does anyone identify with this

[bastonjock]

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL MY FRIENDS WHO WERE BORN IN THE

1930's 1940's, 50's, 60's and early 70's !
First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they carried us and lived in houses made of asbestos.
They took aspirin, ate blue cheese, raw egg products, loads of bacon and processed meat, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes or cervical cancer.


Then after that trauma, our baby cots were covered with bright coloured lead-based paints.


We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets or shoes, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking.


As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags.


We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle.


Take away food was limited to fish and chips, no pizza shops, McDonalds , KFC, Subway or Nandos.


Even though all the shops closed at 6.00pm and didn't open on the weekends, somehow we didn't starve to death!


We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this.
We could collect old drink bottles and cash them in at the corner store and buy Toffees, Gobstoppers, Bubble Gum and some bangers to blow up frogs with.
We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank soft drinks 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 old prams and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. We built tree houses and dens and played in river beds with matchbox cars.
We did not have Playstations, Nintendo Wii , X-boxes, no video games at all, no 999 channels on SKY ,
no video/dvd films,
no mobile phones, no personal computers, no Internet or Internet chat rooms..........WE HAD FRIENDS and 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.



Only girls had pierced ears!



We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.



You could only buy Easter Eggs and Hot Cross Buns at Easter time...



We were given air guns and catapults for our 10th birthdays,



We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just yelled for them!

Mum didn't have to go to work to help dad make ends meet!
RUGBY and CRICKET had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!! Getting into the team was based on
MERIT



Our teachers used to hit us with canes and gym shoes and bully's always ruled the playground at school.
The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of.
They actually sided with the law!
Our parents didn't invent stupid names for their kids like 'Kiora' and 'Blade' and 'Ridge' and 'Vanilla'

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.
PS -The big type is because your eyes are not too good at your age anymore

bj

 

[Athene V30]

Elf & safety

I agree with the sentiments but there are some kids out there still trying to be kids and do the sort of things I did. H&S Legislation does get in the way. As a Scout Leader I should carry out a risk assessment before letting the kids do anything.

On friday we are off camping next to the River Yare on a 'green field' site (ie no loos / showers etc) for 6 nights. We will be sailing / kayaking every day. The kids love it and learn a lot by doing it.

I have to go before the District Appointments Committee this evening to get the warrant I should have had 3 years ago to do all this BUT they were unable to get their act together! If anything had gone wrong I would have been in the wrong and I expect the District Officialdom Lords and Masters would have said I shouldn't have done what I have. Be funny if I don't pass assessment tonight when I have been doing it for the last 3 years!

 

[Sixpence]

Not me, I'm far too young

Having said that, I think that although things have gone from one extreme where things like this weren't even thought about as being potentially dangerous, to the other extreme where everyone is being wrapped up in red tape and cotton wool, and now we seem to have something of a revolution going on, where people are using common sense more and more. With luck and time, this might actually reach the point where although people do consider the safety aspect, it isn't the be all and end all of life, the universe, and everything. Common sense will rule in the end I think

 

[exfinnsailor]

Some of it I can identify with............

This is Mrs Sea Mist II, using exfinnsailor's login! Exfinnsailor is really Sea Mist II!


Whilst I can identify with some of the sentiments I think the post is looking back through rose tinted specs, with respect! I want to just comment on some of the post.

Firstly many women's lives are saved through testing for cervical cancer and diabetes, this is surely a good thing?

Ingesting too much lead causes brain damage and this actually happened to some youngsters.

Nowadays far more children are killed because of the number of cars on the road and the speed people travel. Wearing seat belts and strapping youngsters into car seats is surely a good thing, if it saves lives. Because of the number of cars on the road parents are understandable wary about allowing their children the freedom to play out, like we did. However, there are many parents who still give their children real quality of life. Take the pirate weekend. I observed many children having freedom to play in the water in a variety of craft. These children had a wonderful time, landing on the beach, exploring, finding treasure and generally doing what children have always done! And, what lovely children they were, exceedingly well behaved and a pleasure to spend time with!

The comment about mum not having to work is an interesting one. Of course women these days have much more freedom to pursue rewarding careers. Research tells us that women with children are most fulfilled if they work three days a week. Women now have many more opportunities and this is definitely better for everyone, undoubtedly.

The change in the law regarding adults being able to physically abuse children has to be an improvement. We live in a civilised country, don't we? Nevertheless there are still paedophiles out there waiting to abuse and murder our precious children. This is why everyone who has contact with children now has to have a CRB check. Anyone who has a problem with being checked, is to me extremely suspect in their motives.

Things these days are different! Some things are far better, others perhaps not........