The Good Old Days

[Mike K.]

This was an email forwarded to me. It brought back fond memories of the good old days of my youth, so I thought I'd share it with all of you. Hope you enjoy it.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Those Born 1930-1979

TO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED the 1930's, 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's!!

First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant. They took aspirin, ate bleu cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes.

Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-based paints.

We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking.

As infants & children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, booster seats, seat belts or air bags.

Riding in the back of a pick-up on a warm day was always a special treat.

We drank water from the garden hose 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 cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank Kool-aid made with sugar, 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 scraps 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 150 channels on cable, no video movies or DVD's, no surround-sound or CD's, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet or 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 ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.

We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls and, although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes.

We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them!

Little League 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!

These generations have 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!

If YOU are one of them CONGRATULATIONS!

 

[Spitfire]

:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap I feel much better now. Thank you.lol

 

[52Styleline]

That's great and so very true.

I would add that we did not have crisis counselers called in to help us with every little incident.

In High School, during hunting season, every boy in school drove to school with his hunting rifle in a rack in the back window and SWAT was never called.

We actually kept score in ball games, and played marbles for "keepies" and if you lost, you were expected to just get over it.

 

[Paisley]

My parents buried two children in the "good old days."

However, I agree that playing it too safe can be a risk in itself.

 

[patrick1987]

Bummer. But, that list proves why I like to hang out with older people. They didn't grow up being told "Good job!" everytime they wiped their noses. Thanks for posting it.

 

[GOK]

We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps 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.

Some of us pushed our horrid brothers down the hill first!
**whistles innocently**

We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 150 channels on cable, no video movies or DVD's, no surround-sound or CD's, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet or chat rooms...WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!

I had books and a box record player!

The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!

Over here, we had bobbies on the beat that were not averse to cuffing one across the ear if necessary!

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!

Ummmmm not to burst the bubble of nostalgia here but we are the generation responsible for starting this whole molly-coddling malarky. I'm not claiming anyone here is hyper-cautious (I know I wasn't with mine) but I do know many 30-45 year olds that wrap their kids up in cotton wool, hang onto every word the latest childrearing expert spouts, refuses to give their child peanuts, broccoli and kiwi fruit "just in case they are allergic" but will pump them full of processed anti-food because their career doesn't leave them enough time to cook a proper meal.

I think you need to add to that list;

When you came away from a birthday party with just a piece of cake and were really pleased with it.

I do think that if kids these days expect too much and we give in, we only have ourselves to blame. There is nothing wrong with telling a child no. There is nothing wrong with telling a child it cannot have xy&z. There is certainly nothing wrong with a child being disciplined and taught to be independent.

As wth everything, child rearing is a matter of balance...and infinite patience!