Spoiled Americans

[afterhours]

Today I decided that, instead of doing my cardio on a treadmill in an A/C 'd gym I would do a little road work....

I ended going by both an elementary school and a high school, and it got me thinking. about 5 minutes into my run I noticed the "gardener" talking on a cell phone as he mowed someones lawn. As I approached the elementary school I started noticing people literally getting in thier cars to drive 100yds to p/u thier kids.....I saw long lines of moms in cars ranging from $20k civics to $50-$60 SUVS....all on phones.

I came upon the HS while the football team was busy doing its pre-game walkthru, and I stopped. the smell of the grass brought back old memories. As i stood there i was surrounded by kids in $100 sneakers, $50 shirts and $300-$400 cellphones.

getting back to my run, I passed the parking lot and it was not filled with $500 beaters, rolling auto shop projects or any of the cheap cars I remember from my HS days......

I came to the realization that we are spoiled, we as a society spend money w/o thought. I never had a cell phone, not even a pager....if i needed to call home I used a a dime and a quarter. my car barely ran, but I bought with money from my part-time job....and the only $100 shoes i ever had were for church and school dances, which I also purchased myself....

Sorry for the rant, but I think that at times like these we need to re-adjust our perspective a bit.

 

[DEMMYM]

Nahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh


Im 45 yrs old and remember the things your talking about, But times have changed, If I can afford to give my kids the things I didnt have Im going to do it, I wouldnt call it spoiling them just glad I can do it for them.

When we were kids there were no cell phones or pagers, Who is to say if they would have been around then like they are now we wouldnt have had one. Might have had to pay for it myself, but I might have had one.

Just remember times have changed in a big big way.

Just remember, Your Dad probably told you, you were spoiled because of all the things you had that he didnt

 

[TWT racer]

Buddy, you's on the money man, and I agree with you 100%


Now Demm, you got a good point there too man, times have changed and this is true. But I assure you one thing, no kid today that has "everything" and wants more and more, will appreciate the things we have, when we came from so little.

 

[MikesGSX1300RK9]

Nahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh


Im 45 yrs old and remember the things your talking about, But times have changed, If I can afford to give my kids the things I didnt have Im going to do it, I wouldnt call it spoiling them just glad I can do it for them.

When we were kids there were no cell phones or pagers, Who is to say if they would have been around then like they are now we wouldnt have had one. Might have had to pay for it myself, but I might have had one.

Just remember times have changed in a big big way.

Just remember, Your Dad probably told you, you were spoiled because of all the things you had that he didnt

Heheheh. I hope my kids earn their own stuff. That way, they will learn to appreciate it and take care of it.

 

[Blanca BusaLess]

I used to walk ten miles to school in the snow

In a way your right but like others say times change .
Growing up I had the best skateboard wheels my 'earned from cutting grass' money could buy
Now yes i pass by homes worth $75,000 with two new $50,000 cars in front of them .
We are basically much more of a materialistic society and many think they must 'possess' alot to impress others .
I simply want my kids to have an easier better life than I , same as my dad does for me .

 

[Busa1166]

You are just running in the wrong neighborhood, take a jog through Opalocka Florida or Liberty City may change your mind.

Crime Report for Opa Locka Florida

Little by little as the situation worsens all over the country there will be more cities like that and more. This society that s filled and rewards greed will collapse in on itself. Hope you are not out side jogging when it comes to your hood.

 

[Djxtrodinaire]

good thing i dont have kids!

oh wait... I need to go hug them... Busa,Bking,M109R

 

[Phil96]

Frequently I get back to basics: Vision quests to Sedona, running through the desert
decked out like a Druid, flagellating myself with Birch branches, etc.

 

[Pardini]

Today I decided that, instead of doing my cardio on a treadmill in an A/C 'd gym I would do a little road work....I came to the realization that we are spoiled,

Sorry for the rant, but I think that at times like these we need to re-adjust our perspective a bit.

One day off your treadmill in the A/C'd gym and everyone else is spoiled? Yup, perspective adjustment time.

 

[hckyguy1]

Ill admit it, I have been spoiled in my life more than even I can tell. But I also pay for alot of the things that people consider spoils with my own money. Now, I will admit my parents have bought me plenty of things that I did not need and simply wanted. That being said, times change. Although many people would say I have been spoiled, whether true or not, I hope to one day be able to give my kids all that my parents gave me, if not more.

