quoll

Gee, do you know my daughter in law? Except Tofu is now not fashionable - paleo is the new "in" trend (still with the organic veggies and mismatched clothing of course!)

I do think we are raising nimby pambies (how the hell did my son hook up with her I wonder but he is a tad weird too I must agree! - maybe I gave him too much independence when little LOL). My kids were out climbing trees and being super heroes saving the world etc. I sent them on domestic flights alone at 5 (well, 4.11 actually but as he booked his own ticket and we had a practice 5 birthday beforehand he thought he was 5 - and dressed in his Captain Haddock sweater he was invincible!), international flights alone at 9. One went to UK on his own at 19 (bought the ticket then told us he was going). Admittedly they did both stay at home for uni but I sure wouldn't have been following them from state to state at that age. Both of mine were latch key kids and the youngest, at 6, refused to go to an after school sitter after Kindergarten and caught 2 buses to and from school every day.

Mind you, there are some kids at 21 who shouldn't be allowed out without a keeper so I guess it really does depend on the safety structure you have in place while allowing the child to take risks and see themselves as successful copers.

JoeBloggs80

I don't have kids but I worry the amount my sister spoils my neice. She's a great girl but seems to be mollycoddled far too much. Not really my place to say anything mind.

I think the staying at home in Uni thing is more a cultural difference, it just seems ot be the norm here. I think with ever rising fees back in the UK the same thing could start happening there more too. I know people in both countries who still live with their folks in their late 20s

As for annoying teenagers on the train - well frankly I'd be more worried if the teenage generation wasn't pissing off their elders somehow. Well behaved and respectful teenagers turn out as wierdos or serial killers.

BadgeIsBack

I think it's partly because in the UK you can leave home to go to Uni -but let's face it that might be what, 2 hrs away, and the choice of 'Unis' are in fact, moreorless, or within 4hrs!

ozzieeagle

My youngest daughters 18ish female freinds seem to be fiercely independent. They live at home though, but thats probably a financial necessity in this day and age. One of them took themselves off on her lonesome on a European trip after she finished high school for 2 months. My own 18YO seems to be the front runner, or the organiser amongst her much older foreign and mature age students on her engineering degree. She's even struck one of those sub continent overseas students who wont do any work and wants his name put on the assignments.... really proud of her as she refused and bailed him out in front of everyone after he tried to pull his own version of class and male dominance on her. Confident girl my youngest. I admit to having given her my view or what he was trying and telling her it wasn't unusual for certain oseas students to do as little as possible. I'd love to have seen his face when a Girl 10 years his junior put him in his place. She's made real sure, she's good friends with the maths and diagram geniuses

Nyz my 2nd oldest was living in a backpackers on her own in London at age 20 and established a life for herself for 5 years from nothing there, with the only umbrella being my Brothers place in MKeynes, which she definitely didn't want to stay in.

My 15 yo boy seems too bloody independent to me at present... having a few issues actually, but never mind we will work through them. Phoned him up at 7pm after school one day midway through last week... asked him where he was..... in A suburb called Croydon at the Skate park... thats at least 30K's from here in Coburg. Thats the down side of living in a place with decent public transport.

3 of my 4 can do their own thing ....and seemingly most of their friends can as well. The oldest is as well now... but it's taken a while.

Financially not so sure.... although one of the 19yo's my youngest mixes with is looking at buying a flat and renting it out whilst living with her parents. Years ago I guess her friends would have moved in and helped out with the rent... just different times I guess.

old.sparkles

Glad your children turned out fine adults - I'm not sure if I would openly admit some of the things you have and although things worked out, I have to say that no 5 year old ( or even 4yr 11 month year old) is invincible - with or without a captain haddock sweater.

quoll

Nope I agree - but safety nets in place, it's all about self confidence (everyone needs a Captain Haddock sweater at some stage in their lives!)! Don't worry, DS will never know! And I'm not gong to let them know, I'm nice as pie!!!

carolinephillips

The lack of respect comes from parents wanting to be "friends" with their children and putting it before actually parenting them. Too many times the parents don't discipline their child, or guide them to correct behaviour because they are afraid that the child will no longer like them.

Those that threaten a sanction and then do not follow through are just as bad- the child quickly learns that all they do is bluster, and so stops listening.

Then there are those that set no moral guidelines whatsoever...... I feel a rant coming on, so I'll stop now.

moneypenny20

There's some massive generalisations going on here, it's kind of scary. I can't even comment on some posts, I've no idea where to start or how to finish without going on for hours. Suffice it to say a few sound like you're about 80 and complaining about how it's not how it was in your day and it's bollox imo.

BadgeIsBack

Guilty as charged!

Junior doctors should not talk about a procedure being 'cool' on TV, nor talk in teen speak. You just do it, or wing it. I'm more amazed that this has happened in a fairly short time, and that I don't need to be 80..

Kapri

I agreed with you until the last sentence, which was ridiculous.

Bernieboy

Send the little feckers off to war n be done with it,or Perth

quoll

Blimey, not Perth! For heaven's sake, not Perth, no one deserves that

paddyo

lo....that is too funny. The couple I fell out with have done exactly that...Paleo is the in phrase in their house.
But, its not actually him, he will eat anything and encourages his daughter to do so too. Its just her, she is so body conscious (he admits he puts pressure on her to keep trim and fit) that she is susceptible to any trend which cleans and looks after this frail and fragile body she has.
My OH has just come back from a weekend with them (I was too busy with work..ahem, cough!!) and she is the most tolerant person I know, but found it very hard to be with 'her friend' due to her almost fanatical obsession with Paleo. It may be good for you, it may be fabulous, but to go all in down one single route is a bit bizarre. Surprises me how she has lived so long having eaten so many 'bad' foods in her life!! Another interesting thing is that they have a lovely house in Broadbeach Waters on the waterside, been living there 10 months, and yet it is so badly presented. I thought they had been burgled when I saw it, stuff everywhere and still unpacked boxes in the rumpus room. Apparently she is 'too busy' what with taking daughter to school etc!
Interesting thing about their daughter, who has been diagnosed with mild Aspergers, who has and continues to have every opportunity to excell in school with extra tuition, twice weekly tennis lessons, Mandarin lessons etc. She lives her life in a ball of cotton wool, again her Dad does his best to drag her out of it but he is at work all hours god sends, and any outside activity is strictly monitored. But, she has a cat and a dog, she is probably the most cruel little girl imaginable!! She slaps the cat and dog on the face, pulls them by the tail , kicks them.....my wife and even my son were truly horrified and at one point my wife told her to not be so nasty to the pets. Her Mum says,'adcdef darling...please don't do that, its not nice.' Not once, not twice...all the time with no effect and no restrictions put in place.
I suppose all I have done here is rant about one couple, but to me they are typifying the lazy parents, particularly her and its not a gender thing just 'her', who see the world in a pink fluffy cloud and think they are protecting their child when in fact they are breeding an insular monster!!
As for her hubby...."I pity the fool!"

Bernieboy

We all must die sometime

rasen78

Just had to google 'paleo' Eat the way our stone age ancestors ate?? Haven't our bodies evolved somewhat since then? Is this before or after the discovery of fire? Think I would like to be clear on that before starting this particular diet. Raw bison doesn't particularly appeal to me

Paleo