The Rest Of Childhood Memories,take a break,get out the kleenex..

[jbates]

When you got you windshield cleaned,oil checked,andgas pumped,without sking,for free anytime ,and you didn't pay for air. and you got trading stamps too. Remember S&H green stamps? When laundry detergent had free glasses,ddishes or towels hidden inside the box. When any parent could discipline a kid,or feedhim or use him to carry groceries,and nobody, not even the kidthought a thing of it When it was considered a great priviledge to nbe taken out to a real restaurant with your parents. When they nthreatened to keep kids back a grade if they failed, and did. When being sent to the pripncipals' office was nothing comapred to the fate that awaited a misbehaving student at home.Basically we were in fear for our lives but it wasn't because of drive by shootings,drugs,gangs etc. Disapproval of our parents and grandparentswas a much bigger threat!Decisions werwe made bygoing eeny-meeny-miney-moe. Mistakes were corrected by do overs. Race issues were meant arguing about who ran fastest. Money issues werehandled bywhoever was banker in Monopoly. Catching the fireflies coukld happilyn occupy an entire evening. It wasn't odd to have 3 best friends. Being old referred to anyone over 20. The worst thing you could catch from the oposite sex was cooties. It was magic when Dad would remove his . It was unbelievabletrhat dodgeball wasn't an Olympic event. Having a weaqpon in H>S. meant being caught with a sling shot.NObody was prettiwer than mom. It was a bib deal to finally ride the big kid rides at the amusement park. Getting a foot of snow was a dream come true aND THE DAY OFF FROM SCHOOL to play in it! Abilities were discovered because of a double-dog-dare. Sat morn cartoons wern't 30 min ads for action figures. Happy Trails To You.Roy Rogers RIN-TIN TIN. Lassy,we all wanted a Collie.....like Lassy.No shopping trip was complete without a new toy. Lolli pops from the doctor.OLY OLY OXEN FREE, made perfect sense. Spinning around til we were dizzy and falling down was cause foe giggles. Worst embarrassmentr..being picked last for a team. Baseball cards in the spokes made your bike a motorcycle..or apretend horse. a broomstick made a horse too. Taking drugs meant orange flavored baby aspirin. Ice cream sanwiches { My Dad invented wafers,and Drumsticks} Toll House cookies made with mom from scratch.! If you can remember most of these, then you have really lived LIVED Pass it on to anyone who needs a break foem adluthood and their grown up life.

[eastwickecs]

Wow that really does bring back memories! Being nearly 38 I remember all those things. Also having a lemonade stand, going to the public pool and staying all day, without an adult having to stand guard and make sure someone didnt snatch you. A tire swing on a tree. Playing kick the can (anyone remember that one?) Putting on beauty pagents with our moms clothes. Playing with a Barbie, when there were only about 2 kinds of Barbies. Sleeping out in the yard in a tent. And of course like you mentioned the wonderful snow days, but of course after sledding there was always some hot chocolate or homemade chicken soup waiting. I hope my girls have some good memories like I did.
Shannon

[Poodlefluff]

I wish it were the good ol days I think kids today are loosing their morals. They don't respect their parents much, or their underpaid teachers. Take your kids fishing instead of buying them a new video game. Turn off the TV and play a board game you'll be glad you did.

[furrybestjob]

I was trying to think back to when I was young and how imaginative we were . We'd play house and for dinner the lilly leaves would be the corn stalks, we'd sip the sap out of the tall flox flowers, and make popcorn out of the white hydranges.

I also remember my father taking 2 coffee cans, poking holes and putting strings through the holes. We'd then walk around on them. I don't think you'd see that today. Kids just don't seem to have an imagination, or if they do they don't seem to use it, defering instead to video games, TV etc..

[k2p1e]

My childhood (which didn't happen to long ago...lol), I could ride my bike to school and not worry about child predators. It was okay to play with Barbies and dolls till you were 12 instead of owrrying about how to ask Mom for the pill.
You knew drugs were bad and vowed never to take them, instead of watching Joey exchange money for weed in math class and think nothing of it.
Cartoons had ponies and singers not dragons and special weapons to destroy others.
Training bras were embarrassing instead of wearing low rider jeans to show off your thong in grade 5.
Everybodies parents were, well old...not the same age as your older sister.
You didn't even know what sex meant...now kids in elementary could give you tips...( used to teach...true story and other horro stories).
You never feared about you family, cause they would always be there...now families and marriages are such fragile entities.
You would watch the news with your parents...something I will not even watch with MY children, it gives me nightmares...what does it do to them?

