The Parenting Thread

[Catfish Alley]

17 and 15 here and yeh, this housing crisis and kids stayign longer at home can go eat a bag of dicks

Hear that for sure. Not on my radar yet but always in back of mind. I have a good friend who has a 21 year old who is a bit of a slacker. Wants him out of house and threatens it if he doesn’t get a job and pay rent. But what’s he gonna a do, send him to the street?

 

[Scotland]

Once you finish school you really need to be doing something, whether it's working full time or studying at uni, TAFE etc. No idea how people handle having kids at home in their mid to late 20s and older.

 

[Shell]

. But what’s he gonna a do, send him to the street?

Yes

 

[Jatz]

Yes

I'm assuming you don't have kids?

 

[Jatz]

Once you finish school you really need to be doing something, whether it's working full time or studying at uni, TAFE etc. No idea how people handle having kids at home in their mid to late 20s and older.

I was at home until I was 27. I worked full time from 18 and paid board throughout.

I live in Sydney and home ownership takes forever to try and save for. Renting is dead money as they say.

It's going to become a more common thing as time goes on that children end up staying at home for a lot longer than they used to.

I agree with you though that they need to be doing something.

 

[Shell]

I'm assuming you don't have kids?

Jc calm down, it was sarcasm.

 

[Jatz]

Jc calm down, it was sarcasm.

I am calm, I merely asked a question...

 

[MrsEddieBetts]

I didn’t have kids to boot them out when they turn 18 . They can stay with me as long as they like.

 

[Shell]

I am calm, I merely asked a question...

No I don't have kids. I haven't met "the one", in addition to that I have vaginismus so I am unable to have sex. But cheers for asking

 

[the_interloper]

Well gonna have my work cut out with this "babysitting" thing, not a good night for the young bloke missing his mum, lots of tears etc

 

[Gough]

Well gonna have my work cut out with this "babysitting" thing, not a good night for the young bloke missing his mum, lots of tears etc

Introduce him to the idea of boy's time, where crockery and pants are optional, chips are a food group and women's impossibly high standards of household hygiene can be ignored.

 

[the_interloper]

Introduce him to the idea of boy's time, where crockery and pants are optional, chips are a food group and women's impossibly high standards of household hygiene can be ignored.

One of the guys from the gym was saying how awesome, you can get pizza and Mackers whenever you want, I'm actually the parent that is more careful about what he eats tbh.

But yeah happy to do a good clean up the weekend she gets back and let nature run its course until then.

 

[Scotland]

I was at home until I was 27. I worked full time from 18 and paid board throughout.

I live in Sydney and home ownership takes forever to try and save for. Renting is dead money as they say.

It's going to become a more common thing as time goes on that children end up staying at home for a lot longer than they used to.

I agree with you though that they need to be doing something.

Absolutely. When I was at uni one of my friends had a basic little 2x1 flat that was $150/w. The cheapest 1x1 in the same area is now $420. At the time I used to work around 20 hours a week which was about $350 after tax. 20 years later that's $470. You might be able to stretch that to a room in a share house but wouldn't be much left over.

My point was more about how you are raised. I can't imagine being at home at 27 and still living like I was 17. But I've had friends move home in their 30s due to building or buying/selling changeover with houses because it's just not an option for most people to be paying tens of thousands a year on a mortgage and then have to pay for a rental for 6-12 months or more on top of that.

 

[Scotland]

Where do people land on screen time? TV, iPads, phones, whatever.

As a non breeder I've noticed the difference between parents with otherwise similar circumstances is massive on this.

 

[Catfish Alley]

I don’t really track time. More about balance. As long as they’re doing sport, being active on weekends and not just sitting around on a sunny day then I’m good with it. My kids aren’t online and games they play aren’t too bad.

Some time on Nintendo after school or binging a little Simpsons or something on a rainy day is fine with me. I did the same as a kid.

 

[MrsEddieBetts]

I don’t really track time. More about balance. As long as they’re doing sport, being active on weekends and not just sitting around on a sunny day then I’m good with it. My kids aren’t online and games they play aren’t too bad.

Some time on Nintendo after school or binging a little Simpsons or something on a rainy day is fine with me. I did the same as a kid.

I’m the same. My kids do swimming after school on Tuesday, 2 hours of dancing on Friday after school and 3.5 hours of dancing on Saturday mornings. They also love playing outside on the trampoline, riding their bikes, playing on the monkey bars etc.

They get some iPad time everyday. I try to steer them to the tv instead but they prefer the smaller devices. They saved up and bought a Nintendo in March and I reckon they’ve played it for a total of two hours since

 

[Jatz]

Where do people land on screen time? TV, iPads, phones, whatever.

As a non breeder I've noticed the difference between parents with otherwise similar circumstances is massive on this.

My two are 2 and 6 months.

We've been adamant on reducing screen time for the 2 year old since he was born. He gets some when Mum needs a shower during the week but he wouldn't get more than 15 mins a day really.

I'm convinced it's terrible for their development at that stage.

 

[Cruyff14]

Where do people land on screen time? TV, iPads, phones, whatever.

As a non breeder I've noticed the difference between parents with otherwise similar circumstances is massive on this.

It really depends. We try not to do too much, but if our toddler is sick, hasn't napped and needs quiet time, we let her watch tv for a bit. She doesn't sit in front of it for hours on end.

And given she wakes up at 5am most mornings, she usually wants to watch the TV over breakfast, and I put it on for her.

 

[Scotland]

I don't think there's anything wrong with TV time. I used to get up early on Saturday morning and quietly watch Saturday Disney or play SNES. Was talking to a mate and they have a rule that TV is for 2-5pm or around that after school/kindy window and that works for them. Some seem to have it on 24/7 and others never.

I worry that some kids associate activities with screen time (particularly handheld screens) and build habits they can't get out of. It's an easy distraction but if you get to the point you can't go in the car or to a cafe etc. without it it's a worry. To be fair most of the people I know that can't put down their iPhone for more than 2 minutes are in their 30s and 40s...

 

[MrsEddieBetts]

I take colouring in, books and/or toys out with us when we go out for a meal. It helps too that they're old enough to play hang man or tic tac toe with paper and a pen so they don't bug me for a phone. I feel like I'm in a sweet spot where they're old enough to not need a phone for a distraction while I eat but not so old that they're like sooo totally bored by going out for a meal with their parents.

 

[Scotland]

Bit of an aside but I don't remember venues catering towards kids/parents as much as they do these days when I was a kid.

Makes sense if you have the space to have a kids area. Keeps kids out of the way (free range kids in pubs/restaurants are a pain in the arse) and if you can attract a family for an hour or two for say couple of meals, couple of kids meals, couple of drinks etc. that's good business.

 

[Catfish Alley]

I was thinking that. Seems like more family friendly restaurants here than in Australia. Not allowed in pubs here for the most part.

 

[Gough]

I don't like kids in pubs.

 

[Jatz]

I never minded kids in pubs. Never felt like they'd 'taken' over a pub.

 

[MrsEddieBetts]

I think there's some 'kid-friendly' pubs and some that I wouldn't take my children to. If they've got a playground then obviously they're catering to families.