Once were children



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If you were born after 1980 - go away, this does not apply to you!


Kids of today are wrapped in cotton wool! 

Read on...


If you lived as a child in the 50's, 60's or 70's, looking back, it's
hard to believe that we have lived as long as we have...

As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags.
Our cots were covered with bright coloured lead-based paint. We had
no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors, or cupboards; when we
rode our bikes we had no helmets.

We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle. We would
spend hours building go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the
hill - only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the
bushes or walls 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 streetlights came on. No one was able to reach us
all day... no mobile phones!

We got cut and broke bones and broke 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 ate cakes, bread and butter, and drank
cordial, but we were never overweight... we were always outside
playing. We shared one drink with four friends, from one bottle, 
yet no one died from this.

We did not have Playstations, Nintendo 64, X-Boxes, video games, 
200 channels on pay TV, DVD movies, surround sound, personal mobile 
phones, Personal Computers, Internet chat rooms ... we had friends. 
We went outside and found them. We rode bikes or walked to a friend's 
home and knocked on the door, or rung the bell, or just walked in 
and talked to them. Imagine such a thing. Without asking a parent! 
By ourselves!

Out there in the cold cruel world! 
Without a guardian - how did we do it?

We made up games with sticks and tennis balls, and ate worms, and
although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many
eyes, nor did the worms live inside us forever. Footy and netball had
tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't, didn't have
to go for psychological counselling to deal with disappointment...

Some pupils weren't as smart as others, so they failed an exam and
were held back to repeat the same year. Tests were not adjusted for
any reason. Our actions were our own. Consequences were expected, no
one to hide behind! The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke a
law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law - imagine that!

This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers and problem
solvers and inventors, ever. The past 50 years has 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're one of them. Congratulations!


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[Contributed by Susanna]