GREAT NEWS!!!!! Some sobering thoughts as well

My Daughter and SIL came over to day. Nothing unusual now with them living closer. They wanted to tell me their good/GREAT news. In about Feb I will be a Grand Father once again. GREAT!!!!!! They did not think about children while living in St. Louis as his job just showed him too much bad stuff. Now that they live here locally and they both have a more positive out look on the future. So they decided that they want the WHOLE family deal.

After they left I got to thinking about what future a 2016 baby may/will face. I am not happy with what I see as that child's future. They will not have the freedoms we have enjoyed until lately. This also includes economic freedom too. How many "Good" jobs will there be in 20 years or so???? What type of continuing government red tape will they have to endure??? Will their world be a safe place???

Your grandchildren will take their chances the same way we did, our parents did, and all our ancestors had to. Good times and bad times come and go. It is just as likely that they will see a better world as it is that they will see the opposite. You are worrying about things that are really out of your control. Don't do that to yourself. Enjoy your time with them and everything will work out. Congratulations! You are a lucky man.

Yup,a quick search of "why you shouldn't bring kids in to this world" brings up things like this,and there are more.

Well, why were things different when I was child? They weren’t. It’s just that you were lucky enough to have parents/caregivers that allowed you to be ignorant. The greatest gift a child could have is the ability to maintain their innocence in a screwed up world and the older people in your life might have given you appropriate warnings, but allowed you to keep your innocence.

It’s like watching TV now and thinking: “Wow, there sure are a lot of condom ads on now-a-days.” Those commercials were always there, but since it didn’t concern you as child, you always ignored them. That’s how knowledge goes. As you get older, you’re less likely to stay ignorant about the crazy things that happen in the world, so it’s as if there’s this barrage of horrible people just now roaming the streets, when in actuality, they were always there. They probably even complimented you on your shoelaces once.

Now, this isn’t a call for you to procreate. Only have children when you are ready to do so, and if your current knowledge of horrible people is scaring you from making that big step, then that’s cool. But also make sure that you let the people who raised you know how amazing they are from shielding you from such horrendous acts, and the possible dangers that you faced each day that you went to school, rode your bike in the neighborhood, and walked to the store.

Great parents are the ones that can let you enjoy your childhood, without fear of stepping outside of your house. It is an incredibly hard job, and most parents deserve Screen Actors Guild awards for silently panicking and watching you from the front porch while you walk down the block to go visit your friend, and not have you any wiser to the terror that is running through their minds of “what could” happen.

So, just keep this in mind if/when you do have children. Yes, times are dangerous now, but they always were, and if you’ve been able to survive it, there’s a good chance that your kids can too. Just allow them that same bit of “luckiness” that your parents gave you, so that when they reach your age and is like: “Why is the world is horrible now?!” You can realize that you were effective in your job.

I am in total agreement Randy.
The "good ole' days" weren't really all that good.
What we have now is far more advertisement of the bad, which
makes things seem horribly worse because we know about it.

We had parents that let us fall and picked us up when needed.
Now we have safety shields and labels that are supposed to
protect us. I recently read a study that said the statistics show
we are no safer with all of those than we were years ago.
In fact, worse off, because we don't think for ourselves.
All we have is more lawsuits if a shield/label is missing.

Don't wait until you're ready to have kids. You never will be.
Grandkids are way more fun anyway!
Congrats JD!

My first grandchild was born last fall and I have had thoughts like you have as well. I remember when I started farming my Dad wanted me to do something else. He said there was no future and it cost to much to start but we are here still farming and making a go of it.I guess each generation has it's own challenges but will go on to say that the days of a simple life are over. Even farming is not as much fun as it was twenty five years ago when I started. Tom

Jd I remember dad telling me no way to make a living logging farming or owning equipment. That was many years ago

Yep,I remember milking one night with my dad when I was in high school and him trying his darndest to try to talk me in to getting an education that would send me down a different path. My mother got mad as the dickens at me and cursed me out when I wanted my younger brother to help me one afternoon. She said something to the effect of "You're not going to get that boy involved in this farm and ruin his life like you and your dad".
I've had friends of my folks tell me that Dad would say things to them about me like "You'd think watching me farm,that boy would have had more sense than to do it himself".
I've got no regrets. I watched guys and gals my age go to work in the factories,only to have those factories close leaving them high and dry,not old enough to get their retirement or Social Security and no chance of getting another good paying job around here. Who looks stupid now?

