The Biggest Challenges I Faced While Growing Up
Abstract
There were many challenges to children who were born in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s; many were the changes of roles in the household since most housewives stayed at home and raised children. Back then, children were very seldom left alone to tend to their younger siblings. Another change was in the economy since post WWII sprung up the Baby Boomer generation. The Baby Boomer generation children were faced with many challenges of keeping up with their schoolwork and grades so they could get in a higher learning institution of their choice. From there, they were expected to find employment and afterwards raise their own families and be independent.
Keywords: Baby Boomers, parenting
Biggest Challenges I Faced While Growing Up
One of the biggest challenges I faced growing up was being taught the old fashioned way instead of the modern style, meaning that instead of speaking up and standing up for my rights children were to be seen and not heard. Therefore, I had to accept things the way they were and not speak out. This included meal times that I could not say I did not like a certain dish that was served and I had to eat quietly and the children in my household had a lot of quiet time. We were supposed to do as we were told and not as we pleased. Now, modern children are given a lot of freedom and are allowed to speak what they feel and what they like (Darr, Deanna, 2016).
Another challenge I faced was I had to do everything to a set time and schedule and it was not the easiest accomplishment. I had to do homework as soon as I was home from school and even when I was in school, I was not allowed to have one bad report on myself. Otherwise, my teacher simply called my parents which was very seldom (Rosemond, John K., 2016).
My parents always kept in contact with my teacher and it was not the most comfortable setting. I saw a few other children whose parents had a leniency level and they did not always have the best behavior in class but I always felt that I was under constant watch. I never heard about those other children whose parents also received phone calls at home if they were behavior related or lack of attention in class. I made it a point to always pay attention in class and not misbehave because I did fear my parents at the time. Now I am very close to my parents since they are in their 80s but things were much different when I was growing up.
Another challenge I faced growing up was the fact that I grew up not having any pets. I was an animal lover and I especially loved cats as I still love cats now. I was not even allowed to babysit a neighbor’s cat if the neighbor went on vacation. One time a friend was going on vacation for a week and they had a five-month old kitten who needed babysitting while they were gone. They brought the kitten over and offered me the job of looking after the kitten. I loved the kitten right away and held her and pet her. My mother was so very much against the idea of having me babysit the kitten. I begged my parents to let me keep the kitten while their friend was gone for that week but they completely negated the idea. This was one of my biggest disappointments as a child. I think every child should be allowed to keep a pet to learn responsibility and see if they can handle even raising a child.
A child cannot be compared to a pet but if a child cannot handle a pet, then they will know at the time if perhaps child rearing may be for their future as well. It is essential to teach children many adult-like responsibilities when they are growing up so they know if they can face these problems in their adulthood. To keep the children very sheltered while they are growing up is never a good idea and that is a mistake which was done with the baby boomer generation. There were many changes in the world when the baby boomer children were growing up; calculators were replacing the slide rules of the 1950s and 1960s (What Can You Do With A Slide Rule?, 2016).
Many changes have happened in child rearing during the 21st century which may or may have not be proven to be better methods. Most homes are now single parent households and many children are far more independent than they were fifty years ago.
Works Cited
Darr, Deanna. “MENTAL HEALTH: Children Should Be Seen and Not Heard and Other Parenting Myths.” Rapid City Journal. July-Aug. 2012. Web. 21 Mar. 2016. <http://rapidcityjournal.com/lifestyles/columnists/mental-health-children-should-be-seen-and-not-heard-and/article_661cfcf1-de05-5bbe-ab0a-9feb779d135b.html>.
Rosemond, John K. “Pre-1960s Parenting Vs. Parenting Today.” ArcaMax. 1 May 2015. Web. 21 Mar. 2016. <http://www.arcamax.com/homeandleisure/parents/johnrosemond/s-1651066>.
“What Can You Do With A Slide Rule?” What Can You Do With A Slide Rule? University of Utah. Web. 21 Mar. 2016. <http://www.math.utah.edu/~pa/sliderules/>.
