When I Was A Child….

There are a lot of us who probably grew up in less than favourable conditions. Most of it didn’t hurt us one bit and maybe if anything made us better people. I know I was one of them and when I became a parent I subconsciously wanted better for my children. There’s nothing wrong with that, it’s a natural parenting reaction. But there are times I wonder if I am doing the right thing. It feels a day doesn’t go by that I don’t say something along the lines of….”When I was a child…” followed by any Dickensian scenario I can think of. To name just a few from my childhood…

• There was no dishwasher or washing machine and I had to wash all the dishes every day by hand and help my mum do the laundry. Nowadays I have the luxury of a dishwasher and a washing machine just sitting there waiting to be filled, turned on and does the job for me.
• We didn’t have a car so no matter what the weather was chucking at us I had to walk to and from school and anywhere else I wanted to be. Currently the car sits on the drive for whenever we need it.
• Christmas presents were just one present and the obligatory orange. This Christmas my two both had around 10 presents each. Yes some were small silly things and there was no orange.
• There was no mobile phone, social web sites or any www for that matter, at times even no home phone. Now both my children and I have mobile phones, there is a computer in the house plus a laptop and they still manage to say the words “I’m bored”.
• We went through times of no TV. In this day and age we sometimes live our lives around the T.V.
• New clothes and other things considered a luxury like make up were Christmas or birthday presents with nothing bought in-between. This one is still a bit the same today but there occasion’s new luxuries can be bought throughout the year.

My life now isn’t that of luxury and wealth, far from it but my children haven’t gone through any of the above. Does this really make them any worse or better?

They have grown up expecting all the above as the norm. My situation isn’t unique and there will be many other families ‘raising the bar’ on children’s expectations of life. But with wanting to give my children a better life than I had, am I actually raising children who naturally expect more? If I had the balls and hadn’t become so accustomed to having all the above myself, I would love to see how or if it would change them if they lived a year of my childhood.

My teen daughter does pop in and read my posts from time to time. Sometimes I don’t know she has but I have a feeling I will know when or rather I will hear the scream when she reads this one.

Share this post:

Random Posts

• The Dreaded Summer Holidays
  It's raining here in Cornwall but then it always rains in Cornwall. It's not just a quick shower and...
• Break Up Etiquette – Dumper
  There will be a time in your life when he just isn't the right one for you; He no longer hits your b...
• Eco Terms A to Z
  I have pulled together a quick A to Z of eco terms as found myself confused and lost on the terms th...
• Changes for Single Parents and Income Support
  Letters are going out today from  local jobcentres to 100,000 single parents that are not in paid em...