Posted on 05/18/2005 9:07:02 AM PDT by LIConFem
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 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 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!
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.
Kind of makes you want to run through the house with scissors, doesn't it?!
Gen-X, We were the last generation to have the classical American childhood
Xer Ping
Ping list for the discussion of the politics and social (and sometimes nostalgic) aspects that directly effect Gen-Reagan/Generation-X (Those born from 1965-1981) including all the spending previous generations (i.e. The Baby Boomers) are doing that Gen-X and Y will end up paying for.
Freep mail me to be added or dropped. See my home page for details and previous articles.
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas! Screen name ID only is a great IDEA! I'm in!
I told her that back when I was that age, if I got dropped off at school while riding in a baby seat, I'd get my ass kicked by the other kids.
I don't necessarily buy the contention that there are "more whackos these days". It would seem to me that this would be somewhat of a constant regardless of the era.
You mean you didn't WALK 10 miles to school? :)
With all due respect, I think you are in the minority. If most boomers truly feel the way you do, why does the nanny state grow at an accellerated pace today under a Republican president and congress?
Cool! Your on the list...July 29th to July 31st MGM Grand Hotel....
OH Pleese.........Your ridiculous as most Gen Xer's are...
GEN Xer's suck they are clueless...The Computer generation..
Baby Boomers were the People Generation although we have turned into Computer folk! Lol...
LOL..Nah! your fine the way you are....
I think most of them grew up in the Silver Spoon Set in Connecticut or Massachussettes. They never knew what a wet willy or Indian burn was, and probably think taking a risk involves many thousands of dollars and not riding your bike down a 70 degree bank.
I let my child play. I encourage her to "Go Outside!!" as much as possible. We have lots of kids in our neighborhood, and they are all encouraged to play outside and explore. I like to know where she is and what she is up to, but she needs the freedom and adventure that I had so mush as a child.
Neat post, thanks.
if you d o actually getthis vegas thing up and running ping me im in too
July 29th to July 31st, 2005 MGM Grand Hotel Las Vegas..on the list!
I beg to differ. I think the internet has encouraged the perverse lusts in perverse people, including pedophiles.
It is far more rampant now than it was even 10 years ago.
I hate to burst your bubble, but my son, can build things, rode his bike everywhere. Is not fat at all. When he was 5 or 6 went collecting money for chocolate bars for his soccer team. He was gone for 3 hrs. When it was 8pm I started to be concerned, but he came home with a boat load of money. Of course I sent the dog with him, who by the way was not on a leash. Dog is a border collie so lots of energy, but would not protect or attack a soul.
My neighborhood, the kids are outside, do slip and slide, and wander in the woods making tree houses.
I agree that the video games have contributed to fat kids. My son would stay for hours in front of a screen.
Oh and for the lady who complained about being low birth weight and short because her mom smoked. I am small about 5 feet. My mother was smaller 4'10". My brothers about 5'8". I am small because my genetics are small. My son is now 5'10" and 15 and I smoked and he had a birth weight of over 7 lbs. When the doctor said that smoking led to low birth weight, I said good. I did not want a monster baby. And yes I had a normal but painful delivery.
hate to burst your bubble, but my son, can build things, rode his bike everywhere. Is not fat at all. When he was 5 or 6 went collecting money for chocolate bars for his soccer team. He was gone for 3 hrs. When it was 8pm I started to be concerned, but he came home with a boat load of money. Of course I sent the dog with him, who by the way was not on a leash. Dog is a border collie so lots of energy, but would not protect or attack a soul.
My neighborhood, the kids are outside, do slip and slide, and wander in the woods making tree houses.
I agree that the video games have contributed to fat kids. My son would stay for hours in front of a screen.
Oh and for the lady who complained about being low birth weight and short because her mom smoked. I am small about 5 feet. My mother was smaller 4'10". My brothers about 5'8". I am small because my genetics are small. My son is now 5'10" and 15 and I smoked and he had a birth weight of over 7 lbs. When the doctor said that smoking led to low birth weight, I said good. I did not want a monster baby. And yes I had a normal but painful delivery.
I personally think smoking during pregancy is plain foolish.
But obviously people have the right to make foolish choices.
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