Comments on: If 40 Is the New 30, Is 18 the New 8?

By: Mother Earth

Mother Earth — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 06:00:44 +0000

wonderful post vicky, in my day, as if i am ancient, I put shredded carrots in the peanut butter to make it crunchy, yet I was also the mom who insisted on 3 different colors of veggies a day too. I see the youth attached to their phones and shake my head - am i such a fossil that I still don’t have one? Or am I perfectly Ok with not being so available.

By: Daniel

Daniel — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 04:09:30 +0000

I couldn’t understand some parts of this article s the New 30, Is 18 the New 8? | Remarkable Parents, but I guess I just need to check some more resources regarding this, because it sounds interesting.

By: News » about : deceptively delicious by jessica seinfeld

News » about : deceptively delicious by jessica seinfeld — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 23:20:23 +0000

[...] kids into eating the stuff you want them to, minus the tantrums and tears. Jessica(Quote from : 「If 40 Is the New 30, Is 18 the New 8?」) Missy Chase Lapine, The Sneaky Chef author has been more than just a little irritated with the [...]

By: Elliott - 21st Century Dad

Elliott - 21st Century Dad — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 21:36:26 +0000

We still have to balance it with making our children grow up too fast. I’d love for my daughter to live at home for as long as possible, but she better move out before she reaches 30… is 30 the new 21?

By: Vicky H

Vicky H — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:48:47 +0000

@Mack I totally agree. If we coddle our children until their 10 years old, how many good teaching years do we really have? We all know that when they reach “11″ is when they really start learning and listening :-(. I think our kids want us to set guidelines. They may not admit it, but knowing what to expect from us, they feel secure in our expectations of them.

@Erika I agree, sometimes because I said so is needed. My 12 yo always asks why, not to really learn why, but because it’s an argument he has learned to ‘wear down’ the adults in his life. I’m a little over exposed to his wearing down, so because I said so really hits home with me. Sometimes, no explanation is needed!

@DeafMom I remember the fun I had entertaining myself as a child too! The catching ants & putting them in a peanut butter jar (clean of course) and punching holes in the top with a steak knife tip. Thanks for reminding me to share these moments with my kids. I had forgotten how much fun I had doing nothing much.

@ToThink That brings back memories of when they said one of the Teletubbies was gay. Which one was it?

By: To Think Is To Create

To Think Is To Create — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:47:33 +0000

Even Strawberry Shortcake was not young looking enough, because they’ve given her a new trampy look that is just sad.

Great post!

By: Karen Putz / DeafMom

Karen Putz / DeafMom — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:28:08 +0000

Ok, I like this article. Having said that, I’ve done the “hide your veggies” thing but, I’ve also balanced it with naked veggies and ordered my kids to eat them.
I was sharing my childhood antics with my kids and my oldest said to me, “Wow, you had a lot of fun growing up by keeping yourself busy and finding things to do.” So I try to make sure my kids come up with their own ways to have fun– for example: playing “Ghost in the graveyard” when they have friends over, doing extreme makeovers (they coerced the youngest kiddo into a session, made him up with a black eye and took pictures of him “getting the black eye.”
Good creative fun, sure, it’s hard for kids with all the distractions (internet, phones, etc.) but give them opportunities to develop it themselves.

By: Erika

Erika — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:31:46 +0000

Ann, this is so on target…bravo! I completely agree that today we do infantalize our kids (and I think that’s true for both “Alpha” or “Beta” moms). I don’t understand why “we” think we have to deceive our kids. What happened to “because I said so,”? And unfortunately having “everybody win,” is detrimental beyond the individual child. There is going to be a whole generation of people who don’t know how to compete (and be sportsmanlike about it), win, lose or draw. And *that* is going to have further reaching effects when it comes time for them to go to college, get jobs (keep jobs) and participate in the global arena. We’re doing them a disservice by over-coddling.

By: Mack Collier

Mack Collier — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 20:10:56 +0000

“Around that time, the Boston Globe wrote about how state and national ruling bodies for youth soccer leagues have recommended that scores and standings not be kept in under-10 leagues, saying it’s best not to track “winners” and “losers.” My 11-year-old daughter’s town soccer team doesn’t keep score, either.”

I’ve never understood why some people think it’s in a child’s best interest to coddle them from reality for as long as possible. All that does it make it that much more difficult for them to accept ‘the real world’ when it comes calling.

And it always does.