What Entertainment Is Available For Our Young Today

[Meerkat]

I was wondering what they have to do today for fun and leisure.

I know we had skating rinks, Drive Ins Movies , teen dances, swimming in lakes , the beach, and sports, local bands, water sports, fishing , drag racing ,hunting,etc..

Now its violent movies, Iphones, Drugs, etc..
Hubby and I taught our kids and most grandkids to skate when they were barely walking, fishing, swimming, local sports,skin diving, snorkling.
So how do we keep our kids using energy and staying fit and heathy entertainment in todays world?

Parents need to figure out a way to save this generation from bordom and idle minds.If an idle mind is the devils workshop then the Devil has a lot of little factories going up.

 

[Sourdough]

Get an old-old-old Boyscout handbook. Start teaching the basics. Plus it is great fun for youth and adult.

 

[Sentry18]

I have 7 kids and have never had an issue keeping their minds & bodies active. They are engaged in sports, martial arts, dance, choir, theater, church youth groups, bible school, board games, puzzles, biking, hiking, school, play dates, sleep overs, camping, fishing (blech), shooting, hunting, chores, going to park, swimming, water park, lemonade stands, part time jobs, etc. There are also hundreds of things to do online and on gaming consoles that are positive in nature, ditto that with televisions and movies. In fact my kids have WAY more opportunities and activities available to them than I ever did. We have city parks that I would have considered amusement parks in my childhood.

In order to have an idle mind today you would have to work really hard to ignore everything around you. And for the record there was plenty of alcohol, drugs, crime, violence, hate, and sex 'back in the day' too. People chose those things for the same reasons in 1940 that they did in 2019 and every year in between. Raise you children right, pray over them, set a living example for them to follow, guide them but allow them to fail or succeed on their own, teach them coping skills, and teach them accountability. After that it's up to them. They have free will and no matter what we do as parents, they will exercise it as they see fit.

 

[Meerkat]

Get an old-old-old Boyscout handbook. Start teaching the basics. Plus it is great fun for youth and adult.

SourD.thats a good idea.

 

[Meerkat]

I have 7 kids and have never had an issue keeping their minds & bodies active. They are engaged in sports, martial arts, dance, choir, theater, church youth groups, bible school, board games, puzzles, biking, hiking, school, play dates, sleep overs, camping, fishing (blech), shooting, hunting, chores, going to park, swimming, water park, lemonade stands, part time jobs, etc. There are also hundreds of things to do online and on gaming consoles that are positive in nature, ditto that with televisions and movies. In fact my kids have WAY more opportunities and activities available to them than I ever did. We have city parks that I would have considered amusement parks in my childhood.

In order to have an idle mind today you would have to work really hard to ignore everything around you. And for the record there was plenty of alcohol, drugs, crime, violence, hate, and sex 'back in the day' too. People chose those things for the same reasons in 1940 that they did in 2019 and every year in between. Raise you children right, pray over them, set a living example for them to follow, guide them but allow them to fail or succeed on their own, teach them coping skills, and teach them accountability. After that it's up to them. They have free will and no matter what we do as parents, they will exercise it as they see fit.

Sentry although we did have problems " back in the day " we had more more morals and disipline up till the late 60s. Homosexuals were still in the closets instead of libraries shaking their junk in cildrens faces while the idiot parents applauded it. The men would have put a scretching halt to that in my day before the socialist led revolutionist came along.
We had plenty of good paying blue colar jobs that went to Americans. We also had respectable black American families whos fathers for the most part were still at home. Most of our crime was for drag racing or drunking 'driving,fighting, but no ghettos killing each other or drive bys to speak of. Most got marrried before they had kids or at least before the child was born [ shotgun weddings ]. We didn't have millions of abortions , or drug problems.

I think you have a good family like most of my parents generation had and that is surely commendable. But your life is not typical real life in this failing nation
now ruled by cartels, communist and perverts.
This genration is the fist one in American history to be less healthy than their parents.
Racistpolitics ruined sports in many ways.
Don't try to deny it either because you can't . Unless you can say that minorities are only 12% of population but 80 or more % of athelets.. Or say Tiger Woods is the a great golfer because he is so ' strong and fast on his feet'.

