TO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED
the 1930's 40's, 50's, 60's & 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 Play stations, 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/or 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.
(Author unknown to me)
"FAITH ISN'T FAITH, TIL IT IS ALL YOU ARE HOLDING ON TO." (unknown who quoted)
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Page created on Aug. 11, 2005
Updated June 16, 2007