Read this if you were born before 1986.......

I must admit that when I first read the 'email' first posted on this thread, I thought 'yes' - they were really good times. Like most kids today, mine do spend too much time on the PC and watching tv instead of going out, exploring and playing like kids are supposed to.

Then I remember what I got up to. There were many nostalgic days of collecting caterpillars, fishing with nets in steams, making 'dens' in copses of woodland, cycling around the town etc. I also remember falling from a barn we had been climbing and going home covered in cuts and bruises, of being pushed into a fast-flowing stream, being knocked off my bike twice, being chased by cows, my sister being trapped in a building site trench, a boy down the road broke his neck falling from a tree, another drowned in an open water tank. I am sure there were more instances of the dangers we faced, overcame and were the better for the experience ... but equally, we could have been one of the unlucky ones.

I remember someone posting a picture of children climbing a bridge in NZ. Although some people were impressed by NZ's seemingly lax attitude to public safety, I thought it reflected rather badly on the children's parents. Whilst I think that banning conkers and other outdoor activities was PC gone mad, surely every parent also has a duty to protect their children - even if it sometimes might restrict their freedom.


Tottefan.

I think this has been blown out of all proportion, this needs to be taken at face value. Yes nasty things happened back then but it is meant to reflect childhood innocence, nothing more IMHO.

My grandparents used to say it was all good in their day but they were at war!!! and if they can see good times out of all of that I think we should too, once you loose sight of this, whats the point. I enjoyed my childhood, spokey dokeys and all.

[smiley=icon_lol.gif]

Kellie

One of my major woes when I look back and compare to today?s kids is how they appear to be skipping over those valuable innocent years:

The gutter language and abuse (often physical) you suffer if you dare to rebuke them over some misdemeanor or even look at them the wrong way.
The 10, 11, 12 year old girls that refer to themselves as being ?sexy? and use the word on an everyday basis. At one time that age group wasn?t even aware the word existed.
The desperate need to have a boyfriend just to appear cool and keep up with their mates.
The desperate need to go even further with a boyfriend, just to keep up with their mates.
Smoking to look cool, which could well ruin their health in later years.
The blood lust for designer labels and I-can?t-live-without-it syndrome (What a waste of money, one misguided forkful of curry on that new sweatshirt and that?s ?100 down the drain), which puts financial strain on parents, not to speak of wear and tear on the nerves, having been repeatedly worn down by continual nagging.
The more brazen, audacious and often downright hideous types of crime that are committed by young people now, none of your petty crime for them.
Disrespect for authority or their elders, once thoroughly drummed into us as kids.
Thinking that the world revolves around them and no one else matters.

Parents don?t seem to bring up children any more, just small adults who don?t yet have the mental ability to cope with their changed status. I remember being quite afraid of upsetting my parents and tried to steer clear of incurring their wrath (often unsuccessfully, but at least I tried). I?m trying to put my finger on what it was about parents then that is different to today in the way they bring up their kids, but it escapes me at the present, other than they were allowed wallop wrong-doers without the threat of court action hanging over them.

If only we could find out what went wrong and, if only the powers-that-be would listen if we did find out.

This is pathetic!!! I appreciate some people here have more personal instances where a lax nature has cost a friend or family dearly....but at least they were 'living'.

Sure if we want to prevent bad things happening then if we all clone ourselves from healthy donors and live in sterile cubes fed through tubes with substances only tested to be good for you, then great lets get it on. Let the zombification of an entire race begin. I'm not usually a fan of comparing ficititious (usually sci-fi) films but the views expressed in this thread remind me of a recent doctor who episode where there was a factory type hospital controlled by strange feline beings with a whole farm of humans kept in little cabinets, banking thousands high and deep. They were used for testing antidotes, viruses etc. so that the slect few can live. An extreme of impression, I think of what some people essentially have said they'd prefer.

That would be fine if you wanted it, but personally I'd prefer to risk injury, experiencing thrills and spills life has to offer. That's why I'm here, but if you're not up for some fun, of you pop. PCs, X Box and Movie screens look the same in any room in any country. Nothing can harm you there, you'll be safe and sound, enjoy.

*Sorry I'll go again shortly*

Well, in conclusion I think:

1) Seat belts should be worn by children to prevent injury or death.
2) Conkers are fine.
3) Children should walk around on their own when they reach about 6 or 7 - like I did.
4) They should be warned about risking their life doing really dangerous things.
5) Parents should try to protect their children, without being over-protective.

