Over-protective helicopter parents responsible for increased child obesity

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

i think the leading cause of childhood obesity is kids being fat......

i think there are lots of different underlying factors the biggest of which is kids not having access to woodworking equipment to create medevil battle swords and whatnot......

We didn't need civilization on the computer, we eventually evolved our game from swords to shooting each other with pellet and bb guns. So not only were the games fun, but educational as well.

[The Yen Man]

Considering how many more health concious people are these days than back in the 70's, 80's and 90's, I'll make a bold prediction that kids these days will grow up more aware of what they should eat and how they should exercise better than adults today. By the time they are adults, they'll be healthier than the adults now.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

This sounds like a convenient cover-up for lousy parenting. Kids are more out of shape because they spend 4-10 hours a day in front of the computer or TV set or playing video games, whereas in the past didn't have these things to distract them. I think there are many statistics that show violent crime is lower now than it was in the 80s or 90s.

so you never played Atari or colecovision? it is too easy to say it's all to that.

I wonder if there is anymore abductions now than the 50's/60's. I would suggest there is not. It's just that in the 60's or 70's or 80's when a child was abducted in Florida, for example, we did not hear about it within an hour here in Alberta. Now if a kid is missing there is an Amber alert and numerous news agencies reporting it. (i should say i think Amber Alert et al. is great, and i have no research or evidence to support my thoughts).

[undercoverbrother]

To address the topic, I make sure my kids spent time outside and often go out and play with them, they love it......neither my kids, my wife or I are fatties.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

I remember that my old man was just a freaking pack rat. One day he came home with a car full of wooden dowlings because they might come in handy one day.

So one summer day using the old table saw, and some hammers and nails we made an arsenal of swords out of these things then proceeded to have a medieval battle in a near by park where fingers were broken, people were stabbed in the sack (Only rule was that we weren't allowed to sharpen the end). One enterprising kid made a set of throwing knives which didn't stick in you but would pretty well knock you senseless.

When the old man got home every single dowling was gone, every kid in the neighbourhood was battered and bruised and limping, but he couldn't get mad when I described it as the best day ever.

He was kinda pissed that a bunch of pre teen kids were using his table saw without adult supervision though.

Yeah we used to do the same thing with hockey sticks. I once almost took out my younger brothers eye while using a cut-off golf flag as a sword (literally missed by millimetres). And if I'm not mistaken there is a sizable age-gap between you and I.

Its sounds grouchy to blame it on tech/video games but that's really what it is IMO. We never really had video games growing up until we were old enough to pay for the systems ourselves. And its not that our parents couldnt afford to buy us the stuff, they just didnt. And I'm glad they didnt. So many people waste their lives in front of these video games now, its pretty sad really. Kids want/need so much useless crap now. What use is a 12 year old getting from an iPhone? You want to keep in contact with your kid? Give them a crappy old cell.

Parents/kids from this p***y generation really GMG. So your kid breaks his arm, he'll know not to do it again. I once watched my friend stick his tongue on a frozen pole twice...in a row. After watching him I was too afraid to take mine off the frozen pole that I was licking. It hurt like a mother and I haven't done it since (we were 7 I think).

[pepper24]

I remember in grade 1 walking alone to catch the school bus no matter the weather. Now when I drive past a bus stop you see kids that are pushing 10 years old with parents waiting for them to catch the bus. If it's below zero there's a line of up idling cars that rival a Tim Horton's drive-thru. Don't want little Skylar getting frost bite. I have fond memories of snow balls fights or pulling girls hair while waiting for the bus. Now you'd probably get expelled for any of those harmless antics from a taddling parent.

The irony is that most of these parents who are walking/driving their kids to bus stop walked alone when they were kids.

[GGG]

What do kids do at recess these days? Doesn't that basically get you your 1 hour a day of physical activity. 2 fifteen minute recesses and 1/2 hr at lunch is 1 hour a day.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by GGG

What do kids do at recess these days? Doesn't that basically get you your 1 hour a day of physical activity. 2 fifteen minute recesses and 1/2 hr at lunch is 1 hour a day.

morning and afternoon recess 15 mins each and I believe it's 30 mins lunch (might be wrong) at least that's in sylvan.


our school is very active, my girl has done curling, inline skating, dance, have gym everyday in fact, they are currently swimming (it is on hold her, broken arm).

