I grew up in Haleyville, Alabama, and never once questioned my parents income, it was never a discussion. We didn't eat a lot of fast food because it was considered a treat, not a food group. We drank tea or kool-aid made from water that came from our kitchen sink with real sugar. We ate bologna sandwiches, or even tuna (which was in a can not a pouch), PB&J & grilled cheese sandwiches, hot dogs, but mostly homemade meals consisting of meat, potatoes, and vegetables.
We grew up during a time when we mowed lawns, pulled weeds, babysat, helped neighbors with chores to be able to earn our own money. And got jobs as soon as we were old enough. We by no means were given everything we wanted.
We went outside a lot to play, rode bikes, ran with friends, played hide and seek, or went swimming. We rarely just sat inside. We drank tap water from the water hose outside, bottled water was unheard of. If we had a coke, it was in a glass bottle, and we didn’t break the bottle when finished. We saved it and cashed it back in at the store for a refund.
We watched TV shows like Gilligan's Island, Happy Days, Good Times, Bewitched, Lost in Space, Star Trek The Brady Bunch, Looney Tunes, The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Sanford and Son, The Jeffersons, Disney on Sunday night, and I Love Lucy. Mom and dad decided everything we watched or didn’t watch.
After school, we came home and did homework and chores, before going outside or having friends over. We would ride our bikes for hours. We had to tell our parents where we were going, who we were going with, and be home before the street lights came on!
You LEARNED from your parents instead of disrespecting them, and treating them as if they knew absolutely nothing. What they said was LAW, and you did not question it, and you had better know it!
We watched what we said around our elders because we knew if we DISRESPECTED any grown-up we would get our behinds whipped, it wasn't called abuse, it was called discipline! We held doors, carried groceries, and gave up our seat for an older person without being asked. You didn't hear curse words on the radio in songs or TV, and if you cursed and got caught you had a bar of soap stuck in your mouth.
“Please, Thank you, yes please, no thank you, yes ma'am, no ma'am yes sir, and no sir were part of our daily vocabulary!
The world we live in now is just so full of crooked people, hate and disrespect for others
Consider Re-posting if you're thankful for your childhood. I will never forget where I came from and only wish children now days had half the chance at the fun and respect for real life we grew up with! And we were never bored!