To ALL of us "kiddies" who survived the 1940's, '50's, '60's and '70's --



* First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant.

* They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes .. .. .. yet we were fine!

* Then after all that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-based paints .. .. .. yet we were fine!

* 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 .. .. .. yet we were fine!

* As infants & children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, booster seats, seat belts or air bags .. .. .. yet we were fine!

* Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat .. .. .. yet we were fine!

* We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle .. .. .. yet we were fine!

* We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this .. .. .. yet we were fine!

We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank koolade made with sugar, but we weren't overweight because WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING .. .. .. yet we were fine!

* We would leave home in the morning and play ALL day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on .. .. .. yet we were fine!

* No one was able to reach us aALL day .. .. .. yet we were fine!

* 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 .. .. .. yet we were fine!

* We did not have Playstation, Nintendo, X-Boxe .. .. .. no video games, no 150 channels on cable or satelite, no cell phones with picture capturing capabilities, no video movies or DVD's, no surround-sound or CD's, no personal computers or notebooks, no Internet or chat rooms .. .. .. yet we were fine!

* We had FRIENDS and we went outside and found them and made new friends by talking with "strangers" .. .. .. yet we were fine!

* We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents .. .. .. yet we were fine!

* We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever .. .. .. yet we were fine!

* We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis ***** and, although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes .. .. .. yet we were fine!

* 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 .. .. .. yet we were fine!

* Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that? .. .. .. yet we were fine!

* The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law .. .. .. yet we were fine!

* These generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever .. .. .. yet we were fine!

* The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas .. .. .. yet we were fine!

We had freedom yet security, failure yet success, tears yet joy, and we lived & learned because we were happy with ourselves and the people were were .. .. .. yet we were fine!



If YOU are one of US . . . then I tip my hat to you and say a big, fat and hearty .. .. .. CONGRATULATIONS!

 

Born in the 40's, I can relate to this, thanks.

 

Grandpa, is that you?

 

 

Heard a commercial today, said that giving a child a book to read can keep them from having broken bones, getting hurt, bla, bla, bla. They didn't mention that would not have any memories either.

20 years from now, kids conversations will be..."Hey Johnny...Do you remember reading Harry Potter books when we were little...."

I didn't grow up in hte 40's, 50's, or even the 70's, but I've got memories.
Born in 78

 

Hell I still do most of whats on that list, except for hitchhiking. and making mud pies....I still play in the mud though.

 

Even though I was born in '83, I can relate. Being raised in the country; gravel roads, 4 wheelers, guns, and fishing...too many memories!

 

i'm 1958 vintage

yes we did all of that

i would'nt go as far as to say we're fine

slightly screwed up is more like it!

...zap!

 

Been there, done most of that!! And I are fine!!

. . .OK well, except my finger, which I tried to cut off with a butcher knife a week ago. It's healing nicely but what precautions are parents going to give their kids to prevent something like that from happening?? Don't use sharp knives? Really, we can't protect them from everything and where's the fun in that anyhow?

~ I'd rather die while I'm living than live while I'm dead. ~

 

 

Being a kid in the 50's I can add a few;

*Playing softball in the street.

*Burning leaves in the gutter in autumn.

*Hiding in the trunk to get into the drive-in movies.

*Setting points with a feeler gauge.

*Lawn mowers with no safety shut-offs.

*Sleeping in the basement on hot summer nights 'cause the house wasn't air conditioned.

*Playgrounds with tall swings, rings and monkey bars & asphalt paving.

MR

 

I was born in '72. Did thoes things. I think I'm fine.

The reason things are the way they are today:

the Bush administration!

 

Amen to that bruther!

 

No air conditioning

I'm glad I was born in the 80's, we still got to play outside without the threat of being kidnapped yet we had air conditioner and t.v. like the greatest invention ever besides Hot pockets

 

Yep, being born in the country really makes a difference. I grew up 25 mile north of Baton Rouge, and knew no other lifestyle but that. When I joined the Navy and started seeing how other people lived, I was astonished, to say the least. A grown man who can't change a flat, change oil, or think things through enough to get a simple switch working? On a submarine, there is nobody to ask for help. If somethings broke, you use what you have to fix it. Some guys couldn't understand that sometimes jury rigging is necessary. If it don't work, take it apart and figure it out! I watched one guy fiddle with a sensor for 20 minutes trying to figure out how to get it apart. He looked at me and said " I don't see any screws in this thing." So I walked up and handed him an Allen wrench.