Growing up with my parents in the 70s and 80s, was very different from what we see today. My father was a well known and wealthy businessman. He had a chain of retail shop selling branded men's fashion. My father was a very hardworking man. I have not seen my father taking a nap, or watching television in day time during the week. Only on Sundays he was a little more relaxed and rests. Same goes to my mother. She is always doing some kind of chores at home. Having five children, a grand daughter and two cousins and a cat living with us, it was a constant cooking and feeding of the whole family. On top of that, she also loves sewing and embroidery. But as we were growing up, I remember she had no time to continue with her interests. In the 70s and early 80s, there was no fastfood restaurants where we lived. Everything we ate, was either cooked at home or bought from a 'Nasi Kandar' restaurant. As such, eating anything, I mean anything which is not rice, was a treat. Fried noodles, beehoon, murtabak, roti jala, capati, satay or samosa was a treat. In fact my mother sometimes tries to make jelly, and cakes for us. We would all eat happily having something other than rice. Pasta and pizza was not known at that time. in mid 80s Mc donalds, Kfc and Pizza Hut came to my country. That was when we first ate fast food. I remember saving my pocket money to eat Kfc on Saturdays with my friends.
Nowadays we see so many restaurants and fast food around us. The variuos burgers, pastas, pizzas, cakes and other treats are available 24/7. Kids get to choose what they want to eat for every meal. Parents don't have to go through the tedious job of marketing, cleaning the fish, chicken, meat and storing them. Even there is Nasi Melayu, Nasi Kandar, Sushi, Arabic food, Turkish food all available on apps on the phone. Parents nowaday don't even have to leave the house to buy food. I remember how Ak used to go to the local restaurant and queu up to buy lunch or dinner when the kids were growing up in the 90s and early 2000. According to WHO worldwide obesity has tripled since 1975. With over 4% children aged between 5 to 19 overweight or obese in 1975. While 18% in 2016.
Changes in dietery habits plays a major role in this dramatic increase in obesity , as we see how the children and parents eat a lot of energy densed food that is high in carbs and sugar. Unlike before when I was growing up, kids nowadays sit and watch Tv or computer most of the time. In my childhood years, I used to come home from school, have lunch, do my homework and wait for Tv station to start at 5 in the evening. ( We had no Tv station operating before 5 pm on weekdays ). Then I used to watch cartoon until 6pm. Then it was playing time. Either I will go cycling or play with my niece and neighbourhood friends in the porch. Usually we will play until it is time for Maghrib prayers. Than we will wash up, read Quran, finish up homework and finally watch tv until time to sleep. I carried this pattern with my own children. Of course their tv time was much more than mine and also it was harder to get them to go out to play. I remember chasing them to get up and move every evening. Usually it was I who actually got tired of running and shouting at them.
The scam of convenience, has also brought so much comfort but at the same time more misery in life. People are more sicker and sadder as opposed to before. Everything you need is only a finger tips away. As long as you have money as they say... ( but now you can use credit cards even though you don't have money ).
Today kids also feel they are more entitled and deserve things immediately without even working hard for it. When were growing up, we used to get hand me down from older sibling. Moreover new things were only bought for Eid or birthdays. That way there wasn't much wasting and shopping was also a treat. As kids, we used to look forward to go eid shopping because that was the only times we get to choose what we want. Of course some of this upbringing style I demonstrated on my children when they were younger. So I got the name Sergeant Major👮. They say I am very strict with them and do not shower them with things like how their friends parents do. They have to work hard and top marks in class before Ak and I buy them expensive gifts like bicycle, camera, play station etc. Actually I do not regret one minute for being called like that. In fact I take it as a badge of Honour from my children. Because of this, till today, they are very careful with things they buy, and they don't procarsinate in their work. I try my best to instill in them the values and tradition I learnt growing up, because I think old tradition keeps our soul and memories alive. The joy of simplicity is not felt until you see this chaotic world of contant changing and upgrading and self indulging society. I do feel sorry for someof the children in this generation. Since the parents also grew up without any values and tradition, we see so many problems such as temper tantrum, social disorder, binge eating among children. Parents in this millineum must make sure to hold on to the rope of religion, family values and tradition to ensure the future generation move away fro this unsustenable pace set by a fake , induging society. Only then they can find self sufiency and inner peace. God Willing.
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