Yesterday Was So Much Better than Today

I totally do not understand people of my generation who wish life was less complicated like back in the 50s or 60s. First of all, our memories of that time do not exist. We only have film reals and stories told by our parents and grandparents. Based on those two items, we think we were just so innocent then. No we weren't. And if you get passed the tales of Jimmy Stewart movies you have two generations that spent time in the killing fields of the Pacific, children practicing duck and cover just in case the bomb drops, and a lack of true global understanding. You still had people doing all of the naughty things that people do. My grandma tells of being kidnapped by a neighbor and rolling out of a moving car. She also tells of losing a sister to a botched illegal abortion - and how she was never mentioned in public. So you had silences and secrets - that is not innocence. These do not make for a safer, better world for our children. I would much rather explain why Jenny has two mommys than have a child who shies away from differences and continues the cycle of prejudice.
Exposure to differences and open conversations about issues like sexuality even on the playground are not evils to be feared. Instead, let's be more open with our children. Let's cultivate a generation of adults who value honesty and live openly.