, 32 waist built like Adonis
Crew Cut
Great easy, going, level headed guy
Very respectful and caring
Puts family first
Great Work Ethic

Boy I really made a mess of things during my stint in the 60s & 70s. . .

Ok guys, thats enough...


Will you guys stop stereotyping different generations, its stupid... I really don't understand why this thread was made.

hearingimpared

Zero wrote:

As entertaining as watching others throw darts at each others forehead, it should pale in comparison to putting that time and energy together to brainstorm on ways of turning the aforementioned issues around.

As usual Zero you are the voice of reason. However it is easy to taget and bury stupidity when it is staring at you in the face.

ledhed

I am in no way saying that TV is a good thing. But when **** parents don't teach their children anything and instead just act as if they are not in charge for their offspring, kids have to learn something from somewhere. MTV was a poor choice, I'll admit.

And in no way am I putting my problems on someone else. This is nobody's fault except for parents. Part of it is a growing population which causes the percentages to relatively stay the same as can be seen by many studies and thus a small isolated case becomes bigger.

I may have gone overboard, I have no problem admitting that but, to try and solve something or even look at it objectively, multiple views must be realized and all I was trying to do was bring in a view that had not been addressed.

So, for my ultimate .02, It is all in the parenting, as stated many times before.