🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <459dc759$0$20000$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au>,
 "Farm1" <please@askifyouwannaknow> wrote:

> My friend was in the post office one day when a new resident (who has
> bought on larger acreage) was complaining that she was having to buy a
> tankful of house water (5,000 litres) every 10 days.  My friend asked
> her what one earth she was doing with the water.  Her response was
> that she had 3 teenage children and they didn't understand the need
> for short showers.

That's nothing to do with citified people -- that's the result of Baby Boomer 
grandparents.

I've noticed a huge gulf in parenting styles in Generation X, and it divides 
very neatly on when the Gen-Xers' parents were born.  Gen-Xers whose parents 
were Battler Generation (born before WWII) have a rather no-nonsense approach, 
allow their children to fail, have boundaries, like 'natural consequences' 
etc.  That would be people like me and my DH.  Interestingly, a rather large 
proportion of our friends were raised by Battlers too, so I think there must 
be a common mindset that we all share.  We don't parent identically by any 
means, but there are a few common themes.

Gen-Xers with Boomer parents, OTOH, have been indulged, so they have no idea 
what to do with their children except cater to their every whim and -- very 
importantly -- protect them from disappointment and other negative emotions 
(that's their concept of 'emotional support').  I suppose that is true of the 
tail-end Boomers who are still parenting atm too.  In fact, I would be 
interested to see if Gen-Xers with Boomer parents are more likely to own 4WDs 
in the city than Gen-Xers with Battler parents.  Ditto for the wasteful 
eaveless Tuscanised mansions, "home theatre systems" and all the other markers 
of conspicuous consumption.  I am already guessing that Gen-Xers with Boomer 
parents are the ones threatening soccer coaches all over Australia and 
indulging in road rage.  

The difference between the two groups is the amount of emphasis placed on Self 
vs Community.  The Boomers left all the institutions -- churches, political 
parties, community groups of all kinds -- because of their strong desire for 
individualism.  Unfortunately that leaves you paying attention to nothing but 
Self in the end.

I have cross-posted because I think aus.family might have something to add.

-- 
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia 
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"Parenthood is like the modern stone washing process for denim jeans. You may 
start out crisp, neat and tough, but you end up pale, limp and wrinkled."
Kerry Cue