madjak30But the problem is actually our generation…yes, there are lots of really productive people in our generation…but at what expense…their kids are a$$ holes…not all, but alot of people put their career ahead of family to be that productive person…and to compete with the Jones’ they BOTH worked…two incomes means nice house, nice car, nice cloths, nice holidays, etc…but who is raising the kids? Well, a lot of the time it was an older sibling…or we called them “latch-key kids”…they really raised themselves…
So who is to blame for the generation of “me-me” personalities…US…maybe not you and I exactly, but the generation that was born from 1945-1975 have produced some of the biggest idiots on the planet…have you heard that “common sense isn’t common anymore”…why do you think that is…?? There was no one around to teach them “common sense”…no instilled values like patience, courtesy, manners…the golden rule is missing…”do unto others, as you would have done to you”…how does a kid react when they are idle…”Mom/Dad I’m bored, there’s nothing to do…” and that kinda translates to our generation of instant gratification personalities…
The story talks about not having video games and lots of toys to entertain…that was really a result of stay at home Mom…people just couldn’t afford those types of luxuries…now it’s weird to see a home that has a “home maker” in it…I was quite fortunate in that when we had kids, we decided that she would stay home and raise the kids (atleast until they were in full time school)…money was tight (almost lost the house once or twice because of it), but we made it…now my kids are older (oldest turns 13 this year and the twins are 9)…my career is at a point that I make a pretty good living myself, and the wife is working (not full time, but close…30hrs per week) while the kids are in school…she gets home shortly after they do and has all the same vacation and holiday as they do (she is a teacher)
My sisters on the other hand, have worked their whole adult lives…one married a man that has lots of ambition and is away for work lots (she is like a single Mom that has money), the other sister is married with two boys…her husband works an honest day but makes just enough…she has worked most of the way through to help make ends meet (read living above their means) and my mother has helped by being the Grandma Daycare center…how often do you think a Grandparent says no to their grandchild? not too often…my sisters husband gets pretty frustrated, but what is a guy to do? They can’t have the nice house two cars and nice cloths/holidays…blah blah blah…without his wife working…and going backwards in standard of living is a pretty tough pill to swallow…
I don’t have any answers on how or if this can be reversed, but it is our own doing…we are the greedy generation…ask your grandfather how much debt he carried compared to yours…he will probably tell you he saved for what he bought and paid cash…we go in and get a loan/line of credit and buy what we want NOW…I’m as bad as the next guy for this…maybe worse as my debt load is increasing…(we are now taking steps to fix this…no new bike for me this year, or truck…but what I have works and needs to be paid for)
I think if we are going to be pointing any fingers at who is to blame for this…we need to be standing in front of a mirror…
Start by doing something really fun with the kids…some of the best memories are made doing stuff that you have already paid for…take the kids out for a hike or a bike ride…make sure you bring your camera though, those years don’t last forever…
Later.