 

[Sentry18]

I think you overestimate the troubles in the world today and vastly undersell the problems of the past. Which is of course what every generation does, claiming the next generation is out of control while they lived in Mayberry USA. I am 3rd generation law enforcement, I have shared stories with the prior 2 generations and all of our stories are essentially the same. The only glaring difference is how far we were allowed to go to handle those problems. Pedophilia, rape, random crime, spousal abuse, drug abuse, alcoholism, etc., etc., etc., etc were just as prevalent in 1966 when Dad put on his badge as they were in 1944 when Grandpa put on his. There just wasn't any internet or mass media to sounds the trumpets every time something happens and people scouring the news so they can be even more upset at the world.

But your life is not typical real life in this failing nation

I couldn't disagree more. I have siblings, their families are all doing very well. My wife has siblings, their families are all doing well. We have friends all over the Midwest whose families are doing well. We attend a church full of hard working American families who are doing well. In the words of Rob Schneider "If you turn off the news and just talk to your neighbors you'll find that our great country is far more harmonious than you're being told." The same is true for how blessed we are.

 

[Meerkat]

I think you overestimate the troubles in the world today and vastly undersell the problems of the past. Which is of course what every generation does, claiming the next generation is out of control while they lived in Mayberry USA. I am 3rd generation law enforcement, I have shared stories with the prior 2 generations and all of our stories are essentially the same. The only glaring difference is how far we were allowed to go to handle those problems. Pedophilia, rape, random crime, spousal abuse, drug abuse, alcoholism, etc., etc., etc., etc were just as prevalent in 1966 when Dad put on his badge as they were in 1944 when Grandpa put on his. There just wasn't any internet or mass media to sounds the trumpets every time something happens and people scouring the news so they can be even more upset at the world.




I couldn't disagree more. I have siblings, their families are all doing very well. My wife has siblings, their families are all doing well. We have friends all over the Midwest whose families are doing well. We attend a church full of hard working American families who are doing well. In the words of Rob Schneider "If you turn off the news and just talk to your neighbors you'll find that our great country is far more harmonious than you're being told." The same is true for how blessed we are.

I think you overestimate the troubles in the world today and vastly undersell the problems of the past. Which is of course what every generation does, claiming the next generation is out of control while they lived in Mayberry USA. I am 3rd generation law enforcement, I have shared stories with the prior 2 generations and all of our stories are essentially the same. The only glaring difference is how far we were allowed to go to handle those problems. Pedophilia, rape, random crime, spousal abuse, drug abuse, alcoholism, etc., etc., etc., etc were just as prevalent in 1966 when Dad put on his badge as they were in 1944 when Grandpa put on his. There just wasn't any internet or mass media to sounds the trumpets every time something happens and people scouring the news so they can be even more upset at the world.




I couldn't disagree more. I have siblings, their families are all doing very well. My wife has siblings, their families are all doing well. We have friends all over the Midwest whose families are doing well. We attend a church full of hard working American families who are doing well. In the words of Rob Schneider "If you turn off the news and just talk to your neighbors you'll find that our great country is far more harmonious than you're being told." The same is true for how blessed we are.

I just wanted to know what the aveage youth today besides texting, druging or getting into trouble.

 

[SheepDog]

The world hasn't changed in the last 100 years so it is all out there. All we need to do as parents is get the kids involved and then nature takes over.

 

[Meerkat]

The world hasn't changed in the last 100 years so it is all out there. All we need to do as parents is get the kids involved and then nature takes over.

I must be living in the Twilight Zone then. But thats ok though I'm dealing with it.

 

[Bacpacker]

I don't have kids, so my take may be way off base. Forgive me if it is. But what I see is this. Parents (both of them) who spend time with their kids teaching them and doing things with them more often than not raise kids who grow up to be viable adults. But some of them still get in trouble.
But IMHO kids who's parents pay no attention to them, espically single parent ones, who allow the kids to raise themselves are much more likely to get in trouble. There are lots of kids I know from early teens to early 30's that were well raised and do very good for themselves. Well mannered, hard working, folks I wouldn't mind counting on if chips were down. Also know others that can't stay out of trouble to save their life.
I do think when welfare kicked off in the 60's it caused a split in family life, many more single parent families and now generations later things are going down hill. Many have no idea of what work means, nor the benefits from it. All they've ever know if something being handed to them, or just take what they want. It is a learned condition.

