Interviewing our grandparents

Comparing parents and grandparents’ free time and mine, I realize; some years ago there were more free time, more imagination to spend it and less dangers on the street, but parent’s orders were stricter.
On one hand, my parents used to go fishing and having walks in the nature and; on the other hand, I just go out on evenings Saturday three times a month. I would like to spend more time with my friends, but with my homework I don’t have enough.
I’ve interviewed my grandmother, who is in her seventies.

Me- Did you have much free time when you were about my age?
Grandmother- Yes, I did.
M- Why?
G- Because when I was seventeen, I had already left school. I got married at the age of eighteen.
M- Did you use to spend your freetime on your own or with other people?
G- That depends. Sometimes alone, another times with friends or family.
M- What were your hobbies?
G- I used to do needlework, I liked to sew, to embroider, to knit,…
M- Did other youngsters enjoy doing the same things?
G- The girls….yes. But boys used to play football, ride horses, catch birds, climb trees, they were doing pranks every day.
When we were younger, both girls and boys, used to skip rope and play with the spinning top.
M- Why did you do that (to sew)?
G- Because we spent most of the time at home. Parents didn’t allow you to go out. If you were at the cinema, watching a film, which had already finished and you must came back at home at an hour, you had to leave the film unfinished.
M- What is your opinion about the way young people spend their free time nowadays?
G- There are good, and bad things. It’s ok a flexible timetable, leave the film unfinished had no sense, but there are too young people who go out to eight in the morning; that’s too much!

I don’t think that my grandmother’s activities were more enjoyable than mine (to sew is not funny). But they spent less money and had more imagination.
Nowadays, most teenagers spend their free time opposite the computer’s screen or television.
In my opinion, society should reflect on teenagers’ behaviour. We should take advantage of gyms and mixed groups (boys and girls friends), so, leave the TV remote control or the social drinking glass and have a walk in the nature.

by María Martínez López, 1ºBAC A