The future will depend on the baby when it grows up and the family that helps it grow up. One can beat the odds the screwed up world offers if you have the right education, the right up-bringing and right attitude to go with it. If you wait around for someone else to take care of you then don't expect anything too rosy.

Congrats JD. But i totally understand your concern. The good Ol days are gone and we will never see anything like them again ever. Im just 55 and i thank God daily that i got to see some of those good days. The politicians and the lazy younger generation have ruined the country. I really feel sorry for a child thats born in these times because they will never have the opportunity to see how great it was. Seems nobody cares about what our forfathers fought and died for. And the politicians and younger folks are just giving it away. Its Sad really really sad.
Just to clarify the younger generation im speaking of are the ones that think everything seems to be OK,even Guys marring Guys ,Girls marring Girls, and the list only gets longer.
And politicians its every stinking one of them. They will Vote for anything just to stay on the goverment payroll and not have to do any manual labor.
Sorry for the rant.

Charlie, I agree!

Reminds me of today's Sunday school lesson, Joshua and Caleb... They faced the future with courage, faith, obedience, and positive attitude. Everybody else, well they did a lot of wandering and wondering!

This makes me think of when I started first grade in 1950 in a small 2 room country school, it closed two years later. Our teacher taught several grades and concentrated on one small group- grade- then the next. We learned by listening to what was taught to the older grades besides our own. Progress eliminated what to me were the best years, not only with school but growing up on a small farm that provided what we needed and gave us more good experiences. I think I grew up in the best time period, like I said in a previous post there were job opportunities galore after school, and meaningful ones not just fast food. Like you I'm very concerned for our younger generations. Why did we have to "progress" and throw away what worked in the past? My sister's grand-daughter had her commencement from h.s. yesterday, there were 800 in that graduating class. I wouldn't wanted to be in that as a youngster.

Congrats, I bet parents and grandparents have had the same worries for millenia.

All you have to do is make sure they get an education. Not a college education mind you. Literacy rate in the 1960s was 97%. Today is much lower. If your grandchildren can read, write, and know how to show up for work, they will be fine.

That is a really good post, Randy. I agree completely.
Lon

I couldn't agree more. It's all in preparation. We went to a high school graduation open house today. The boy took computer aided drafting at the local vocational skills center while in high school. He went to a job fair in his senior year and was recruited by a local manufacturer. He starts full time there a week from Monday.

All of my kids had as much positive attitude as education,and a deep desire to do anything but milk cows,and they're as successful as anybody's kids can be.

Those kids laugh and talk about their childhood every time we get together. We paid attention,but we sure didn't smother them with worries. I've found out they did things we would have put a stop to if we'd known beforehand,but didn't we all do that? They were too innocent to know what could have happened,just like we all were.

My view is - it will be easier for them. Not to be downing the population, but really in a lot of respects their job competition may very well be worse later than now. If you think folks are lazy, irresponsible, and on the hunt for a constant handout - what would an employer give for the opposite?

Yup, nothing new

"Why did we have to "progress" and throw away what worked in the past?"

Because if "good enough" were good enough, we'd all still be riding horses.
The current years are the best years. Put them to work for you!
If you want your kids/grandkids to learn, teach them.
Don't rely on a school to do it for you.
That's a death trap for the kids.
Why would any parent expect a school to do their job?

They will be born in a crappy world just like we were, only different ways. They will make the best of it, just like we did.

Something to add.....
Do NOT be "overprotective" with the children. Children that are protected from every possibility of risk become afraid to function. We all survived with rare exception without many of the "safety" devices there are today. We didn't need to wear a helmet to ride a tricycle. There were no seat belts in my mother's 1948 Chevy. We were told not to play in or near the creek because it was dirty - not because we might drown.....at least that is what we were told. BUT - we did not need fences to keep us away. Mom said to stay away, and we knew she meant it.
As to food - we had a policy at the dinner table: you eat what is put in front of you or you go hungry. That solved a lot of the "picky eater syndrome" that is tolerated today. It also solved a lot of the "food allergy" problems that seem to be so widespread and common today. One that has never been exposed to peanuts is more likely to develop the allergy in later years than one that was exposed at an early age.

