10 Reasons Our Kids are Not Nearly as Tough as We Used to Be

Posted on January 19, 2012 by admin | in Nanny

I can’t count the number of times I’ve heard an adult say, we didn’t do that when we were a kid and we lived to tell about it. It does seem that we have become a society of over protective parents. If we could wrap our kids in bubble wrap we would just so they wouldn’t get hurt. It seems somewhere along the line our world started revolving around our children. Instead of children being seen and not heard like when I grew up, now my life involves running from one activity to another for my kids. Check out 10 reasons our kids are not nearly as tough as we used to be.

1. No seatbelts: We grew up before seatbelts were mandatory in every car. (At least I did.) On family vacations I used to sit at a small table and chair in the back of the family van and played with my dolls. There was no such thing as a car seat or being strapped in. We could fall asleep in our mom’s lap or across the back seat and it was no big deal to leave us there. We lived to tell about it.
2. No helmets: When we learned to ride a bike we did so by trial and error. You would get on and ride and if you fell over then you dusted yourself off and got back on until you mastered it. There weren’t 10 year old kids around that rode bikes with training wheels on them. We would have so teased them back then.
3. The principal or teacher could spank us: When I was in school I knew that if I misbehaved the teacher or the principal could get the paddle and spank me with it. My parents would have applauded if I had it coming. Back then kids didn’t talk back to their teachers or cuss at them. And we certainly wouldn’t have dreamed of hitting a teacher. As far as I know no one ever died from getting a spanking at school. We were a whole lot more respectful back then.
4. We knew how to lose: These days we are so afraid that little Johnny’s psyche is going to be damaged if he loses a game and that his self-esteem will be low. The kids don’t know how to lose. They go out for sports and they play games, but no one keeps score. (Wink. Wink.) Heaven forbid someone wins and someone loses. Kids need to toughen up and take their lumps. This whole thing about everyone getting a participation trophy is a farce.
5. Kids got into fights: When we were young, kids would occasionally get into fights after school. Was it a good thing? No, but no one died from it. We didn’t have to worry about a kid pulling out a knife or a gun. Things were settled the old fashioned way of fists flying. Kids today wouldn’t have a clue what to do in a fight.
6. Kids were disciplined when and where they needed it: Back then we knew if we acted up at the store that our parents would not hesitate to spank us. People expected you to discipline your child. These days parents are afraid to discipline their kids for fear that someone will call CPS on them or tape it and put it on YouTube.
7. Knee pads, elbow pads, wrist guards…: The list goes on and on with safety items for our kids. When I was young I learned how to roller skate by falling down and getting back up. Yes, I had my share of bruises, but so did everyone else, so no one noticed. It was normal to be a bit bruised and scraped up, we were kids. We have kids so bundled up now when they go out to play I’m surprised they can move with all of the padding on.
8. We went outside and played all day: When I was young our parents would say go out and play. I didn’t have to stay in the yard and I didn’t have to be watched by an adult every minute. I knew how to entertain myself. I would ride my bike and when I got tired I would do something else. When it was time to eat, mom would let out a yell for me to come in. We are so afraid someone is going to kidnap our kids that we never let them have any freedom just to play.
9. Teachers gave A’s and B’s: Some schools today don’t give a letter grade to the students. They don’t want to “label” them. So instead they grade with a point system as if you were at a job. 4 means you walk on water, 3 means you are at grade level, 2 means you are below grade level and a 1 means you just aren’t getting it. What happened to F’s? What happened to failing? Kids don’t get held back in school nearly as often either. No child left behind, kind of means that kids get pushed on that shouldn’t be.
10. We drive our kids everywhere: Again, we’re so afraid that someone is going to kidnap our kid that we don’t let them ride their bike to practice or to school. This is another reason kids aren’t getting the exercise that they need. We coddle them and we certainly weren’t coddled when we were growing up. Source: (http://www.nanny.net/blog/10-reasons-our-kids-are-not-nearly-as-tough-as-we-used-to-be/).

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