I think I only heard this term yesterday: Grup. It
refers to an old Star Trek episode (which I remember seeing) in which
Captain Kirk and pals land on a strange world (didn't they do that in
every episode?) where some awful virus knocked out all the grown-ups
and the world was ruled by children. Now, though, according to this excellent in-depth article in last April's New York Magazine, it refers to a new group of parents who still act like children, at least when compared to the parents of yore.
Ouch.
But
look, I have lots of the signs: count with me! I have an iPod.
And I'm plugged in, in public. While listening to Death Cab For Cutie.
And I play Sufjan Stevens for my kids (how does New York Magazine know
what's on my iPod? This is eerie!). I have worn nothing but jeans
for 10 years. With holes in the knees. zThe sneakers. I haven't worked
in an office since 1995, don't shave much anymore (sorry; is that TMI?)
- and I just stated so publicly.
So....what's
wrong with this, I ask you? Happily, the article ends with
this: "Being a Grup [is]...about re-imagining adulthood as a period defined
by promise, rather than compromise." Gee,
when you put it that way, it sounds like being a Grup is good (except
for the label thing: alternatives, though, all seem to involve a
variant of the word yuppie, and we won't even go there). Is it?
So,
what about you? What defines you and the way you parent? Do
you see yourself being similar to your own parents? Or do you
think you're forging a new model of parenthood? What is the face
of parenthood these days? From Momtinis to The Wiggles, where do you fall?
