My kids were born in the 70`s. I know it was a different world then...?

Question

I`m amazed how much very young children know about drink, drugs, etc . I`ve been told that its a necessity these days and that I`m out of touch with the real world. I understand that children need to be aware and as they reach teenage years maybe so, but I`m talking much younger than that. Maybe I just want kids to retain their innocence a little longer. What do you think?

Answer 1

I was born in the late fifties, so was a teenager in the 70's. I had an evening and weekend job, so at 14 had a little cash in my pocket.
Weekends we would go to the pub. The drinking laws were no different then, but provided you behaved, you could get a lager. It was apart of growing up and learning to socialise in a reasonable manner.
There was not the variety of drugs about, but you could still get hash and speed. Because we had earned our money, I'm sure this made a difference in attitude. We occasionally dabbled, but it was an occasion.
I think in some ways kids have more exposure to the adult world today, yet in others less responsibility.
We took it for granted that we had to do the washing, cooking or cleaning. If you wanted money you got a job after school. If you wanted records or something to play them on, you saved up for it.
It strikes me that teenagers are being made to grow up in a different way. By giving us adult tasks or responsibilities we grew up with a different bent on life. In some ways we were more worldly and less innocent. We might not have been so savvy about drugs, sex or alcholic cocktails, there was plenty of time for that later.
What we were savvy about was the other realities,
what things cost, how hard you had to work for something. If you got pregnant what effect it was going to have on your life, your economic circumstances and your social status.
How it would be if one of your parents walked out.
The things adults could do to kids.
There was no innocence as far as these things were concerned and far less niavity.
I think in a lot of ways we were more grown up.

Answer 2

Kids today are much more aware of everything than kids of the 70's were growing up (I was born in '73). The main reason is the prevalence of information. When my generation was growing up we didn't really have anything but TV and movies. Cable TV didn't become truly wide spread until the late 80's and early 90's, and we didn't have the internet. And we certainly didn't have cell phones and text messaging.

Besides the fact that fewer parents seem to be interested in sheltering their children, it is a much more difficult task now because there is just so much coming from so many different directions. Really what a parent needs to do is focus less on sheltering and more on providing facts so their children are better equipped to filter out fact from fiction.

Answer 3

I find it 'amazing' that you are talking about the 'difference' between when your KIDS were young to what kids are like today, and not about what kids were like when YOU were young in comparison with kids today. My oldest child was born in 1974, my youngest in 1987. You are 'correct' when you say kids today 'know more' about drink, drugs, and also about 'sex' ... but if you 'read the questions' in this forum, you'll realize that though they 'know more' about the 'big things' they are still extremely innocent about how to 'get along' and even 'how to fall in love.' Even Y!A is one of the 'differences' to that ... some people who are 'extremely ignorant' can come here to ask questions, and some who 'know far more about life' than many can come here to answer questions ... but think about that for awhile ... what did the 'ignorant' do BEFORE there was a Y!A or other place to 'ask questions' and get a 'good range' of answers? I really like the 'kids' of today ... but then I like them in the same way I liked my own kids when they were growing up ... not as 'kids' but as 'the adults they would be someday.' Try thinking about 'everything they need to learn' before then ... and then give your 'answers' with your heart and mind 'open' and perhaps the 'future' will be BETTER than the past could ever have been. Innocence isn't 'all it's cracked up to be' in the end.

Answer 4

Well I was told about drugs since elementary and I don't do drugs. But most teens if you ask them, and they're being honest will tell you they've at least tried them or that they enjoy drinking. I think you should make kids aware of the effects. I mean there are a lot of dumbasses that just don't get that drugs can really mess you up. Kids are never as innocent as people make them out to be and it's ridiculous to try to hold onto an idea or an era especially when it never existed.

Answer 5

I wanted my kids to retain their innocence for far longer then they did, but I had to weigh up that feeling against them finding out some other way. I live in an inner city environment that has it's fair share of crime and drug use. Far too many children around here are into and experiment with drugs and sex and a tragically young age, and as much as it upset me, I was determined that my children wouldn't become one of them. As it happens my eldest went on to take training in and become the school drugs advisor. It's unfortunate that this role is necessary, but it's a sign of the times afraid.

Answer 6

Yep -you are right!! Kids grow up a lot faster these days!!! However, I think that things like drink and drugs are a lot more accessible to kids these days so it's not really a bad thing that they know about it. It is up to RESPONSIBLE parents to inform their children about the facts and the dangers of these things. I was brought up with a healthy respect for such things and was allowed a little supervised alcohol (never drugs - I was told never to go near them!!) as a child. I think this was a good thing as I did not reach a certain age and think ' what all the fuss about!.
A think responsible parenting in these matters is the key to avoiding abuse later in life!!

Answer 7

I think it's sooo sad that kids are growing up so quickly. And it shouldn't be that way. I watched the neighborhood kids go from little tykes to teenagers. They are already having sex, doing drugs and drinking. I'm talking about 14 and 15 year olds! At 12, I was still playing with Barbies. My daughter was still playing with Barbies at 12. I don't think your out of touch at all. It's the grown ups that are letting these things happen. I see these kids dressing like hoochies at 10, having cell phones at 11, going on car dates at 13. Alot of kids are raising themselves and have way too much freedom. My kids had to let me know where they were going, who they were with, and had curfews. How many parents can say they have firm guidelines? Not many.

Answer 8

I've been raised with "awareness" and have done the same with my boys. BUT...there are certain subjects that need to be broached in broader spectrum at different times of their lives depending on their gender. Honestly, MEDIA is your biggest challenge! If your children are watching TV, listening to certain radio stations and relating to older siblings, riding on a school bus, sometimes THOSE are the areas of challenges you might try changing or altering first. When in doubt...do as the gut and heart say, you'll never look back! Good luck! Glad I have young adults now~! :-)

Answer 9

I agree with you. I keep my children as children. I do answer questions if I am asked but don't elaborate. I encourage playing outside and using the imagination! Its an uphill struggle but as my son gets older, I realise I have to be an old fox to keep up with him. My daughter is only 3 but I wont be allowing makeup and such like for a long, long time. No earrings, no daft clothes. She will get enough of that in later life!

Answer 10

Schools do educate kids on drugs and alcohol, I was at a college today where they have different tables for the new school levers to go to, to find out information. Inc chlamydia tests if you want to find out if you have it or not. This is the honest truth. I was there talking about road safety and drink driving.