Growing up in Ireland

I'm talking about Hide and Seek in the park, The shop down the road, Hopscotch, Donkey, skipping, handstands, stuck in the mud, football with an old can, Dandy, Beano, Twinkle and Roly Poly, Hula Hoops, Jumping the stream, building a swing from a tyre and a piece of rope tied to a tree, (If you live in Dublin the lampost), building tree-houses, climbing up onto roofs. Tennis on the street, the smell of the sun and fresh cut grass.

Hubba Bubba bubble gum and 2p Flogs, macaroon bars and woppas, 3p Refreshers and wham bars, superhero chewing gum, golf ball chewing gums and liquorice whips, desperate dan and roy of the rovers, sherbit dips and Mr. freezes, marathon bars and everlasting gobstoppers. An ice cream cone on a warm summer night from the van that plays a tune chocolate or vanilla or strawberry or maybe neopolitan

Wait ... Watching Saturday Morning cartoons ... short commercials, Battle of the Planets, Road Runner, He-Man, Swapshop, and Why Don't You?, Transformers, How do you do?, Bosco(SANDY), Forty-coats, the Littlest Hobo and Lassie, Chucklevision, The Muppet Show, MacGyver, Scarecrow and Mrs King, Little House on the Prairie and Highway to Heaven, or staying up for Knight Rider and Magnum PI.

When around the corner seemed far away and going into town seemed like going somewhere.

A million midget bites, sticky fingers and mud all over you, knee-pads on your jeans, Cops and Robbers, Rounders, tip the Can, Queenie-I-O, climbing trees, spin the bottle, building igloos out of snow banks, walking to school, no matter what the weather, running till you were out of breath. Laughing so hard that your stomach hurt, Jumping on the bed. Pillow fights, Spinning around, getting dizzy and falling down was cause for giggles, Being tired from playing... Remember that?

The worst embarrassment was being picked last for a team.

Water balloons were the ultimate weapon

Football cards in the spokes transformed any bike into a motorcycle.

And don't forget the Marietta sandwiches we'd make by buttering a cupla Marietta biscuits and stickin' them together. And that quare oul mixture made in a tall glass with HB ice cream and Taylor Keith Red Lemonade.

I'm not finished just yet...

Eating raw jelly, orange squash ice pops

Remember when ... There were two types of sneakers - girls and boys and Dunlop Green Flash and the only time you wore them at school, was for "P.E.", Gola football boots.

It wasn't odd to have two or three "best" friends, when nobody owned a pure bred dog, when 25p was decent pocket money, when you'd reach i nto a muddy gutter for a penny, when nearly everyone's mum was at home when the kids got there, when it was considered a great privilege to be taken out to dinner at a real restaurant with your parents

When any parent could discipline any kid or use him to carry groceries and nobody, not even the kid, thought a thing of it.

When being sent to the head's office was nothing compared to the fate that awaited a misbehaving student at home. Basically, we were in fear for our lives but it wasn't because of muggings, drugs, gangs, etc. Our parents and grandparents were a much bigger threat! and some of us are still afraid of them!!!

Remember when....

Decisions were made by going "eeny-meeny-miney-mo." Mistakes were corrected by simply exclaiming, "do over!"

"Race issue" meant arguing about who ran the fastest. Money issues were handled by whoever was the banker in "Monopoly", the game of life and connect four, atari 2600's and commadore 64's. The worst thing you could catch from the opposite sex was germs. It was unbelievable that Red rover wasn't an Olympic event...

Having a weapon in school, meant being caught with a biro barrel pea shooter or an elastic band. Scrapes and bruises were kissed and made better, Taking drugs meant orange-flavoured chewable vitamins, Ice cream was considered a basic food group.

Getting a foot of snow was a dream come true.. Abilities were discovered because of a "double dare" Older siblings were the worst tormentors, but also the fiercest protectors

If you can remember most or all of these, then you have LIVED!!!!

Ah, good days, Lulu, to be sure :) - and many a grin was had whilst reading your memories...coolies

Remember Tiswas, Bonanza on a sunday, after dinner at yer gran's.
You could eat like a King for 50p (albeit Texan Bars, and Curly-Wurlys lol)
Choosing 'custard creams' from the biscuit barrel (because you thought you were getting two biscuits!).

hehehe, aye, they were cool times.

When it was cool for boys to have a perm! :eek: (I didn't subscribe to this, it must be said lol)
Ra-ra skirts!
New Romantics!
The 80's has alot ot answer for!

Madness, Bad Manners, and anything TwoTone!
Snug Bars.
The excitement of Christmas - and Easter.
Holidays at Butlins ffs!

lol, thanks for reminding me of lighter times, Lulu :cool:

Kids today, eh...they will never know
Res...

that was real nice Lulu

the funny thing is, I rememeber most of those.. our childhoods werent as different as you probably think, even though we're from different generations

The sad thing this, im growing up in a world with STD's, terrorism, the 'race issue', guns in schools, little kids on herion and crack, getting stabbed and shot, children smoking and stealing cars or motorbikes, kids calling Social Services because their parent just gave them a slap for being told to fuck off... i envy you, Lulu, and your generation.. *sigh* anyway, thanks for the nice post :)

It is sad but true, Ghost...and a sombering thought at that.

