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Would you ever believe it?

(56 Posts)
OldPeculiar1 Wed 23-Mar-16 18:07:55

How about stringing together a few things that during our childhood/youth times we would never believe the things that are happening today.

To start off here are a few:

1. Following, to the letter, an American book on how to bring up your new baby.

2. Children being the tail to wag the dog.

3. Giving children their choice of food at all meal times.

4. Grandparents having no value except being childminders and inheritance providers.

5. The school term/half term holidays' work evacuation.

Just the tip of the iceberg - enjoy.

KatyK Thu 24-Mar-16 15:56:31

Most women going out to work
Not respecting police officers
Not being terrified of teachers (I am speaking for myself here)

Alea Thu 24-Mar-16 16:35:13

Judgemental oldPeculiar?
Items 1-5
Pots
Kettles
Black

TheMaggiejane1 Thu 24-Mar-16 16:36:26

Me dusting a room for 2 of my 6 grandchildren to sleep in.

Coming downstairs to get the feather duster but being side tracked by a conversation on Netgrans and then going back upstairs without the feather duster.

Then being able to write about it on a tablet that has access to the whole world. Love technology but not housework and love being a grandma, even a forgetful one!

pollyperkins Thu 24-Mar-16 17:49:28

Well i dont agree with most pf the things Oldpeculiar said, but its true that many things have changed. Apart from technology there have been many other changes especially in attitude. Some are for the better for example less stigma for babies born out of wedlock or for gay lifestyles. But some things are worse in my opinion . Im thinking of the tou g people drinking themselves silly in many city centres. To see young girls dressed in next to nothing a nd collapsing drunk or weeing/vomiting in the gutter seems awful to me.

pollyperkins Thu 24-Mar-16 18:26:36

But i agree its amazing being Grandma andvthe sort of matriarch of the family when i remember clearly being the littlest & youngest member of the family!

kittylester Thu 24-Mar-16 18:50:37

I tend to think about my nan who, during her lifetime, the widespread use of trains, cars becoming the norm for lots of families, holidays by plane, men on the moon, televisions, phones in most homes, the pill, legal abortions and 4 ggc. Phenomenal changes for her!

baNANAGran3 Thu 24-Mar-16 23:13:29

Females sailing in navy ships - my fil must be whirling in his grave!

Jalima Thu 24-Mar-16 23:21:13

1. Following, to the letter, an American book on how to bring up your new baby
I must say my edition of Dr Benjamin Spock was very well-used in the 1970S (in the absence of any nearby grannies to advise!)

OldPeculiar1 Fri 25-Mar-16 08:59:31

Did you go from recommended nutrition and then to Macdonalds?

Alea Fri 25-Mar-16 09:01:57

confusedconfusedconfused
Who mentioned McDonalds?

pompa Fri 25-Mar-16 09:23:42

Amazing - the huge leap that has been made during my lifetime

Wimpy bars >>>>>>>>>>>> McDonalds WOW.

kittylester Fri 25-Mar-16 11:02:39

pompa grin I actually preferred Wimpy Bars they let us take our dog in there.

I agree Alea - exactly who is judgmental?

Although I suspect we are probably being 'had'! hmm

adaunas Fri 25-Mar-16 12:55:15

Skype and FaceTime so we can see distant friends and family.?
Getting texts from my grandchildren.?
Cars that cost more than our first house.?
Fruit and veg at any time of year ( I do worry about my carbon footprint )?
Books on line, especially the free ones from the library.?
Suicide bombers and the people who train them?
The excuses given for some children's poor manners/ behaviour in class. " Oh they're excited/disappointed about their results; oh they don't like (the subject being taught); oh they have issues; oh they had to work really hard all morning so they want to relax in the afternoon; relax being another word for low level disruption, talking unless stopped, answering back, refusal to cooperate etc.

Being able to find things out without having to wait for the library to open.?
Cling film and resealable plastic bags.?
That paper carriers would go out of fashion . . . and then come back!

Teetime Fri 25-Mar-16 13:50:30

Don't be taken in by oldpeculiar1 I think his tongue is in his cheek. I bet he's an old softie really.

grannyactivist Fri 25-Mar-16 14:37:51

As a child visiting Manchester airport for a day out I never in my wildest dreams imagined I would one day fly to New Zealand (or anywhere else really).

On Wednesday I took out my iPad mini and a speaker the size of a plum and played original videos clips from songs recorded in the 30's, 40's, 50's and 60's - to a roomful of people who were mostly in their 90's.

We own a car, a fridge, a freezer, a washing machine and go on foreign holidays; all of these were extreme luxuries when I was a child.

Joyfully Fri 25-Mar-16 16:31:20

Old Peculiar was only commenting. He/She is allowed to make comments without being judged surely. I have only just joined and would not like to think anything I comment on will be harshly judged. Being kind to others opinions is important. If we get criticised too much we stop commenting, and then what happens is the judgers ave to judge themselves.

Things that are happening today is that sometimes, we have too much information.

Jalima Fri 25-Mar-16 17:31:42

kittylester men on the moon
We sat and watched the first moon landing with DH's grandmother. He explained that Neil Armstrong was walking on the moon, the first man ever to do so.
DGM kept insisting 'not in my lifetime, they will never go to the moon in my lifetime'.

Bez1989 Fri 25-Mar-16 18:34:14

Changing from a heavy electric vacuum cleaner with long cord always getting in the way to lightweight battery driven vacuum cleaner is a Joyful Experience !
And its Pink sunshine
Most of all the other subjects I agree on too.

pompa Fri 25-Mar-16 18:53:42

OldPecuilar has sparked off an interesting thread, well done.

Venus Fri 25-Mar-16 23:17:46

Women aspiring to top jobs

Sexual discrimination, especially in the city

Sexual harrrassment, especially in the city

Knowing that smoking really is bad for you

Having grandchildren that know more about life at seven then I did

Thinking that the bank manager was here to stay

Knowing now that sun bathing is not good for your skin

Cars that can park themselves. Wish I had one of those!

OldPeculiar1 Mon 28-Mar-16 15:46:37

Only people who consider items are for Grumps should go to Grumps. LOL

Alea Mon 28-Mar-16 17:05:08

confusedconfused

Maggiemaybe Mon 28-Mar-16 17:41:10

It's not just me then, Alea grin

ellenemery Sat 02-Apr-16 20:22:25

Going to a shop and buying a meal that could be popped in a machine that could cook it in a few minutes. We did not even have a fridge when I was small, just a cold slab and a meat safe.

Washing machines that just have the dirty laundry popped in and left to do the work and then empty into another machine that can dry it for us.

Tv in colour and that is available all day long.

Nearly everyone having a car, when I was young the only people with a car was the doctor, the vicar and the local farmer. Even the local bobby only had a cycle and he would cycle 7 miles each way to the nearest police station.

Children's clothes would be so cheap and freely available that they could wear them a few times and then throw away.

Food waste. Brought up in the 50's and food was not wasted in those days.

Home ownership, most of the properties in the village I was brought up in were either council or tied properties.

BBbevan Sun 03-Apr-16 15:49:21

Eating in the street
Litter
Bad table manners.
IVF
Older Mums
Takeaways delivered to your door
Multicultural society