Anonymous
12/28/2023 17:39
Subject: How did generations with unlimited TV and no enrichment…
Anonymous wrote:None of my successful and intelligent friends were allowed unlimited tv.
You know the childhood TV watching habits of all of your adult friends? Don’t you successful and intelligent people have better things to talk about?
Anonymous
12/28/2023 17:33
Subject: How did generations with unlimited TV and no enrichment…
Anonymous wrote:None of my successful and intelligent friends were allowed unlimited tv.
We didn't have screen time limits, tv/video games because we didn't need them. Even when we did watch alot of TV, it wasn't nearly as much as kids today. The major difference I see is that with kids today, screen time is all they want.
Anonymous
12/28/2023 15:42
Subject: How did generations with unlimited TV and no enrichment…
None of my successful and intelligent friends were allowed unlimited tv.
Anonymous
12/28/2023 15:40
Subject: How did generations with unlimited TV and no enrichment…
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:PP, we weren’t allowed in the house let alone, watching TV all day. Even if we did, we didn’t have cable so 4 channels (and only 1 TV).
What! Everyone I know watched tons of TV. We were latchkeys kids. Parents worked. We had the house to ourselves. I watch Oprah every day after school, plus hours of MTV. I had my favorite TV shows- Beverly Hills 90210 and Melrose Place on Wednesdays. Friends, Seinfeld on Thursday’s. When I was younger I watched hours of TV on weekend mornings, plus evening TV with Cheers, Cosby Show, Family Ties, Who’s the Boss…I could go on and on…
I also read a ton, and spent time exploring with friends. I never had a tutor and didn’t do any extracurriculars until high school.
I agree that education was also better, with the exception of math, sciences and engineering, which are clearly better now.
+1. I watched all of those shows and you could watch MTV for hours. I also liked reading so I read a lot. I did not do any tutoring type of extracurriculars, just one sport.
I think you're too young for this conversation then. Melrose place was in the 90s, I was an older teen when it came out, not a kid. Kids in the 70s and 80s weren't watching it. Same for MTV most of us didn't have cable for a long time in the 80s. Kids of the 70s/80s weren't doing this. You are a different generation.
I was born in 1972 and I watched a LOT of TV. As a little kid, I watched Sesame Street, Captain Kangaroo, Electric Company and a couple of others (including a great one with two hippie chicks on swings) twice a day. I started watching General Hospital every day after school before Luke and Laura got married. Then there was Donohue and Sally Jesse afterschool. Nightly news every night (plus at noon at 10, if I was home/awake). I had a 2-3 hour block of prime time that I watched basically every night. Muppets and Little House and the Osmonds and Love Boat and Mash and Different Strokes in the 70s. Into the 80s, there was Family Ties, Cosby, Cheers Murder She Wrote, Silver Spoons, Magnum PI, Moonlighting, Remington Steele, Scarecrow and Mrs King, Kate and Allie, Newhart, the A-Team, Gimme a Break, Dynasty, Knight Rider, Benson, Quantum Leap, Star Trek TNG. I even watched Married with Children and the Fox lineup when it premiered in the late 80s. Most people I knew had MTV starting in the early 80s, and had that on pretty much constantly (who else remembers the Prince video for Red Corvette?) -- basic cable was pretty cheap, and there was a TON of stuff on TBS, USA and TNT, including reruns of the old Star Trek and Twilight Zone, I Dream of Jeanie, Gilligan's Island and all the great old Cary Grant, etc., movies.
Man, the late 80's were like the Golden Era of Television. There was SO MUCH good stuff! Now I'm lucky if I can find one show a year that's watchable on Network TV. I went to a top ranked college and an Ivy league graduate program, so I don't think the TV damaged my brain too much.
I have found my twin! Another ‘72er here who watched almost all of that too. Esp. The afterschool stuff. I was a latchkey kid and Luke and Laura and Donahue and Oprah were my babysitters.
I too went to a top college and grad program.
Anonymous
12/28/2023 14:41
Subject: How did generations with unlimited TV and no enrichment…
Reading--books and magazines
Read the newspaper every morning with my parents
I used to read and do homework while watching TV. I needed white noise but didn't know it was called that
Spent a lot of time at friends' houses and observed human nature
Read the newspaper every morning with my parents
I used to read and do homework while watching TV. I needed white noise but didn't know it was called that
Spent a lot of time at friends' houses and observed human nature
Anonymous
12/28/2023 14:38
Subject: How did generations with unlimited TV and no enrichment…
Anonymous wrote:College is so much harder to enter than when you were a kid. It’s stupefying
No it isn't. Having a kid go through high school I can attest that the same level of kids are getting into the same collegs minus perhaps the colleges in the top 10 which have not increased enrollment. Most colleges have increased enrollment and they have the same types of kids at them. Oh and the AP classes have gotten way watered down.
