Growing up in the 60's

11/26/2013

Spoiled kids

When I was growing up I we were never poor, but we never indulged in luxuries either. I would say that as prudence goes Dad was pretty prudent. So prudent that whenever the question of eating out or eating at home was posed we always defaulted to eating at home. That meant the daily rotation of meals that were a result of carefully budgeted Meal plans. Simply put, ham on Mondays, stew on Tuesdays, chicken on Wednesdays, etc etc. You get the point.
In those days there were no endless streets lined with fast food joints, all waiting to satisfy your inability to plan your own meals, and pack on the pounds, like today. Nope. There was KFC and McDonald's for that but the only other places were Ponderosa, Swiss Chalet, and big boy restaurants. That was it baby!
It seems my friends were always going out, but not us. Home we went for moms (great) home cooking. I can remember the rare days when Dad splurged for Ponderosa or big boy. I can count them on one hand.
When we got home and finished our meal there was ALWAYS a pile of dishes to do. And it was my big sis Deanna and me who did them. Oh I whined about it, tried to get out of it but spanking was allowed in those days and it was always easier to just do the dishes.
I learned to mend my own clothes, put away my clean laundry, weed the garden, shovel the driveway, etc etc etc, cause that's how life was.
It isn't that way anymore. Dishwashers, Internet socializing, and every other excuse has contributed to spoiling brat kids like never before. Every school has a Wendy's and Tim Hortons connected to the property and kids are sipping Starbucks coffees at 11 years of age.
Looking a very spoiled and un appreciative kid in the eye today I said: It will take a few months of welfare to make you appreciate the life you have.
All of this culminates after seeing a heart tugging movie called "Four Feet Up". About an impoverished family living next to wealthy families. May God forgive our greed and spoiled bratty nature's. May we somehow see beyond ourselves.
RM

2 Comments

Deb L

11/26/2013 11:47:19 am

I love your work. I also grew up in the 60's in a similar situation. I am so disappointed you wrote this blog. Life is different now. You can't go back in time. It wasn't children who built fast food outlets and spent millions upon millions on advertising a different way of life.

The internet has many uses good and bad. If it weren't for the internet, I would have never seen your beautiful work :) or today's blog. :(

As a mother of 2 sons who are now in their 20's, there are plenty of wonderful children and young adults out there. It's unfortunate you have not met any of them.

robertmcaffee@gmail.com

11/27/2013 02:48:30 am

So true, I certainly recognize the value of the net. As well my kids benefit greatly from it. Ultimately it is the parents who are responsible for what happens with it within the home, and we are learning some of the downsides. This big is more about the common luxuries available to us these days that were never there before. How our kids take much for granted. That as well is up to us parents to address, we are still learning. :-)

The Pine Tree Painter.

How did I become known as the Pine Tree Painter? You could say I paint a lot of Pine Trees, that would be true. I paint a lot of other things too, but Pine Trees, Spruce Trees, Birch and others seem to be a continuous string in what i do. I just like the way they stand there like a custodian of the land. or a greeter to nature. So, I continue down the path with the Pine Tree Painter name on my head, It's ok.
Robert McAffee