The Potting Shed

Jojo · 2 Star Club Joined: 13 Jul 2007 Posts: 632 Location: Lincs

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE KIDS WHO WERE BORN IN THE

1940's, 50's, 60's 70'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.

Then after that trauma, our baby cots were covered with bright coloured 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 children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags.

Riding in the back of a van - loose - was always exciting and great fun.

We drank water from the garden hose or tap and NOT from a bottle.

We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle or can and NO ONE actually died from this.

We ate cakes, white bread and real butter and drank cordial 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 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 99 channels,No Pay TV, No cable, No DVD movies or surround sound..

It's crazy! We even had

No mobile 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 didn't poke out anyone's eye.

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 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.

Kathy · Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 9:49 pm Post subject:

It's funny but sad really, kids today live in a state of fear.

Becki · Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 11:15 pm Post subject:

I remember riding around in the back of a van one of my mum's friends had. It was brilliant. I can't imagine letting E go anywhere on her own and she's 9.
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The Card Bee

Libby · Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2008 8:33 am Post subject:

Walking 3 miles to school and back aged 8 with my 5 year old sister in tow in all weathers and at all times of the year Rolling Eyes

We had a great life though!!!!
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My Blog: http://woodlandsworld.blogspot.com/

Jojo · 2 Star Club Joined: 13 Jul 2007 Posts: 632 Location: Lincs

Yes I think we had the best childhood,our parents had it very hard but we had the freedom plus a few mod cons like running water and flushing loos Smile