jake5270's blog post - Yesterday and today.

Sunday, January 10, 2016, 1:07:44 AM

Growing up in the 50's and 60's:

In the summer, you left the house after breakfast. You popped in for a quick lunch, and back again for dinner. Play until dark, then take a bath, eat a snack and watch t.v. until bedtime. Outside all of the time, every day. You played all over the neighborhood without adult supervision. You went to the movies on the weekend in town or went swimming and you rode the city bus when you did go to town. Everyone got a summer tan or stayed in the shade. If you were lucky, once you got to high school you borrowed Dad's car to go to a ballgame or a date (and a lot of the times you took your date to the game because it was free to students... you saved your money to buy both of you a snack after the game). No computers... kids used their imagination. No cell phones... one land line in the house, so you had to talk in front of your family. Only five t.v. stations... ABC, CBS, NBC, one independent channel and one PBS channel (after I got to high school). A party after high school was maybe 10 - 15 people... no crashers, no loud music. People actually sat around and talked! We respected our parents, teachers and adults in general. We were not brought up to think that we were special and the center of the universe. Respect for authority has all but disappeared in this country.

Yes, it was a simpler time - if you didn't think about the Cold War, or Viet Nam, or civil rights riots and protests. But we were happier... the suicide rate was almost non-existant.

Now? Kids grow up with adults controlling every activity for them. They stare at their computers and phones, and have trouble interacting with other people. Kids stay in the house so they won't be snatched... and eat too much, exercise too little and get hardly any sun. Sadly, a whole lot of obese, shy and pale children are what our future is becoming.

Do I long for the past? Sure. Can I do anything about it? I try... on an individual basis every day, but I think I'm losing the war.

And so it goes...

~

Comments

Others Have Said:

RoxanneS on 10-Jan-16 1:33:00

Were did you get the idea that the suicide rate was almost non existent back then?! I'd love to see those stats. I'd surmise that if the rates were low it was probably because it was such a taboo back then. People would cite other reasons for the death.

As for pale children, well, I have stats on the sun and its ill effects. Skin cancer is the fastest rising cancer among young people. Probably has something to do with our earth's disappearing ozone layer due to an overabundance of CFCs in our recent past. Sunscreen and shade are a healthy life's good friends.

jake5270 on 10-Jan-16 2:19:53

Agree to disagree, Rox.

RoxanneS on 10-Jan-16 2:37:38

If you mean shut up if I have a different thought, okaydokey.

LuLusBakery on 11-Jan-16 14:09:48

I honestly know very few kids like this. I get annoyed when the media portrays the younger generation nowadays as lazy, not connected with the real world, etc. My kids worked their asses off in school, in extra activities (including those to exercise their bodies), and are about the opposite of what you described....ditto their friends. Every now and then a kid fit what you just said, but it was the exception and not the rule.

I am a fan of computers and technology in general, and I can't wait to see what the next generation brings to us this way.

In any event....I think the percentage of obese, shy, and pale people in the future might increase slightly, but not as much as you fear. Speaking as someone who is out there with kids all the time. I am not worried about the next generation.....I wish they'd get the positive attention they deserve.

jake5270 on 14-Jan-16 19:28:47

Those who live in quiet little worlds fail to see the changes going on around them.

LuLusBakery on 14-Jan-16 23:32:19

I am laughing so hard over here if you are implying my world is quiet. We clearly do not know each other AT ALL. It's cool. I won't bother you any longer. But I do hope you at least try to see the glass half-full, just once. For your own good.

jake5270 on 15-Jan-16 19:17:47

You obviously judge me by an occasional venting blog. I am almost always the happy camper. If you saw what I normally post on the 'net, you'd know that. The reason I have one blog (here) is so that whenever I feel the need to let some sadness loose, I can do it without my friends or family reading those thoughts. My own little private venting area. I'm sorry you don't know the real me, LuLu. I'm sure you'd love me!