At least it felt like my childhood was based on a dare.
1. Falling seemed to be a common thing. I fell out of trees, off bikes, off ladders, playsets…I’m amazed they didn’t just give me my own room at the local hospital. Helmets, those were for Evel Knievel, we flew over ramps or downhill sledding, hair flying in the wind. If there was a hole to another world, I would have fallen in it.
2. We were left alone, in cars, boats, strollers, houses, playgrounds. Weeknights, my brother and I were latch-key kids, similar to Cabbage Patch Kids, but with a key to our house and no parental supervision. Weekends, we were vagabonds, the world our oyster, except to get food and let our parents see we had no major injuries.
3. Playgrounds were a scene from Mad Max; they were hardcore, if you could make it there, you could survive the apocalypse. Peeling lead paint, rusted jagged pieces jutting out, 3rd degree burns from the metal slide, asphalt and dirt as far as the eye could see, sharp edges (still have a scar from the school slide, going face first; come on, I was dared, maybe even double-dared). Remember the merry-go-round, you weren’t having fun until someone flew off or threw up or both. Making it home from the playground was a badge of courage.4. My childhood was like living in a chimney and neither of my parents even smoked; everyone else smoked, or so it seemed at the time. No restricted areas, no bans, just a carcinogenic fog.
5. We lived in the sun; as a child I was constantly in a state of: burned, peeling, tanned, repeat.
6. Toys were not for the faint of heart: Exploding Clankers, Jarts, Atomic Energy Lab (yes, with 4 types of uranium ore included), BB guns, Streaker, Ker-knockers, Ice Birds (you could make hard as rock ice balls that you definitely wouldn’t throw at anyone, like, ever).
7. And what was with catching things? Bugs, snakes, frogs, cats, dogs, balls, bikes, colds, each other…
8. We were out of touch with people all the time, our status update was, on the move.
9. Our parents didn’t watch CSI, Law & Order, Criminal Minds, etc. so they didn’t ever think we were going to be kidnapped. They did watch Dallas, Love Boat, Fantasy Island, etc. so their worst fear was we were going to be over-actors.10. None of this even takes into account what our Moms did during pregnancy back then.
Is childhood better or worse now? Probably a bit of both. Things are always different in retrospect.
The only thing I know, when children say they want to be older…be careful what you wish for and be very specific.
Awesome post, Donna!! *LOL* Cher xo
LikeLike
Thanks Cher!!! Today we feel like the windy city!!! lol Hope you’re staying warm and dry. 🙂 Best wishes, Donna xo
LikeLike
Ah, we’ve got that wind, too! *LOL* And to you as well my dear! Cher xo
LikeLike
Of course, being The Windy City. 😉
We’re just waiting to lose our power…sounds like freight trains are rushing by our house. Little unnerving. 🙂
Best wishes, Donna xo
LikeLike
Oh no! I hope everything is okay, Donna!! Cher xo
LikeLike
Fine so far. Thanks Cher. 🙂
LikeLike
Thank goodness! 🙂
LikeLike
You are so sweet. Thanks Cher. Hope you have a lovely evening. 🙂 Best wishes, Donna xo
LikeLike
Right back at you, my dear! I’ll be sending the good energy for all to be well (which it will be)! Big hugs, Cher xo
LikeLike
Thanks Cher, the rain left, but the wind stayed so far. Hope everything is well with you. 🙂 Big hugs, Donna xo
LikeLike
Good that the rain has moved on its way, Donna! Batten down the hatches for the continued wind, my dear! Big hugs, Cher xo
LikeLike
Good day to bake! 😉 Big hugs, Donna xo
LikeLike
I totally agree! Bake away, my dear! Big hugs, Cher xo
LikeLike
🙂
LikeLike
🙂
LikeLike
So true.
LikeLike
Thanks. 🙂
LikeLike
That is my brother on the BIG WHEEL, lol! I’m sending him this post 😀 Great post, thanks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Really? If it’s him, he’s a meme all over the internet. lol Thanks, glad you could drop by! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
OK, not really BUT seriously, it looks just like him! Big wheel and all 😀
Glad to connect!
LikeLiked by 1 person
lol Those haircuts were priceless and those Big Wheels were too much fun. 🙂
So nice to virtually meet you Angie, hope your brother likes ‘hi’ picture. 😉
Best wishes, Donna
LikeLiked by 1 person
Right back at you, Donna! I was about to call you Darcy so glad to know your true identity 😀
LikeLike
Aaaah, Darcy, as in Colin Firth as Darcy lol I can see how it’s a tad confusing with the D. Parker. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Did someone say, “Colin Firth?” 😀
LikeLike
He’s never far from my mind. 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
I had two older brothers and a cousin I was always trying to copy, be like and impress. Led to many a skinned appendage, bruise and yep, a scar or two. Man it was a lot of fun though. This post brings back a slew of memories.
