How Do We Keep Up?

You know what is the toughest part about getting older? The things we didn't see coming. I expect the grey hair, wrinkles, middle aged spread (or more), crankiness, the snap, crackle and pop of my joints sometime when I move, the running out of steam quicker, and other things along these lines. What I have real issues with are the things I thought were at least semi-permanent. Like these:


It’s okay to spank your kid’s backside if he needs it.
Nope. Not anymore. You’ll ruin his self-esteem and you may end up in jail.

Sugar is bad, bad, bad. We’re taking it out of everything.
Nope. Not anymore. High Fructose Corn Syrup is worse, so we’re putting real sugar back in.

Kids need both a mother and a father figure when they’re growing up.
Nope. Not anymore. Same sex couples can now raise kids as well as a Mom and Pop.

Start a savings account at the bank early and grow your nest egg so you’ll have it when you need it.
Nope. Not anymore. Buy whatever you want with a credit card, or get a home loan with no money down. It’s safe.

The only way you can get tainted food is if you didn’t use it right away or you did not cook or store it properly.
Nope. Now you can get tainted meat and eggs and even fruit and vegetables right at the store.

American products were the best because they were made right here at home with pride and good ol’ American know how.
Nope. Not anymore. If the jobs haven’t already gone overseas they may soon get sent over there and pride and good ol’ American know how have been replaced by keeping the stock holders happy.

Before each school year, we used to go shopping for new “school clothes”. We wanted to look nice and besides, we had a dress code.
Nope. Not anymore. The boy’s clothes can’t get much looser and the girls’ clothes can’t get much tighter, and who cares what you look like when you go to school anyway?

We would run and play from early morning to well past dusk with usually nothing more than a pair of cutoff jeans on.
Nope. Not anymore. Now there are elbow guards, knee guards, helmets, running shoes, hiking shoes and climbing boots.

We could cover the whole town when we were out. Nobody said a word.
Nope. Not anymore. Now strangers who talk to kids may do more than just talk.

Just the idea of being sent to the office if you messed up, even when you were older, was enough to get your attention, even if you were macho and acted like it was no big deal. It was a big deal to your school, your parents or both.
Nope. Not anymore. Now they have cops assigned to the schools. Some folks say it’s in case something bad happens at the school but it still makes you wonder.

Okay, so the times are a-changing and we should change along with them, but sometimes change gets harder as you get older.