Normal Island

[BoldonLad]

He's supposedly the most searched for person of 2022 but I wonder if a lot of that is parents and teachers who've never heard of him, checking on what the kids are watching and being influenced by, and then exclaiming 'Oh Jesus Christ no.'

More or less my point exactly.

As I have said earlier, based on personal experience, I am always loath to criticise other's parenting decisions. However, I do sometimes think that we do not give young people enough credit for having some "common sense". Although I am now well past my "sell by date", I do recall dabbling with several "undesirable" pastimes in my youth. They didn't become permanent features of my adult life. I do like to think that my children and grandchildren will similarly have the wit to recognise the desirable from the undesirable.

 

[mudsticks]

He's supposedly the most searched for person of 2022 but I wonder if a lot of that is parents and teachers who've never heard of him, checking on what the kids are watching and being influenced by, and then exclaiming 'Oh Jesus Christ no.'

Might be a useful 'shake em out of their complacency' wake up call if that really is the case.

Who are the current counterpoints to these awful people?

I know there's a few footballers who provide positive role models (and sadly many who really don't)

I suppose there are a few more 'right on' cultural icons out there among artists and musicians and so on, but they could do with shouting their message a bit louder at times.

I suppose the ever present problem is that on the whole, thoughtful people with a conscience just aren't so much into self promotion in the same way, nor are they so likely to want to monetise their content to exploit gullible 'followers'

 

[AuroraSaab]

I can't see how anyone could imagine the concerning issue is the 'pleasure' of a child.
What would be objectionable about an 11 year old getting a lot of pleasure from a £2 gift that isn't overpriced and overhyped?

Nothing objectionable about it at all. If the child actually wants it. If what they want is the overpriced and overhyped Thing X, and Thing X is not too expensive and can be found without too much hassle, let the child have the thing they want. Presumably you've never paid £5 a pint in a pub, or £40 in a gastro pub for a piece of fish the size of a 50p and 4 chips, served in a shoe. I haven't either. But I don't begrudge people who do.

You can teach kids about consumerism without denying them a one off cheap fad. In fact they learn it soon enough when it's their own money they're spending.

 

[Beebo]

@Beebo I understand the need to do heroic things for your kids sometimes, how was your 11y/o's reaction to finding the gift in the stocking, and how was the taste?

I wish I had videoed it. His smile was huge and he ran up to my wife to give her a big hug.
He has kept the bottle as a trophy.
He let me have a taste, it was very sweet. He only had the lemon and lime one.

 

[Deleted member 49]

I wish I had videoed it. His smile was huge and he ran up to my wife to give her a big hug.
He has kept the bottle as a trophy.
He let me have a taste, it was very sweet. He only had the lemon and lime one.

Refil it with Lucozade and become the best dad in the world....trust me on that.

 

[winjim]

My wife thinks I'm weird because I put toothbrushes in the stockings. But we always had them as kids so it's part of Christmas to me. They're small so they fit in, it's a bit silly and fun, and they're something you have to buy anyway so why not make a present out of it? Can do the same with other essentials, you've got to spend the money anyway and the kids don't mind, it's all mixed in with fun 'proper' presents.

I did relent on not putting in the satsumas and apples which make good space fillers.

 

[qigong chimp]

If what they want is the overpriced and overhyped Thing X, and Thing X is not too expensive and can be found without too much hassle, let the child have the thing they want.

Pffft! Let the child have a month in Woodcraft Folk bootcamp, watching footage - on a communally owned black and white telly - of climate refugee children weeping as their homes sink beneath the globally warmed seas.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMysRCcU0X8

 

[BoldonLad]

My wife thinks I'm weird because I put toothbrushes in the stockings. But we always had them as kids so it's part of Christmas to me. They're small so they fit in, it's a bit silly and fun, and they're something you have to buy anyway so why not make a present out of it? Can do the same with other essentials, you've got to spend the money anyway and the kids don't mind, it's all mixed in with fun 'proper' presents.

I did relent on not putting in the satsumas and apples which make good space fillers.

