Childhood Memories

[bjh]

I love hearing all these stories. I can really relate to many of them. My how times have changed. Back when I was a child there was no color tv, no computers or internet, no electronic games. I was a tomboy, I did not like dolls but I did have one favorite doll and she was just a plain rubber doll with rubber hair. Some of my favorite things to play with when I was in elementary school was the Breyer horses, hula hoops, jacks, pick-up sticks, the little wooden windup rubber band airplanes and glider planes. Of course our whole family would play monopoly. We played a lot of games outside, hopscotch, Simon Says, tag, hide and seek. I just don't see kids today doing all the things we did. It seems that kids just grow up too fast now days.

[Mom2TwoYorkies]

I know exactly what you mean . . .my kids were born in 1989 and 1993 and it was strange to me to see how many parents didn't let their kids just go outside and play and run around the neighborhood . . .computers and video games and maybe a ride or two around the block on their bikes was what my kids did . . .they would have friends come over or go over their house but it just didn't seem right . . .the only real playtime would be at recess during school . . .I always looked forward to my kids entering school . . .friends, the classroom birthday parties, holiday parties . . .but to my surprise, school wasn't like that anymore . . .if your child had a birthday you couldn't bring in cupcakes, it had to be a "healthy" snack . . .carrot sticks and dip . . what 5 year old is into that? You can't celebrate with a Christmas Party, it had to be a "Winter Party" Home Birthday parties also werent a huge highlight . .. you'd invite kids and never receive a RSVP so you end up calling and asking if their child was coming . . .I just don't get it? I don't think my kids had the childhood I had at all . . .kids just seem so much sheltered today . . .and you are right, they do grow up way too fast . . .my daughter just got engaged and is planning a 2011 wedding and my son is learning to drive . . .I'm not sure where the time went at all and I hope that at least when I have grandchildren (hopefully not for like 10 years ) that maybe times would be reverted back to when I was young . . .

[bjh]

Originally Posted by Mom2TwoYorkies

I know exactly what you mean . . .my kids were born in 1989 and 1993 and it was strange to me to see how many parents didn't let their kids just go outside and play and run around the neighborhood . . .computers and video games and maybe a ride or two around the block on their bikes was what my kids did . . .they would have friends come over or go over their house but it just didn't seem right . . .the only real playtime would be at recess during school . . .I always looked forward to my kids entering school . . .friends, the classroom birthday parties, holiday parties . . .but to my surprise, school wasn't like that anymore . . .if your child had a birthday you couldn't bring in cupcakes, it had to be a "healthy" snack . . .carrot sticks and dip . . what 5 year old is into that? You can't celebrate with a Christmas Party, it had to be a "Winter Party" Home Birthday parties also werent a huge highlight . .. you'd invite kids and never receive a RSVP so you end up calling and asking if their child was coming . . .I just don't get it? I don't think my kids had the childhood I had at all . . .kids just seem so much sheltered today . . .and you are right, they do grow up way too fast . . .my daughter just got engaged and is planning a 2011 wedding and my son is learning to drive . . .I'm not sure where the time went at all and I hope that at least when I have grandchildren (hopefully not for like 10 years ) that maybe times would be reverted back to when I was young . . .

It almost makes me want to cry reading how things have changed. It makes me wonder what the future will bring for our children.

[maxmom]

Wow, love this thread!
While I was reading, many of the memories came back to my.We used to live in a 3 floor apartment, the balcony had a fence to the ceiling, so that was my playpen, every morning my grandmother would wipe the floor so I could play, I could see the neighbors coming and going . No pampers back then, cloth diapers, remember the cloth line with all my brothers diapers, my mom used something to get the whites whiter, it was purple I think, and she used to had a bucket where she boiled the clothes with soap and water. Most of all I can remember the smells and tastes of thing...oh boy ...cod fish oil every day to keep colds away, the great smell of rain and fresh grass in the morning....
The ice cream truck...the sound of the harmonica (?)from the guy that sharpened the scissors, he would always ride a bike, and had a wheel with a pedal that he would spin to sharpen, all the ladies running down the street every time they heard him coming....

[maxmom]

Originally Posted by maxmom

Wow, love this thread!
While I was reading, many of the memories came back to my.We used to live in a 3 floor apartment, the balcony had a fence to the ceiling, so that was my playpen, every morning my grandmother would wipe the floor so I could play, I could see the neighbors coming and going . No pampers back then, cloth diapers, remember the cloth line with all my brothers diapers, my mom used something to get the whites whiter, it was purple I think, and she used to had a bucket where she boiled the clothes with soap and water. Most of all I can remember the smells and tastes of thing...oh boy ...cod fish oil every day to keep colds away, the great smell of rain and fresh grass in the morning....
The ice cream truck...the sound of the harmonica (?)from the guy that sharpened the scissors, he would always ride a bike, and had a wheel with a pedal that he would spin to sharpen, all the ladies running down the street every time they heard him coming....

found this..