I must say that I don't necessarily agree that children nowadays are not allowed out after nightfall by their parents. I've noticed children as young as 6 or 7 walking around my local area at 2 or 3 o'clock in the morning. Nearly all teenagers I know are out til very late as well. Children/teenagers also hang out around railway lines as well. [smiley=icon_confused.gif] In fact, the more I think about it, the more I realise that today's children/teenagers are probably given more freedom than ever before by their parents.


Tottefan.

I see the climate down south hasn?t improved your mood any, Stevey.

Having a ball and experiencing all the thrills and perils that life can offer is fine?..as long as you don?t hurt anyone else whilst doing it. So many people have been hurt by thoughtless and dangerous acts and deeds carried out in the name of ?fun? and what?s worse, they can?t do anything about it. It doesn?t worry me how other people lead their lives, but once they step into my personal space it does concern me.

You?re still very young yourself, Stevey, and have grown up within the changing climate so you won?t see it the same way I do. Those of us that grew up in a different way can?t help but fret at what we see happening. We grew up believing that life is precious and worth clinging to, but today?s youth seems to prefer living on the brink and pushing things as far as they go. As I said before, that?s fine as long as you don?t drag someone else over with you when you go or, worse, push them over and stand there laughing at how clever you?ve been. No doubt you, along with all the other young people would rather we old ?uns would just mind our own business and sit back while the UK (or anywhere else) goes to hell in a handcart. You only have to read the threads on this forum alone to discover that these opinions aren?t mine alone. We can?t all be wrong.

They say that wisdom comes with old age and it?s a pity some of us have to wait until we?re old to find that out. Perhaps I?m wrong in caring what happens to the young people, the adults of tomorrow, but don?t expect me to applaud the downhill run that?s occurring now. To me, there?s no fun in being afraid to walk the streets at night, in being afraid to tell little Johnny off for stringing next door?s cat from the lamppost, in worrying that my windows are going to be smashed in because I looked at someone the wrong way, in trying to carry on a conversation with someone that?s stoned out of his skull on drink or drugs.

You may think that my points are pathetic, but you should see the facts from where I?m standing. It?s not pretty and certainly doesn?t conjure up any national pride. Like you want to be free to carry on your life unhindered, so do other people and a lot of the points that I have cited don?t allow for that. Just wait until you?re my age and see how it feels.

I would mention that I use the term 'you' as a general one, not aiming at you personally, Stevey.

I think we're going off topic a bit here, as the original post was about the 1960s/70s/80s generation being encouraged to take risks.

Perhaps I'm naturally an optimist, but I just don't think that we are on the verge of an apocalypse (i.e. third world war) or moral catastrophe. That's not to say that there aren't issues out there that need addressing, such as materialism brought on by capitalism (see one of my old posts on this), social responsibility, drug trafficking etc. These are all topical issues which are currently a problem and will need to be tackled by both the government and society as a whole.

I also think that Stevey was only making the point that you can't wrap your children up in cotton wool and protect them forever. He wasn't necessarily disagreeing with any of the points made - just adding his own opinion.


Tottefan.

Woooww

Didnt expect such an autopsy!

It was a wander down memorylane. Yes I have my own memories of that era that are not to colourful. I have a 4" scar on my butt cheek where I fell on a fence post whilst scrumping apples. The memories of my mother applying antiseptic twice a day will never go. Two school mates died while rafting down our local river. Another boy from our town got his rucksack caught on a truck and got dragged a mile down the road until he was pulled under the wheels.

'nuff said I think

Nick

Autopsy's are great.

MB why did you think I was specifically referencing your post? You silly, I wasn't.

Tottefan's right in what he says, the post was about kids (under 16s before you call me one) growing up in the 80s and before having more freedom.
Todays children are pushing the boundaries of the law, not not being mollycoddled as much as we were. That's a completely different issue, to do with youth crime etc etc.

You got yourself all in a pickle there deary [smiley=icon_wink.gif] [smiley=icon_mrgreen.gif]

I can only talk about my experiences here, but my peers had much more freedom than any previous generation IMO. Walk out in the evening/night time and I think you'll find that there are young children and teenagers walking about on their own or with mates without parental supervision. Some people on here and other forums have talked about parents being overprotective - undoubtedly some are, but where I live at least, many children are given a lot of freedom to roam the streets.


Tottefan.