What’s the most amazing thing your children have that you didn’t?

[Overthehype]

A bit of a lighthearted one, but here you are:

What is the most amazing thing that your children have (or have access to) that you didn’t?

For me it is definitely YouTube. The entire concept of wondering how your refrigerator works and 10 seconds later watching a complete diagram unfold before you, or an in-depth factory tour… that’s insane when I think of how in my school years we just hoped maybe there was a dusty old VHS with a tour of a crayon factory on it. I don’t love this world of the internet that our children are growing up in, but from art lessons to fascinating science experiments YouTube > catalogues of pricey VHS tapes.

A car to get them to school. I walked in all weathers as we didn’t have one.
a phone to speak to friends, as we didn’t have one of those.
And finally, heating as we didn’t have that either.

Lighthearted I would say McDonalds delivery or movies on demand but I think it’s actually good to learn the art of delayed gratification. Maybe audio books/stories?

Lighthearted I would say McDonalds delivery or movies on demand but I think it’s actually good to learn the art of delayed gratification. Maybe audio books/stories?

Their secondary school within a short walk. It is a real bonus... even after attending a club, they are home by 4.15. I never got home until 4.30 at the earliest (and had to leave by 7.30). They have a lot better balance to their lives.

Extracurriculars at school, far more options then I had.

A childhood filled with joy.

The internet. Any other difference pales into insignificance next to that really. It's certainly a blessing and a curse though.

The security of an owned home. No flitting from house to house on the whims of a landlord.

Heating and cuddles!

The whole box set of Famous Five.

I only had four and the girl nextdoor had about the same. I'm jealous of my own children.

A healthy and live father.

Grandparents

If I'm being sentimental I'd say parents that love each other!

In terms of tech, god I don't know where to start, their childhoods are just completely different despite the fact we were young parents. I think the thing that would shock me most as a teen if you'd told me back then that my kids have, it would be sky in their bedrooms, to me that would be a level of luxury my brain couldn't comprehend in the 90s, it was a very big day in our house when we got Sky TV on our 24inch square tv!

But of course, they just use it for YouTube...

A messy home? 😁
My Mum's house has OCD levels of tidy(not being flippant she can't stop u til perfect) our house is not.

Private education, a swimming pool, braces when they needed them, extra curricular activities that didn’t have to be scrimped and saved for, I could go on. Essentially I grew up with lots of love which I am very grateful for but very little money and parents who were quite meek and accepted “their lot in life”. My kids have had an upbringing light years away from mine, I would have loved for my parents to have lived long enough to see that as it would have made them very happy.

Definitely the internet. I remember being at uni in the late 90s and everyone would be fighting for two textbooks in the library as we had to have it for our course and of course someone would always have it out. It was a nightmare and I ended up buying a whole load of text books I never used ever again.

Now, they can just look the studies up for essays online.

Also- texting. No more using the landline and stretching the cord as far as it would go to have a private conversation with your mates.

A non-judgemental supportive mother who is willing to tell her DC she loves them

Most of these aren't lighthearted 😬

Freedom to travel. I was born in the Soviet Union. Borders were closed, I first went abroad when i was a teenager. My DC have been all over the world.

TV on demand! DD finds it hard to understand we had 4 channels and had to watch children's TV when it was available and scheduled. Or on a video tape.

And before anyone comes at me - she doesn't watch TV excessively. But if she wants to watch something she can watch what she wants when she wants to.

A room of her own. I loved sharing with my sister and I hated sharing with my sister 😀

Foreign travel.

DD's childhood wasn't better than mine (mine was filled with love too), just different.

Lighthearted: skiing. I didn’t start until I was an adult and I absolutely love it, but have “the fear”…but my children go annually (sometimes twice a year), and I love watching the absolute joy it brings them.

Also, Harry Potter. It was published when I was a teen, so I did get the joy of getting hold of the copies as they were released, but I think I’d have loved it as a younger child.

Honestly , her dad ❤️

Getting to be a teen in a small city. They are often off with friends doing fun stuff lots of teens to befriend public transport. It’s pretty shit being a rural teen I have spared mine that!

Talent