A place to vent

SeawaySensFan wrote:

NEELY wrote:Ok, I won't judge.  I want to hear a list of reasons or even just one good reason why a perfectly healthy 8 year old kid could be fat that isn't the parents fault.

I'm convinced that the primary reason is because parents are never home because they pretty much spend their time working and commuting. You really can't blame them for that. I'm sure there's a list beyond that and certainly neglect would be part of it but it would be near the bottom.

NEELY wrote:
There are after school sports at school (free), there are other programs where kids can go after school to get a little exercise. Fact is too many parents depend on the TV and the PS to raise their kids and keep them out of trouble when they are not at home.

tim1_2 wrote:

NEELY wrote:
There are after school sports at school (free), there are other programs where kids can go after school to get a little exercise.  Fact is too many parents depend on the TV and the PS to raise their kids and keep them out of trouble when they are not at home.  

If a kid needs to get the school bus home, then they can't stay after for anything. But yeah, there's generally other ways for a kid to get exercise.  It is certainly tougher being a parent these days than 20 years ago, though.

NEELY wrote:

tim1_2 wrote:

NEELY wrote:
There are after school sports at school (free), there are other programs where kids can go after school to get a little exercise.  Fact is too many parents depend on the TV and the PS to raise their kids and keep them out of trouble when they are not at home.  

If a kid needs to get the school bus home, then they can't stay after for anything. But yeah, there's generally other ways for a kid to get exercise.  It is certainly tougher being a parent these days than 20 years ago, though.

Military father always away from home while my mother worked 2 jobs while raising 2 kids, I was working by the time I was 12 where my mother worked part time (under the table yes).  My parents would beg to differ as would my fiances who both were teachers and had 4 kids.  Again saying it's harder than it was 20 years ago is an excuse.  This all sounds like people being lazy and the lack of work ethic being instilled into the youth, both mentally and especially physical activity.  People whine because they are lazy or make s*it up.

NEELY wrote:Only reason I know of that Hawking book is because my brother (who is a jack show) reads that for fun somehow when I can barely read the title.

Ev wrote:

NEELY wrote:Only reason I know of that Hawking book is because my brother (who is a jack show) reads that for fun somehow when I can barely read the title.

NEELY wrote:There are things that parents 20 years ago didn't have to worry about like social media that is tough for sure but how is it harder now?  Every generation has a different challenge and always will.  My parents worked their asses off and gave up everything for my brother and I including sleep and mental sanity... so again it's harder how?  Remember the people raising kids now are the generation of excuses (including myself), it's never fair, our fault, or it's just not as easy when people before us did it.  Always on someone else, right?  "My kid is 50 lbs overweight, well that's someone else's fault" or "it's too hard to get him to not drink pop".

NEELY wrote:Again saying it's harder than it was 20 years ago is an excuse. This all sounds like people being lazy and the lack of work ethic being instilled into the youth, both mentally and especially physical activity. People whine because they are lazy or make s*it up.

tim1_2 wrote:

NEELY wrote:Again saying it's harder than it was 20 years ago is an excuse.  This all sounds like people being lazy and the lack of work ethic being instilled into the youth, both mentally and especially physical activity.  People whine because they are lazy or make s*it up.

Saying it's harder to raise kids than it was 20 years ago isn't an excuse for anything, it's just a fact.  20 years ago, my Mom didn't have to have a job, because my Dad's salary could easily provide for our family of four.  These days, you need, in most instances, both parents working to provide that same suburban, middle-class life for a family of four.  So where you used to have one parent free during the week to look after the house, cooking, etc etc, that duty now gets pushed to the evenings and weekends.

This is just one example of things that makes being a parent tougher than it used to be.  

SeawaySensFan wrote:

NEELY wrote:There are things that parents 20 years ago didn't have to worry about like social media that is tough for sure but how is it harder now?  Every generation has a different challenge and always will.  My parents worked their asses off and gave up everything for my brother and I including sleep and mental sanity... so again it's harder how?  Remember the people raising kids now are the generation of excuses (including myself), it's never fair, our fault, or it's just not as easy when people before us did it.  Always on someone else, right?  "My kid is 50 lbs overweight, well that's someone else's fault" or "it's too hard to get him to not drink pop".

Anyway, none of my kids are obese or ever have been and they are athletic and active. But I can tell you first hand, having been a parent 20 years ago that there we could do a lot more with a lot less money and therefore had more time to devote to family. And I have a young daughter now, just one, and having 3 incomes (2 for me, 1 for my wife) barely cuts it. Costs have far outstripped wage increases over that period. So I have the hands on, real world perspective of parenting AND running a household both now and 20 years ago.

SeawaySensFan wrote:What's the deal with old folks calling a "Combination" pizza "all-dressed?"

tim1_2 wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:What's the deal with old folks calling a "Combination" pizza "all-dressed?"

This is an old folk thing, and also a French thing I think.  A lot of my French co-workers (even the youngish ones) call it "all-dressed".  Bunch of idiots.

DirtyDave wrote:I agree with the comments that parents have a huge part if not 100% at fault. If children don't see the parents excerices then they won't think that that is something to be important. Also, dinner table culture is important. Many kids now tell their parents what they want to eat and in general making diner time a stressful experience "eat your vegetables!", "don't eat so much!" etc. these comments can have psychological implications to kids. Or how about parents who give kids food when their bored. Ya all this crap happens and has an effect on future eating happens.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

tim1_2 wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:What's the deal with old folks calling a "Combination" pizza "all-dressed?"

This is an old folk thing, and also a French thing I think.  A lot of my French co-workers (even the youngish ones) call it "all-dressed".  Bunch of idiots.

Wrong. The french would call it "hall-dress."