[red98vett]

Originally Posted by YorkieAZ

HA! I loved to catch fireflies!

I remember when I was very small, my brother sister and I snuck out of the house to play in the snow and my mom found us and came after us with a wooden spoon, weird how I remember that. We lived in Vermont.

I remember sliding out of the back of our squareback volkswagon after we got home from the beach when we lived in N.C. and I sat on a bee on the way out and I remember my brother and sister thought it was hilariuos!! Not me.

I remember my best friend Paula that lived across the street was hit by a truck on her bike while riding to school and was thrown as high as a telephone pole, my mom would not let me go to her funeral, I had nightmares for a long time. I was about 7.

I remember raking leaves with a toy rake my mom bought me and my brother tried to pull it away, I pulled back and it went up my nose and ripped off the side of my nose, I remember the fear on my moms face as she drove me to the hopsital for stitches.

I remember sitting in an old crab apple tree with my siblings and munching away on them, I don't think I got sick but I remember watching them throw up..hehehe

I remember seeing a teddy bear in my moms closet and when I saw it under the tree christmas morning I knew there was no Santa, I believe I was 8.

There's no Santa ?

These are great - I have too many good memories but I guess my favorite always will be.... growing up on the beach during summer in Rhode Island.....we still have a cabana right on the water but I don't get to enjoy it like I did growing up......my oldest son is now living my childhood - he loves it and goes every year as do my parents - actually they are there as I type this but sadly probably for the last time....

[manolos mom]

Did you guys ever play kick the can? Fess up now..

[bjh]

Yes, the ice cream truck does bring back memories.

The pictures of the scissor sharpener are cool. I don't every remember seeing anyone on a bike doing that.

I don't remember a game call 'kick the can' but I do remember kicking plenty of cans.

I remember when we had moved to California, my dad was in the Navy. We were living near where Disneyland was. I remember loving to go there. My dad got sent to Okinawa so it was just my mom and us kids in California. My mom had my brother write a letter to the show 'Truth or Consequences' and tell them about how much we missed our dad and how much we needed him because our bicycles were broken. Well, the TV show had my dad flown in from Okinawa and my mom knew ahead of time we would be on the tv show and my dad would be there. It was so cool. The host of the show called my brother up from the audience and had him talk into this big huge box, like it was a radio. The host told my bother to ask when our dad would be home and when my bother asked, my dad said 'Right now' and he jumped up out of the box. We were so surprised. They brought out new bicycles for my brother and I. It was really cool. I think I was probably around 7 or 8 years old.

Other great memories were just the drives we did from Texas to California. There is so much to see along the way, the Grand Canyon, Knott's Berry Farm, the Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest. I loved spotting the desert sand twisters that swirled around. Some of the trips were just drive straight through and my parents carried a big coffee can for us to pee in so they would not have to keep stopping along the way. I remember my dad getting so tired of us asking 'Are we almost there?'

Later we moved to Vista, California and I was there for the 4th, 5th and 6th grades. I loved it there. Such beautiful country with hills and streams. Vista was at the foot of the Palomar mountains where the Palomar observatory was. We really enjoyed going up there.

All these memories make me want to travel and see more of our beautiful country.

[manolos mom]

It was a hide and seek game my friends and I would play at night. When the person that was IT, spotted someone, they had to run and kick the can before the IT person. So much fun on those hot summer nights in the 70.

[yorkiekist]

This is a great thread!!

I grew up in Sedona, Arizona. I remember how rural and peaceful it was before the "crystal people" moved there. I rode my bike everwhere and rode my horse to the creek and through town. I could go hiking all day and my parents would never worry about me not coming home. Things were so different back then. Kids had more freedom and had better things to do than watch tv or stay in the house. We played baseball, frisby, went hiking, played at the creek and rode bikes. It felt good to feel the wind in your hair and be out in the fresh air all day! There was no color tv, no computers, no cell phones. We would have Halloween parties at the skating rink up Oak Creek Canyon. The whole town turned out in costumes! Everybody turned out for the 4th of July fireworks. Watermelon and a BbQ and a cake walk. Every spring there was the St. Patricks Day Parade(that still goes on today). I walked in it every year while I was in Brownies and Girl Scouts. I remember selling Girl Scout cookies in front of the Oak Creek Market for 50 cents per box and going door to door selling Girl Scout calendars hoping to make enought money to go the Girl Scout Camp. There was no movie theater in Sedona so once or twice in the summer we would drive to Cottonwood and go to the drive in. And Cottonwood had a DAIRY QUEEN!!!! My Mom was on the same bowling team for 40 years. She finally had to stop bowling 5 years ago at the age of 90 because it started to hurt her hip. We also went square dancing every Sat night in a club called the Sedona Swingers. My grade school principle was the caller. That was really fun! It seems like there was more family fun back in those days. And people had time to relax and look at the sunsets and listen to the crickets in the evenings. Little did I know that these would be the best times of my life.

