Is it tougher now to be a kid or a parent? | FerrariChat

Is it tougher now to be a kid or a parent?

Discussion in 'Other Off Topic Forum' started by PeterS, Apr 15, 2009.

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  1. PeterS

    PeterS Four Time F1 World Champ
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    During a conversation with my 15 year-old last night, we spent the evening (which started at B&R for an ice cream, on to Jack in the Box and a long dog walk) talking about all the problems kids face today. Everything form peer pressure, bullying, being skinny and beautiful, right on down to sex, drugs and rock and roll. In her telling me how tough it is to being a kid these days, I told her: "I have been a kid and I have been a parent............and being a parent just may be tougher than being a kid"! We batted that one around for a while, as the conversation got into what parents expected of their kids and visa-versa.

    Is it tougher to be a parent today Vs being a kid? I think it very well may be! What do you think?
     
  2. laudaman

    laudaman Formula 3

    Jan 4, 2008
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    As a 15 year old myself, I would naturally say its harder to be a kid. Being in High School is nothing but peer-pressure. Most of the kids in my grade are "experienced" with drugs and alchohal. A Friday night to some kids means nothing more than doing beer pong and getting high. I have never touched any of that. I made a vow when all "that" started becoming prominent in school. Guys are always talking about what girls they had sex with, and which ones their going to. My life mainly revolves around sports and school. I play baseball and football, which takes up most of time. Im in the height of baseball season right now. All my buddies talk about is dip and chew. They think that taking a dip of Skoal is going to make them an over-night Albert Pujols. I understand that parents were kids, but its nothing like these days. Its much easier to get and get away with things. They do monthly lock-downs in school where the police department brings in the K9's to sniff the lockers for drugs. As an adult, you would be amazed at what kids do. Sniffing Sharpie's and white-out, smoking on the roof of the school during lunch hour, and carrying blades in their pockets. I personally cannot stand being around kids who are into all this. How can you think doing drugs and alchohal makes you look cool? Its slowly killing you also. My father taught me when I was little to live life as a leader, and not a follower.

    As to the other subjects, bullying is always there. Its been there since you were there too. All the girls focus on being skinny and their looks. They worry about pleasing the guys instead of pleasing their parents with their report-cards.

    Honestly, I think its just as hard to be a parent. Putting up with kids is a feat by itself. I think as long as you teach your children from an early age, they will have a straight head on thier shoulders. I dont mean to ruin the thread with a kid writing in, Im trying to shed some light..

    Thanks,
    Chris
     
  3. BT

    BT F1 World Champ
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    It is more difficult to be a kid today than an adult. Kids are not allowed to have fun like we used to. I am sure they have the same urges and bad influences, but the bad behaviour is simply not tolerated by society. Being a parent is relatively easy. Go to work, spend time with the family, spend what you make.
    No pushy peer pressure, no awkward body image problems, no "future is dependant on the results of this test / class / honor society..."
    Real simple. Kids amaze me with their ability to stay the course in such a mundane existence, all the while soaking up the bad news for their future on the local / national news...
    BT
     
  4. TexasF355F1

    TexasF355F1 Six Time F1 World Champ
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    I think it's probably a little tougher being a kid, but not that far behind is being an adult.

    I graduated high school in 2000 to give you an idea of my age. I delt with school shootings, rapes, gang fights, drugs, alcohol, etc as a kid. Going from 5th grade to 6th grade was like walking from the hills of So. Cal directly into 9th Ward of New Orleans. I went from elementary school in a quiet neighborhood, to middle school in the ghetto. For some reason I never was pressured to try drugs/alcohol. I tend to think people can pick up on the weak minded and they pray on them.

    Kids also have to deal with much more distractions now. Cell phones and all the other techy gadgets. Not to mention being dumbed down by the government and school boards because they feel holding a child back will make them feel stupid. Which in turn you have to make tests easier.

    And BT is right, kids can't even be kids anymore. Adults (the government) are so focused on them knowing about sex and this or that and what age they should learn these things. Then there's more child predetors and sicko's now a days and you can't let your kids play in your front yard or ride their bikes to their friends 20 blocks over in the same quiet neighborhood because they might get kidnapped.

    It's just really really sad.
     
  5. Detailers Paradise

    Detailers Paradise Formula Junior

    Feb 7, 2005
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    Being a kid now is easy. Being an adult now is easy. Apparently what is difficult is telling your kid "no" or making them make choices. Maybe something like, "No you can't be in the play and run track at the same time. You'll have to choose one." Or maybe something like, "Sorry, sweet flower of mine, daddy has to work a job to feed you and keep in you in the latest fly kicks. I'm afraid this means you can't join soccer from 2:00-3:00, followed by choir practice from 3:15-4:00 with a brief snack as we cart you over to gymnastics from 5:00-7:00." "Daddy's baby will have to choose."

