When I Was A Kid...

[Ariana]

I can honestly remember leaving my house at like 8am and then not coming home until 8pm nearly every night on the weekends. Weekdays we'd go outside right after dinner and not come in until bed time. Some nights we'd stay out until 11pm playing "spot light"!! I don't remember coming in for lunch...we'd just take whatever was offered from the nearest friends house or run home make a sandwich and run back outside. We'd run and ride our bikes all over our little town and make forts in the woods etc. No one seemed to worry about where we were really!! I came from such a small town that if anything happened the neighbour would help you. Not like today

Those were the days I loved every minute of it and it makes me so sad that my DD won't get that freedom.

[Kaddidle Care]

My mother told me recently about she and my father going to the beach at midnight many times. I asked her what she did with us kids - she couldn't remember (Mom's in her 80's) but assumed we were asleep in bed.

We went out and played with friends until dinner time. Mom never knew exactly where we were but she wasn't going anywhere because she didn't drive. Stay at home Mom to the extreme. (Except for those late nights at the beach of course.) ::

[momofboys]

::

We were talking today about things that happened when we were kids, many decades ago. My mom was a single mom until I was 8, and we stayed with a babysitter. When I was 7 or barely 8, we stayed with the lady next door. She had a baby about a year old. She used to send me to the little grocery store that was about a block and a half away. I had to walk to the end of the block, go down to the next street, cross a street, and then cross the street car track to get to the little store. I'd buy whatever it was she needed, and she would give me a nickel extra to buy a soda. I always bought a K Orange. One day, I stayed home from school sick, and she still sent me to the store. Even after I was grown and married, my mom still griped about that! My husband said, "Wouldn't DFPS have a fit about that!! Can you imagine sending a 7 year old on errands like that these days? ;-)

But, it gets worse...if you are from the Dallas area, you might be familiar with Skillman Ave. She used to take us with her to the big grocery store on Skillman. She had a fussy baby (no car seats in those days) and she would have me steer the car down Skillman while she tried to quiet the baby. Of course, 50+ years ago, Skillman wasn't exactly like it is now! Then, she would leave me in the car with the baby and my little sister (3 or 4) while she did the grocery shopping.

My, how times have changed!!!

Really no point to this post except I think it's funny that now we are so closely monitored and regulated, and back then, anything was allowed.

That is crazy - of course I am also thinking it is crazy that you had to go to the sitter's when you were SICK! Did the sitter not care? Obviosuly she just wanted you to run her errands~:: As a provider I find it amusing in that sense.