 

[Meerkat]

I don't have kids, so my take may be way off base. Forgive me if it is. But what I see is this. Parents (both of them) who spend time with their kids teaching them and doing things with them more often than not raise kids who grow up to be viable adults. But some of them still get in trouble.
But IMHO kids who's parents pay no attention to them, espically single parent ones, who allow the kids to raise themselves are much more likely to get in trouble. There are lots of kids I know from early teens to early 30's that were well raised and do very good for themselves. Well mannered, hard working, folks I wouldn't mind counting on if chips were down. Also know others that can't stay out of trouble to save their life.
I do think when welfare kicked off in the 60's it caused a split in family life, many more single parent families and now generations later things are going down hill. Many have no idea of what work means, nor the benefits from it. All they've ever know if something being handed to them, or just take what they want. It is a learned condition.

BacPc welfare basically turned us into a socialist nation and I agree about the welfare splitting family.

May not have kids but you seem to be right about them and how to raise them. my youngest grand son almost 15 was told by his dad that he will be going to gym with him everyday. He leaves at 3am. Then work some days. I told daughter yesterday put him back into martial arts. She found out they are backyard fighting so he is in trouble now.

 

[LadyLocust]

I would say a few things have changed in the past 40-50 yrs though Bac is also right in what he said, and Sentry too for that matter. What has changed is that parents have fewer rights than children. A child "claims" abuse of any sort and the parent is guilty until proven innocent. The thought that a tweenager would lie doesn't even enter the equation. Kids know this and use it. I don't believe in abuse, but a swat on the backside is not abuse. The fact that we might damage their self esteem is now considered abuse (when I was a mandatory reporter, shaming a child was to be reported.) The other thing is they aren't allowed to work let alone be overworked (some cases in the past.) And finally, it appears to me that families are child centered rather than parent centered. What I mean by that is that when I was a kid, if we wanted to do something, it had to work for our parents whether it was going to a friend's house or playing sports. It wasn't just me, many of my school mates as well. Now it seems parents lives revolve around the activities of the child. I think children used to be raised to become adults and began trying to become more adult-like from a young age (not that they didn't play etc.). Now it's as though adults want to be children and kids are being raised to become larger children. As to entertaining them? I say quit entertaining them. That's what they have - constant entertainment. Take away their electronics and kick them outside to use their imaginations.
Mean no offense- just my opinion and I'm far from perfect!

 

[Meerkat]

I would say a few things have changed in the past 40-50 yrs though Bac is also right in what he said, and Sentry too for that matter. What has changed is that parents have fewer rights than children. A child "claims" abuse of any sort and the parent is guilty until proven innocent. The thought that a tweenager would lie doesn't even enter the equation. Kids know this and use it. I don't believe in abuse, but a swat on the backside is not abuse. The fact that we might damage their self esteem is now considered abuse (when I was a mandatory reporter, shaming a child was to be reported.) The other thing is they aren't allowed to work let alone be overworked (some cases in the past.) And finally, it appears to me that families are child centered rather than parent centered. What I mean by that is that when I was a kid, if we wanted to do something, it had to work for our parents whether it was going to a friend's house or playing sports. It wasn't just me, many of my school mates as well. Now it seems parents lives revolve around the activities of the child. I think children used to be raised to become adults and began trying to become more adult-like from a young age (not that they didn't play etc.). Now it's as though adults want to be children and kids are being raised to become larger children. As to entertaining them? I say quit entertaining them. That's what they have - constant entertainment. Take away their electronics and kick them outside to use their imaginations.
Mean no offense- just my opinion and I'm far from perfect!

LadtL I'll get back to this tomorrow right now vision is worse as it gets later. I think we all agree to a certain extent.