 

[chrisjp]

i live in a 500$ house...have a 500$ car..and no cell phones and neither do my kids...they wear salvation army clothes we buy....and i have a 10,000 busa....nope...not spoiled

 

[2hip]

For me it's not so much about the spoiled things like high school kids getting a brand new Rav IV..or iphones..or such...what I don't like in the way kids are being raised these days is the parents allowing kids to watch 4-5 hours of tv a day and getting all messed up with the crap they put on tv...The issues with respect for one another...kids not even bothering to thank grandparents for expensive gifts sent to them...IBOX games that teach slaughtering, deviousness, and wanton acts of selfishness...and all for a buck...
My dad had me out mowing lawns with him when I was 10 yrs old..he was Navy and he did yard work to make ends meet. I had a TV guide route when I was 10 and paper route when I was 12...I know the value of work. Most kids these days haven't a clue what it costs a parent to put on those Air Jordans...there is almost this sense of "entiltlement" with kids these days. How many of you have seen these situations where kids feel they need to go live in Europe for a month when they get out of high school...and cough it up mom and dad...freaking unbelievable.
there is nothing wrong in trying to do better for your kids. I did it too. But for God's sake teach them about work ethics, honesty, respect, and hard work for what ever you want...

 

[afterhours]

One day off your treadmill in the A/C'd gym and everyone else is spoiled? Yup, perspective adjustment time.

Yes, I am a member of LA Fitness....and yes it has a/c, jacuzzi and a sauna. All the things my boxing gym does not.....my perspective is just fine. thanks

 

[kitchener rider]

Well I grew up with a bike, a hockey stick, and a sooccer ball. Didn't get everything I wanted and never really had trendy stuff. Now I remember wanting trendy things just could never afford them.
I give my kids the trendy things just so they have a fighting chance these days. I do draw the line at a cell phone though. Times have changed and the only down fall is outside time for kids. To much video games , pc time and so on, the only good thing is my son is a dirt jumper, so cardio for days and heights that make me pee a little. Anyways an outside run is better than a treadmill any day.

 

[captain]

For me it's not so much about the spoiled things like high school kids getting a brand new Rav IV..or iphones..or such...what I don't like in the way kids are being raised these days is the parents allowing kids to watch 4-5 hours of tv a day and getting all messed up with the crap they put on tv...The issues with respect for one another...kids not even bothering to thank grandparents for expensive gifts sent to them...IBOX games that teach slaughtering, deviousness, and wanton acts of selfishness...and all for a buck...
My dad had me out mowing lawns with him when I was 10 yrs old..he was Navy and he did yard work to make ends meet. I had a TV guide route when I was 10 and paper route when I was 12...I know the value of work. Most kids these days haven't a clue what it costs a parent to put on those Air Jordans...there is almost this sense of "entiltlement" with kids these days. How many of you have seen these situations where kids feel they need to go live in Europe for a month when they get out of high school...and cough it up mom and dad...freaking unbelievable.
there is nothing wrong in trying to do better for your kids. I did it too. But for God's sake teach them about work ethics, honesty, respect, and hard work for what ever you want...

You just described my parenting approach.. My oldest has been working since he was 13. In the summer he would get up at 3am each morning and a local farmer friend would pick him up and take him to work. He would work until about 2pm every day and then come home, take a shower and go play or do whatever he wanted. We put him on a budget so that he could have some spending money but for the most part he saved all his money for his first car... He worked during the school year as long as his grades were at least all B's was the rule but he kept all A's... He saved Bday money, Christmas money you name it... When he was 15 he had saved enough to buy his own car... I will put a few pics below.....

For the year he was 15 he washed, waxed and adjusted the radio on that car every week regardless if it needed it or not. When he turned 16 he got a job and he works 4 days a week now for the same farmer doing everything from sales at the OKC farmers market to shoveling horse apples. He has learned that work true work is hard and it is driving him to want to get an education. He doesn't want to work with animals or clean stalls anymore....

His head is scewed on tight for a 16 yr old. Very very proud of him for his school work, his work ethic and his go get um attitude...

He has learned respect, honor, integrity and is well on his way to being a solid young man... He didn't get all those things from me, he got them because I put him situations so that he could figure them out on his own... I think that youth of America just don't understand what work really is....

