Western Walkabout: Thoughts On Today’s Children
Richard Harris is struck by the thought that today's children are bigger and brighter than their parents.
When I was at school, I remember being one of the tallest boys in the class. My Mother was allocated extra clothing coupons during the war for this reason.
When I mix with modern children in their teens, I often note I’m significantly smaller than they are.
My son, who is 43, is taller and better looking than me, and earns more money.
Boys in senior school go into the sports store and buy running shoes up to size 14, compared to my tens.
Today’s children appear to have unusual digital keyboard skills and the reactions of fighter pilots, compared to my studied selection of which key to press.
Sometimes the girls are as tall as me – occasionally taller. I mentioned this to one of my running mates and he replied, ”My daughter is only 16. She’s already taller than me and has bigger boobs than her Mother.”
We both pondered this intelligence, recognising something is happening within the species and we are growing.
Certainly there are some incredibly gifted children around. I’ve a grand daughter, 9, going on 35, who is very confident and knowledgeable – seems to know everything – and carefully explains bits of obscure science to me with great patience.
The community’s children belong to all of us and we can justly take pride in their achievements in the society we’ve helped to create. Our role as older people is surely to care for each other and be especially kind to the children – our future.
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