 

[Haertig]

My kids hobbies and work:

Kid #1: Ice hockey, shooting (including lots of tactical training), motorcycling, working out, photography, video games; job is 10-12 hours per day, six days a week

Kid #2: Rock climbing, scuba diving, hiking, bicycling, camping, medieval fencing, gardening, cooking, painting, drawing, arts & crafts; starting new job which is full time ocean scuba diving

I could have ended up with a lot worse. I am very proud of both. Compared to them, I look like a total slug: Retired, play classical piano, shooting (long range precision mostly), reading, taking care of my elderly mom, computer programming, hanging out on the internet too much

 

[Meerkat]

I would say a few things have changed in the past 40-50 yrs though Bac is also right in what he said, and Sentry too for that matter. What has changed is that parents have fewer rights than children. A child "claims" abuse of any sort and the parent is guilty until proven innocent. The thought that a tweenager would lie doesn't even enter the equation. Kids know this and use it. I don't believe in abuse, but a swat on the backside is not abuse. The fact that we might damage their self esteem is now considered abuse (when I was a mandatory reporter, shaming a child was to be reported.) The other thing is they aren't allowed to work let alone be overworked (some cases in the past.) And finally, it appears to me that families are child centered rather than parent centered. What I mean by that is that when I was a kid, if we wanted to do something, it had to work for our parents whether it was going to a friend's house or playing sports. It wasn't just me, many of my school mates as well. Now it seems parents lives revolve around the activities of the child. I think children used to be raised to become adults and began trying to become more adult-like from a young age (not that they didn't play etc.). Now it's as though adults want to be children and kids are being raised to become larger children. As to entertaining them? I say quit entertaining them. That's what they have - constant entertainment. Take away their electronics and kick them outside to use their imaginations.
Mean no offense- just my opinion and I'm far from perfect!

LadyL and others Kids do rule even in movies and tv adds the kid is always wiser than the idiot male parent. But like you say thats the parents and society fault.

But the entertainment they have today is not good for them like it use to be, we always had something to do atheletic outside . Now most kids are obese, unhealthy and tech addicts.
Most parents work and don't have the time or money to put kids into all these programs.
I think its great that some kids can be invovled in every sport, school program and special training but thats not common even in a productive nation.
Far as the ocean sports which I love, that is not doing too well these days. Most of the reefs are dying and the waters are turning toxic in many places. A string of islands in the Pacific still fairly safe and reefs are not dead yet.
If I was still young hubby and I would be part time living on a catamaran sailing.or RVing.
A lot of kids grew up to be very succesful adults who did mundane things like roller skating, hunting, playing in the woods, going to the drive in and simple things like that.
These same kids grew into men that built the greatest nation on earth, made it possible for the over achivers to have the kind of national economy and lifestyle and privilege that some of your kids enjoy today, so give them a big thumbs up for that.
I wanted this thread to be about thingsfor the 'average ' kid to get involved in for entertinment and ' childhood' enjoyment in these trying times.

In case some haven't noticed the middle class in shrinking and most our factories, tech, medical professions ETC,ETC,ETC, are going to foreign students many we pay and train here for the jobs.
Seen many born in America doctors lately Mr perfect parents? .

 

[LadyLocust]

Sorry the thread kinda went sideways from what you intended. As far as things to do, 4H is still a thing. There are subjects that even kids in cities can do (not just critters) : woodworking, cake decorating, bow & arrow clubs, sewing etc. It is still organized. Many schools offer these things as electives but they are taken for granted and with 30+ kids in a class makes it difficult. In 4H (from what I know) such groups would be small and there would be a relationship with the leader and mutual interest w/ the other kids. Then the "celebration" of county fair. But it really boils down to relationships: friends, mentors, teachers, family (not in this order of course.) It is interesting to me that the main things gangs provide are inclusion and boundaries/rules. Those are 2 things that used to be found at home first. Maybe we're looking at the wrong end of the stick. Maybe they just need a friend who says "Let's get a board and play Huck Finn in the ditch" or "I'll race you to that tree." This probably isn't what you were after either - sorry I don't have any great answers???

