Some of you asked about helicopter parents.

When we grew up post-1945, kids has stuff to do, Some of us were altar boys- get up at 615, go up the street for 7 o clock Mass. Then have breakfast

All kids had chores- most, really: feed chooks, look after cows, help get younger ones dressed. Kids were expected to pitch in "You're not the star boarder, get this done"

Kids walked to school or to the train or bus or tram.

Today's parents tend to be busy watching over kids when not buried in their phones and iPads. Hence- hovering like a helicopter, before taking kids ti school in the car. Or taking them to the bus, etc. They're afraid of doing the wrong thing and being judged, I guess

Dear Hasbeen,

It was I typing error. It was supposed to be 85, assuming you were 10 at the end of WW2.

Dear Hasbeen,

You should stop telling everyone you don't have an Arts degree. That sort of comment makes you look ignorant.

Misopinionated,

Now, THAT sort of comment makes you look ignorant. Maybe just wait until you get to uni. In a few years - not long now !

To more important issues:

About helicoptering parents: mine certainly weren't, we were all too busy trying to survive in the late forties. When I was six or seven, living in Chullora (now up-marketed to Greenacre), my little brother and I would catch the bus to Strathfield, take the train from there to Homebush, and get the bus to the primary school there, next to Arnott's. I don't recall ever being worried or our mum being concerned. It was just what you did, or had to do. No biggie.

Perhaps it's a more vicious world now. I worry about my adult daughter going for her regular walk through the local parks and tracks. A bit of a rough neighbourhood, not too many helicopter parents around here. Actually, I can hear a police siren now. No, it's just an ambulance.

Joe

Some great points made here- but how many of you get an hour's hard exercise every day?

Every week?
No?
Once a month?

Experts recommend hard or HIIT training weekly. Not to do so risks problems of all kinds especially cardio vascular. And as we age, muscles must move in hard exercise to strengthen bones.

Any person who smokes, or drinks to excess, is also asking for trouble. We can't expect kids to do more than we do ourselves.

Dear Hasbeen,

You should stop telling everyone you don't have an Arts degree. That sort of comment makes you look ignorant. Perhaps Mr O, but no where as ignorant as the fools doing Arts courses when I did my BSc.

There was so little in their courses that they spent half their time going to idiot protests, chanting fool things like "what do we want .......".