Egluntyne Posted January 28, 2007 Share Posted January 28, 2007 Found this on 'tinternet and found it thought provoking. (Have "anglicised" it a bit) CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE KIDS WHO WERE BORN IN THE 50's, ( Lesley, are you there!!) and 60's First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they carried us. They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a tin, and didn't get tested for diabetes. They gave birth to us with hardly any pain relief...a bit of gas and air maybe. Epidurals........Unheard of in the 50's and 60's. Then after that trauma, our baby cots were covered with bright colored lead-based paints. We were nearly all fed with cows milk from a bottle. We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets. As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags. Riding in the back of a van - loose - was always great fun. We drank water from the garden hosepipe and NOT from a bottle. We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this. We ate cakes, uncooked cake mixture with raw egg in it, white bread and real butter and drank pop with sugar in it, but we weren't overweight because...... WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!! We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on. No one was able to reach us all day. And we were O.K. We would spend hours building our go-carts out of s"Ooops, word censored!"s and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem . We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 99 channels on cable, no video tape movies, no surround sound, no cell phones, no text messaging, no personal computers, no Internet or Internet chat rooms..........WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them! We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents . We played with worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever. Made up games with sticks and tennis balls and although we were told it would happen, we did not poke out any eyes. We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just yelled for them! Local teams had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!! The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law! This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever! The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas. We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL! And if YOU are one of them! CONGRATULATIONS! You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the lawyers and the government regulated our lives for our own good. And while you are at it, forward it to your kids so they will know how brave their parents were. Kind of makes you want to run through the house with scissors, in your stockinged feet , doesn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen & co. Posted January 28, 2007 Share Posted January 28, 2007 Excellent karen x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina C Posted January 28, 2007 Share Posted January 28, 2007 Yep I was one of those kids. Am trying to make sure my daughter gets to do some of those things too. Up until last year we lived on an unmade-up road in the middle of town. Whenever it rained I dressed her in wellies and waterproofs and took her out to play in the muddy puddles. Admittedly they had diesel etc in them but she wasn't drinking it! Older passers-by would smile, younger ones would look at me horrified and usher their kids past as quickly as possible. Layla still talks about the fun she had in those puddles. After the flooding a couple of weeks ago I took Layla and her friend for a paddle, in their wellies, in the park (nowhere near running water). they had a great time letting the water wash over the top of their wellies. Again I got daggers from mums taking their kids home from junior school. (Although there weren't many because after all that's what cars are for.....) My favourite game when I was young was making a den in a cornfield in summer. Probably made the farmer want to shoot us but it was great fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 28, 2007 Share Posted January 28, 2007 Yep I was one of those kids. Am trying to make sure my daughter gets to do some of those things too. Up until last year we lived on an unmade-up road in the middle of town. Whenever it rained I dressed her in wellies and waterproofs and took her out to play in the muddy puddles. Admittedly they had diesel etc in them but she wasn't drinking it! Older passers-by would smile, younger ones would look at me horrified and usher their kids past as quickly as possible. Layla still talks about the fun she had in those puddles. After the flooding a couple of weeks ago I took Layla and her friend for a paddle, in their wellies, in the park (nowhere near running water). they had a great time letting the water wash over the top of their wellies. Again I got daggers from mums taking their kids home from junior school. (Although there weren't many because after all that's what cars are for.....) My favourite game when I was young was making a den in a cornfield in summer. Probably made the farmer want to shoot us but it was great fun! Good for you Tina!! One of the really great things we can do for our children as parents is build them a set of fantastic childhood memories - doing that will be such a massive psychological benefit for them that will stand them in good stead for the rest of their lives... these simple things - such as you mention - far more than expensive trips to Disneyland and suchlike - are the things that lasting valuable memories are made of... Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted January 28, 2007 Share Posted January 28, 2007 Yes, I was one! (Egluntine - 'tis your birthday soon and then you will be as old as me ) I've passed this on to my children as well. I married young and was then left divorced with 2 small children (and that was when it was shameful - not an excuse to get a flat/car/benefits! Imagine that!) We didn't have a car, phone or any money and we went out for nature rambles, splodged in puddles and did lots of home cooking. I now have 2 grandchildren and a place with land - they love it. I wish I'd had the camera when Jake went off to splodge in the mud - he left a trail of wellies and socks behind him as they got stuck in the mud, one at a time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellcat Posted January 28, 2007 Share Posted January 28, 2007 Excellent! As I type this, the 7 year old and 4 year old are out in the garden in wellies and old coats, with a large and a small wheelbarrow and two sand pit spades, helping daddy empty the old compost heap and get it on the veg beds. Apparently there is talk about doing something even more yukky (pond, water barrel cleaning, something like that) afterwards. They both have red faces and noses and huge smiles on their faces. THATS what weekends are for - getting messy outside! ....And what baths are for! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnieP Posted January 28, 2007 Share Posted January 28, 2007 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley-Jean Posted January 28, 2007 Share Posted January 28, 2007 I was one of those children too Egluntine . (Born just before the 50's actually but don't tell anyone ) What a wonderful childhood we had lots of freedom and without the high level of competition we find in all areas of life nowadays. I tried to do the same for my children and succeded in the main Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 28, 2007 Author Share Posted January 28, 2007 I was one of those children too Egluntine . (Born just before the 50's actually but don't tell anyone ) Ooh er! Does Lesley know....I think she thinks she's the oldest....with me galloping up behind!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muppet81 Posted January 28, 2007 Share Posted January 28, 2007 I'm a child of the 50's too and agree that I had a wonderful childhood. I don't have children of my own but often feel sad when seeing how children live their lives now. Freedom and innocence were taken for granted but looking back, how very precious they were. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe Posted January 28, 2007 Share Posted January 28, 2007 I'm a 60s child oh how that list bought back wonderful memories, we did'nt have a lot of money when my son was little, sweats were a treat and we use to make things out of cardboard and material if you know what I mean. Going back to my childhood, I remember playing on the disused pit hills, or maybe they were still being used I did split mt head open on the railway track, after mum and dad said I could play out for 10 more minutes those were the days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted January 28, 2007 Share Posted January 28, 2007 I was one of those children too Egluntine . (Born just before the 50's actually but don't tell anyone ) Ooh er! Does Lesley know....I think she thinks she's the oldest....with me galloping up behind!! Yay!!!!!!!!! I really don't mind finding out that i'm not the oldest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley-Jean Posted January 28, 2007 Share Posted January 28, 2007 I was one of those children too Egluntine . (Born just before the 50's actually but don't tell anyone ) Ooh er! Does Lesley know....I think she thinks she's the oldest....with me galloping up behind!! Yay!!!!!!!!! I really don't mind finding out that i'm not the oldest Not got my bus pass yet, but getting close Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted January 28, 2007 Share Posted January 28, 2007 Sorry LJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 28, 2007 Author Share Posted January 28, 2007 Glad we've made your day Lesley! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted January 28, 2007 Share Posted January 28, 2007 When I think of some of the things I did when I was little Played on building sites (by squeezing through fencing in some instances ), crawled into storm drains in the local park, squeezed through a hole in fencing once to get access to canal towpath(subsequently fell into nettles and ran very quickly all the way home, ran for the school then after finding out how fast I was!), played in gutter making dams when it rained, played with ants in the garden (got bitten more than once but they were fascinating!), climbed up trees (and got stuck sometimes ), ran along the tops of the highest walls we could get onto and leaping over entrances that crossed our path, going on adventures with friends 'miles away' from home (half hour walk actually!) and cutting our feet in the 'brook' on broken glass whilst paddling and having to wear a plastic bag on one foot to stop the blood going everywhere , half falling in the local yachting pool whilst attempting to slide on the ice and walking home with a soggy leg and squelchy foot, making a slide on the ice in the very steep school playground every year(lots of bloody noses if I remember!) but had to climb over the fence as it was locked, going down steep hills in those strap on roller skates with no way of braking, and it was all GREAT FUN! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cate in NZ Posted January 28, 2007 Share Posted January 28, 2007 I saw that on another forum, so true though. When I think of some of the things that I did as a child from my current perspective as a Mum my blood runs cold. That said my sisters, friends and myself all grew up whole, happy and healthy. I wish sometimes that I could give my children the same freedoms that I enjoyed as a youngster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 28, 2007 Share Posted January 28, 2007 Nice one Egluntine - was one of those children too, and how that brought back memories. We spent the summer hols in Norfolk, messing about in boats and fishing, we though nothing of walking the 3.5 miles to the beach and spending the day there with our friends. We built tyre swings in trees, dens in bushes and go-carts from s"Ooops, word censored!"s. Phil grew up on a working farm and wonders that they all survived, the way that they all played on farm machinery, helped out at harvest time and tinkered with dangerous equipment. My baby is that age now when she wants and needs more independence, I try to let her have it in a safe way, but she is not allowed out to room the streets on her own. I encourage her to think for herself and use common sense. It's an uphill struggle because her dad won't let her even go up the stairs without warning her to take care Thankfully she has enough sense to not take too much notice of him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Looney Posted January 29, 2007 Share Posted January 29, 2007 I'm not a child of the 50s or 60s (try the 70s!) but so many of those things rang true. I used to love it when my dad went to the s"Ooops, word censored!" yard cos my brother and I were allowed to go and play in all the cars - great fun! Can't imagine that would be allowed now? By the way, the most common thing to be found in a s"Ooops, word censored!"ped car's glove box was a part packet of polos! (Extensive research was carried out to discover this! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 29, 2007 Share Posted January 29, 2007 cutting our feet in the 'brook' on broken glass whilst paddling and having to wear a plastic bag on one foot to stop the blood going everywhere I still have the scar on the sole of my foot, from when I stood on a bit of glass at the beach when I was about 5. It GUSHED, and my nana licked a hanky, wiped it down, tied the hanky around my foot, then wrapped the clingfilm from our packed lunch round it, to stop it dripping, and I went merrily on my way to play in the sand again. If that happened to one of my children, when MY mother was with them, they'd be up at the Sick Kids faster than you can lick a hanky, yet here I am, many years later, fine and dandy apart from a silver sliver of a scar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 29, 2007 Author Share Posted January 29, 2007 cutting our feet in the 'brook' on broken glass whilst paddling and having to wear a plastic bag on one foot to stop the blood going everywhere I still have the scar on the sole of my foot, from when I stood on a bit of glass at the beach when I was about 5. It GUSHED Ditto here too!! Mine was caused by a broken mussel shell on the beach at Colwyn Bay. It went quite deeply into my foot and bled like crazy. I was bound up with a dry hanky and told to go and play and it served me right for having bare feet! It did too!! No fuss was made because it would have spoilt other peoples day out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 I'm of the same ilk Egluntine and Chooks - Rosie is inclined to be a bit of a drama queen, so I always play it down, kiss it better and say 'never mind'. Boy, does she squeal like a stuck pig though Mind you, I can take it to the extreme - I was a passenger in a bad car accident and broke my ankle. I have a high pain threshold and it didn't hurt too much, so I didn't make a fuss about it at the hospital - it was a different matter the next day when it was twice the size Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 Good grief, Clare! I have a high pain threshold too (I always proudly announce I can happily(?) have a baby with no pain relief ), but walking on a broken ankle?! You only managed that because you weigh virtually nothing!!! Hope you didn't end up with any long-term problems with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 30, 2007 Author Share Posted January 30, 2007 I know we are deviating a bit but allow me to announce categorically that the discomfort of childbirth is absolutely nothing when compared with the pain of a corneal abrasion....speaking as one who knows!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 Just got no sense Linda! I was hobbling on it and it was a bit bruised, but nothing more. I guess that if I'd made a fuss, they would've x-rayed it. It's fine now - I do circuit training and run on it. I was very fit in those days, and they told me that fit people get used to ignoring injuries and eventually make them worse; I am more careful now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