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by fotze

In pretty much every way, shape, form and measurable way, the good old days sucked worse than now. I never understood the longing for the bad old days. Not only is it a supremely depressing way to go through life, its a lie.

agreed!

Often those that wish for the old days, never lived in them.....

[Senator Clay Davis]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

so you never played Atari or colecovision? it is too easy to say it's all to that.

I wonder if there is anymore abductions now than the 50's/60's. I would suggest there is not. It's just that in the 60's or 70's or 80's when a child was abducted in Florida, for example, we did not hear about it within an hour here in Alberta. Now if a kid is missing there is an Amber alert and numerous news agencies reporting it. (i should say i think Amber Alert et al. is great, and i have no research or evidence to support my thoughts).

I probably should have elaborated more on my point, but while the number of distractions being larger now is a factor, it comes down to the parenting. You could have every distraction under the sun, but if the parents set a good example (i.e. not also spending hours watching TV etc..) and actually ensure their kids are being active, then distractions should be irrelavent.

Also, I'm too young for Atari, SNES would be my starting point.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

agreed!

Often those that wish for the old days, never lived in them.....

pfft the old days handled a lot of things significantly better.

If we wanted to talk to a friend we actually walked to their house, we didn't get rides, or sit around texting.

If we wanted to play a game, we made up games we didn't fire up a computer or xbox.

When we wanted to build a toy, we got a basic toy like the two avaialbe GI Joe action figures with the kung fu grip and then used lego or mechano to build a whole world around them.

We had a bullying problem, but it was taken care of internally we didn't run to teachers or post up face book videos of us crying. We knew we would probably get our a$$es kicked but you made sure you got your shots in.

We were outside all of the time, I think the only times when we were allowed to be inside on a weekend was when it was 30 below, or if you were sick.

I think our families communicated better because we didn't sit in seperate rooms with our own T.V.'s or computers.

If you did something stupid and got in trouble, your parents might defend you, but you learned your lesson afterwards. Our parents didn't justify some of the things that I read about today.

I think that my generation was way more self sufficient and tougher then the kids are nowdays. I also look at the people entering the workforce and the work ethic is entirely different.

[yads]

Originally Posted by pepper24

I remember in grade 1 walking alone to catch the school bus no matter the weather. Now when I drive past a bus stop you see kids that are pushing 10 years old with parents waiting for them to catch the bus. If it's below zero there's a line of up idling cars that rival a Tim Horton's drive-thru. Don't want little Skylar getting frost bite. I have fond memories of snow balls fights or pulling girls hair while waiting for the bus. Now you'd probably get expelled for any of those harmless antics from a taddling parent.

The irony is that most of these parents who are walking/driving their kids to bus stop walked alone when they were kids.

This also GMG.

[Regular_John]

Back in my day we walked 20 miles to school each day in -40! Uphill both ways! And we liked it! Now, to take the ferry cost a nickel, and in those days, nickels had pictures of bumblebees on 'em....

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by jaydorn

Back in my day we walked 20 miles to school each day in -40! Uphill both ways! And we liked it! Now, to take the ferry cost a nickel, and in those days, nickels had pictures of bumblebees on 'em....

And we liked pertatoes too.

Dennis Miller: Here with a commentary is a grumpy old man. Welcome Grumpy Old Man.
Grumpy Old Man: I'm old and I'm not happy. Everything today is improved and I don't like it. I hate it! In my day we didn't have hair dryers. If you wanted to blow dry your hair you stood outside during a hurricane. Your hair was dry but you had a sharp piece of wood driven clear through your skull and that's the way it was and you liked it! You loved it. Whoopee, I'm a human head-kabob. We didn't have Manoxidol and Hair Wings, in my day if your hair started falling out when you were 16 by 19 you were a bald freak. There was nothing you could do about it. Children would spit at you and nobody would mate with you so you couldn't pass on your disgusting baldness genes. You were a public menace, a crome dome by age 20 and that's the way it was and we liked it! We loved it. Hallelujiah look at me, I'm a bald freak oh happy day! Not like today, everybody feeling good about themselves. I hate it! In my day we didn't have these thin laytex condoms. So you could enjoy sexual pleasure. In my day there was only one kind of condom. You took a rabbit skin and wrapped around your privates and tied it off with a bungee cord and you couldn't feel nothing! And half the time you didn't even know your partner was there. And we used the same one over and over again! 'Cause we were ignorant morons! Just a bunch of hairless, head-kabobs standing around with rabbit skins on our dinks and that's the way we liked it!

