[QUOTE=Drumroll;970903]Ok, yeah...
You DID slap him, right?[/QUOTE]
Ha ha! If I slapped everyone like him, they would take me away to the asylum. There aren't that many people out here so you sort of have to do your best with what you get.
Seriously, though, I totally see that this generation is not going to live as long as the last. And I believe when the time comes that these parents want grandkids, there is going to be a lot of infertility to deal with.
[QUOTE=JayGee;970340]*snip*
No wonder their children never pick up a book....[/QUOTE]
I read something somewhere (sorry I can't be more specific) that said it doesn't matter how much you make kids read, or even how much you read to them. If you want them to read, they have to see you doing it. Of course, this doesn't always work, as three of us four kids are avid readers, and my mom, but not my brother at all.
[QUOTE=jfreaksho;970943]I read something somewhere (sorry I can't be more specific) that said it doesn't matter how much you make kids read, or even how much you read to them. If you want them to read, they have to see you doing it. Of course, this doesn't always work, as three of us four kids are avid readers, and my mom, but not my brother at all.[/QUOTE]
I have to say, I was totally proud when I went on my tattooed 21-year-old's Facebook page and saw he was a C.S. Lewis fan.
All those years of reading worked!
Growing up, my parents had firm, hard rules with tv, etc. TV didn't come on in the morning at ALL (quickest way to get in trouble, matter of fact.) TV only came on after dinner, so Mom and Dad could watch the news and maybe a family show or something. If we didn't have homework (I rarely did, thanks to being at school 1.5 hrs before it starts and 2 hrs after it ended because I was on my parents' commute) then we got kicked outside to play, told to play quietly in the bedroom, or otherwise left to our own quiet devices. I devoured most of the books in the house (no small feat with that many bookshelves.) My mom caught me reading Clan of the Cave Bear in 5th grade and from then on, if it was on specific shelves, I had to ask before I read it, in case of adult scenes. I was reading Stephen King in 3rd grade, stumbling my way through The Talisman and The Gunslinger.
[QUOTE=jfreaksho;970943]I read something somewhere (sorry I can't be more specific) that said it doesn't matter how much you make kids read, or even how much you read to them. If you want them to read, they have to see you doing it. Of course, this doesn't always work, as three of us four kids are avid readers, and my mom, but not my brother at all.[/QUOTE]
This. Exactly. My mom and dad were avid readers and read to us as we were growing up. Four of the five of us are now also avid readers. The other one - the middle child - doesn't read books as a general rule. She will occasionally, but it takes her a while to get through it. She just doesn't like to sit and read. She is, howevr, an amazing graphic designer and supports herself as a free lance web designer, etc. She's much more happy doing stuff like that and being around big groups of people than sitting with her nose buried in a book. Me, I'll take the book and no people any day.
My wee boy is 3 years old, and me reading is a trigger for him to go get a book, bring it over to me, with "stop reading that book dad, and read this book to me". I've created a monster.
During the week, the only TV my kids were allowed to watch was about a half-hour when they first got home from school, before I got home from work. They [i]were[/i] allowed to stay up an extra half hour before bed IF they were reading. All rules were strictly enforced, and they had to do push-ups (even in public) if they misbehaved. (I was in the Army... ;))
After my son finished BUD/S training (Navy SEAL), he thanked me for being a mean mom! And both my girls have 4.0 GPAs in college.
Being a parent is not for the weak-willed, but if you discipline consistently, it's well worth it! All three of my adult kids are terrific people!
Some of these are pretty yikes-worthy! I have one to add.
I was once at a small family gathering of my ex boyfriend. His cousin, her husband, and their 3 year old son were there. Worst parents ever. They gave him coke to drink... In an empty glass BEER BOTTLE! And he was cussing up a storm as he walked around swigging from his old bud light bottle. They thought it was hilarious that he was drinking from a beer bottle and cussing (he was also filthy). Needless to say, I was horrified. :O Thank goodness I never married into that family!!
[QUOTE=jaye;970937]Ha ha! If I slapped everyone like him, they would take me away to the asylum. There aren't that many people out here so you sort of have to do your best with what you get.
Seriously, though, I totally see that this generation is not going to live as long as the last. And I believe when the time comes that these parents want grandkids, there is going to be a lot of infertility to deal with.[/QUOTE]
Agreed. My grandparents are 85 both and still healthy.
But I doubt much of my generation will see that age unless they want to do it strapped to the machines modern medical since has designed to keep them furiously clinging to life.
Infertility though... Frankly with our population skyrocketing, maybe we could use a bit of a slowdown. :D
[QUOTE=aix_sponsa;971029]Some of these are pretty yikes-worthy! I have one to add.
I was once at a small family gathering of my ex boyfriend. His cousin, her husband, and their 3 year old son were there. Worst parents ever. They gave him coke to drink... In an empty glass BEER BOTTLE! And he was cussing up a storm as he walked around swigging from his old bud light bottle. They thought it was hilarious that he was drinking from a beer bottle and cussing (he was also filthy). Needless to say, I was horrified. :O Thank goodness I never married into that family!![/QUOTE]
Wow, you missed that one by a hair!
I don't want to sound rude, but what, exactly, did you see in him?