Anonymous
12/28/2023 14:34
Subject: Re:How did generations with unlimited TV and no enrichment…
Anonymous wrote:You actually think Kumon leads to greater success in life?
I would guess kids who are naturally good at academics and don’t need endless help and tutoring are the ones who succeed. I was surprised at some of kids who went on to Harvard medical school and MIT. They certainly weren’t at these after school tutoring centers. We carpooled with some of the ones who got into these schools and they had the same schedules as everyone else just all AP classes set them apart. Outside of school you couldn’t tell who had the super brain.
Anonymous
12/28/2023 14:26
Subject: How did generations with unlimited TV and no enrichment…
I was raised in the '80s and '90s and I never had unlimited screens.... Even if I did TV sucked and was things like sesame Street and general hospital.
So I was motivated to use my imagination and do things outside which is where I spent 90% of my childhood
So I was motivated to use my imagination and do things outside which is where I spent 90% of my childhood
Anonymous
12/28/2023 14:21
Subject: How did generations with unlimited TV and no enrichment…
We self-enriched.
Anonymous
12/28/2023 14:15
Subject: How did generations with unlimited TV and no enrichment…
University slots have not kept up with increases in the US population plus a higher percentage of international students are now going to US universities compared to 30 or 40 years ago.
So, competition is fierce. Also, something people don't think of is back when you had to mail your application in the postal mail, people simply applied to fewer colleges. With the internet universities and companies are flooded with applications.
So, competition is fierce. Also, something people don't think of is back when you had to mail your application in the postal mail, people simply applied to fewer colleges. With the internet universities and companies are flooded with applications.
Anonymous
10/20/2023 17:42
Subject: How did generations with unlimited TV and no enrichment…
I was born in 1981 to a middle class family here in the dc area. I watched tons of tv. I think the tv was on all day sometimes. Sometimes we would watch fresh prince while eating dinner.
I don’t think that really stopped me and my sister from doing a bunch of extracurricular activities or getting any homework done. It was not forbidden but also didn’t feel like an addiction. We enjoyed it but would not mind doing other things.
We did not have enrichment activities but did well in school and moved on to college and graduate school. I think the competitive factor has vastly changed .
It’s not the same with social media and phones. I don’t even think once can compare. The state of the world had fundamentally changed on many levels as so many people mentioned here - technology, education , etc etc
I don’t think that really stopped me and my sister from doing a bunch of extracurricular activities or getting any homework done. It was not forbidden but also didn’t feel like an addiction. We enjoyed it but would not mind doing other things.
We did not have enrichment activities but did well in school and moved on to college and graduate school. I think the competitive factor has vastly changed .
It’s not the same with social media and phones. I don’t even think once can compare. The state of the world had fundamentally changed on many levels as so many people mentioned here - technology, education , etc etc
Anonymous
10/18/2023 12:28
Subject: How did generations with unlimited TV and no enrichment…
I grew up in another country. I can watch unlimited tv if I wanted because I was just stuck at home with no classes/tutoring/enrichment/playdates. It was public school teacher's job to teach us and make sure that we learn materials. They gave us homework, quiz, test, exam etc to monitor our performance. I remember one teacher asked everyone in the classroom to come to school on Saturdays to study in front of her. I remember one pregnant teacher begged us to study hard for college entrance exams or else she may die with baby in tummy out of anger and frustration. At the end, every one went to college with teacher pushing. Parents expect and rely free public school education to educate students. They got no extra pay for doing all these extra works, and we don't have teacher appreciation week. Gifting gifts to public school teacher is prohibited. I miss my teachers back in my home country that do extra miles on their own. We never have a shortage of publuc school teachers in my hometown.
I am disappointed in public school system in MoCo. In america, we have to shower teachers with gifts and special days and hope that they are nicer to our kids.
I am disappointed in public school system in MoCo. In america, we have to shower teachers with gifts and special days and hope that they are nicer to our kids.
