Unfair on the children?

You do the best you can and thats all you can do with the resources that you have. Other people might have plenty of money and plenty of access to obtain things. They always think different. I remember a time when I was able to get my kids whatever they wanted, now that I fell on hard times, I do the best I can for them. Like you said, they are healthy and happy and fed.

You should immediately move into a two bedroomed inner city high rise flat where the social can provide you with every little consumer item that you currently fo without, much to the detriment of your children. How dare you deny them the opportunity to get "streetwise" by not allowing them access to constant TV and Xbox joy. Children perform best with a diet intense in E numbers, high fat and low fibre. They need to learn that your love for them will extend only as far as your continued entitlement to child benefits. If you can't hold your head high with other mums and say "one in juvenile detention and the other in the Scrubs" then whar sort of mother are you? Must be time for you to spend a few days in Benidorm. The kids will be alright at home alone........

Whatever.. don't let people like that bother you. She's rude and mean and a total B*tch! Nobody can judge you unless they really know you.. and reading your posts from time to time isn't truly good enough to truly know you. Everyone lives differently, and I think that as long as your kids are happy, healthy, and loved, that's all that truly matters. Beyond that you can't always control your circumstances. You're doing your best financially, doing what you can to ensure you have the finances to get by.. what more can you do? Nevermind what anyone else thinks!

I think she is hung up the idea of where you are in the world. Although you live simply, you are still in the western world. And children brought up in this western world should have all the priviledges. But the fact is, there are places out there where people live just like you do. But they do it, not because of their choice, but because that is just the way people are brought up in their neck of the woods. A boiled head doesn't sound so pleasing.

I do not think so and I must say that you are an example of an ideal parent.

From the bottom of my heart, I think you are great and I would love to have you as a parent if given the chance! Your kids are blessed to have you and for sure, they will turn out great as well.

Hello Greenmoo. She sounds like my grandkids when they don't get their way. To my way of thinking we owe our kids four things and the first of those is love. and as parents we need to make sure they feel it. Next is good healthy food and after that shelter. Your kids will have more advantages then any kid that has all the latest gadgets. So many kids think that their parents owe them the latest cell phone. laptop computer, Ipads and kindle. I have two granddaughters that can't live with out their cell phones and badger their mom when the the time is running out. They are selfish and blame everyone else for their problems which really aren't many. They are in track and their mom has paid a couple hundred dollars for them to get in shape for this year. they refuse to do the exercises here at home. They are very spoiled

If one thinks that a child is deprived if they don't have playstation , their own t.v., cell phone and credit card then your simple unplugged life would seem like child abuse! How dare you let your child run around and play outside! They are suppose to be inside online!This person has no clue how you live, how happy your kids are and she Never will!So ignore her and pitty her kids. They will be the ones who are Truly deprived!

it sounds pretty good to me. what exactly does she think they're missing out on?

Hi GreenMoo, Actually, I think that lady should just mind her own business. On the other hand, she's entitled to her opinion and odds are that you aren't going to change it. My kids had very little TV and gadgets growing up and I don't think it hurt them a bit. In fact, I think it helped develop their creativity. I didn't have money for things like that or lots of snacks. They were dressed decent but I didn't have money to go out and buy the latest trends. When they did get something like that they truly appreciated it. We didn't live in the country but I would have loved to. I remember growing up and spending time at my cousins who had a farm in the country and we always had so much fun there. They also produced most of their own food which was the best ever! Now my cousins who lived much like you describe here all grew up just fine and are all doing very well in their lives. My girls are all grown and well adjusted as well. I'd ignore this lady. I don't really understand what she feels your kids are losing out on.

I think your lifestyle is your choice, and no one should look down on you for that. Having said that, though, I absolutely do not think the way you choose to raise your children is unfair to them at all! Looking back at my childhood, some of the most fun and happiest times was when I played outside with my five other siblings. We would pretend and run around with the neighbor kids. Back then, we didn't have to worry about things like keeping the house locked at all times, keeping an eye on the kids so no one would come kidnap them, and things like that. Those were some pretty fond memories of mine that I look back on. Nowadays with all the technology and electronics galore, "family" time is when everyone sits around and watches a movie or when everyone goes out to eat and everyone is playing on their electronic devices while they wait for their food. I feel like I knew my family more back years ago than I know them now. Don't get me wrong, technology is great for things like myLot, Facebook, email, and things that help us keep in touch with one another, but there's nothing better than face-to-face and spending time with those you love in person. Your children are also learning how fulfilling it is to work. Since your food is grown at home, they know firsthand that if they don't work, they don't eat. I think if every child learned this important principle from a young age, our world wouldn't be in the situation it's in. We need more parents like you who are willing to be different in order to provide a wonderful life for their children. If people are skeptical of you, then that proves where their priorities are. My husband and I haven't been blessed with children yet, but I want to thank you for being such a wonderful example to us. I've learned so much about raising children already that I'm very much looking forward to starting a family and giving my children the best life they can have. Have a wonderful day!

