Generation: I don’t know… Growing Up a 21st Century Kid!

I have always enjoyed comparing childhood favorites with friends. I find myself infatuated with the past and I love to stick my ideas in any conversation that’s based on pop culture from the PRE-Millennium. I guess you can say I am a Generation Y body with a boomer stuck inside, oh and mixed with 80’s princess, pre new gen, smart-ass. For one thing, it’s hard for me to figure out what it’s like growing up a 21st century kid.

I grew up with an already determined view of what was cool. My parents taught me music, art, and obviously TV shows from their times. I managed to expose myself to the fundamentals of All in the Family, hand drawn Nickelodeon, and Bill Nye the Science Guy. More importantly, I was exposed to educational based toys, TV shows, and games…which is a lot more than I can say for growing up a 21st century kid.

I’ve heard through the grapevine of friends so many different ideas of what new age parenting means. When I was a kid I was kept safe, content, and in reality. Now-a-days its the importance of everything, except the above, that seems to be the main education. It’s ultimately up to the parents on what is taught or instilled for morals and ethics. But beyond at home learning, there’s so much more to persuade the mind.

…. So whatever happened to monopoly; You know, where you actually had to ADD UP your money, instead of an instant calculating system? Or what about the after school specials with “that’s wrong, and this is the way it should be” being the main idea, and I have to include one more… and probably my favorite question about Now-a-days kids: What the H E double hockey stick, happened to music. ->>> REAL music, with talent, and heart and real voices that I can sing along to!

 I guess this is one of those “you don’t know what you got till its gone” kind of moments. I seem to forget how fun it was growing up in the 80’s & 90’s. I see all the cool gadgets and electro mom’s that the new kids have and feel I jealous…momentarily. Because then I take a step back and remember how real, granola and warm my childhood was.

Thank god (or maybe my parents?) that Archie Bunker was a household name, and Guns n Roses was my first favorite band, because I don’t know if I’d be my friend growing up with Justin Bieber, and CGI reality.

When I think about being a kid and what I would want for my future (hypothetical) kids, I can’t fathom leaving out the rock n roll lessons a-z that I was given, or the “TURN OFF THE TV GET OUTSIDE AND PLAY” that my parents would scream at me.

What don’t you see from your childhood? And why isn’t it modern to go back to the past?  That is… unless its to remake an already perfect film or song.

Food for thought, and thoughts that can feed the mind.

Check out this Video from Bill Nye (The Science Guy .. BILL BILL BILL BILL BILL…BILL NYE THE SCIENCE GUY)    [youtube width=”300″ height=”242″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHbYJfwFgOU[/youtube]