Anonymous
10/18/2023 12:19
Subject: Re:How did generations with unlimited TV and no enrichment…
But how much TV was there, really? Even on days you were home sick, there was Price is Right and that was about it. Saturday mornings had cartoons but nothing was on demand and there were far fewer channels. (I'm 44, so I'm old but not that old!).
I didn't do enrichment stuff but neither do my kids now, I think it's silly unless you need help with something, in which case having a tutor makes perfect sense. None of the kids in our friend circle do stuff like that now either. Sports, yes. Tutoring, if needed. But Kumon? I don't know a single person who does something like that.
I didn't do enrichment stuff but neither do my kids now, I think it's silly unless you need help with something, in which case having a tutor makes perfect sense. None of the kids in our friend circle do stuff like that now either. Sports, yes. Tutoring, if needed. But Kumon? I don't know a single person who does something like that.
Anonymous
10/18/2023 11:58
Subject: Re:How did generations with unlimited TV and no enrichment…
I watched a lot of TV in the 80s. But I still had to deal with boredom and make my own fun constantly. We commuted by subway daily—no iPad. Waiting at the doctor’s office—no iPad. Supermarket shopping…you get the idea.
It’s not just screen time that’s an issue these days. It’s the addiction of using it as a crutch and distraction.
It’s not just screen time that’s an issue these days. It’s the addiction of using it as a crutch and distraction.
Anonymous
10/18/2023 11:54
Subject: How did generations with unlimited TV and no enrichment…
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:PP, we weren’t allowed in the house let alone, watching TV all day. Even if we did, we didn’t have cable so 4 channels (and only 1 TV).
What! Everyone I know watched tons of TV. We were latchkeys kids. Parents worked. We had the house to ourselves. I watch Oprah every day after school, plus hours of MTV. I had my favorite TV shows- Beverly Hills 90210 and Melrose Place on Wednesdays. Friends, Seinfeld on Thursday’s. When I was younger I watched hours of TV on weekend mornings, plus evening TV with Cheers, Cosby Show, Family Ties, Who’s the Boss…I could go on and on…
I also read a ton, and spent time exploring with friends. I never had a tutor and didn’t do any extracurriculars until high school.
I agree that education was also better, with the exception of math, sciences and engineering, which are clearly better now.
+1. I watched all of those shows and you could watch MTV for hours. I also liked reading so I read a lot. I did not do any tutoring type of extracurriculars, just one sport.
I think you're too young for this conversation then. Melrose place was in the 90s, I was an older teen when it came out, not a kid. Kids in the 70s and 80s weren't watching it. Same for MTV most of us didn't have cable for a long time in the 80s. Kids of the 70s/80s weren't doing this. You are a different generation.
I was born in 1972 and I watched a LOT of TV. As a little kid, I watched Sesame Street, Captain Kangaroo, Electric Company and a couple of others (including a great one with two hippie chicks on swings) twice a day. I started watching General Hospital every day after school before Luke and Laura got married. Then there was Donohue and Sally Jesse afterschool. Nightly news every night (plus at noon at 10, if I was home/awake). I had a 2-3 hour block of prime time that I watched basically every night. Muppets and Little House and the Osmonds and Love Boat and Mash and Different Strokes in the 70s. Into the 80s, there was Family Ties, Cosby, Cheers Murder She Wrote, Silver Spoons, Magnum PI, Moonlighting, Remington Steele, Scarecrow and Mrs King, Kate and Allie, Newhart, the A-Team, Gimme a Break, Dynasty, Knight Rider, Benson, Quantum Leap, Star Trek TNG. I even watched Married with Children and the Fox lineup when it premiered in the late 80s. Most people I knew had MTV starting in the early 80s, and had that on pretty much constantly (who else remembers the Prince video for Red Corvette?) -- basic cable was pretty cheap, and there was a TON of stuff on TBS, USA and TNT, including reruns of the old Star Trek and Twilight Zone, I Dream of Jeanie, Gilligan's Island and all the great old Cary Grant, etc., movies.
Man, the late 80's were like the Golden Era of Television. There was SO MUCH good stuff! Now I'm lucky if I can find one show a year that's watchable on Network TV. I went to a top ranked college and an Ivy league graduate program, so I don't think the TV damaged my brain too much.
Born in 1965 and this was me, too -- just a bit later. TV was pretty much always on. I had no enrichment of any kind. My public high school offered 3 AP courses (Calculus, English and World History). I graduated with a 3.5 GPA/1390 SAT and went to Rice. Where tuition was $3,200 a year.
Different times.