And I thought of so many things which were normal in my childhood which would never be allowed today.
After my first week at school aged four I used to walk there and back alone. It would never be allowed today.
I never had a special child seat in a car and neither did my parents wear seatbelts. (There weren't any.) I never wore a safety helmet when riding my bike. It would never be allowed today.
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| Bayko |
We were sent out in the morning during the school holidays and told "Be home by tea time" It would never be allowed today.
One of my favourite toys as a child was "Bayko". See those steel rods sticking up? It would never be allowed today.
Come to that remember toys, cots, everything else, being painted with lead paint? It would never be allowed today.
How did we survive?
I'm loving all your reminiscence posts.
ReplyDeleteThank you. And I am finding inspiration in your monthly decor posts.
DeleteFabulous memories. I was given a biscuit tin full of Bayko Builder bits. Frustratingly there were many bits missing, and not enough to build even a tiny dog kennel or shed, let alone a house. Those metal rods gradually got repurposed for craft activities! When my younger brother came along, he got the family Meccano set. I was rather envious!
ReplyDeleteEven back in the day I had to downsize my projects as the set got smaller.
DeleteI think getting rid of lead paint is a definite improvement. Do you remember the fuss when seat belts in cars were introduced? My parents still pulled them to be slack (and therefore useless) for decades.
ReplyDeleteOh yes. I hated them for ages but don't think about it any more.
DeleteI have family photos standing in the stones, we visited often, it was a nice day out, my mum loved it there. Remember 'clunk click every trip, we used to go out most Sunday afternoons, the children in the back of my BIL's open truck, we loved waving to the other cars.
ReplyDeleteIt seems amazing now that we could climb on the stones.
DeleteOne of my earliest memories is standing up in my cot, gnawing away at the paint-pink paint which then revealed blue paint (for my older brother) underneath.I must have swallowed it I suppose!
ReplyDeleteHow did you survive!!!!
DeleteWhat a great picture of your day out at Stonehenge. My father camped in the middle of it when he was on a survival course during his National Service. I think the executives at English Heritage might self combust if anyone did that today.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter was horrified when I told her that, as a child, I was routinely given Kaolin and Morphine for upset tummies and that my Great-Grandmother found it highly amusing to offer a whiff of her smelling salts or a pinch of snuff to her young relatives!
I remember kaolin and morph! Cured the tummy and we slept very well!
DeleteI suppose there are valid reasons why certain things are not allowed today. Although, the way things are being repealed over here, lately, I think we might be returning to those days when those things were allowed! Your childhood was a bit different than mine. I was never allowed to walk to school alone; for one thing, it was too far to walk! Nor was I ever allowed to leave the house, alone, never mind stay away until tea time! :)
ReplyDeleteMy teacher accidently sent me to walk home alone on my first day at school! It was about half a mile but as soon as I got home Mother walked me back.
DeleteYour post brings back so many memories, not least of clambering over the stones at Stonehenge in the 1950s (somewhere we too gave a photograph not dissimilar to yours)and of the thrill of a new box of Bayko at Christmas.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry. The previous comment was sent by HATTAT. Obviously need to change the profile setting.
ReplyDeleteGreat blog
ReplyDeletePlease read my post
ReplyDeleteWell those of us that did survive are doing very well. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI can't believe that I used to travel in the front seat of our Vauxhall Viva not wearing a seatbelt, and holding our new born son in my arms ... gosh it doesn't bear thinking about these days does it.
How times have changed!
DeleteSo many things we used to do that in no way would be allowed today. Love these posts.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Thank you.
DeleteYes, safety has taken a front seat to everything we do.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how today's children will look back!
DeleteI had a Bayko building set as a child it was one of my favourite toys until it was superseded by Lego. I was convinced I was going to be an architect when I grew up but as a girl at school in the 70's I was told I couldn't be. I then wanted to be a draughtsman again I was told I couldn't do the necessary technical drawing course because I was a girl. Isn't allow today, thankfully.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing that isn't allowed today is this. I was put on the train aged about 10/11 and sent to my Aunt and Uncle's for the summer holidays as they lived by the sea. The guard was asked to keep an eye on me and make sure I changed trains at Doncaster to the one to Middlesborough where I was met by my Uncle.
I definitely identify with both those things. I worked for the church quite a long time before I could be a priest. And I used to be sent by bus to my grandparents in the country. I thought it quite an adventure.
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