KGAINES Report post Posted June 15, 2006 TO ALL THE KIDS WHO WERE BORN IN 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 carried us. They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes. Then after that trauma, our baby cribs were 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 children, we would ride in cars with no 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 soda 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 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 on cable, no video tape movies, no surround sound, no cell phones, 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 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 yelled for 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! 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! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
coueselk Report post Posted June 15, 2006 Amen to that. Isn't it so true. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dodger2 Report post Posted June 15, 2006 I can relate to that. I make my kids play outside, when its cool enough, and don't panic when they eat dirt in the sand box. It is sad though that I don't let them go out in the front yard by themselves (they are 3 and 1) because I don't trust other people. We use to play baseball on fields where first base was the tree, 2nd was the sprinkler cover, and third was the line on the sidewalk and play "touch" football in the street. Times have definitely changed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bowhunter4life Report post Posted June 16, 2006 I agree with all said,except the smoking. It has taken effect on 2 many people.I for one had to deal with smoking parents. and last year I delt with open heart,lung surgery due to scar tissue/ tummor from that time period 32 years later.I can count on two hands of # of friends in there 30's having similer conditions.One just 2 days ago at 40 years old,my good hunting buddy had to deal with the " c " he to had smoking parents also. If you smoke, would you try to not effect people around you.God bless you all.mike Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
az4life Report post Posted June 16, 2006 I agree with your thoughts Keith. Adding a few that hit home with me also, If You rode to school on a bus, it had no Air Conditioning and no one got heat stroke. Sunglasses were for tv stars and pilots. Kids did not wear them except on vacation in California. Your parnets knew your friends and where they lived. If your friend got in trouble while at your house, his parents expected him to be disciplined by any adult on scene. The ads and store signs around town were all written in english, and spanish was something you took in high school. Kids could play cops and robbers with toy guns and not fear being shot by police. A kid could ride out of town with a shotgun on his bike and go bird hunting without creating a panic. Kids had respect for teachers and went to school to learn. A student never disrespected a teacher. SOOOOO MANY more to recall but times have changed for sure.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stanley Report post Posted June 16, 2006 Good stuff Keith! More than a few of us can relate! Thought provoking for sure.... S. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DesertBull Report post Posted June 16, 2006 Television and video games will cause your kids more brain damage that falling off their bike and cracking their dome on the curb. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
