Out of Pod Experience

Elders, as far as I read and seen in history texts and documentaries, have typically been revered and taken care of in most societies in the history of the world. A century ago, we did not typically grow up and leave the farmstead, generations lived in the same house and contributed until they could no longer contribute and then the rest would make them as comfortable as they could until their demise. they did not toss people in a nursing home and forget they were there.

The fact that we treat elders like **** nowadays has more to do with the current level of greed and selfishness in the world.

EDIT: I guess in some cases what you say about, we reap what we so, is very true, but there are probably just as many cases where the parents did all they could, but the child/ren are selfish, greedy, rotten apples. Hence my last statement

nvm

In MY family? Family looks out for each other.

They are there for you and you're always there for them when they need you, no if's and's or but's.

When my grandparents started dying and one was left alone, my parents (in the case of my mom's mom) and my parents siblings (in the case of my dad's mom) took them in and cared for them. They are family and even though we had the money to put them in a comfy home, it seemed only right that they be cared for by us. It was the least we could, after all they cared for us for decades on end.

(Mom's mom did eventually go to a old folks home, but because she wanted to. They lived in elderly apartment community for their last 25 years together and she missed living and socializing with people her own age.)

When my parents enter that stage of life, I'm going to see to it they have the same comfort and welcome.

I feel sorry for you if life robbed of ever being able to look at family as a unit like this. It's one of the most rewarding things we have in this world and a refuge you can always turn to.

It sounds more like your projecting your own family's failures onto everyone else? I'm sorry your so obviously jaded.

I usually just lurk but, I read this and felt an urge to reply because as a nurse I deal with this stuff on a daily basis. I see people dropped off in our emergency department (A&E for the UK types) and sometimes I just want to start punching people in the throat for treating their parents the way that they do.

Some things I have seen in the last week: Fifty something couple that dropped their elderly demented father off and left without telling us what is going on with them so they can go out to dinner/movie/bar/whatever and were very,very upset that we discharged him after he was treated. Nursing homes who neglect their parents and send them to us covered in urine and crap from their toes to their nose complete with bedsores and open wounds and then don't know why they sent them in the first place, this happens several times a night btw. And on the opposite end of the spectrum we have the spoiled, overindulged bratty children that have "mystery symptoms" that manifest only when directly observed. The child that called her mother a F***ing whore and then slapped her in the face because she wouldnt buy her McDonald's(this is 'mericuh after all).
Personally I think that this is all connected in a way, we as parents(I have a 10 year old daughter) have an obligation to provide for our children and make them responsible adults. We teach them these skills, either directly or by observation, to become adults and if we screw this up this is what happens. I by no means am a perfect parent but my daughter understands that there are consequences to her actions and many in the general public don't get this, each action has a reaction. In the past few years I have seen a serious decrease in the amount of dicipline in the home and as a direct result of this you get this disconnect from the family group. It's just my opinion but, it seems that overall our society is heading into the crapper. But, maybe I'm just jaded...or an *******....

Not my family's but those of the many many many many many people I have known over the past 48 years.

Nowhere did indicate that this was the situation with my family.

It is how I feel based on the observed experience of others.

And the third grandchild added yesterday caused a celebration of this travesty on the Today Show this morning: http://www.duggarfamily.com/

Yes folks, 19 kids and counting.................


edit: Isn't having to do 80 loads of laundry a week just a little bit too much of a demand upon anyone ? And that's just the laundry. Imagine their food costs.

Is there any money left to even go on vacation and show these poor children The World ?

Also, these folks get so many Income Tax deductions for each child that they pay absolutely no taxes.

I mean, I just can't imagine having to book, what, 7 or 8 motel rooms every night for 2 weeks or so ? Wow.

I can pretty much guarantee you those vacations were supported by donations from their church.

In fact, that's probably the only thing keeping this family viable, not the parents themselves. That's just great teaching their kids to rely exclusively on others to get through life.

I kinda got the best of both worlds. My 2 older sisters were 12 and 14 years older than me, so when I was in the 1st grade, the younger sister was graduating from High School, then was off to college (as well, the older sister).

So from the age of 6 onwards I was sorta raised as only child, but then my sisters would visit (or actually move back in for awhile when things were not going so well).

However, this still leaves me at a loss for determining which is better, lots of siblings or only-child. I'm not really sure.

^^this
defintion of good parenting: Lots of Love + time = good parent Money is not important, demonstrated love is. Have another kid (or more!) and adopt a kid from a third-world place too (really). Don't wait until you think you are ready - you may never feel ready. Go for it.
source: two kids before I was 24...glad I got that over with, someday they can pay my way

The mother of my daughter is 7 years younger than I. If you are 50 you do not want to be trying to keep up with the children and 24 year old kid

Joking aside. Men are lucky that we can postpone propagating, but I am not sure I would want the age difference between me and the mother of my children to be much more than a decade, otherwise I feel the social gap may be to much to overcome for both parties... but that is just my opinion so take it for what it is worth.