Sorry, couldn't resist

I have attempted to explain to my grandchildren that such items as oranges, apples, bananas were an unheard of luxury to us, as children in the early 1950s, but, they find it as ridiculous as burning stone (coal) to keep warm. I gave up.

 

[BoldonLad]

Pffft! Let the child have a month in Woodcraft Folk bootcamp, watching footage - on a communally owned black and white telly - of climate refugee children weeping as their homes sink beneath the globally warmed seas.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMysRCcU0X8

Why single out the child, such a month would do a few adults of my acquaintance a power of good, IMHO, of course

 

[Beebo]

Sorry, couldn't resist

I have attempted to explain to my grandchildren that such items as oranges, apples, bananas were an unheard of luxury to us, as children in the early 1950s, but, they find it as ridiculous as burning stone (coal) to keep warm. I gave up.

My kids still enjoy their satsuma.
I have then a coconut once.

 

[BoldonLad]

My kids still enjoy their satsuma.
I have then a coconut once.

Good to hear.

It is not that my grandchildren don't enjoy such things as fruit, but, rather that they cannot understand that they were not always stacked high in the supermarket, and, cost only pence.

I do rather enjoy being a dinosaur and showing them how to actually repair stuff, or, make stuff, and, they do usually, but not always, indulge me by at least appearing to be interested/impressed

 

[AuroraSaab]

I'm the same. I do feel a bit 'Four Yorkshiremen' at times but it must rub off because all my kids are savers not spenders and look to fix stuff rather than buy new. They always look for deals on big stuff before they buy too. If anything I'm a bit too averse to impulse buying these days, because it just feels like more stuff in the house, when really it's fine to treat yourself now and again.

Glad your son enjoyed his surprise, Beebo.

 

[mudsticks]

I'm the same. I do feel a bit 'Four Yorkshiremen' at times but it must rub off because all my kids are savers not spenders and look to fix stuff rather than buy new. They always look for deals on big stuff before they buy too. If anything I'm a bit too averse to impulse buying these days, because it just feels like more stuff in the house, when really it's fine to treat yourself now and again.

Glad your son enjoyed his surprise, Beebo.

Recycling, upcycling vintage clothes and housewares, crochet, knitting, woodwork, foraging, preserving, and all kinds of homespun, DIY, self sufficiency, and grassroots anti consumerist activities seem to be very popular among a lot of the younger folk I have contact with.

I am, of course, aware that they themselves are part of a subculture that doesn't in any way represent the whole of 'The Youth of Today'

But it never was possible to write off a whole age group with one sweeping generalisation about their 'habits'.

My ideal 'present' is for someone to help sort out the piles of 'stuff' that seem to accumulate from nowhere and take it to the tip or chazza.

Younger son did just that for me in my office space yesterday..
Great - except now I have to go and use it properly for proper admin purposes.. 🙄

 

[BoldonLad]

Recycling, upcycling vintage clothes and housewares, crochet, knitting, woodwork, foraging, preserving, and all kinds of homespun, DIY, self sufficiency, and grassroots anti consumerist activities seem to be very popular among a lot of the younger folk I have contact with.

I am, of course, aware that they themselves are part of a subculture that doesn't in any way represent the whole of 'The Youth of Today'

But it never was possible to write off a whole age group with one sweeping generalisation about their 'habits'.

My ideal 'present' is for someone to help sort out the piles of 'stuff' that seem to accumulate from nowhere and take it to the tip or chazza.

Younger son did just that for me in my office space yesterday..
Great - except now I have to go and use it properly for proper admin purposes.. 🙄

True, but, it happens regularly enough on here, particularly in relation to Brexit. Not saying you are a culprit by the way

 

[mudsticks]

True, but, it happens regularly enough on here, particularly in relation to Brexit. Not saying you are a culprit by the way

Well with the brexit thing, there were age range and voting tendency correlations, so some might be forgiven for making sweeping generalisations, if they're just going off the statistics.

I however, know of many folks of far greater maturity than yourself, who were absolutely fuming about brexit and the shenanigans that brought it about, (and they still are) so you'll not catch me at that particular generalisation, no.