It is a shame that the world has lost it's innocence.
I look at my kids, and the expectation that is demanded of them by society. My methods of upbringing differ hugely to those exhibited by their mother - I have only just managed to teach my youngest son (4yrs) NOT to use the 'C' word!
I subscribe to the old school methods - firm but fair.
I try to teach them manners and respect, a trait that is hard to see in todays youngsters. It is hard work, and I am in constant fear of failure - but what more can I do?

It is not the fault of the youngsters.
It is bad parenting, brought about by the pressures of society. As Lulu said, we used to come home to our mums - not so now, as both parents usually HAVE to work to pay ever increasing taxes and levels of lifestlye. I know that my kids only spend 2 out of 5 nights, in their own beds - they stay 2 nights with me, but are palmed off to their gran whilst their mother goes to work. Hardly a stable foundation for a child.
But, as I've said elsewhere, I have to accept these things and make the most of the situation.

Childhood should be about all the things that Lulu was talking about, but I guess we lived in a very different world from the one that we live in now - such a shame.

Remember Spangles! lmaooo
And Space Dust ffs...how mad was that stuff!
And making rope swings, and karts that would have any Health&Safety offical in fits of anxiety! lol
I remember sliding down a gravel slope on a piece of corrugated iron....the worst that could happen, is that the sheet of metal would stop suddenly, and you would be minus four fingers on each hand lol

And accidents on pushbikes?....

Has the world really lost its innocence? When I grew up we had the cold war and the threat of nuclear holocaust. We had the Manson family, Reverend Jim Jones, no seat belts, bicycle helmets, knee pads, air bags or racial equality. The middle east was much, much more violent. And then there was Viet Nam.

As a kid growing up these things only happened on the outside, not on the inside where any of them bothered me. I didn't watch the news and didn't care. I was busy living in Lulu's world that she described so well. I was never cold playing in the snow and never hot playing in 100 degree heat. And we were dirt poor. I loved it.

I think (and hope) that from one generation to the next children will continue to be oblivious to the things that matter to adults. As a child the worst danger is skinning your knee.

Maybe the world hasn't lost it innocence completely, Zephryn, but I do think that children are forced to grow up quicker. And, with the apparent lack of care exhibited by their parents (not all, but many), I think that kids today are unsure of their place - and so rebel against that which causes them confusion -IMO.

I guess it depends upon the socio-schematic demands of their particular community - ie, inner-city kids have a very different upbringing to those that live in the countryside. I know this, because I have lived both lives - this also extendes into schooling; I learnt more in two years living in the countryside, than I did throughout most of my inner-city schooling. This was due to greater peer pressure and social expectations.

Maybe the picture is painted too bleak, but we also didn't have gangs of kids terrorising neighbourhoods, or 11yr old muggers and rapists.
I mean, I am a truck driver that works at night, and I often see very young kids (some of them look no older than 8!) wandering about the city centre. Do their parents not care?
I have two children (6yrs, and 4yrs), and I never let them out of my sight - I would certainly never let them out on their own to roam the streets at 2 or 3am!



What Happened To My Dreams?

When I was a child, I used to dream that I could fly.
I would run as fast as I could, jump forward with my arms outstretched, and soar upwards into the sky. The wind would rush into my face, as I flew alongside migrating swans; in awe of their beauty and humbled by their presence. Sometimes I would dance amongst the chimneys, ducking and swooping like a mad thing, revelling in my exhilaration. Mostly I would chase the sun, flitting through clouds leaving the oncoming darkness far behind.

I am older now, and can no longer fly.
My feet are made of lead, each step harder to take than the last. My body weighted down with sadness and pain, as I trudge wearily along the torturous corridor of life. I look to the menacing dark skies above, searching in vain for the blue skies of my youth.
Where are my wings?
How can I escape this nightmare world?

When I was a child, I used to dream that I was a hero.
I would don my special outfit, and march purposefully into the jaws of danger. Nothing could stop me in my quest to defend the oppressed and weak. I would use my powers against the evil ones, and stand resolute before the monsters that sought to harm me. The people would revere me, chanting my name from the highest peaks; "Our hero!" they would cry. No one could hurt me now - I was invincible.

I am older now, and have lost the will to fight.
My powers have faded to nothing, and weakness overwhelms me. The monsters chase me, and the evil ones laugh mockingly at me. I flee their haunting sounds and threats of harm, stumbling forwards blinded by tears of fear. I look for the source of strength, searching in vain for my fighting spirit.
Where is my hero?
Who can save me from this nightmare world?

When I was a child, I used to dream that I was a healer of spirit.
I would glide amongst the sad and forlorn, and raise their spirits with a touch, a word, or an understanding nod. The troubles of the world would disappear, as I spread my words of hope and promise. The people would know me as a friend.

I am older now, and my spirit has died.
The promises I thought were true, are but more lies that reveal the true nature of life. My world is one of trouble and sadness, and words can no longer save me. I look for the answers to my questions, searching in vain for understanding.
Where is my spiritual light?
Who can soothe my nightmare wounds?

When I was a child, I used to dream of being older.
I am older now, and search in vain for my childish dreams.


Res...

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ahahahaha Cleve ~lol~
My kid asked me did I write with a feather when I was little :D

lol, we used to have to carve letters into stone tablets lol

lmao clevemire

LOL



As the great Peter Griffin once said:

"Hehehehehehe!! I'm priceless!" :D

Battle of the Planets. hell yeah.

back when lightin bushfires wasnt a major crime and somehow you managed to put them out.
liquid papering cicadas eyeballs, stickin pins in thier arses to see if they fly straight.
ahh the age of innocence