    I keep hearing how hard kids have it now with all the demands made upon them coupled with peer pressure, hot chicks/dudes, dating, twittering, facebooking and cell phones. Bla, bla, bla. Guess what, every generation of children has faced obstacles and difficulties. Peer pressure is not new. Pedophiles have been around a long time. As has sex ed. We learned it in junior high. It certainly didn't change our lives or give us excuses. When we were kids, we actually had to look both ways before we crossed the street. Life is hard and has always been. Unfortunately your parents aren't forcing you to deal with it. It's pretty easy to find blame when nothing you do is wrong. Next time you point the finger, aim it at your parents for not telling you no.

    We all grew up with a collection of obstacles. We also thought our generation had it tougher than that before us. I don't know, my grandparents generation grew up with the Great Depression and a couple of nasty world wars. I wouldn't have wanted to be them. My parents generation grew up with civil rights, woman's rights and a nasty war in Vietnam that divided a country. Tough times for a mixed race couple and a Vietnam vet. So if your problem today is being too informed, busy or educated, well then, I for one can't find much sympathy. So no, your life is not hard, kid.
     
  6. anunakki

    anunakki Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    Absolutely tougher being a kid....

    Kids have enormous negative influences to resist these days.
     
  7. UroTrash

    UroTrash Three Time F1 World Champ
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    she is FAR FAR ahead of most kids because she has A DAD THAT SPENDS TIME WITH HER.


    You're a good dad Pete.
     
  8. PeterS

    PeterS Four Time F1 World Champ
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    Thanks.............I try hard! Just REALLY enjoying all the time I can spend with her because in a year when she gets her drivers license, it's a done deal!
     
  9. laudaman

    laudaman Formula 3

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    Lmao :) That little thing called a "curfew" will be non-existant.

    Chris
     
  10. agup48

    agup48 Two Time F1 World Champ

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    That's 18 Pete! :eek:
     
  11. ItaliaF1

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    You say that when you're a freshman.....;)
     
  12. Remy Zero

    Remy Zero Two Time F1 World Champ

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    I think it;s much tougher being a kid nowdays.
     
  13. Zahiba

    Zahiba Formula 3

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    Definitely tougher to be a kid these days and the days that will follow. Enormous pressure coming from all sides, never any time to relax, just be. It's all about the latest thing, being constantly moving, never any time to stay still and just smell the roses.

    I'm 19. Graduated '07. I went to school in a pretty chill city compared to some of the other ones out there, but, it is still in the present, and we still do have the stressors. Drugs, fitting in, weight, health, popularity, looks, etc etc, being happy, being yourself takes a big back seat to those things most of the time. & people that are themselves are outcast. People rebel for the sake of rebelling, to be cool. Boys treating their girlfriends like **** is accepted and seems to be pretty common. Everyones just underage grownups, no one acts like kids anymore... It's pretty sad, & I worry for the sake of the next generation.

    But, be the light in the darkness, keep your head up! :)
     
  14. Etcetera

    Etcetera Two Time F1 World Champ
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    It has been this way for teens for a long, long time.

    I'm not a parent, nor am I a teen, but I'd say it's harder for parents these days. Parents can no longer administer the Backhand of God without the very real possibility of going to jail and/or having their children taken away from them and placed into the hands of Child Protective Services. The stark truth is that young teens of both sexes can be genuine and chronic pains in the ass to everyone from parents to classmates to teachers et cetera, and allowing laws to remove the threat of getting their lights deservedly punched out allows them to run rampant all the time with zero negative ramifications.

    There's a reason why normally calm and judicious parents feel the need to backhand their teens into compliance...because it works for 95% of the teens that get their juice kicked out of them, and as a species, we have been back-handing teens into compliance for tens of millions upon tens of millions of years, it's done because it mostly works. It's only very recently (last 15 years) that we as a species are forced to discard that which works and trade it for that which does not or face possible jail time.

    Spare the rod, spoil the child and all that.
     
  15. beast

    beast F1 World Champ

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    I would have to say that it is equally tough to be a kid growing up and for the parents raising the child.

    The biggest thing to understand is the dynamics have changed on both sides:

    When I was growing up Spankings was allowed by the parents and the schools - Now days it is frowned upon or even a criminal offense.

    When I went to school computers were few and far - Now days computers and technology dominate the class room.

    Drugs were around when I was a kid but it was the outcasts the used them - Now pressure is on for everyone to use them The pharmaceutical ad on TV add the pressure IMHO.

    We were taught about sex in school and by our parents - Now days everyone is pushing sex on your children Just watch the ABC Sat cartoon "Emperors new school" and how much thy use the term "hottie" in it.

    I my time if you looked different yeah you were made fun of - Today kids are ridiculed to the point that they resort to drugs, alcohol and suicide.

    Foreign languages were an elective course - Today foreign languages are taught in grade schools.


    The biggest point i am trying to get through here is the fact that our children are young and getting bombarded with good and bad influences from all sides. As a parent we need to keep learning and trying to stay ahead of the game when it comes to your children. The biggest thing i see is parents that let there kids run around unsupervised. The town home complex where I live at there are several young kids living here that are outside playing around while the parents are inside getting drunk. The kids are running around without shoes, throwing rocks on peoples cars, Etc. where do you think these kids will be in the future. Just the fact the Pete is spending time with his daughter and talking about this stuff goes a long way to keeping that line of communication between the parents and the teens. If the children are afraid to talk openly with there parents they are more likely to be influenced by outside sources and take the wrong path.
     