My biggest concern today is that parents are barely allowed to discipline their children for fear of child abuse charges and more government interference. I say let the parents be the parents. There is a lot of truth in the old saying - "spare the rod and spoil the child."

Either way, congratulations grandpa.

If our grandchildren's freedoms are lost it will be from our government's efforts to keep track of the new terrorist groups that are popping up. These groups can recruit new members so easily through social media and modern communications from any residence almost anywhere in the world. The only way the Feds can keep track of them is to electronically snoop into every residence in the world. It's a fact of life. By the time my great- grandchildren are the age I am now maybe some solution will have been found. Well, maybe not. My oldest granddaughter is pushing 20 years old. No boyfriends, but you get the idea.

rrlund I will try to make sure my grand kids get a "real" education. My kids did and it was both the local school an their family at home doing it.

Today's medical care is far superior to what we had years ago. If we can get a system worked out to provide it at sustainable costs.

The main thing is financial security. My wife and I started with just about nothing an we did well. We where able to do it with zero outside financial help. Our kids will NOT be able to do the same thing even with outside help. That is my worry.

If I remember correctly you milked cows until a few years ago. You where able to make a living and raise your family. DO you think you could do it in today's markets??? I am not saying it would be totally impossible but it sure would be along shot.

Then look at some of your friends your wrote about having good paying jobs with companies that are no longer around. So they are struggling to make ends meet in their 40-50s. Where are your and their kids going to find work that will allow them to support a family????

Then you look at both parents working these days. My wife did not have an outside job. So she was able to raise our kids. NOW she work like heck doing it and helping on the farm so do not think I am belittling that. I am saying look at how both parents are usually working these days. So it now takes two outside incomes to support a family.

I do not have any answers just a whole boat load of concerns. I started to see this erosion of the regular middle class about 25 years ago. Many of the economic numbers show there is a train wreck coming at the family and GOVERNMENT level. Both are WAY too far into debt compared to their income.

With a WORLD wide economy do we have to have a third world standard of living/income to compete???? I like to think we can be productive enough to justify higher incomes but will that continue???

I am noticing that many of the truly break through discoveries are not in the US as much as in the past. Is this a sign of things to come??

Maybe it is all just an old man worrying about nothing new.

So have a good evening!!!

PS all will be well as long as I DO NOT HAVE to milk cows. LOL

About the only thing I ever remember my Dad being afraid of,or at least telling us might happen to us,was that we might be "picked up". And he didn't mean by the police. We were never told what to fear might happen to us if we were,just to be careful so we weren't picked up.
On the rare occasion that somebody couldn't find their kid,my parents would look concerned and say to us or each other,they hoped they weren't "picked up".
There wasn't any cause for alarm in the warning to make us afraid of our own shadows,just concern.

Sounds like you need to spend some time looking at the full side of the glass! You are going to be a grandpa- rather than dwell on the all the negatives in the world, their grandfather can teach them the values of working hard, being respectful, adaptable, and finding solutions to problems, big and small. It is up to you to show them what is RIGHT with the world, and how to magnify that in their own way.


We all hope the next 9 months, and then many beyond go well for the little one.

I can see things turning around here. Or at least I can see the hope through the eyes of my kids and grandkids.
My wife quit school at 16,but went back and got her GED after the kids were born. She went right on to the local Community College from there and got her nursing degree. Can you imagine that on a GED? No chemistry or biology classes in high school,no advanced math,she got it all at the college lever. The kids saw that,believe me.
My son in law got his education in the Air Force. His experience there got him in the door doing factory maintenance when he got out. He worked his way up to plant manager. He was recruited by another company a year and a half ago to run their maintenance department. Less stress and responsibility,more money,the only thing he lost was the company car.
Their daughters both have a bright future. The oldest one graduated Western Michigan University in December and was accepted in the grad program both there and in North Carolina,she has accepted the offer from WMU. The younger one just finished her sophomore year at Michigan State where she's studying dietetics. She's working the summer with my daughter.
My daughter became a dental assistant while the SIL was in the Air Force,she's office manager now and makes more than most folks with a lot of education.
The oldest boy still works 14 hours a day as a high performance engine builder. He got student loans to go to school for a few years to learn the trade,then worked his way up. He works full time in one shop where he runs the engine department and last fall,with the help of another guy his age,he bought some equipment of his own and has the stuff in that guy's pole barn,where he works nights and weekends. He has 11 engines running at the local dirt tracks this year and has a reputation second to none.
The youngest boy did construction work until he got in to a local shop doing machining. They're sending him to Community College on their dime to get his journeyman's card. He bought a house on his own two years ago.
Do I think somebody could get a start milking cows these days? Sure. It's a tough life and nobody wants to start farming that way,but if a young person was as determined to make a living farming as I was and wouldn't take no for an answer,they'd make it.
It's just like it was when I quit milking and went in to these beef cattle. I told a cousin,"Everybody says I can't make it with these cattle,but I will of I want to". I'll tell you the truth,I never intended to make a real living with the beef cattle. The wife had a good job and I figured all I had to do was break even,but the economy went south here,the state paid for anybody who was unemployed and wanted to,to go to nursing school and all of a sudden,with the college just a couple of miles from here,and them graduating two classes of nurses a year,and those grads would work for practically nothing,her job disappeared overnight and I had to make a living from it,so I did,simple as that.