CAp..







Here is the original thread

https://www.hayabusa.org/forum/random-thoughts/115804-finally-bought-my-son-his-first-car.html

 

[Blanca BusaLess]

For me it's not so much about the spoiled things like high school kids getting a brand new Rav IV..or iphones..or such...what I don't like in the way kids are being raised these days is the parents allowing kids to watch 4-5 hours of tv a day and getting all messed up with the crap they put on tv...The issues with respect for one another...kids not even bothering to thank grandparents for expensive gifts sent to them...IBOX games that teach slaughtering, deviousness, and wanton acts of selfishness...and all for a buck...
My dad had me out mowing lawns with him when I was 10 yrs old..he was Navy and he did yard work to make ends meet. I had a TV guide route when I was 10 and paper route when I was 12...I know the value of work. Most kids these days haven't a clue what it costs a parent to put on those Air Jordans...there is almost this sense of "entiltlement" with kids these days. How many of you have seen these situations where kids feel they need to go live in Europe for a month when they get out of high school...and cough it up mom and dad...freaking unbelievable.
there is nothing wrong in trying to do better for your kids. I did it too. But for God's sake teach them about work ethics, honesty, respect, and hard work for what ever you want...

Good post two hip. But I have an objection to the above in bold because there's nothing wrong with Dora the explorer or Scooby Doo.
And if you dis Diego Adam will kick you in the shins

He doesn't watch 4-5 hours of tv but both of us enjoy a little toons before bed .
I honesty believe if you read more to the kids than tv watched it makes for a better child .

 

[Blanca BusaLess]

You just described my parenting approach.. My oldest has been working since he was 13. In the summer he would get up at 3am each morning and a local farmer friend would pick him up and take him to work. He would work until about 2pm every day and then come home, take a shower and go play or do whatever he wanted. We put him on a budget so that he could have some spending money but for the most part he saved all his money for his first car... He worked during the school year as long as his grades were at least all B's was the rule but he kept all A's... He saved Bday money, Christmas money you name it... When he was 15 he had saved enough to buy his own car... I will put a few pics below.....

For the year he was 15 he washed, waxed and adjusted the radio on that car every week regardless if it needed it or not. When he turned 16 he got a job and he works 4 days a week now for the same farmer doing everything from sales at the OKC farmers market to shoveling horse apples. He has learned that work true work is hard and it is driving him to want to get an education. He doesn't want to work with animals or clean stalls anymore....

His head is scewed on tight for a 16 yr old. Very very proud of him for his school work, his work ethic and his go get um attitude...

He has learned respect, honor, integrity and is well on his way to being a solid young man... He didn't get all those things from me, he got them because I put him situations so that he could figure them out on his own... I think that youth of America just don't understand what work really is....

CAp..

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Here is the original thread

https://www.hayabusa.org/forum/random-thoughts/115804-finally-bought-my-son-his-first-car.html

Cap that's an awesome car. My first car was a '76 Cutlass Salon hand me down with 200k miles on it . It allowed me to get to work at 2am in a bagel shop. I worked there till 8am and went to school . At three I got out of school and went to my second job delivering pizzas . Two yrs later I had enough to buy my first new car which was a white '88 Trans Am.

 

[DEMMYM]

Cap that's an awesome car. My first car was a '76 Cutlass Salon hand me down with 200k miles on it . It allowed me to get to work at 2am in a bagel shop. I worked there till 8am and went to school . At three I got out of school and went to my second job delivering pizzas . Two yrs later I had enough to buy my first new car which was a white '88 Trans Am.

I may have you beat Saiid.

My first car was a 72 Galaxy 500 that my dad paid $100 for and had to tow home on a trailer, It actually fell off the trailer on the way home ( First time Dad ever heard me curse ) we got it home and he told me, Here you go, when you get it running you can drive it ??? ??? ???

Spent the next couple months working on it, got it running then traded it to my uncle for more of a kid car.

 

[kromdom]

One day off your treadmill in the A/C'd gym and everyone else is spoiled? Yup, perspective adjustment time.

same thing crossed my mind (OP, I am NOT dissing you).

 

[Ruben]

To discipline them ... take those things away like Ipods, Laptops and cellphones ...