BS: Hope for Future Generations

Subject: Hope for Future Generations
From: Hollowfox
Date: 27 Aug 01 - 04:09 PM

When I was on vacation, I saw a bunch of kids playing Kick the Can. No supervision, no adults. Some of the kids were (are) mine, and I don't know if they've ever even heard the term. Perhaps that herd of urchins just spontaneously re-invented the game. But it warmed my heart to see them having fun without adults butting in, without electronics, without store-bought stuff.
No way did I let them know I noticed, it might well have ruined the fun for them.

Subject: RE: BS: Hope for Future Generations
From: Marymac90
Date: 27 Aug 01 - 04:36 PM

Wow, a window from the present into the "good old days", for sure! I remember kids in the 50's planning and running a "fair" all on their own. And although scouting has always involved adults working with kids, I remember going door to door, selling cookies, all on my own.

Marymac

Subject: RE: BS: Hope for Future Generations
From: wysiwyg
Date: 27 Aug 01 - 04:38 PM

We moved to a somewhat isolated location after living in walking distance from the mall. Our preteens were furious. They had to ask for a ride anytime they wanted to go somewhere, and where's the fun of having your parents know where you are and who you may be with? *G*

It took awhile but soon they were making potato launchers, shooting arrows, and tossing a ball in the summer dusk out back by the pond. Oh yes I almost forgot the falling-into-the-pond ritual known as "canoeing." And the wading ritual known as "fishing."

Two have left now for the Navy, still angry about what awful parents we had been. But within a few weeks of starting basic training they assured us their awful memories of home had been transformed into a longing for the green hills and the hillside spring where we fetched water every few weeks.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Hope for Future Generations
From: DougR
Date: 27 Aug 01 - 04:48 PM

That's a great story, Hollowfox.

We use to play "kick the can," and "capture the flag," when we were kids in the 1940's. I have often wondered if kids played games like that anymore. I'm glad they do somewhere!

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: Hope for Future Generations
From: CarolC
Date: 27 Aug 01 - 06:15 PM

I was talking just yesterday with a young woman (now 24) who was almost my 'step daughter' a few years back. I was telling her how encouraged I feel for the future of the world when I reflect upon the younger people I know, and how utterly amazing they all are.

When my son was a child, he and his friends didn't play any kind of organized games. They created whole worlds. They had worlds up in the maple trees beside the house. They had very special, magical worlds in the corn field behind the house. Even the stairway in the house was converted to a world of its own when playing outside wasn't possible. And then of course there was the formula kitchen in the basement... I lost some good stainless steel bowls to the monsterous concoctions created in that place, but they were a small sacrifice for the cause of creativity.

I was just an occassional observer, but I feel that the magic and wonder of that play, and of those worlds, enriched my adult life in ways that I might not ever have expected.

With a feeling of poignant nostalgia, I can hear the sound of my son's childlike voice even now, saying, "Eric, let's petend..."

Subject: RE: BS: Hope for Future Generations
From: running.hare
Date: 27 Aug 01 - 07:56 PM

yep, when I was little the was a particular favorate old lime tree in the village we'd clime, but for a while it seemed to of been forgoton by the village kids. but then last week I was out walking & saw 2 young teenage boys climing up it, by what we had called "the challenge rout"

I was very carefull to go on & not disturb / embares them, but i whent back a couple of days later when no 1 was there 2 have a look. The route we normaly took to get up there has totaly grown over out of mis use. but it seems the tree's still being ussed just the same.

Subject: RE: BS: Hope for Future Generations
From: catspaw49
Date: 27 Aug 01 - 08:39 PM

Great story 'fox!!

One of the things I like about Michael is that for all his usual kid wants for toys, he is very good at invention and imagination. I think living here in this throwback village kind of helps that too. Kids have toys and all, but a lot of the time it reminds me of the 50's........and growing up then in the fat, dumb, and happy, midwest was not all a bad thing.

Kids still love the simpler stuff if you show it to them. Another 'Catter sent the boys several things and they have liked them all, some an awful lot and Tris has especially taken to a thing or two......I think this 'Catter is trying to drive me crazy though, but that's another story. A couple of weeks back a package arrived and the boys loved the real presents, but.........the first thing they did was take the bubblewrap and start popping! Dad showed them that stomping was cool too and they took the whole mess down to the den and spent about 20 minutes stomping like mad!!! I walked down the ramp and looked through the bars and Michael turned and said, "Wow Dad, this is a GREAT gift."

Here's to childhoods in simpler times........

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Hope for Future Generations
From: GUEST,AliUK
Date: 27 Aug 01 - 09:04 PM

Ahh thos ebalmy days of youth. When I was a kid there were just fields and woods round our housing estate. We used to get together about 7 in the morning in the summer holidays and off we'd tramp to the fields. There were new lands to conquer and Robin Hood to play in the woods. Then when the corn was cut we'd pile the straw as high as we could under a tree. Then Jump from the highest branch to see who would break their leg first. We also played commandos as the sun went down and the twilight set in, this consisted of crawling as silently as possible through the neighbours back yards. More than once someone farted and set us all to giggling then crapping ourselves in case anyone had heard us.