u/Top_Plenty_1971

Normally I go to my folks' house for memorial day weekend to relax, but this year my sibling is bringing his whole family to stay at their house for the weekend, so i politely declined to come home. That wasn't the only reason, honestly...gas is expensive, and I've had a really long week and the idea of sitting in traffic for hours on friday night and then to come home again monday night just isn't appealing to me right now. I figure I can save my money and then go visit when things aren't quite so busy (they live in a tourist trap). Anyways, my mom feigned disappointment when I said I was going to stay home and get some stuff done and do things with friends, but her disappointment wasn't "oh we'd love to see you" or "we're going to have fun" it was: "if you come, you can help with the kids." Uh yeah, that doesn't sound like a vacation to me! Kids kind of ruin the whole vibe, and when my niblings are around, my parents both turn into zombies and ignore me. I'm not expecting to be the center of attention or anything, but I just feel like the odd man out. I don't have much to contribute to the conversation, and I honestly don't feel like they really even notice that I am there. I'd rather just be at home relaxing and doing what I like instead of trying to please people I'm not sure even like me (I'm talking about my siblings; not my folks.) anyone else feel like this?

recent news indicates that today's kids are less cognitively capable than the generation before them. personally, i think a lot of it has to do with the fact parents are not parenting and are not reading to their kids and instead using iPads and screens to raise them. i've also heard criticisms about kids using screens in schools at a very young age, and while i don't think a ton of screen time is necessary for young kids (I mean, I didn't even have computers are school growing up until junior high) i think the real problem starts at home. the smart people are opting out of having kids and therefore the kids we're seeing today are descendants of literally the worst people you know from high school. because after all, if you were truly self-aware and smart, would you bring kids into this?