When did it all change?

I have spent all day watching tv with my children because for some reason playing outside is "boring" and there is "nothing to do".  I remember when I was a child I was outside all of the time.  I never had an issue with being "bored" outside.  I would like to know where it all changed.  My children used to like to play outside, the middle two still do.  But my oldest has become obsessed with things like iPods, and cell phones, and video games, tv...etc etc etc.  My husband and I have a constant battle with her over electronics and it's so hard because "everyone has one".  We fought very long about a cell phone.  When my husband left this time for military training I found that she was getting a little too upset not being able to communicate with him.  So...She got a cell phone, $25 a month and she is only allowed to text with it.  No phone calls unless it's an emergency.  No extra costs.  It is supposed to be for talking to her dad and the first day she had it she came home from school with the numbers of seven of her friends.  How the heck did that happen, have I been living in the stone age, here I think she is still too young for it and it's a temporary thing until she is older (only to be used when daddy is away) only to find out that a lot of children have them.  So many children have all of these things it makes me shake my head.  I really believe that children are losing a lot of their youth, they are being robbed of what childhood is all about and it's because parents would rather buy them an electronic device to shut them up and get them out of their hair.  How sad is that.  I don't know maybe I need to come to terms with the times but I really believe that children shouldn't be given all these very expensive toys.  Who are they going to call?  Well the answer to that question is sad....and that is ....they are going to call or text all of their friends. :(  Sad but true.  Television programs have become about advertising as well and you don't even notice because it's a part of every day life now, all these children on the shows have cell phones.  I wish that children could be children, pick up a stick and pretend to be someone going on an adventure.  I have kind of gotten off of topic, I was supposed to be talking about the television shows I've been watching.  My preteen watches these shows where all the girls are stuck up and snotty and my 5 year old gets that same attitude or there is violence in shows she watches.  In order for me to find shows I approve of the kids have to watch baby shows I think.  I reluctantly let them watch some of the snotty shows and then I feel upset when they pick up the faces and the attitude.  There is no winning in this I feel.  I wish my children could grow up in a time when I did where there were only four channels, 7, 11, 16, 32(sometimes) and 50.  And being outside was the cool place to be.

 Some days I wish we were Amish :)  In my opinion, life may be harder, work is tougher, but that is the life for me.  Away from the hustle and bustle of the times of today.

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