But I am optimistic for this world. It is scary and is getting worse. But I am teaching my kids the importance of education, not oly the kind behind brick walls, but found in books, people and ideas. I am teahcing my boys the value of hard work, honesty and good deeds. Even when they were not fun, hard too and no else knows but themselves.
I am teaching my kids to laugh, how to have fun, just laying on the floor giggling hysterically (very funny with both boys and Mom and Dad and the dogs join...)
I am teaching my kids about random acts of kindness, next time you buy coffee pay for the person behind you, don't say anything just walk away. Let pedistrians go ahead, let that car waiitng to pull into traffic go ahead. What goes around comes around.
I am teaching my kids about weakness...it comes in violance, abuse and hate.
SO yes the 'ol' days look good but the new days are up to us.

[plushpuppy]

When it was OK to kiss your parents in front of your friends, slumber parties where you sayed up and laughed all night, when getting married was a special thing not a quickie in front of the judge or a trip to vegas, when you could hold hands with your best friends and nobody thought anything of it, when a quarter bought 25 or more pieces of candy, when riding the bus was a fun thing to do, when dancing was dancing and not a sex act
wow I'm sure we could go on for pages:-)

[jbates]

More for ya

Night-swimming at the Country club pool down the street. Spicers had 5-6 kids The Country club was their baby sitter. they were my friends. Every New Years EVe mom mothers' mom and dad I called MOM and POP. Tho' I had 2 pparents...that was their names.Mom,my 2nd favorite person after my dear, dear special mother. Mom made Caramels. Bakers chocolate fudge....licking thepan. She also made fat cakes Like Pillsbury biscuit diamond cut out dough rise overnite then fry in LARD or pork nchop gravy ...like piop overs empty inEvery New Years Eve she made them visiting us Foe Hoildays from Baltimore..side.atew/ butter. Breakfast. Recipe in her head. Must try it ....I miss them.Every N ew yr. visited from Baltimore. She played piano by ear... WE got a spinit just so she had one for us to hear her. Not Chopin ,just oldies and pop Jingle bells Ant pop she liked.I want a travel Machine back to the future.Remember when he said I"ll have a Pepsi Free.. Hey we don'y give em out free,kid. Funny.

[jbates]

I will never give up Toll House Cookies!

WE all could still have the old days mixed in now if we wanted..choices. I tyr each day to practice. Love Joy peace patience kindness goodness ans self control..a bit harder. Faithfulness is big w/ me being true blue as my mom called me. I still have hot chocolate a lot. Known to make toll hopuse cookies.I introduced the box mix on Sally Smarts Kitchen 1951 on Valentines day NYC. Pic on kitchen counter..don't have printer or know how to send yet.Dad worked for Nestle. This Feb56 yrs ago..still remember.

[Bearmtn]

When it was OK to kiss your parents in front of your friends, slumber parties where you sayed up and laughed all night, when getting married was a special thing not a quickie in front of the judge or a trip to vegas, when you could hold hands with your best friends and nobody thought anything of it, when a quarter bought 25 or more pieces of candy, when riding the bus was a fun thing to do, when dancing was dancing and not a sex act
wow I'm sure we could go on for pages:-)

Well, my parents did get married in Las Vegas, but not because she had to. They got married on the 4th of July, as that is the only time he could get off.

I remember making phones out of tin cans with a string running between the two cans. I remember taking all the cola bottles and a little more money up to the liquor store in a little red wagon and bringing back more colas and candy, and waiting for the Good Humor Ice Cream truck, the bakery truck, and the glass milk bottles that were at the front door when we got home. I often wonder why that milk didn't spoil.

I remember making mud stew in an old pot my mother didn't want anymore, and making play houses out of delivery crate boxes, and digging holes out in a field and putting boards over the top for a play cave, and flying kites, and having bugs and lizzards for pets, even could catch bees, and having ant farms, and crawling under the house and getting the puppies that my grandmother's cocker always would have.

[jbates]

When I was four, Pattie Tucson, next door and I made moosh-goosh mud pies..I named them moosh-goosh great mud in Chatham, NJ!

[jbates]

Eeek came up message too short, balony!

[jbates]

While rading this another site hot topics came up..then lost it one said Hated Gracey Rose (kidding) got her hooked on this board..how do I find that?

[jbates]

My parents got married on first date a dancev at some singles club back in the 39-sis born 1940.. He knew her briefly..admired her cuz she turned him down to keep commitment to take her mothe..he never faithful He was her only man...Divorced loved him til the END.This reply was meantb for gal who's P married legit b$th of July Las Vegas

[jbates]

I"m in the diningroom near kitchen..this is where I hocked up til router... I swear I have smelled Old Spice tonight..... Live alone..Dogs only. I also smell like ..sugarvcookies faintly.. none baked here..never had dinner..was gonna quitb at (PM to check Oprah. 11:30 must get to bed soon..Leave house 9am.didn't stop 9pm tonight.