 

[Meerkat]

Sorry the thread kinda went sideways from what you intended. As far as things to do, 4H is still a thing. There are subjects that even kids in cities can do (not just critters) : woodworking, cake decorating, bow & arrow clubs, sewing etc. It is still organized. Many schools offer these things as electives but they are taken for granted and with 30+ kids in a class makes it difficult. In 4H (from what I know) such groups would be small and there would be a relationship with the leader and mutual interest w/ the other kids. Then the "celebration" of county fair. But it really boils down to relationships: friends, mentors, teachers, family (not in this order of course.) It is interesting to me that the main things gangs provide are inclusion and boundaries/rules. Those are 2 things that used to be found at home first. Maybe we're looking at the wrong end of the stick. Maybe they just need a friend who says "Let's get a board and play Huck Finn in the ditch" or "I'll race you to that tree." This probably isn't what you were after either - sorry I don't have any great answers???

LdyL your fine I'm the serial ' off topic ' poster here. Its hard not to go off on these discussions, .

Gangs are why my youngest grandson is home schooled now . Schools are not what they use to be at all anymore.
The nation has gone to hell in a bread basket and people want to blame others when it seems to be just fate or something.. Going to any organization Boy Scouts or 4 H is questionable now.

 

[LadyLocust]

As of about 7 years ago, the rate of homeschooling had risen for the past three years at 10%, then 17%, the 22%. I might be off slightly on the numbers as I'm going on memory but it was growing rapidly- understandably. In a neighboring town, they have hired in the elementary schools, one person per grade to handle the children who are so violent they can't be in class. I think I've said elsewhere, I certainly don't believe in abuse and I don't like seeing children ill, but at what point do you paddle their bottoms and send them back to class?

 

[Morgan101]

I will go out on a limb here. I agree that the schools are upside down, but a good part of that is because the courts have sided with the parents, and the schools are terrified of being sued. To me this begs the argument for school choice. Let parents decide where their child goes to school. If your school is full of gangs and thugs who bully other children then nobody will go there. Good students will go to a school where they can learn, and get an education without fear of losing their lunch money or their new shoes. Private schools would thrive.

This thread has gone a little sideways. The entertainment we had as kids is still available today. I can't think of one thing we did as kids that couldn't be done today. The one thing that has changed, and not for the better is supervision. When we were kids you never thought twice about abduction or sexual predation. You knew not to talk to strangers, but it didn't seem to happen. We played all over the place, and nobody ever worried about it. Today I wouldn't let my kids out of my sight. If they want to go to the park? Fine, I will take you. Would you let your kids go play in the woods? I don't know that I would.

 

[Sentry18]

I will go out on a limb here. I agree that the schools are upside down, but a good part of that is because the courts have sided with the parents, and the schools are terrified of being sued. To me this begs the argument for school choice. Let parents decide where their child goes to school. If your school is full of gangs and thugs who bully other children then nobody will go there. Good students will go to a school where they can learn, and get an education without fear of losing their lunch money or their new shoes. Private schools would thrive.

This thread has gone a little sideways. The entertainment we had as kids is still available today. I can't think of one thing we did as kids that couldn't be done today. The one thing that has changed, and not for the better is supervision. When we were kids you never thought twice about abduction or sexual predation. You knew not to talk to strangers, but it didn't seem to happen. We played all over the place, and nobody ever worried about it. Today I wouldn't let my kids out of my sight. If they want to go to the park? Fine, I will take you. Would you let your kids go play in the woods? I don't know that I would.

Quoted for truth.

A study came out a year or so ago comparing things you were allowed to do at age 10 versus things you would let your children do at age 10. It was very interesting.

 

[LadyLocust]

@Meerkat It might not be what you were after, but this has become a very thought provoking thread. After posting last evening, I continued to think about this. What I concluded is that children need purpose as much as adults. If they are told sit down & be quiet - read or play video games as long as they aren't "bothering" adults, but aren't allowed to be productive in any way, what sense of purpose do they have? The same for adults who receive payment for doing nothing (welfare.) Rather than just entertainment, it might be even more inclusive - just tasks. I remember snappin' beans with my aunt and Gma. It wasn't difficult, but it needed to be done. We talked and laughed while we "worked." Same thing peeling spuds for dinner, mowing the lawn, washing the car. They are all tasks that for a large part have been "taken away" from us unless we claim them. Just eat out, lawn-care is hired out, drive through the carwash. So many of the things that have been sold to us as convenience are really thieves of our well-being.

