Jan 04, 2010 13:58
To those of us born in the 60s, 70s and 80s....How did we survive again??
I have seen this printed before and wanted to bring it up again. If you grew up during this time...please list something that you did casually back then that most safety experts would blanch at now....
For me it was engaging in swordfights with my friends...using broomstick swords and garbage can shields. No one took bumps or bruises personally...it was all part of the game.
According to today's regulators and bureaucrats, those
of us who were kids in the 30's, 40's, 50's, 60's,
70's or even the early 80's, probably shouldn't have
survived.
Our baby cribs were covered with bright colored
lead-based paint.
We had no childproof lids or locks 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 pickup truck on a warm
day was always a special treat.
We drank water from the garden hose and not from a
bottle. Horrors!
We ate cupcakes, bread and butter, and drank soda
pop with sugar in it, but we were never
overweight because w e were always outside
playing.
We shared one soft drink with four friends,
from one bottle, and no one actually died from
this.
We would spend hours building our go-carts out of
scraps and then rode 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 would leave home in the morning and play all
day, as long as we were back when the street
lights came on.
No one was able to reach us all day! No cell
phones. Unthinkable!
We did not have Playstations, Nintendo 64,
X-Boxes, no video games at all, no 99 channels on
cable, video tape movies, surround sound, personal cell
phones, personal computers, or Internet chat
rooms
We had friends! We went outside and found
them.
We played dodge ball, and sometimes, the ball
would really hurt.
We fell out of trees, got cut and broke bones and
teeth, and there were no lawsuits from these
accidents. They were accidents. No one was to
blame but us. Remember accidents?
We had fights and punched each other and got black
and blue and learned to get over it.
We made up games with sticks and tennis balls
and, although we were told it would happen, we
did not put out any eyes.
We rode bikes or walked to a friend's home 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.
Some students weren't as smart as others, so
they failed a grade and were held back to repeat the
same grade. Horrors!
Tests were not adjusted for any reason.
Our actions were our own. Consequences were
expected.
The idea of parents bailing us out if we got in
trouble in school or broke a law was unheard of
They actually sided with the school or the law. Imagine
that!
This generation has produced some of the
best risk takers, problem solvers, and inventors,
ever.
We had freedom, failure, success, and
responsibility --- and we learned how to deal
with it.
And you're one of them!
Congratulations!
This often comes to mind when I'm explaining how little Julie or Jimmy bumped their head on the edge of the slide while running around outside...after I have filled out an incident report, shown the directors the bumped forhead and despite childish protests performed first aid.