The gift of a child V. the 'Gift' of a mobile phone.

Hope you're right Janet - things change so fast now, you could well be.

My OH is a London cabbie - he constantly comes home moaning about people stepping out into the road without looking because they are engrossed with their phones
Life moves on and we move on with and in past days yes children were sent off to amuse themselves whilst mum got in - but with no labour saving devices and standards to uphold what else would they do
But then parents say down to eat with their children so interacted that way
How many families do that now
But there is a growing backlash as I think parents are beginning to realise that life doesn't begin and end with pouting selfies food Instagram and pics of a kardashian bum

Yorkshiregel Reins have come back. I've seen them few times recently. They look a bit different, like a harness with one strap at the back, for the adult to hold. The old reins had a loop at the back didn't they. We live in an area with heavy traffic, maybe that's why I have seen them, if you havn't.

Yorkshiregel. I received an email from Mumsnet where they gave a link to this thread. I am on Mumsnet as I thought it might help me relate to my DIL by giving me an insight about how the younger generation thinks. Can't say it has helped in that regard!

I think you are being a little bit rose tinted spectacles about the 1960's Yorkshiregel, child abduction and paedophiles are nothing new, just now we feel able to talk about it, thankfully. The Moors murders were in the 60s remember. However, getting back to the OP, I agree about lack of conversation between parents and children due to mobile phones, such a small gap in time when your children think you are wonderful, think you are the font of all knowledge and actually want to talk to you....then they become teenagers.

Esspee How do you know Mumsnet has linked to this thread? If they have, GOOD! Maybe they will realise how dangerous it is to give more attention to the mobile phone than it is to their little children.

No-one is expecting anyone to be the perfect parent, just one who has a bit of common sense.

It is a pity that play pens are out of fashion these days. Bringing back reigns would be a good idea too. It might have been ok to let children run wild across the fields and come in for meals once, but this day and age it is dangerous not just because they could fall in rivers but because they might go out and never be seen ever again. No-one would know where they had gone until their body turned up, if it ever did! Yes, I am talking about wierdos who think it is ok to enjoy sex with little children. Sick, maniacs who do not care what pain they give to others. Keep children safe and close I say.

My Mother never used to see us except for meal times. We were swinging on ropes from trees or playing hide and seek in the woods, or having picnics in the fields, we even walked to school and back. It was common, everyone used to do it. That was then, the 60s. No way would I let my children do that, and they certainly do not allow theirs to do it either. Also, there is much more traffic about these days so allowing them to run or play on pavements is dangerous too.

Oh God, run for the hills!

Speaking as one who spent many a bored hour making sandcastles on her own on holiday while her parents lay back in their deckchairs dozing or reading the papers, I'd say there's nothing new under the sun. In my experience my DC devote much more of their time and attention to their own children than my DP did, and they weren't bad parents by any means. I of course was a very attentive and hands-on mum . I did love a playpen though.

Oh dear, Mumsnet has just linked to this thread!

I see it everywhere. Have even seen my youngest do this. Her youngest, aged two, has learnt to throw something at her....bright lad...hahaha. Luckily he has three wonderful older siblings who are not tied their mobile phones

I hate to see this we pick our gd up one day a week and she is full of what she as been doing she doesn't shut up and I love it wish these people would realise what they are missing most phone call or texts are that important

I must remember that one!!

Constantly trying to pick up the pieces.

I have never been a "hoverer" either Jalima more like a hooverer !

I sometimes feel guilty because I didn't 'hover' enough but they have all grown up to be independent!

And how many times have I spoken to my children only to be ignored because they are glued to their phones!!!!!!!

On the occasion that you describe the mother may have genuinely had to be engrossed in her phone conversation due to it being a work call or one of genuine importance. This is the first generation to have the benefits of having a mobile phone glued their person 24/7 and they bring genuine advantages alongside the disadvantages.
To help children who have little family encouragement or support nurseries now give them free places from the age of 2 to try to minimise the disadvantage that some children encounter. It's very often a sad, difficult and unfair world.

What worries me is the mums who push their buggies out into the road without looking to see if there is any danger for their children because they are glued to their mobile phones. A few days ago a mum almost lost her baby because she did that, and then had the cheek to yell a lot of filthy abuse at the driver who had managed to swerve his car and miss the child.

Oh I see. Thank you Jalima I was worried I might be one but I'm not and never have been. Pheww.

What's a helicopter parent

My interpretation would be: one who constantly hovers over their DC, arranging every minute of their social life, extra-curricular activities etc and not giving them time to be themselves or learn to play on their own.

How strange this topic should appear today - I was going to start a forum along similar lines. Most mornings I pass the local CoE primary school when the children are arriving and I walk along the route that many of them take. I am struck by the glum mothers with glum children. Often the mothers are berating the children, or they are on mobile phones or are listening to music. There rarely seems any positive interaction between mothers and their children. I feel so sorry for the children and indeed for their mothers. What a start to the day.

What's a helicopter parent Jalima1108?

There has always been poor parenting, mediocre parenting, good parenting and now we have 'helicopter parents' too as well as 'tiger mothers'.

I do think that mobile phones probably distract parents from interacting with their children, but I remember years ago being upset by seeing mothers dragging their children along at top speed through shopping centres, poor kids hardly able to keep up and not being spoken to either.

The other day I heard a young mum talking and thought she was talking to me, so turned round to smile and acknowledge her but she was chatting to her baby who must have been about six months old, asking what she thought of something mum was going to buy . Baby was beaming away in her pram. I did speak to the mum and said that I used to chat away to my DC when they were very small and how nice it was to hear her talking to her baby.

rocketstop I think I would be concerned about the sunburn because there was that case of the mum who left her baby to burn when they were on the beach - baby had to be hospitalised.
But - do you say anything or not? difficult.

I know, I know - sarcasm is the lowest form of wit! I do feel that this kind of post is quite generalist and unhelpful. I'm all for people working together. Everyone would be up in arms if Mumsnet said that everyone on Gransnet was old and doddery or whatever. There are some poor parents and some good parents and always have been. A snapshot view of someone's day doesn't really give enough information to decide. Either way, I don't think it is helpful to judge and a great shame to make snide comments about people not cooking and facebook. Plenty of older people on Facebook too - not just young women (probably - although no evidence is given to support this statement). Ageism goes both ways.