To all of us kids who survived the 30's, 40's, 50's, 60's & 70's

[SpottedCrow]

64 here...
amazing isn't it?

 

[lockedhearts]

62 here, I have actually fallen out of a moving car and did not get hurt. We used to swim in a lake , drink from the hose, heck I even ate mud.

 

[Cajunsamoan]

Yup, 1974 here. I didn't see my parents from the time I got up to nightfall. We lived by a lake WAY out in the woods. We spent our days fishing, swimming or having adventures in the woods. I miss those days.

 

[Pepperwolfe]

1971 and my brother '73
The changes that have happened. I try to tell my daughter the differences between when I was her age and now. She can't imagine life without the satellite TV, the cell phones, the internet, DS Lite, etc..

We used to brag on a good day when the wind blew just right the antenna stuck up in the tree next to the CB radio antenna could get 12 channels!!
I was outside and roaming through the mountains with just my dog and a penknife for hours. Mom knew I was somewhere on the 48 acres.
I used to climb my grandma's tree in her backyard in town and the only rule I had from Mom was "you're not allowed to fall out of that tree." I never did.
Thinking of which, anybody remember the CB radios. I still have the old base floating around. I had a heck of a time trying to explain that one to my kid.

 

[momofdrew]

I wont even tell when I was born but there was a war going on...at the age of 9, I was babysitting for 3 little kids,getting paid $.50, going to the beach 2 miles away with friends younger then I was...walked a mile and a half to school alone at 8:15am, noon, 1 pm and 3 pm...yes we used to go home for lunch...go to the playground and stay until supper time had to be home for supper at 5:30 or got the fanny blistered...then went out till the lights came on...I was sent on errands downtown by my grandparents...I used to run errands for neighbors also so I could earn money $.05 would buy a lot of candy... go to the movies by myself on Saturdays and pay $.25...
if Mr. or Mrs. Jones yelled at me for some reason my mom would tan my hide...
I was in more danger of an angry mom than anything out on the street...

 

[Mourningdove]

1962 here! I remember neighborhood tag, kick the can, skateboarding by holding on to the back of a bicycle, gym class was actually running, softball ect...anything you got from your parents was actually earned! The government didn't try to tell you how to raise your kids either, I could go on and on....Those days are gone!

 

[sewchick]

1959 here.

I remember going skating with most of the kids on the Island. We would play tag on skates. Not easy. In the summer we would all get together and play 123 red light or tv tag. Great memories. Mostly we would all go swimming. Hours and hours in that cold salt water. Come out for a few minutes and then right back in. We would have jelly fish fights.

Gosh that is kind of gross now. Then it was just a kid thing. Fishing off the stone pier was always great fun. Mackerel was plentiful then. Now it's a different story. I will be 50 in two months.

 

[Imp]

1961. All us kids in the neighborhood had names for every tree within 10 blocks. We'd climb the ones with soft needles and slide down the outside of the trees. Biking downhill steering with your feet. The steepest hill intown was in front of our house and in the winter we'd sled down it, and run into parked cars or curbs to keep from going out into the main street. When parents weren't around we'd try to cross that street. (Cars had to stop- it was the law you know) Climbed up on the garage roof run across and leap for the alder tree branches. If we grabbed a branch OK if not we still landed in the dog run, and what makes a softer landing than mud and dog poop. When bears would wander into town we'd chase them on our bikes. I still feel sorry for the bears- what a horror for them 15 screaming kids on spider bikes with banana seats. And lucky us we didn't have to be home when the streetlights came on-land of the midnight sun. A few stiches but still have never broke a bone.

Imp- How do I turn back time?

 

[crzychickenlady]

I love reading ya'lls stories!! Keep em coming!

We grew up heavy in to family, we lived in the city but spent weekends and summers in the country, fishing, swimming, horseback riding.
We didn't watch tv, we played outside all day long!! come home covered in dirt!!
I still remember the smell of my mom making jam in the kitchen....ohhh, how I miss that smell!!
My dad would take us out in the evening so mom could fix supper, we would go down to the creek and try to catch crawdads....i never could catch them, lol.

The thing I think about most is the respect we had for our parents and how that is so lacking these days. Nothing outs the fear of god into a child like the words "wait til your father gets home to give you a whoopin!!"

Being a kid was great and I miss it soo much!!

 

[hoosiergal]

40's kid here