Never did me any harm!

I am just watching the 'Never did me any harm' show on Lifestyle on Foxtel, and the Dad said "I did that, I grew up young." The show takes modern day families and throws them back into the 70's style of living with no mod cons and black and white TV. Gone are the playstations, x-boxes, ipods, mobiles, designer clothes and dishwashers. Honestly, some of the childrens reactions have shocked me!

Nowadays, when we say "they grew up young" or "kids are growing up faster" we usually mean it in the "partying" sense or dressing above their age group, going out drinking etc.

Back then, it would have been more so in hard life way, rather than the partying way, and more referring to responsibility taken on for looking after siblings, going out to work earlier etc.

So, I guess my question is, Do you think kids are growing up less responsible in this day and age? More "entitlement" centered? Should we go back to the old ways of more firm discipline, less permissive parenting, and be, in the family, more parent centered rather than child centered? (and by this I mean, respect your elders, do things the first time you are told,do your chores rather than the I-have-never-grown-up-partying-all-night-stuff-the-kids type parenting or mummy doing the washing until you get married then you wife can do it type parenting!) Should we go back to the simpler life of less stuff, make your own fun?
And which way is better? now or then?

On a personal level, I hope that I am raising my kids in a balanced way - i.e. now AND then. I hope that they have respect for their elders, know responsibility etc but I also hope that they can take advantage of the benefits of todays society, such as better educational opportunities.

Our lifestyles are easier now due to technology like computers and washing machines/dishwashers which allow for more "me" time, but I do not want my kids to grow up selfish. I will make them wash the dishes occasionally!

I DO think that children are overindulged both materialistically and in what parents do for them. Mothers washing their sons clothes until marriage is madness. All of my children will know how to use the washing machine!

I also think that the difficulties of the previous generation have given birth to the easy life of the next, in the sense that the parents do not want their children to have life as hard as they did. I think that children these days can take their lives for granted and while I do not wish the hardships of yesteryear on them, I do want them to realise that they are lucky and there are others less fortunate. Already I let the boys put a dollar in the collection box of the Red Cross and Salvation Army and when we donate to the local charity shop I talk about the people who do not have as much as us and how important it is that we help others. I also want them to realise the sacrifices that the previous generations have made to allow them the life they lead.

Manners is another personal bugbear of mine. I insist that my kids say please and thank you and they certainly know that I want does not mean I get. Unless they ask properly they will not get anything and if they do, the answer may still be no. Some of the rudeness and attitudes around today would have shocked previous generations and wouldnt have been tolerated.


Ok rant over. *blush* Maybe I am just a mean mummy?