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I'm not much of a reader, but this book sounds very interesting! My kids were born in 98, 99 and 2003. They had phones in high school, not middle school. I was not a helicopter parent at all, probably because I had kids later in life and my own childhood required a lot of independence!
Super adorable pumpkins! I agree with DD, y'all are looking great!
on 10/13/25 1:55 pm
I'm sorry about your aunt! Don't you wish we could wrap them in bubble wrap to protect them??
Liz you and DH are skinny pumpkins! You look great. Your nickel experiment seems to be paying off. Very clever of you to figure that out.
CC wise to invest in your roof. Who knew water would be a problem in Arizona. I'm very paranoid abou****er damage too. My family claims I am a water witch and and draw water to us in both good and bad ways.
The day started with distressing news. My special Aunt fell this morning when she was getting up to use the bathroom. An ambulance brought her to the local ER. She broke 5 ribs, so they have transferred her to a hospital in a bigger city (Springfield). I'm waiting to hear more about what her recovery will look like. We feel like we might need to go check in with them in November, regardless of how long she is in the hospitial, or if she will need to be in a rehab facility. I don't know what kind of follow up care breaking that many ribs requires, but i'm guessing it's very painful right now, and she is probably taking some big time painkillers right.
So when we were leaving for coffee DH said, hmm, I'm going to take this office chair and donate it today. (It's been in the garage forever). So I was wrong, something was leaving the garage. Except not really. When he tried to donate it, they said, normally we would take it, but the chair display area is full right now. So, the chair is back in our garage. Fate can be a cruel mistress sometimes.
After coffee we did our Costco trip.It was pretty busy on Monday. The store was filled with jaunty seniors, just like us. : )
We had a nice dinner with our friends. They surprised us by showing us pictures of a vacation home they bought in a super cute tourist town in southern Minnesota. Lots of artisans and biking in the area. DH and I have stayed at a B and B is this town before, and really enjoyed it. They showed us a picture of what will be "your bedroom" as they called it. Sweet.
Well kitchen duties are calling. I bought a package of ground beef at Costco, which needs to be broken down into one pound bags. A loathsome task, but well worth it because it's $2.00 cheaper a pound than my local grocery, and better quality. These are things I have time for now.
The 2010s are exactly when the spike occurred. The contrast between a play based childhood and a "phone based" childhood is so well presented. I think you'd really like the book - especially with your teacher's point of view.
My kids were born in 1992 and 1995. They didn't have phones until high school (dd) and middle school (ds). Their first phones didn't have cameras, and you had to text by using the number pad. MySpace was a thing, but neither of them were into it. The level of anxiety in my students seemed to skyrocket around 2010. Snap Chat and other social media platforms fuel the fire. OMG. I'm glad my kids mostly didn't grow up with that, and that DS in particular loved to be outside on all his various wheels: bike, scooter, roller blades, skateboards. Lots of teachers were reading and recommending this book, I might take a look at it.
I think even your youngest is old enough to have escaped what the book calls a "phone based" childhood. He writes that the most affected generation was born after 1994 or 1995.
My kids are 52, 37, and 34, so possibly older? Cellphones were around when they were teenagers but they weren't smartphones - they could just make/receive calls on them. Helicopter parents were just starting to be present during the middle daughter's late teenage years and I wasn't one of them. When my oldest went to college orientation the parents stayed home. When the 37 year old went she asked if I was coming and I was totally surprised to be invited. I went but had a hard time understanding the need of some of the other parents to want to continue to be involved in everything. Also my kids (even the youngest) grew up playing outside with the neighborhood friends. No online game playing and no messaging until they were in their 20's. There was email but not the constant back and forth.
Liz 5'3" HW: 219 SW: 185 GW: 125 LW: 113 Desired maintenance range: 120-125 CW: 119ish
Sounds like a sound plan to fix the roof properly. Tarantulas! Yuck! I'd prefer not to meet one.
I need my hair done too - tomorrow thank goodness.
Liz 5'3" HW: 219 SW: 185 GW: 125 LW: 113 Desired maintenance range: 120-125 CW: 119ish
207.8 Slowly the downward trek begins... I want to be back around the 200 lb mark before my surgery. Given that I'm hoping to move my surgery to early December, I better get a move on...LOL!
Rain is forecast for this afternoon and into the night. It is cool enough this morning that I'm actually wearing a long sleeved thick Tee shirt. Still in shorts, though! I give up my summer attire as slowly as possible.
Yesterday's dog #2 was a lot of work. The day did not feel as low key as I had hoped. I trimmed dogs for 5 1/2 hours.
Today my only obligation on the calendar is a workout with my trainer at 5 pm, but I think I need to go visit my pop since I haven't seen him in 2 1/2 weeks. I think I will stick around here most of the day and do odds and ends. I'm feeling a bit self indulgent. Perhaps I am entitled?
I re-listened to The Anxious Generation on my drive home. I'm not generally a read/listen to a book twice type of guy. I've reread probably fewer than 20 titles that were not school required. I got even more out of the second listen. At one point I was listening and wondered how this mental health crisis has touched the children of our tribe? It sounds like DD's and Paula's children are the right age to be affected - maybe even Liz's - though I think they are a bit older. Anyhow, I'll suggest the book again. I found that many of the findings cited in the book were applicable to me! YIKES!
Okay, time to get my butt in gear...
Wishing everyone a fabulous week.