[manolos mom]

Sounds like so much fun. How much did you pay for a McDonalds burger. I remember10 cents. I worked at a McDonalds in High School. I think that was the price. Anyone remember.

[bjh]

Originally Posted by yorkiekist

This is a great thread!!

I grew up in Sedona, Arizona. I remember how rural and peaceful it was before the "crystal people" moved there. I rode my bike everwhere and rode my horse to the creek and through town. I could go hiking all day and my parents would never worry about me not coming home. Things were so different back then. Kids had more freedom and had better things to do than watch tv or stay in the house. We played baseball, frisby, went hiking, played at the creek and rode bikes. It felt good to feel the wind in your hair and be out in the fresh air all day! There was no color tv, no computers, no cell phones. We would have Halloween parties at the skating rink up Oak Creek Canyon. The whole town turned out in costumes! Everybody turned out for the 4th of July fireworks. Watermelon and a BbQ and a cake walk. Every spring there was the St. Patricks Day Parade(that still goes on today). I walked in it every year while I was in Brownies and Girl Scouts. I remember selling Girl Scout cookies in front of the Oak Creek Market for 50 cents per box and going door to door selling Girl Scout calendars hoping to make enought money to go the Girl Scout Camp. There was no movie theater in Sedona so once or twice in the summer we would drive to Cottonwood and go to the drive in. And Cottonwood had a DAIRY QUEEN!!!! My Mom was on the same bowling team for 40 years. She finally had to stop bowling 5 years ago at the age of 90 because it started to hurt her hip. We also went square dancing every Sat night in a club called the Sedona Swingers. My grade school principle was the caller. That was really fun! It seems like there was more family fun back in those days. And people had time to relax and look at the sunsets and listen to the crickets in the evenings. Little did I know that these would be the best times of my life.

That sounds wonderful. It makes me want to turn back the clock. I was a Brownie too just for a short while when we lived in Lake Charles, La. Growing up a Navy brat had its ups and downs. I will cherish all the memories of all the places we lived but it was always sad to have to always move and leave my friends behind.

We moved to Lake Charles, LA when I was in the 7th grade and I got a horse and I would just saddle up and ride all over the place. It was so much fun. Then we moved to Weslaco, TX in the middle of the 8th grade but I still had my horse and we had a great time.

I remember my folks making homemade ice cream.

When I was little my grandma would make us pancakes and she would shape them like animals.

When my mother or grandmother would make cookies, cakes or brownies I would always get to lick beaters or the spatula.

[Patti]

Originally Posted by yorkiekist

This is a great thread!!

I grew up in Sedona, Arizona. I remember how rural and peaceful it was before the "crystal people" moved there. I rode my bike everwhere and rode my horse to the creek and through town. I could go hiking all day and my parents would never worry about me not coming home. Things were so out for the 4th of July fireworks. Watermelon and a BbQ and a cake walk. Every spring there was the St. Patricks Day Parade(that still goes on today). I walked in it every year while I was in Brownies and Girl Scouts. I remember selling Girl Scout cookies in front of the Oak Creek Market for 50 cents per box and going door to door selling Girl Scout calendars hoping to make enought money to go the Girl Scout Camp. There was no movie theater in Sedona so once or twice in the summer we would drive to Cottonwood and go to the drive in. And Cottonwood had a DAIRY QUEEN!!!! My Mom was on the same bowling team for 40 years. She finally had to stop bowling 5 years ago at the age of 90 because it started to hurt her hip. We also went square dancing every Sat night in a club called the Sedona Swingers. My grade school principle was the caller. That was really fun! It seems like there was more family fun back in those days. And people had time to relax and look at the sunsets and listen to the crickets in the evenings. Little did I know that these would be the best times of my life.

Wow! I just got back from Sedona it was my husband's and mine first vacation in about 30 years.I never wanted to leave my dog/dogs. We stayed in Oak Creek Canyon. It is so beautiful there I can imagine how great it was back in the day. We looked at Cottonwood as a possible retirement place. Loved hearing your memories of it.

[yorkiekist]

Originally Posted by Patti

Wow! I just got back from Sedona it was my husband's and mine first vacation in about 30 years.I never wanted to leave my dog/dogs. We stayed in Oak Creek Canyon. It is so beautiful there I can imagine how great it was back in the day. We looked at Cottonwood as a possible retirement place. Loved hearing your memories of it.

That is so cool!!! I love the Verde Valley. Cottonwood is a nice place to retire and so is Camp Verde. Not quite as expensive as Sedona. My Mom taught typing and short hand at Camp Verde High School in the 70's and I went to high school in Cottonwood. There was no high school in Sedona at that time. The seasons are perfect. If I ever get through school I hope to move back.
There are some Indian ruins around Sedona and that area is just a hikers paradise!! Did you get a chance to eat at Oaxaca Restaurant in Sedona? I used to be a buss girl there when I was 15.