Does the world today make you worry more about your kids

[mamadadawahwah]

Things arent the same as they used to be. Are you scared?

have you heard of Paranoid Parenting by Frank Furedi? fascinating read.

Well no they aren't the same. My children won't be sent up chimneys or to the workhouse if dh and I can't work. They won't be likely to die of diptheria or scarlet fever, and if they get cancer, they will be treated and are very likely to survive. They won't see public hangings in the street, and won't be hanged themselves. If I have a daughter who gets pregnant out of wedlock, she won't be sent away in shame and have her baby taken away to be adopted - or have to face a backstreet abortionist. I wonder when this mythical golden age was supposed to be, to be honest. There is no era that I would go back to, and only partly because up to date scanning and caesarian section made it possible for both myself and my son to be alive today.

Thanks bundle, I was trying to remember that book (read an extract in the paper a while back).

I worry about drugs. And that's about it.

Is Frank Furedi DH of Ann Furedi (BPAS)?

Yes, I agree with flashingnose. My worry is also drugs. I know they'll be offered them, that many of their friends will take them etc. Will they make wise decision.

excellent post Aloha - really puts it all into perspective. Paedophilia and all the other things that are constantly in the news have always been about it's just that the media makes us all far more aware of it imo

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I honestly don't know what you mean by 'things aren't the same as they used to be'. What kind of things? I think perhaps that the media is making you worry about your kids. Aloha's post is a good one.

We also don't have to worry that our husbands/fathers/brothers will be sent off to war and never return. Or that we won't be able to feed our children or find them clean water. Or that is we can't breastfeed then our babies will die.

I do worry that with all these alcopops she'll never appreciate a decent malt whiskey... but she's only 2.

Actually, I think an awareness of child abuse is a bloody good thing.

And drugs have been around forever, haven't they? I had a pretty protected adolescent but I was offered my first joint at the age of 15, which was back in 1978.

yes, mi but they seem to be far more easier to get hold of and are everywhere. I guess the difference now is that i know they will be offered rather than might.

Do drugs worry you more than alcohol? What drugs do you worry about?

The only thing I really think I will worry about more than my parents did is traffic, there is a lot more of it about than 30 years ago (and I grew up in a really rural area anyway). Other than that, I don't actually believe that we live in "evil" times - as vict17 said, we are just more aware of some dangers because we have more extensive media coverage than ever before. And maybe that is good in some ways as it makes us more cautious, but I tend to think it makes us over-cautious too often and we protect against the tiny risk to the detriment of normal happy activities for our children.

That's not to say I won't worry about my children probably constantly as they are growing up, but that's the deal, isn't it??

Yes, more than alcohol. Not specific drugs, the point that they may take them doesnt worry me as I know I cant stop them but I hope they will be wise about such things iykwim.

Hmmmmm. I'm sure I'll feel differently in 10 years' time but quite frankly I'm more concerned about tobacco than anything else, because it's such a very nasty and lethal drug.

I think it's sad that because we are all so aware of the dangers children aren't allowed the freedom we were used to when crime really hasn't increased. For example how many of us remember walking to school on our own or with a group of same-age friends, or playing in the street? And how many of us would let our children do that now? I think that's sad but obviously we don't have any choice iyswim

actually, yesm MI, at least drug use may be an occasional thing but if they smoke that will be a far more regular occurence.

I also think drugs education is relatively sophisticated these days. Compared to what we got, anyway. Ditto sex education.

We got no drugs education and only the O level biology type of sex education until 6th form. By which time plenty of people knew more about both than the teachers who were roped in to talk to us about it.

And faced with a choice between an alcopops habit or the odd joint - I would feel happer with the latter. But, as mi points out - may feel different in 10 years time.

Yes, I don't like alcopops

Actually, you are probably all right. I'd probably be ashamed if a child of mine drank alcopops! At least you can hold your head up if it's a joint

lol hercules

I have to admit I can see myself in 12 - please make it 12 - years' time stomping into a smoke filled room, removing a spliff or two from the assembled teenagers, and saying firmly, 'No tobacco in this house, young lady.'

MI I can imagine myself presenting dd with a nice bottle of chardonnay for her 12th birthday and telling her the glories of developing a palate for proper alcohol...

My teenage friends drink nothing but alcopops - even the BOYS use bottles with STRAWS FFS - I mean how is THAT manly? I'd rather have them downing 12 pints of lager than one bottle of that crap.