  16. Etcetera

    Etcetera Two Time F1 World Champ
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    I grew up in the late 70's and our gang were always unsupervised. We'd play Cops and Robbers, Cowboys and Indians...whatever...what kept us in line was the knowledge that if we stepped out of line, we'd get swift boots up the ass all the way home and twice once we got there.
     
  17. beast

    beast F1 World Champ

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    I agree that i did also run around unsupervised. But were your parents getting ****faced and stoned out of there minds???? I doubt it also when another parent informed your parents of something that you did your parents responded by saying "If you have a problem with the kids then you do something about it"
     
  18. TexasF355F1

    TexasF355F1 Six Time F1 World Champ
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    #18 TexasF355F1, Apr 16, 2009
    Last edited: Apr 16, 2009
    Yep. I still remember getting in trouble for doing things my friends and I knew we were doing stuff we weren't suppose to. I'd tell mom, "But I didn't do it, ____ did." She replied, "It doesn't matter who did what, you were there and you didn't stop it so you're just as much at fault."

    I still say that exact line is one thing society as a whole has destroyed. It's no longer a persons fault it's always someone or something elses fault.

    The kids I grew up playing with were all around 4 years or younger than me. It doesn't seem big now, but as kids it's a huge age difference. So even though we would do things that were stupid, I still was the "adult" and would tell them when things were getting too out of hand and they listened. I believe this is what made me the person who has always looked out for everyone else.

    I was thinking about this topic while sitting in traffic yesterday and I started thinking it may be equally tough for parents and kids. It's just different reasons. Parents now have to live with the fact that they could yell at their kid(s) in a store for being disruptive and some wack-job will see it and call the CPS and you no longer have your kids thanks to them. I mean if you take a picture of your 6 month old in the sink while you're giving him/her a bath and post it online, some idiot has now deemed it child pornography. :rolleyes:
     
  19. PeterS

    PeterS Four Time F1 World Champ
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    #19 PeterS, Apr 16, 2009
    Last edited: Apr 16, 2009
    Ditto, as we all feared the belt and it was not just at home! The nuns where I went to school had just as much authority as parents did. They had the Green Light from all parents to deliver any reasonable punishment.

    1970: Parents get a call from a teacher who had to do the old 'Ruler slap' on bare knuckles for unruly behavior.

    *Parents got the belt out and grounded you for two weeks.


    2009: Parents get a call from a teacher who had to do the old 'Ruler slap' on bare knuckles for unruly behavior.

    *Kid retains a lawyer and sues the teacher, the school and the city. At home thumbs nose at parents. Parents hands are tied.

    One day in 5th grade, me and three kids were dropping rocks on our feet in a dirt area of the playground trying to hit the tips of our tennis shoes. All of us went to the principals office for throwing rocks. We all got three days of detention!
     
  20. TexasF355F1

    TexasF355F1 Six Time F1 World Champ
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    It's ridiculous.

    My friend teaches 2nd grade and one of her kids was acting up. She disciplined her by not allowing her to have recess. Well low and behold the kids parents came up to the school and yelled at my friend saying, "how dare she keep her child from recess..." My friend, because the crappy ass-backwards way things are today of course, couldn't say anything except stand there and get yelled out for being a good teacher.

    Funny thing you mention nuns. My dad said he and the guys always made life hell for nuns and they purposely had contest to see who could get the most tally marks on the board for misbehaving. Needless to say my dad said he usually was the "winner". He also told me he made a nun cry once. But he definitly got hit on the hands with the ruler more times than he can count.
     
  21. PeterS

    PeterS Four Time F1 World Champ
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    I took a steel ruler to class one day and for fun during a test when you could hear a pin drop, I pushed the ruler over the edge of my desk. When it hit the floor, the entire class jumped out of their seats! The Nun took the ruler, but gave it back to me at the end of the year. During that time, the 'slap ruler' was that metal one! Man that thing hurt!
     
  22. darth550

    darth550 Six Time F1 World Champ
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    I organized a book drop when I was in Catholic prep school. It was hysterical! My dad had to donate a few hundred bucks just to save my ass! He made me pay him back by trimming trees for a weekend but it was SOOOOO worth it! :D

    Those were interesting days, being one of 3 Jewish students in a 1200 student school. I had to fight a lot for refusing to say the morning Hail Mary. It was tough being there but I got a good education, speaking Latin at 14 years old....BTW, out of the graduating class, the three of us ranked 1, 3 and 10 in academics respectively. ;)
     
  23. TexasF355F1

    TexasF355F1 Six Time F1 World Champ
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    lol, those are classic.

    I don't have any "good" stories from school, which is probably a good thing. lol
     
  24. laudaman

    laudaman Formula 3

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    One of the best in the book :)
     
  25. Blackbird4life

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    I got in trouble when my "friend" snitched on me from turning on the TV with my watch remote in the 8th grade(He egged me to do it, so he was an accomplice). After that I never worried about peer pressure. I also got beat up by a bunch of girls that year......but ever since 8th grade I never wanted to get in trouble.
     

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