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

pfft the old days handled a lot of things significantly better.

If we wanted to talk to a friend we actually walked to their house, we didn't get rides, or sit around texting.

If we wanted to play a game, we made up games we didn't fire up a computer or xbox.

When we wanted to build a toy, we got a basic toy like the two avaialbe GI Joe action figures with the kung fu grip and then used lego or mechano to build a whole world around them.

We had a bullying problem, but it was taken care of internally we didn't run to teachers or post up face book videos of us crying. We knew we would probably get our a$$es kicked but you made sure you got your shots in.

We were outside all of the time, I think the only times when we were allowed to be inside on a weekend was when it was 30 below, or if you were sick.

I think our families communicated better because we didn't sit in seperate rooms with our own T.V.'s or computers.

If you did something stupid and got in trouble, your parents might defend you, but you learned your lesson afterwards. Our parents didn't justify some of the things that I read about today.

I think that my generation was way more self sufficient and tougher then the kids are nowdays. I also look at the people entering the workforce and the work ethic is entirely different.

I grew up in the old days.

I raise my kids much the same as I was, minus the "hit first ask qustions later approach of my dad.

We have dinner at night as a family no TV.

I tell my kids if they get bullied to ask them to stop, if the bully doesn't then punch then in the face as hard as you can. Which as an aside, is what got my 6 yr old taken to the office. His buddy was getting bullied by a grade 3, he is kindergarten, he asked the bully to stop, the said no, he punched them squire in the face.

But to say the old days were better is wrong, in so many ways.

[MarchHare]

Originally Posted by pepper24

I remember in grade 1 walking alone to catch the school bus no matter the weather. Now when I drive past a bus stop you see kids that are pushing 10 years old with parents waiting for them to catch the bus. If it's below zero there's a line of up idling cars that rival a Tim Horton's drive-thru.

When I was four and five, I used to walk home from kindergarten with one of my friends everyday (this was when kindergarten was its own separate thing and not part of regular elementary school). It was about a 15 minute walk of 750m, and we were unsupervised the entire time. When we were a little bit older (age 8-12), we were allowed to bike 3km to our elementary school whenever the weather was nice. In both cases, we only had three rules to follow: go straight there/back without deviating from the route pre-defined by our parents, don't talk to strangers, and don't get into a car with anyone, even someone you know.

I can't imagine many people allowing their kids to do that now. Parents are so judgemental of other parents these days that anyone giving their children that kind of unsupervised freedom would be crucified by their peers for "child endangerment" or whatever nonsense.

[Ozy_Flame]

If this is the parents fault, then its a proxy blame. The real finger-pointing should be at the media, who continually create paranoia of predators, molestors, bullies and gangs with the same sell-stories that cripples people's perceptions and attitudes towards society. Additionally, most shows targeting kids have no educational value whatsoever, other than giving them first-hand experience at the wonders of flashing lights, bright colors and subliminal product placing.

Then, media sources have the audacity to say that kids are sitting in front of the TV and getting fat and lazy.

Parents can shove their kids into the backyard and make them as healthy as a green bean. But there's not much a parent can do if a kid is extremely impressionable at a young age; they're going to be influenced by family, friends, and the box they sit in front of for hours a day. And that's what they're going to come to expect as daily routine.

And on the extreme other side, creating an air gap (e.g. getting rid of the TV) isn't a productive matter either.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by pepper24

I remember in grade 1 walking alone to catch the school bus no matter the weather. Now when I drive past a bus stop you see kids that are pushing 10 years old with parents waiting for them to catch the bus. If it's below zero there's a line of up idling cars that rival a Tim Horton's drive-thru. Don't want little Skylar getting frost bite. I have fond memories of snow balls fights or pulling girls hair while waiting for the bus. Now you'd probably get expelled for any of those harmless antics from a taddling parent.

