WuMo by Wulff & Morgenthaler for June 09, 2024

Before the scourge of helicopter parenting

Did we have tv/video remotes in the 80s?

We did or I should really say my Dad did. We had no chance of using it when he was home. I even remember him paying over the odds for a VCR just because it came with a remote control. We used to joke that it was called a “remote control” because when Dad was around when our chances of controlling it when dad was around were remote.

I was a free range child!

80s kids saw the Challenger blow up on live TV while in the classroom, after which it was back to schoolwork as normal. Today they’d close the school for the rest of the day, have the parents pick up their kids, and then have crisis counselors on-hand for the rest of the week.

Or birthday, whichever comes first.

No, he would be home by the time the streetlights came on…if he knew what was good for him!

Considering what my children experience and what their friends do, those of us Gen Xers out here are far better off. We can problem solve, live without an electronic device, know how to build stuff, can keep ourselves entertained, and generally don’t take sh!t from anyone. We were not over parented, we were allowed to fail and learn from it, skin our knees, break a few bones screwing around and not have DCYF called on our parents, could be told that we screwed up and learn to deal with it, weren’t so d@mned sensitive when someone disagreed with us or called us a name, stood up to bullies, lived under constant fear (and are thus immune to it now) of nuclear winter, Chernobyl, acid raid, the Soviets, and oh so many other things.

Never mind the exceptional music.

And now…….because we lived this way, we have the best YouTube content creators. Happy Sunday!

www YouTube com/@GenXTalks/shorts

www YouTube com/@thedadbodveteran

www youtube com/shorts/GEfUbUGMygs

YouTube com/shorts/XKlX5kyqh5k?si=8p9YJAP1v2WT7HM1

www youtube com/shorts/SbNpwlEHexI

They learned that from the parents of the 50s.

199 Shopping Days Until Christmas!!!

In the late 50’s early 60’s I would take off with my 22 or fishing pole and no one knew where I went for the day. Mom expected me home for supper and evening chores. If, she was ever worried it never showed. Fast forward 50 years and I walk my grandkids to the playground less than 100 yards from my home. Times were different for sure.

He’ll show up before Christmas, or on the back of a milk carton.

60’s for sure.

The kid will be home when the lights come on.

Parents in the 1960s: “Do we still have kids?”

Parents. It’s 10 o’clock. Do you know where your children are?

Boy things were also different for me in 1960 as I would go out out 9 in the morning and had to be home when the street lights came on. Now we live in too much of a dangerous world to let your children do that now.

I was a child of the 80s. A lot of bad things happened to me so I did do things differently as a parent. Neglect is a poor parenting method.