ROTFLMAO! I am sorry, I probably shouldn't be laughing, but that sounds absolutely preposterous. What does this lady think happened way back in the "old days" ... you know, like forty or fifty years ago when there weren't computers in every house and you were lucky if you even had a television set. How about twenty years before that when many families did not even have cars, and there was no "supermarket", although there were general stores. The way that you are raising your children might not be for everyone, but that does not make it wrong. In fact, many children have too much excess and do not appreciate any of it. At least your children will know how to provide for themselves and their families ... I mean from the ground up not just going to a store and buying everything prepackaged. I think that is a very valuable lesson, and one that they can use for the rest of their lives.

There are two sides in both country life and city life.however I prefer the country life at the time when many cities are full of environmental pollution, mental pollution and factor leading to social instability.Even though you can't be named on the same day with city dwellers in modern appliances,but Your kids lead idyllic life ,take pollution-free food and cultivate good habits,what is more,they have a deep understanding of how hard the life is from children,which sows the seeds of virtue in your kids.

Sometimes people say some pretty senseless things. A question you should ask her is how did her grandmother raise her mother? Many people for years have raised their children this way and there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. The fact that there are so many individuals who have lifed a hundred years show this. Individuals who were raised this way turn out to be healthier and happier individuals. In fact I personally really do take my hat off to you in this regard. That you raise your children in such a wonderful way. I too would love to raise my children in such a way but I'm sure my husband would have a fit :). He says I try and have us live like little house on the prairie. Because I got rid of our big tv. And you know what I'm would be perfectly content to live like that. Families like this have a bond beyond compare. Don't let anyone make you feel inferior because of the way you and your family live your life. Right now you will be happy with the way you have chosen to raise your children and down the line you will be as well. Children need to play outside instead of playing on video games all day (which is probably what her children do), they need to actually socialize with their family, with people, instead of movies,phones,video games, or the latest gadgets. I honestly wish there were more people like you. You are truly a wonderful person who is doing great things for your family. Your children will always be close to you and remember how they played outside, how they spent time with the family playing games. And all the wonderful things that a family most diffinitely can and need to do without all the other STUFF that is out there that really doesn't benefit us, it just distracts us.

Hi, GreenMoo. I don't think that you are being unfair to your children at all. You are a great and responsible mother. Sadly, there are mothers that don't do anything for their kids at all. You are doing what you are supposed to be doing. If this isn't feasible to this other woman, then the heck with her! You are taking great care of your children. If she has a problem with your lifestyle then she should dish out some money to you, so that you can have the best things in life, that may make her happy! Not!!! You should, instead, take this money and buy what YOU like and not what SHE wants! Some people have this dumb way of thinking that how they are living their lives, then you should be doing the same too. What may be fine for her isn't always fine for you or someone else. We all raise our children differently. We all have a different approach to life than others may have. If your choice of living is not agreeable with her, then she should help you out or just shut up. If I see someone else in the need, I will politely ask them if I could help them out. I will not make you feel like what you are doing is not good enough. I will mainly do my best to make you feel like you are an awesome mom because I desire to be a blessing for you. If she can't talk to you with respect, then she should just go away and boil her head until she gets come sense into it.

They are your children and I think it is your choice how you will raised them up. I think there is nothing wrong in growing up in a countryside. I grow up there and I have a wonderful childhood memories back then. I was able to enjoy playing and breathing the fresh air. Mingling with other children. If I have a choice I wanted to raised my son in that kind of life. But my work is in the city and I don't want to live far my son so I raised my son like some other city children. Stay most in the house, play computer games, watch TV. And we have little time running outside in the open field. But it is my choice also since I wanted to be there emotionally for my son. I wanted to see him grow up every single day. And as long as you have plenty of books and you let them have an education and a healthy life style and they are happy then let it be, don't mind the feedback from other people.

she just said her opinion. it's her right to do that. you don't have to agree with her. forums are populated with people with so many opinions. take it easy.. i don't agree with her at all! i think that from what you describe you are doing a big favour for your children and you will see that in future, when they will appreciate so many things that other children won't... the children of today are connected to the tv and pc and their friends are mostly virtual.

I think you are doing a good job as a mom. As you said, as long as your kids get their primary needs then I don't see any problems. TV is not a requirement to raise kids well. I don't even think that it is good to make them used to watching TV at a young age. They should be fed with healthy foods and make them used to that. Washing the clothes by hand will not harm our children, otherwise it will teach them how life is not easy with out technology. Don't feel bad to what a stranger say. Don't give her a reason to question you being a mom. You know your kids more than anybody... "Mouthed people talk." Just don't mind them.

You seem to be doing a great job raising your kids actually. They're healthy, and you seem to care for them a lot. Don't pay attention to that woman. just keep doing what your doing now and be proud of being such a good mother.

I think you are giving your children a valuable gift -- a bonded family that isn't dependent on outside media for all their entertainment. I'm guessing your kids also help produce your food and are learning other valuable skills they will be grateful for later. We never had a television throughout our 47 year marriage (so far) and only miss it during election season. Everyone said if we had kids we'd have to get one, but we didn't. Instead, we read books aloud together as a family after dinner and that gave us a lot of inside jokes we shared and some common knowledge. Back in those days when my husband still had jobs in aerospace, we could not go live in the country, but we wanted to move to a more rural area. I think you've chosen a great life style for your kids. You have not deprived your children of anything important, and you've given them the kind of environment many kids would choose if they hadn't been brainwashed by the media and their peers to think they needed to be in contant electronic contact with someone.