Am I The Minority?

As a Gen-Xer raised by Boomers, I wasn't coddled. My parents were 21 and 23 years old when I was born, they were kids themselves. They survived the Vietnam era. My dad served, my mom was a military wife. I was born on an army base in Louisiana, 976 miles from their suburban Chicago home. They were six ways from confused, unexperienced, scared and pissed. 

Life in my formative years included drinking from the hose, riding your secondhand Huffy without a helmet, be home by dusk, don't talk to Stranger Danger, do your homework and leave the adults alone while they played their game of Bridge as they drank their Amaretto and Cokes, yet still sit by the TV to manually change the channel at the same time you're trying to record your favorite Adam Ant song from the radio without capturing the DJ's voice. 

Dinner was served at the same time every day, and if you didn't eat what was served, you didn't eat. There were no special orders or snacking afterwards. Take out or fast food was a special treat, and you were thankful. We all sat down at the table with no distractions such as computers or iPhones in our hands because they didn't fucking exist. We actually had to look each other in the eye and have a conversation. What a concept. And you had to ask permission to leave the table early, or wait until everyone was done. And still have to ask permission.  

Back then, we didn't have luxuries like the internet. I was only allowed to watch one TV show a week. Cable TV was the newly founded frontier. Mobile phones came in clunky bags. Atari was the first and only game station we had...and even when we had it, we had no idea what to do with it. The introduction of Betamax was huge, a privilege only for the rich (or if you had a stepdad who found one that "fell off the truck"...wink wink). 

If you talked back, you got spanked. If you disrespected family, you got spanked. If you didn't follow direction, you got spanked. I never got a ride to school. Throughout my elementary, middle and high school career, I walked both ways. Every day. Spring, summer, fall and winter. If I were frozen to the core or sweating my ass off, I was there. Unless you were running a 101% temp, puking up a lung or bleeding out your eyeballs, you went to school. Yes, uphill. Both ways. In the snow. Fuck off.  

Chores were expected. I was responsible for taking out the garbage, mowing the lawn, doing my own laundry, feeding the dog, making my own room spotless, straightening the downstairs playroom and babysitting my sister. All by the age of 10. My parents provided everything I needed, but if there was anything I wanted, I had to earn it myself. Hence the reason I got my first job at 14. I worked a few hours a week at a diner close to my house, bussing tables. I spent that money on clothes at the Limited Express and Duran Duran records...and I was damn proud. Life was easier back then, but nothing came easy. We were loved and very well cared for, but we never felt a sense of entitlement. 

Fast forward. Then one day, I became a mom. And guess what? I chose to raise them with the same set of rules....give or take. One thing I don't condone is physical abuse, spankings included. But they definitely they will be respectful. They will treat others better than some may treat themselves. They will work for anything extra they want, in the process learning the value of a dollar. They will help out around the house because this shit doesn't run itself. If we have a pet, they will help take care of it, because it teaches compassion and responsibility for animals. As part of the family, they will assist with the younger siblings when necessary. They will hold open doors at the local grocery store, or while escorting a crush. They will say yes, please and thank you. But above all, I've always wanted both my kids to do more with their lives, love themselves, become morally strong and be better people than their peers. 

As an X-er who is the product of Boomers, who then chose to be an older mom, giving birth to Z-ers, yea...the confusion is real. I honesty believe I am the last of the great generation who were raised right. 

So in a world full of crazy, please tell me whether or not I'm the minority in raising kids the 'old school' way. Yes? No? Leave your comments, I'd love to hear your opinion.