Social Changes

Linda, I for one never really did like change.
Back In the day as they say now was much better.
Not so fast paced and crazy. Oh Only if we could go back to the Day.
Just yesterday I was talking about how Doctors would even make housecalls back then.
Party Lines
No remote control
Awe, The Day
Jan

I was raised with a working mom when that wasn't the norm and really resented the fact that she wasn't there..so in the era of women going to work and leaving their kids to fend for themselves, I stayed home during those turbulent 60's and 70's to raise my girls.

Now they have families of their own and one works the other doesn't..I have seen quite a difference in my grandkids also...There really is something to be said for stay at home moms, though I do understand the need for that second income, especially now with the cost of everything spiriling out of control..

But yes, I do long for the good old days at times

I am raising my granddaughter, now 4. I would love to be able to stay home with her and that is my goal - to pay off my mortgage so I can stay home and let my husband cover the rest of the bills.

That being said, I think there are good and bad points about the "good old days" and the present day. Yes, it would be great if doctors would still make house calls. But on the other hand, now you have the internet to research illnesses and check reviews on pediatricians before you choose one. What if that house-call doctor was not a great pediatrician and your child's health was compromised by a bad diagnosis? What if your child's illness could only be diagnosed by modern lab methods and treated only with new medicines or methodologies?

I think we should try to incorporate the good parts of the good old days into the new age. We have much more to offer our children now that we ever did back then.

I like some of both. When my third (and last) daughter was born, we decided that I would stay home with them until they went to school. When they were all in school, I got a job as a teachers' aid at their school. (They still weren't able to get out of my sight) LOL That way I was home with them when they were home. This worked out really well. My youngest is 16 and I can honestly say that all three of them are wonderful people. (See - prayers do work!)
I do have to say that I feel much healthier mentally when I am out interacting with people and working. When we were little my step-dad wouldn't let my mom work for a long time. Then one night he had to take her to the emergency room. The doctor told him, this woman needs to get out and work. If you don't let her, she could end up having a nervous break-down. ( I think she was having anxiety attacks.) My siblings and I never saw any problems with her nerves so my guess is she held it in too long and it finally got to her.
I guess what I am trying to say is that every situation is different for every person, but for myself I think it is best if the children have mom at home while they are little.

I think changes have been good and bad. The good old days weren't really all that good if you look beyond the facade of the Beaver Clever family photo. I think we have more choices now than we did before and that's good. The problem is we don't seem to make very good choices more often than not.

I was a stay home wife and mother until I started college when my youngest child started nursery school. I did some volunteer work after graduation and began my social services career in 1982. I retired in May to mother my husband through his second childhood :}

LOL - I retired in May to mother my husband through his second childhood :} Love it. How often do you have to put him in time-out? LOl

I think it's terrible that so many mothers are earning instead of raising their children. The children are losing. They are being allowed to misbehave far more than in the pst, which is creating a lot of bad character and will harm our society when they grow up.

my mom had to work 3 jobs to try to support 3 girls. it was tough growing up, but i wouldnt have had it any other way . she did an amazing job raising us.

She got little child support from my dad, so that didnt help any. we did spend summers with him, and holidays, but it wasnt a homey atmosphere

my mom is the best and i applaude her for how much she had to saccrafice just for us girls *now grown women*

I remember party lines, and penny candy, and i remember in school we didnt have to pay for being in a soort, i remember when gas was only 90 cents.

sometimes i wish i could go back..

The thing I miss the most? The change that has been the most detrimental in my opinion? The demise of Kool Aid neighborhoods. Kids being allowed to be kids. Families helping familes. Kids making mistakes and having someone there to correct them. People being there for people. Technology and inflation may have a ibg impact on physical things, but the impact that it has on the things that you don't see..thats what scares me the most.

I really miss the good ole days, when neighbors actually knew each other and helped each other out. Today, you can live in the same house for 10 years and not even know your next door neighbor's name. There's just something not right about that.
I have seen many, many changes over the years and to be honest, I do like the new technologies that make life easier and more fun. However, I think children are missing out on so much while they're sitting at computers and/or playing video games. I find they don't use their own imaginations nearly enough and that doesn't spell good news for the future generations.

You brought back some great memories Martha. When I was a kid the adult neighbors used to sit out in the evening. They even took turns providing coffee and cake. Very few cars came down the street in the evening so kids of all ages were able to play a variety of street games like tag, hide and seek and dodge ball.

I was a stay-at-home mom and then got drafted to be a stay-at-home grandmom which got me drafted into the "adult chaperone" club a second time around. Field trips are fun when you are 20 or 30 something but when you are 40 the back of the bus is HELL.

When you become an empty nester who has no job skills and then becomes disabled you can't not collect social security disability because you do not have work credits. Not so sure that our ancestors had a better idea after all.

Same thing happen to me Carolyn. I stayed home 25 years and. I am short on my credits to collect also.
It doesn't seem fair.