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Thursday, March 15, 2012

Life Values Being A Paper Boy

For my latest blog on Mother Earth News go to: http://www.motherearthnews.com/the-happy-homesteader/a-bygone-era-the-newspaper-boy.aspx

I don't want to repeat what the article says but the values and skills I learned as a young boy are no longer available in the manner in which I learned them. With the perversion in society today I am not sure I would want a son or daughter doing what I did as a youngster. I don't think it would be safe for them now.

I hope what I learned as a child can be used however to inspire parents to find innovative methods to teach the same values to youngsters today. Unfortunately today when you see young people setting up lemonade stands the municipality comes along and shuts them down for health violations or not having a vendors licence. That deprives the young person of learning those traits and values by regulation.

To me is seems a very sad commentary that youngsters are deprived of engaging in self enterprise due to a lack of understanding and common sense by bureaucrats. This is not being on my soapbox, only stating a fact and how sad it is to impose ridiculous laws on young people who actually demonstrate initiative.

That being said I hope what I learned at 12 years old can in some small way inspire parents and children in teaching or learning real life values. If you read the topic on MEN and feel a sadness over the loss of this venue to educate and teach children real life values - that is what I felt when I wrote it. I am not pining over the 'good old days' because they weren't always all that good. But some things have been lost along the way that could benefit young people and they are gone forever.

3 comments:

Robert said...

Good newspaper boy article Bruce. Brings back some old memories. Those were the good old days when it didn't cost much to go into business. We did learn valuable life skills back then at an early age with our newspaper route. Skip

Sasha said...

Excellent points Bruce! Glad that our family lives in a place that doesn't shut kids down! Each and every summer, Jonathan and his friends set up lemonade/snack stands....and it is downright hot!!! They lug their coolers and chairs and table up to the corner and they make lots of money too! People that remember "the good ole' days" always stop and much of the time pay them much more than they are asking for their "merchandise":) The boys then, take some of the money they earn and pay back "mom and dad" for the supplies and then donate the remainder to a charity that is in need. They do, by the way, eat and drink way more than their share of sugar in the process!! Hee hee. Love, Sasha

Marion Campbell said...

I was the last child to have a paper route in DE. it has only been 18 years since I stopped so i could go to college. But we still get comments on how much better service was from us girls than it is now from the car drivers.

I completely agree with your article. I also do not subscribe to home delivery since I cannot stand the substandard service they give now. I would rather walk down the street and get the paper than pay driver who throws it in the ditch.