LikeLiked by 2 people
It was a lot of fun!
glad it brought back memories. 🙂
LikeLike
My mother, raising two freckled redheads, thought one application of SPF 8 for all day was just fine.
Burn, peel, freckle, repeat.
Oh, and noxema was put on the sunburns. May as well use Icy Hot.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You got sunscreen? lol I didn’t have the freckle step. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I remember playing with lawn darts. It seems so crazy now but so much fun back then.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, I loved them, we played for hours… 🙂
LikeLike
Hahaha! Yeah, lawn darts! Pop guns too!
LikeLike
Yes, children these days only have to worry about technology…and inactivity. We were active lol, maybe too active. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
We’d play outside sun up until the street lights came on four seasons, yada. When it snowed, we took out the sleds. Yeah, it was different in the wayback. I think it was good to have to play pick up sports, hang out, make up your own fun.
LikeLike
I never have a problem entertaining myself as an adult, I don’t ever get bored…I think that’s because we had to do it as children. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Me, too, D. Agreed.
LikeLike
🙂
LikeLike
🙂
LikeLike
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
All sooooo true! Loved it, Donna- and the bit about fearing we’d be over-actors made me LOL.
LikeLike
I’m sure it was a concern with all those programs from the 70s. lol 🙂
LikeLike
Childhood in the 60s was pretty much the same … and life in a small town was endless exploration with nominal adult supervision.
I’m glad I’m not raising children anymore. The world feels like a scarier place. I must be getting old 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, roaming the streets with only the supervision of your peers was, from my memory was fascinating, sometimes dangerous, and mostly, fun. 🙂
Maybe you’re just getting wiser. 😉
LikeLike
I’d like to think we all are, but the nightly news tells me otherwise 😉
LikeLike
True, but I always try to remember, if it bleeds it leads. There are still amazing people out there, meeting all you wonderful bloggers is a good sign of that. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I second that. Blogging seems to have become my ‘sanity time’. 🙂
LikeLike
lol That sounds about right. 😉
LikeLike
This post was timely for me. I really enjoyed it. It’s been flashback city around me for novel writing month — i set my novel (The Guitar Mancer) in 1970. It’s been fun mentioning (and looking at pins of) lots of products, songs, and stuff that was going on. Now if i can just keep having fun long enough to finish it.
LikeLike
Cool. Yes, that’s always the difficult part, to keep having fun…it comes through in the work, doesn’t it?
Wishing you all the best Teagan. 🙂
LikeLike
Great, fun post! To the playground description, may I add the teeter totter, where if you made the mistake of getting on with a kid who either had a mean streak or did that day, could result in a) the little turd planting their weight at ground level while leaving you stuck up in the air kicking & shouting, “Let me down!” which could lead to b) the nasty kid suddenly hopping off their seat so that your end instantly plummeted earthward, stopping only when your behind slammed into the ground, sending painful vibrations shooting up your spine and slamming your jaw together. Ah, the good ol’ days….
LikeLike
I think I’m suppressing memories of the teeter totter as I had a child jump off the other side and yes, slam me into the ground – my back has never been the same. It’s amazing we survived our childhoods, really. Those were the days… 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
xD Love this! I was nodding along so hard at the playground bit – you really took your life in your hands getting on half of the play equipment.
Thanks so much for linking up at #FridayFrivolity!
LikeLike
I sometimes wonder how we made it through! 😉
Thanks for dropping by, #FridayFrivolity should be everyday! 😉
Hope you’re having a wonderful weekend! 🙂
LikeLike
All that experience made you the clever chick that you are today.
LikeLike
It was a wild ride. 😉
Hope this week is treating you well, Kathleen. 🙂
LikeLike
Ahhhh this post is amazing… how did we survive?? ;P Thanks for sharing at #FridayFrivolity — I LOVE that it fit the theme hehehehe!
LikeLike
Thanks so much, Sarah…how did we survive is right, but we did (well, most). Thanks for having me! 🙂
I just wandered around my archives and then I thought, oh yeah! 😉
LikeLike
Featuring you at #FridayFrivolity tonight! 😀
LikeLike
What?!? Wow! Thank you! I was just catching up on comments and posts – I have some of the best blogging friends in the history of universe – you all seem to have amazing timing, cheering me up just when I need it! Thanks. 🙂
LikeLike
Loved this post – and so true, so true! So glad you linked up with us at #FridayFrivolity and totally agree with Sarah’s choice for a feature!
LikeLike
Thank you so much, Lisa, I’ve been behind on my comments, long story, not even an interesting one and just found out!!! So pleased! You’re all so lovely! Thank you, so glad I found #FridayFrivolity 🙂
LikeLike