The irony is that most of these parents who are walking/driving their kids to bus stop walked alone when they were kids.

Walking to school for the first time by myself without my parents or a teacher was a huge deal, and I think looking back that the world got a whole lot bigger then. Suddenly you had lost the protection of your dad or mom or in my case your older sister who seriously was more likely to feed me to a bully then protect me.

But at the end of that first day when you got home and you were still alive and unbeaten you puffed out your chest a little bit, and your story at the dinner table of your day at school got a little taller.

How was your day at school?

It was great, some giant grade three kid tried to pick a fight with me and I totally beat him up and threw him through some guys fence.

[Daradon]

I think a bit of it does go to the new fear of the neighborhood and the outdoors.

I remember walking to school at 7 (and taking my younger sister with me), playing in the park or the backyard all day exploring every area of the neighbourhood, making new friends just by meeting kids doing the same things. Taking the family dog out. And bikes. Riding those all the time and everywhere. We didn't spend much time in at all.

This is not to say there weren't distractions indoors. Kids have always enjoyed TV. We had an Atari 2600 that I knew how to play from age 1 and I loved. My friends had Commodores and Apples. Later we got a Nintendo. But we had limits on how long we could do these things.

My mom didn't have a ton of time to spend with us, and dad was long gone, so it was up to us to make our own fun. And we did. We got scraped and bruised in the process but we had fun, stayed in shape and learned about ourselves and the world.

I can say from being with a few single moms that parents ARE afraid to let their kids walk to school alone or even to the closest park. Stranger danger is everywhere according to them. The stats don't show that but the media sure implies it. But more than that the parents get so excited and worried about every little scrape, every little bruise. I know parents never want to see their kids in pain, but pain is part of life and pain is learning. We're not talking about serious trauma here, we are talking about the splinters and bloody knuckles every kid should get to learn to be self-sufficient. It seems a lot of parents take these minor injuries WAY to seriously nowadays.

The parents not only keep them safe from others, they keep their kids safe from themselves. Keeping them away from activities and ideas our parents had no idea we were up to until it was too late.

A lot of what many have said here is true. Some of it is just lazy parenting. Some of it is added distractions. But to the same token, some if it is over concerned parenting.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Daradon

I think a bit of it does go to the new fear of the neighborhood and the outdoors.

I remember walking to school at 7 (and taking my younger sister with me), playing in the park or the backyard all day exploring every area of the neighbourhood, making new friends just by meeting kids doing the same things. Taking the family dog out. And bikes. Riding those all the time and everywhere. We didn't spend much time in at all.

This is not to say there weren't distractions indoors. Kids have always enjoyed TV. We had an Atari 2600 that I knew how to play from age 1 and I loved. My friends had Commodores and Apples. Later we got a Nintendo. But we had limits on how long we could do these things.

My mom didn't have a ton of time to spend with us, and dad was long gone, so it was up to us to make our own fun. And we did. We got scraped and bruised in the process but we had fun, stayed in shape and learned about ourselves and the world.

I can say from being with a few single moms that parents ARE afraid to let their kids walk to school alone or even to the closest park. Stranger danger is everywhere according to them. The stats don't show that but the media sure implies it. But more than that the parents get so excited and worried about every little scrape, every little bruise. I know parents never want to see their kids in pain, but pain is part of life and pain is learning. We're not talking about serious trauma here, we are talking about the splinters and bloody knuckles every kid should get to learn to be self-sufficient. It seems a lot of parents take these minor injuries WAY to seriously nowadays.

The parents not only keep them safe from others, they keep their kids safe from themselves. Keeping them away from activities and ideas our parents had no idea we were up to until it was too late.

A lot of what many have said here is true. Some of it is just lazy parenting. Some of it is added distractions. But to the same token, some if it is over concerned parenting.

In my day your first broken bone was a blessing and a curse. You'd have every girl in school signing your cast, and basically doing the whole mothering thing.

For your parents it was the opportunity to roll out the "That was stupid speech", followed by "I can't believe you would do something so stupid, if your buddies jumped off a bridge would you jump off too?"

It was really awesome if you broke a bone jumping off of a bridge on a dare.