KK - very few of those neighborhoods exist any longer. We live in a transient world now. I have to admit I've never lived longer than 5 years in any one house since my son was born. Jobs, finances, needing to be closer to family, finding a better school, wanting a bigger/better house/neighborhood - these all put people in motion. Even in my son's incredibly great school district, there were still many more kids coming in and leaving every year than there were when we were kids. My parents DID move a lot because my Dad was with IBM back in the days where if you got a promotion, you moved - I've Been Moved.
But most of the kids had lived in their houses all their lives and the parents didn't move until the kids moved out. That just doesn't happen now.
There WEREN'T daycares then. There HAD to be a one-on-one parenting OR babysitting. Now it's 25 on 1 and that one has no interest in the child except their minimum wage paycheck.
CJ - yes, I'd do it differently. I honestly WOULD have gotten remarried. I passed on a few of good one because of my stubbornness and I honestly think a lot of my son's problems DO stem from someone not being around who could dish out some manly punishment. Thankfully, since he's decided to join the Air Force, he'll be getting more of his fair share of that.
But in reality, as much as I appreciate your compliments, and as much as I think I HAVE done a good job, me, KK, Lisa, etc. are NOT the average run of the mill single mothers. We aren't the ones putting the majority of young women and especially men into society.
I know I sound all doom and gloom, and I really don't mean to. There are a lot of GREAT kids out there and a lot of GREAT single parents, but I do think that encouraging single parenthood in the lower economic groups has done a lot to erode the family and subsequently, parts of society.
BTW, CJ - damned if one of my freaking morning glories didn't take root and make a bloom! I'm so proud! All the others died, but this gives me an incentive to get drunk and PLANT MORE!
