What has society come too?

[tight]

Sounds like you need a bigger pair of granny knickers, pp.

[I confess]

I confess.  I am over 40, foreign, mother of one toddler.  And I love playing Word Warp and iWarehouse on my phone.  Specially on the bus to and from work.  I also love doing crossword puzzles.  Apparently I should be embarrassed?

[Think about it]

Oh come on....

Playing computer games when you are like...30years old...

It's embarrassing.

Almost akin to placing plush toys on your car dashboard or a Transformers logo in place of your car manufacturer's symbol.

Grow up people...

Actually I think you'll find that those between around 35 and 50 are the original computer game generation.  They're our pastime, part of our history.  Why should be be deemed sad for continuing a hobby that we've had since childhood?  Would you also call people sad who've painted, knitted, cooked since childhood and continue it into their later years?

It's a modern day hobby, that's all.  I like cycling, I also like playing computer games - neither result in a souvenir that I can proudly display, but both are equally enjoyed by myself.
 

[Forgiveness]

Dear OP

Why not call your parents if they are still around and talk about it

It is never too late. It is not easy bringing up kids. It was even harder back then.

[sadbuttrue]

Im 42 and am a video game player still. have 3 kids, have all the current systems plus ipad. I don't play computer games as all that was around in my day was commodore 64 and TI.

[12345]

I think that the OP was really just wondering why all the adults were playing computer games. In his eyes it looks sad that grown up people sit around staring at the computer. (Instead of being outside running around with their children, enjoying nature, reading books or most importantly talk to each other, talk to other adults, have a real conversation)
While I agree with his opinion and would never touch a computer game myself especially not in public I think that this is what the majority of people is interested in. OP you wont have anybody on your side here because the people who like to go out and have conversation with others would not waste their time to sit in front of the computer arguing with strangers they have never seen before.

Best regards from another one who is sometimes wondering about many things that I see outside but better dont post about it on this forum....

[kate smith]

I agree with OP
Why bother going out with the kids if you want quality time to play with them
Just stay at home and stay on your games and screens
Call us old fashioned, we have values of quality life

Lets face it, that life nowadays
we all sit in the front of a screen chatting on social networks and playing games
when we are next to each other
If we are out there's bound to be a TV screen somewhere facing us
we can not get away from it

It's not an idealist world but that what its come to
If you are not on social networks then your out of the social scene bigtime
life is tough

[Attari]

The other day I saw a woman at the playground completely ignoring her children while she read a book. It was called, "How not to be a helicopter parent"

[seenitall]

My kids go to the little gym and every class, we are the only parents actually watching their kids. Rest of them either send the maid with the kids, drop off the kids, play with their iphones, or talk to the other expat mums and dads about the hardships of living rent free, utility free, tuition free while getting a free car, free club membership, and having two maids. So many times after the kids do something they look for the parents for a little praise and they are not paying attention or just not there. Why have kids if you have no interest in them?

[godI'msooldfashioned]

Our kids went to no gyms or any other class - we did these things with them at home or elsewhere (like the park)

Isn't that what having kids is about - you entertain them yourself rather than paying $$s for someone else to do it for you (even if you do sit there and watch and not play with your iphone?     )

I always figured that Fidgets and all that kind of stuff was for when you are bored with entertaining the kids, not as some kind of 'see what a great parent I am' display.  You can be a great parent without an audience.

[how about]

Rest of them either send the maid with the kids, drop off the kids, play with their iphones, or talk to the other expat mums and dads ...... So many times after the kids do something they look for the parents for a little praise and they are not paying attention or just not there. Why have kids if you have no interest in them?

Yes, parents do all that.

BUT ... have you thought maybe, just maybe .... you're also just looking at a mini snapshot of these parents' entire day? A normal day where they've been tuned in 22/7 to 3 other kids, cooking meals, doing laundry, doing the school/afterschool activities run .... and this is finally their 1.5 h of down time breather for the day, with kid #4?

Tough work on the spouse-less (away), maid-less to be the in-house parent all the time with no support.

[Good golly, miss molly]

An interesting but odd rant from OP. I am a parent that spends around 30 hours a week with my kids, which is probably higher than most of the people here, maybe even more than OP. I have a maid, but am perfectly capable of managing by myself, and do so 70-80% of the time.
 
First, Emily Post who is older than myself and OP would probably say that it’s rude to stick your nose in other people's business. So chill on the video games

Second, there’s plenty of time and place to bond with my kids outside of Fidgets. My kids love for me to climb with them at Fidgets, but while I will spend at least some time doing so, I prefer not to. Adults are big, noisy and assertive and can scare the other kids on the ride, and unless I deliberately take a back seat and allow my kids to boss me around, I feel there is no real learning experience as all I am doing is bossing them around.

Third, you may be foreign, male, opinionated and loud, but from a lot of people’s point of view, it a less attractive combination than you probably imagine. Seriously.

[Jenny K]

Let's face it, there is a remarkably high proportion of expats in Singapore who are so unbelievably disconnected from reality when it comes to parenting.  Please don't bother criticising the locals.

[I say]

Having an opinion doesn't give one the right to judge others.  Many expats spend so much time criticising others that sometimes I prefer to hang around those of Asian ancestry more.  At least they keep their opinions to themselves and are less confrontational.