great news!congrats grandpa!!!Now,,go buy boxes of cigars for us YTers(make mine chocolate,I Dont smoke) lol

Let me add in the two boy's girlfriends too. The younger boys gal went from working part time at WalMart,to being a Certified Nurses Aid at a senior citizens group home,to running the shipping department at a good sized new and used auto and truck parts supplier.
The older boy's girlfriend works in the pharmacy at one of the four hospitals here in the county. She is in the pharmacy program at Ferris State University with three years to go. On Easter,she was tellingus about all the jobs and careers that she can go in to when she graduates. It's not just standing behind a counter at a drug store. I was amazed.
So with all these young folks doing so much with their lives,just because they want to and have the determination to make it happen,I'm optimistic for any kids who have the same drive. Life's good for those who want to live it.

Congratulations on the grandchild!

The economy always runs in cycles, I don't think times now are any worse now than in the past. Many of us started families in the mid-1970's to the mid-1980's when times were pretty tough too (the farm economy may have been better for longer than the rest of the nation). Our children and grandchildren will do things there own way, just like we did, and every generation did before us.

Yehbut never before has our gubbermint been in debt like it is now, someday it will have to be dealt with.

"Life's good for those who want to live it."

You nailed it in that one sentence!

Great new Grandpaw.
I am sure every father and grand father has had these same thoughts for hundreds of years.

A great post Mr. Seller. And great responses from many great YTers. I'm 27, and grew up with everyone's sense of morality and taught disciplines. I have forever thanked my parents and family for such an amazing upbringing. If it's any consolation to any readers, my future offspring will share mine, my girlfriend's, and all of our ideals of a self supportive and optimistic country styled way of life. Of course there's always much more to say..

Congratulations Grandpa and Grandma "Seller".

Sometimes we worry about the same things when thinking of our kids and grandkids too. But then I remember when in elementary school I thought for sure we be nuked by the Ruskies and a few people even built bomb shelters. Also, my tenth grade biology teacher predicted we would be completely out of fuel by the time our grade reached the age of 32... nearly twenty years past that dire prediction and we are all still running like the Eveready bunny.

So just enjoy the little one when she/he arrives!

Make one heck of a country song.....

Yup, I had very honest parents too, what a blessing.

Yep its a real external_link-Nation aint it.

Congratulations on the upcoming grandbaby!

Ahhh, wasn't there a movie called Grumpy Old Men?? C'mon,. guys. My oldest diabetic son takes 2 kinds of perfect-match insulin, 4 shots a day. His A1C rating is near perfect, and two or three generations ago diabetic children barely survived. My two grand uncles died early, one kicked in belly by a horse, took 3 days lying onthe kitchen table to die. No medical help possible. Now it would be Quik-Trip to the ER. Other uncle died of diphtheria, now our infant shots absolutely prevent it. You ought ot be extremely thankful for medcial care in US.
The oldest son is dating a girl, she made perfect A's, graduated 2 weeks ago from High School class of 300, was valudictorian, going to Washington University in St. L. law school and international studies.... she's an immigrant from Colombia. She is GRATEFUL!!! for the US. MORE SO than many ordinary kids nowadays. Her mom is a single-parent, expert linguist and Hispanic translator in nearby factory for immigrants. LOVES the US. HIGHLY enthused!
It's the best of times, its the worst of times.