Also - totally agree w/ @Morgan101 and @Sentry18 Public school is one option. There are other options. Last I heard private schools and charter schools are on the rise. My degree is in education, and I spent 12+ years in the field until Obama's influence forced me away. What is happening in public schools is not education. So many of the best teachers I know have retired (early or ASAP) due to this.

 

[Meerkat]

I will go out on a limb here. I agree that the schools are upside down, but a good part of that is because the courts have sided with the parents, and the schools are terrified of being sued. To me this begs the argument for school choice. Let parents decide where their child goes to school. If your school is full of gangs and thugs who bully other children then nobody will go there. Good students will go to a school where they can learn, and get an education without fear of losing their lunch money or their new shoes. Private schools would thrive.

This thread has gone a little sideways. The entertainment we had as kids is still available today. I can't think of one thing we did as kids that couldn't be done today. The one thing that has changed, and not for the better is supervision. When we were kids you never thought twice about abduction or sexual predation. You knew not to talk to strangers, but it didn't seem to happen. We played all over the place, and nobody ever worried about it. Today I wouldn't let my kids out of my sight. If they want to go to the park? Fine, I will take you. Would you let your kids go play in the woods? I don't know that I would.

Morgan I agree with this but many places are now controlled by leftest. Including private schools,it seems they knew what our next step was to keep our youth away from their agendas and were ready for it. Grandsons parents had him in expensive private school [ the south is now basically ruled by liberals ]. They paid big money for the kid to bring home HOURS of HOMEWORK each night, in other words making parents do the schooling.

Lets not forget the bussing that started back in the early 1970s to infiltrate and DIVERSITY all schools with the poor.
Kids living in multi million dollar properties now go to school with illegal gang bangers.
Mostly happening in the south but it is coming to a town near all of us, it is on the way so don't feel too secure yet ' Morgan not being wise to you or anyone here'' .

 

[Morgan101]

We have been fortunate that we have a plethora of very good private schools in all denominations. If a student causes trouble they are told not to come back. End of story. The rest of the class is not disrupted by one bad apple. Yes, they lean much farther left than I would like to see, but they are light years better than the public schools. We still have friends that teach, and it defies imagination what they have to put up with. Much of which falls back on schools not wanting to get sued.

It is a sad state of affairs. I completely agree. I keep hoping the pendulum will swing back the other way, but I don't see it happening in my lifetime.

 

[Meerkat]

@Meerkat It might not be what you were after, but this has become a very thought provoking thread. After posting last evening, I continued to think about this. What I concluded is that children need purpose as much as adults. If they are told sit down & be quiet - read or play video games as long as they aren't "bothering" adults, but aren't allowed to be productive in any way, what sense of purpose do they have? The same for adults who receive payment for doing nothing (welfare.) Rather than just entertainment, it might be even more inclusive - just tasks. I remember snappin' beans with my aunt and Gma. It wasn't difficult, but it needed to be done. We talked and laughed while we "worked." Same thing peeling spuds for dinner, mowing the lawn, washing the car. They are all tasks that for a large part have been "taken away" from us unless we claim them. Just eat out, lawn-care is hired out, drive through the carwash. So many of the things that have been sold to us as convenience are really thieves of our well-being.

Also - totally agree w/ @Morgan101 and @Sentry18 Public school is one option. There are other options. Last I heard private schools and charter schools are on the rise. My degree is in education, and I spent 12+ years in the field until Obama's influence forced me away. What is happening in public schools is not education. So many of the best teachers I know have retired (early or ASAP) due to this.

I agree LadyL and all on this thread in some respects. I do feel sory for our teachers who do try to teach instead of indoctrinate :green man:..Must be very frustrating in some areas of our nation espcially.
Look at this man go to jail while so called man in grey shirt defends sicko's. And the so called parents in this video tha just sits there instead of protesting the illegal arrest of this man.



Our DOE has also been infiltrated for several deacdes now. Who would think we'd be teaching 6 yr olds about sex or having two same sex parents.Boys competing in womens sports and lies about history that silences and controls any white kids speeech [ unless its about what a piece of trash their race is ] rights. Teaching minorities to hate Europeans ' espcially straght white males' and their culture.