Thinking Back
My parents were just here visiting and it made me sit back and think about life as a kid.
I am a product of the early 70's. My folks didn't have a lot of money. We ate what mom cooked and if you didn't like it or were picky you ate it anyway. There was no second choice. Vegetables were canned and the meat in your casserole was spam.
We drank milk and soda....oh man did we drink soda! And kool aid, must not forget the buckets of cheap colorful sugar water we downed by the gallons. Which totally explains all my cavities as a kid.
Our parents did not play with us unless it was board/card game night. We entertained ourselves with play kitchens, records and our imagination. We went over to others kids houses and played in our own neighborhoods until dark and the porch lights came on. We caught fireflies in jars and climbed trees.
We rode in the back of trucks and cars without seat belts. I even rode on my moms lap in the front seat.
We watched a black and white TV and did NOT control the channel. Our clothes were polyester and we didn't even know what name brands even were until we got older.
We went to church and were taught to respect our elders. We had manners and said "please" and "thank you" and held forks properly, and didn't eat with our elbows on the table.
We did not go the movies often and I can't really remember going to a restaurant unless we were traveling to see my grandparents. Summers were spent with Gram and Gran pop where you watched TV and went to the neighbors house because they would give you cookies.
You actually had to work for an allowance and helping out was expected of you.
Kids got the belt or the paddle for bad behavior and NO ONE ever once said it was abuse.
It's not like bad stuff didn't happen either. It's just no one talked about it. I only found out when I was an adult that the neighbor kids were molested by their parents, and that so and so was an alcoholic.
Most parents smoked and drank as well. It was completely normal. I never even heard of a friend having cancer, leukemia or diabetes.
I look at Emily and know that she will never have a childhood that is that simple. There are no neighbors to play with, hell... I don't even know most of mine. I'm too scared to let her even play in the neighborhood with all the shit that happens on the news. Kids have iPads and PlayStation now. They rarely use their imagination. We can't go out or take a drive without some form of visual entertainment for her.
I cannot just cook a dinner and hope she will eat. She HAS to eat! Soda is very rare and when she does get it, it has to be diet. There will never be kool aid in the house and getting her just to sit upright at the table is a daily challenge.
When I look back at my childhood I feel lucky. I had a lot of fun. Everything seemed so much easier, uncomplicated and joyful. I am pretty sure my parents saw it a lot differently, but to me it was a perfect way to be raised.
I am a product of the early 70's. My folks didn't have a lot of money. We ate what mom cooked and if you didn't like it or were picky you ate it anyway. There was no second choice. Vegetables were canned and the meat in your casserole was spam.
We drank milk and soda....oh man did we drink soda! And kool aid, must not forget the buckets of cheap colorful sugar water we downed by the gallons. Which totally explains all my cavities as a kid.
Our parents did not play with us unless it was board/card game night. We entertained ourselves with play kitchens, records and our imagination. We went over to others kids houses and played in our own neighborhoods until dark and the porch lights came on. We caught fireflies in jars and climbed trees.
We rode in the back of trucks and cars without seat belts. I even rode on my moms lap in the front seat.
We watched a black and white TV and did NOT control the channel. Our clothes were polyester and we didn't even know what name brands even were until we got older.
We went to church and were taught to respect our elders. We had manners and said "please" and "thank you" and held forks properly, and didn't eat with our elbows on the table.
We did not go the movies often and I can't really remember going to a restaurant unless we were traveling to see my grandparents. Summers were spent with Gram and Gran pop where you watched TV and went to the neighbors house because they would give you cookies.
You actually had to work for an allowance and helping out was expected of you.
Kids got the belt or the paddle for bad behavior and NO ONE ever once said it was abuse.
It's not like bad stuff didn't happen either. It's just no one talked about it. I only found out when I was an adult that the neighbor kids were molested by their parents, and that so and so was an alcoholic.
Most parents smoked and drank as well. It was completely normal. I never even heard of a friend having cancer, leukemia or diabetes.
I look at Emily and know that she will never have a childhood that is that simple. There are no neighbors to play with, hell... I don't even know most of mine. I'm too scared to let her even play in the neighborhood with all the shit that happens on the news. Kids have iPads and PlayStation now. They rarely use their imagination. We can't go out or take a drive without some form of visual entertainment for her.
I cannot just cook a dinner and hope she will eat. She HAS to eat! Soda is very rare and when she does get it, it has to be diet. There will never be kool aid in the house and getting her just to sit upright at the table is a daily challenge.
When I look back at my childhood I feel lucky. I had a lot of fun. Everything seemed so much easier, uncomplicated and joyful. I am pretty sure my parents saw it a lot differently, but to me it was a perfect way to be raised.
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