General Chat

So what do you think should be done to try and make life like it used to be?

Daniel, my childhood here in N.Ireland seems to mirror that of those "across the water". Born in the mid 50's my memories of childhood are quite happy ones, and a feeling of security. Then the extended family was still going strong, aunties uncles grandparents cousins, always knowing there were people about who were part of your family. People now live further apart from their families. Also as others have mentioned neighbours and adults played a great part in every day life. When we played out, it was in the street, always someone was watching, someones Mum to tell you off, or watch out for you. You seemed safe, going to school the older boys and girls walked the younger ones to and fro. A little older and you went over the field and river, collected flowers in spring. But then childhood seemed to have stages, old enough to play in the garden, older to play in street, then allowed to go to park, or when 10/11 to go for a walk with a bottle of water and jam sandwiches. The walk would have been for several miles. You wre allowed to be a child - now I feel children are bombarded with all sorts encouraging them to grow up, be minature adults, sad really.

I grew up in the 70's & 80's. I liked the 70's better as it seemed a lot slower and relaxed, the 80's was more frantic, and it was the beginning of the 'look after no.1 and never mind the rest' type attitude. I feel my own daughter, aged 2, has already got more toys than I had in my entire life- but she does get bored with them quickly- I think someone earlier said it- children now are bombarded with information from an early age and are over- stimulated. We are better off financially than my parents were, but it also brings a competitive and 'one-upmanship' type attitude, which I have noticed often in the parents of my daughters little friends. I hope she will have a happy childhood and grow up into a lovley person, but I fear the world with drugs, paedophiles and so , so much pressure to always be the best.

I was born in 1961 and can identify with a lot of what Elaine (in Harlow) says. I had a happy, but quiet and unremarkable childhood! I'm sure I had more freedom than a lot of children today, we would disappear for hours on innocent pursuits, picking blackberries, paddling in streams, looking for slow-worms...Nobody worried and you would always get fed or patched up by a 'Mum'! Yes, we were less materialistic, but there were less things to buy! I used to be thrilled by the prospect of babysitting for our neighbours because they had a colour telly! We never went abroad, spent great hols in Britain and we used to have big family outings to the seaside and New Forest. I remember Dad taking me to see 'Trooping the Colour' one year which was a real treat!

Daniel, You want to know what changes should be made here's my list 1. Stop meddling from the EU and have the courage to make our own laws and rules. 2. Let Teachers teach. 3. Let Police -police. 4.Stop mollycoddling criminals and prisoners and be tougher on them. 5.Bring back Domestic science and boys things like woodwork etc into schools ,not many of us liked it but it gave us the basics. 6.bring back national service i haven't heard any complaints from people who did it. Chrissy.x

Hi Daniel - havent read all the threads, but would like to add my two-pennyworth (there, that's an indication of the times when I was a kid) Two-pennyworth of toffees! for the benefit of those who dont remember pennies, they were huge bronze coins that weighed a ton, but boy could you get some stuff for 2d! My childhood was safe and loving, but at the time of course I didnt realise that. I just thought that all kids had parents as wonderful as mine - my dad worked as a miner (underground, shift work) to feed and clothe his kids (3 of us) and my mum worked in the pit canteen (again shifts) to help with the budget. I knew that my mother walked to work each morning at 5.00 am summer and winter, along a very dark canal bank to get to the pit head, but of course it never registered until I was much older just how much at risk she might have been. What a gutsy lady - I just wish I had half her bottle! Summer holidays from school were spent out and about with a bottle of water (pop if we were in the money) and great door-steps of bread. Off at the crack of dawn, and not back until it got dark. None of us kids in the village were I lived came to any harm, we all looked after one another, and our parents knew we would come to no harm (at least from other human beings!) I do despair nowadays at the difference in society, and only the other day (after walking through the town I now live in at lunch time) I was struck by the ungraciousness of people (mostly youngsters I might add) - how impolite, arrogant, uncaring and downright "ugly" they seemed to me - I say "ugly" as I do not really know how to describe most of them, not so much their features, but their attitudes and bodily characteristics- I did think then (in a weak moment of despair) of what society is coming to - hey,it will pass no doubt and I think I hear echoes of my grannie! Jacqui

I was born 1967 the year after Elaine. and I agree with everything she said. We had black and white telly until about aged 11, I came home from school sat down right in front of it, my mum watched me for half an hour then said havnt you noticed yet but we have a colour telly. I couldnt believe it. It was such good fun in those days, and there wasnt any theme parks and kids fancy indoor playgrounds and no fancy swimming pools. It was just a simple everyday life that everyone enjoyed.

Does anyone think apprentiships would make a diffrence?

I do certainly - but I am talking about the old fashioned type of apprenticeship, where the youngsters learned a trade from a fully qualified craftsman - they worked for peanuts from 15 until 21 and then when they had learned their craft and had reached a certain level, they went on to a man's wage. Unfortunatly of course today there are few master craftsmen to pass on their trade, and the level of craftsmanship is sadly lacking - oiy vey, I sound just like my grannie!! Jacqui

I think it would have to be diffrent to how it used to be. There isn't enough time these days to stop and learn from the bottom to the top. People need to earn a living and to be given pennies to live on would just not be fesible. I reckon.

Daniel - what do you think people lived on in the past? An apprentice lived at home, with his parents - the small amount he earned he spent wisely (of course, he didnt have a mobile phone to keep feeding, he usually didnt have any transport (apart from his bike) to keep on the roads, if he went out at night with his mates he only had a small amount to drink couldnt afford much more) - in order words, he had less to spend his money on, and so it went further! I dont think there are many 16 year olds today who could manage without their mobiles, and in fact I think most 16 year olds have as much spending money today for a week as the apprentices of yesteryear earned in a month! Everyone had a job, even though it might not have been skilled with an apprenticeship attached to it - no one seemed to be out of work because there was no "social security" to prop up the system - useful work was an ethic which was instilled into us, and I cannot remember any of my contemporaries ever being out of work - there was always something that could be found that would bring in a wage. Grannie Jacqui

What a good mum you are Linda - what's your lad learning? I am just so glad that society is learning by its mistakes and reinstating the old ways - the old intendered apprenticeship scheme is the only way to learn a trade properly, and at the end of their period of training we have craftsmen - something that this country has been sadly lacking for too long. Good luck to your son, I'm sure he will succeed as he obviously has the work ethic. Jacqui

Hope he does well. I hear plumbers is what this country needs. I'll call Mario