Would you ever believe it?

- humankind have walked on the moon
- all the electronic devices - mobile phones, iphones, computers etc. - with all their problems and wonderful opportunities!
- terrorism in our midst

Being a grandmother.

Sitting typing words on a small screen held in my hand.

Catch up TV.

Online shopping.

Automatic vacuum cleaners and lawn mowers

Microwaves

Driverless cars

Velcro

Having excellent conversations with people I've never met who live in places I'll never visit.

IVF in all its many forms

Gay marriage and the many other relationship variations now taken for granted

I don't recognise your present times oldpeculiar to be honest. But do agree with many of the others. Never thought I would be old enough to be a Granny.

Sounds as though OldPeculiar just wanted to have a moan about modern-day parenting and how she feels taken for granted!

But yes, look at the bigger picture - at least children aren't expected to be 'seen but not heard' any more and fathers don't rule with a rod of iron. The old days weren't always the best.

Things I could never have imagined when I was 18.

Owning a new car
having a phone that I could carry around
Having a TV that didn't give me a hernia lifting.
Having grandchildren
Oh Yes and -- sleeping with a grandmother (that's the clean version)

Pompa

Given how life has changed so much for us, what will the changes be for our grandchildren during their lives, unimaginable.

That really is the scary part, Pompa!

What couldn't have I imagined let me see some positive some not so positive

- many heavily tattooed young women everywhere I look
- still seeing homeless people on the streets - I thought we could have sorted this by now.
- the ability of clever surgeons to replace almost everything in our bodies
- a man in space in his office sending us messages and pictures and jokes
- people bombing civilians going about their business in the name of God
- personally I never thought I would have such a good life as this.

I think that as Old Peculiar has chosen to name themselves after a real ale my money would be on him being a Grumpa!! Were you strictly brought up yourself Old?

A device in your pocket that keeps you in touch wherever you are in the world and gives you access to any information you require and allows you to see your grandchildren while you talk to them no matter where you are.

Being able to buy a movie just weeks after you have seen it at the cinema and watch it at home whenever you like.

Being able to carry your library and music collection around in your pocket.

Bit harsh on the attitude to grandparents! I don't feel we are just thought of as babysitters and inheritance providers, although we are happy to provide both to some extent in the fullness of time! Am thoroughly enjoying the baby sitting I asked to do!

Intergenerational envy. Hitherto mums, grannies and grandkids all loved and helped each other. I would no more have envied my grandma her Gold Top milk (when we were having 'ordinary' full fat) than I would flown.

Empty town centres because people are shopping on line.

The fact that I rarely post a letter, because I now use email.

Seeing my four year old granddaughter working on her tablet, playing games, doing jigsaws, watching films. She can do more on a computer than I can.

The fact that many children are in nursery from early morning until 6pm. (I'm including my own grandchildren here) It's so sad, but mothers must work.

A mobile phone that can reach anywhere in the world.

Suicide bombers. I lived through the troubles in Northern Ireland, but the terrorists there did not want to kill themselves.

I could think of many more things. This is an interesting subject.

Ha I intend to Spend the Kids' Inheritance. Skiing without the snow DH is panicking at my spending. When I'm gone dd1 I know will give it to her DH to buy a chalet for skiing and a horse for herself. I don't see why I should watch the pennies for them to be frittered by others. I want to do the frittering.

Online shopping
The wealth of interesting foods available at a corner shop.
Knowledge at ones fingertips.

Had some second thoughts:

There is now no shame in living together, being a single parent, getting divorced or being gay.

Many people are choosing not to marry.

People from all social classes go to university

People travel all over the world and its relatively cheap to go.

This definitely belongs to the GrumpNet category doesn't it?
I would say
Online friends (who have gone on to be REAL LIFE friends)
Internet shopping
Instant access to information/reference
Being able to read the online version of my newspaper in the early hours if I do choose
NOT following to the letter a book ( DrSpock) but having access to all sorts of reference material if I so choose
Seeing my darling DGC via FaceTime
Still having a DH thanks to the miracle of transplant surgery

So come off it, OldPeculiar1 lighten up, dust down your bath chair, your hearing trumpet and your carpet slippers and unless you want to rename yourself OldMiseryGuts look around you and be bloody grateful for what we have got.

LIving for 16 years with someone 15 years younger and only 10 years older than DS!!! Think DS was a bit surprised too.

I wouldn't worry about small children going to nursery, Inishowen. Having seen how my own DGs have enjoyed and benefitted from going, I would say it is an opportunity, not a compromise. It has given them tremendous confidence and helped them to interact with other children and adults in a very positive way. They have loved having some days at nursery, some with grandma and grandpa and some with mummy and daddy.

Instant access to questions??

Having grandchildren?‍?‍?‍?

Easy travel to exciting places✈️⛴?

Technology in general ?⌨

Being able to get advice from gransnet?

All the different foods ????

Unfortunately suicide bombers?

Knife yielding gangs?

Great responses, especially from the judgemental.LOL