CHILDREN'S DEMAND FOR GADGETS PLACES FINANCIAL BURDEN ON PARENTS

Oh the joys of parenthood! Today’s demanding children are costing their parents more than £1,000 a year in must-have designer clothes and gadgets to impress their friends. Most popular gadgets include mobile phones, mp3 players and handheld games. How times have changed! When I was growing up, we never had any gadgets like these and managed very well without them. Apparently two thirds of Britain’s youngsters would be lost without their computers as they spend more time on them than watching tv. Could that combined with a diet of junkfood be the reason why so many British kids are obese? Maybe it’s me but when I was growing up, I never remember seeing as many overweight kids around as there are today. Computers were none existent in those days. Junkfood outlets were unheard of. Kids came home from school and went for a bike ride or played outside with their friends. They were a lot healthier than the kids of today. Whatever happened to enjoying the simple pleasures in life? Technology is a wonderful thing but not when it creates a society of demanding, unhealthy youngsters with no values.