When was your childhood ?

[themilkman]

Re: When was your childhood ?

My memories of childhood really went from about 1971-1978, it was a brilliant time to be growing up. No real cares in the world, you went to school, did a bit of homework and the rest of the time was spent either watching tv or out playing with your mates.
No concept of money or finanaces either.........i remember my dad saying that we couldn't afford it when i suggested buying a speedboat, "why don't you just write a cheque then" i said assuming that it wasn't 'real' money.

[the-peoples-poet]

Re: When was your childhood ?

Sly - I know what you mean. I had to grow up quickly when I was about 16 because of a shitty time happening, well, the start of a shitty time. It didn't get any better until I was in my late 20s/early 30s so I had about 15 years worth of hell to get through. I can't say that I am healed, I will never be healed, what I have is something you just have to live with and learn to cope with. Looking back on it, I thought I was healed in about 2005, I thought I was doing well, and then the delayed reaction kicked in, I got worse and went downhill. Then you think you are doing well again, a few years later but with hindsight, you realise you weren't. It wasn't until I started volunteering in 2011 that I realise I was OK a bit before then but not OK enough to be classed as anywhere near normal. The volunteer centre I go to really helped me to relearn how to be more social around other people again. I will never be 'cured' but I am and have learned better coping skills and its not a cliche to say that all the **** you go through makes you stronger, it does.

I hope you are out of your bad times. I hope your family member will be OK in the end too. It's a hard old road to go down sometimes, is life, but along the way there are so many things to be greatful for, and so many things that will make you smile and help you to see that things aren't always going to be all bad. Giveit time and with luck, they will come together for you.

Personally, I wouldnt' wish growing up on my worst enemy.

[Sly]

Re: When was your childhood ?

I'm totally fine now. If anything that probably tempered me into what I am today. They say there is an easy way and a hard way to learn things but I believe for some things there is no easy way of adjusting. You get burnt. You learn. You move on. Of course you can watch other people get burnt and learn from them but that doesn't make it any easier as to witness such things you have to be close to them.

I got involved with a family in the early 00's that showed me that what I was really going through wasn't all that bad compared to some people. I was around there once after staying over night in the bathroom getting washed and dressed and I took a good look at my face after I'd shaved. It was the same feeling I got as a early teen looking at a picture of me aged about 3 up on the wall. I looked expecting to see the gangly blond lad I'd been looking at for the last few years but he'd been replaced by a stocking young feller with a important job and a hefty mortgage. It's not often I look in the mirror but that freaked me out a bit. I didn't realised I'd grown up like that

Going back to my cousin, we used to babysit her occasionally before I left school. She was only a toddler. I went upstairs to do something and when I came back down my Mother told me that she was asking "Where did that man go?" I always find it amusing how different ages and experienced people look on others. Where I live on one side you have a guy in his 50's who's never left home and on the other side you have a guy that's half his age with a young family that has done 10 times as more as he has. It's weird but whenever I'm talking to the old guy it feels like I'm talking to my mates circa 00's. He's in for a big shock when his parents die. There's a lot of life skills that cannot be learnt over night.

[Trickyvee]

Re: When was your childhood ?

Life is a lesson, you learn it when you're through. What song is that from?

It is true though and I certainly would have thought twice about growing up if Id known what was in store. The biggest lesson I have learned is that things can happen when you least expect them to, good and very bad. You just have to be prepared to ride the wave. And that whatever your situation, good or bad, it wont last forever.

[the-peoples-poet]

Re: When was your childhood ?

I'm totally fine now. If anything that probably tempered me into what I am today. They say there is an easy way and a hard way to learn things but I believe for some things there is no easy way of adjusting. You get burnt. You learn. You move on. Of course you can watch other people get burnt and learn from them but that doesn't make it any easier as to witness such things you have to be close to them.

I got involved with a family in the early 00's that showed me that what I was really going through wasn't all that bad compared to some people. I was around there once after staying over night in the bathroom getting washed and dressed and I took a good look at my face after I'd shaved. It was the same feeling I got as a early teen looking at a picture of me aged about 3 up on the wall. I looked expecting to see the gangly blond lad I'd been looking at for the last few years but he'd been replaced by a stocking young feller with a important job and a hefty mortgage. It's not often I look in the mirror but that freaked me out a bit. I didn't realised I'd grown up like that

Going back to my cousin, we used to babysit her occasionally before I left school. She was only a toddler. I went upstairs to do something and when I came back down my Mother told me that she was asking "Where did that man go?" I always find it amusing how different ages and experienced people look on others. Where I live on one side you have a guy in his 50's who's never left home and on the other side you have a guy that's half his age with a young family that has done 10 times as more as he has. It's weird but whenever I'm talking to the old guy it feels like I'm talking to my mates circa 00's. He's in for a big shock when his parents die. There's a lot of life skills that cannot be learnt over night.

True, very true. He will probably need someone, in a big way, when he is confronted with a situation like that.

I know what you mean about thinking 'where did my life go'. In my head, I am still 15, shame it hasn't told my body that.

Unfortunately my bad thing will always be with me, it's not something I will ever be able to leave behind, but as the old saying goes, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. It does, but there are some things that you shouldn't have to be strong about because they shouldn't happen in the first place. I do think my coping skills are better now than say 10 years ago, if they keep improving, hopefully they will be better still in the years to come.

[stuckinthe80's]

Re: When was your childhood ?

I think I stopped considering myself a child when I was about 14, 1987. Things really changed though in '89 when I left school and started a good old YTS. I was born in '73 and my memories start in the mid 70's. Life always seems magical when I look back to those times (mid 70's to the late 80's). I've always loved social history. Even as a kid I liked books about the past. Loved and still love going to 'living' museums like Beamish and The Black Country Museum.

[darren]

Re: When was your childhood ?

during my childhood between the ages of five to fifteen i remember my dad had a foerd capri and i think a lada as well.

i remember those long scorching hot summers sitting along the river bank with mates collecting ladybirds and tadpoles etc in jam jars.


being out to nine on schoolnights once i reached about 10.
we had acres and acres of fields which stretched for what seemed forever.

playing in the trees,playing footie up against the wall or down the fields.
on one of these fields proper matches where played by local teams remember watching them many a time.

can remember in my childhood getting my zx spectrum what a great day that was and all those fab games like jet set willy,renegade etc.

and when we played footie in the street all the neighbours would be out talking away to each other as if they had knew each other alll there lives.

the neighbours would bring us and other kids out drinks etc.


its as if we where all extended family or something.

lots of us bought sticker albums i know i never completed any,never had enough time to complete them can still remember the smell of the stickers and albums.

and of course the great programmes like grange hill,dangermouse,thundecats,etc etc etc.


im still as much a kid now as i was then.

[the-peoples-poet]

Re: When was your childhood ?

Yeah, good times. It was a good place to grow up when I was growing up, where I live. It's all changed now. The nature of the kids around nowadays is just more nasty and destructive I think. OK, we were naughty, we'd knock someone's door and run away. Now the kids throw missiles at your windows and try to break the doors down.

[philipdalton]

Re: When was your childhood ?

In the middle of the 16th century. I'm the oldest living person just in case you don't know.

[Moondog]

Re: When was your childhood ?

my childhood for me was up to age 12, once i hit the teens i didn't class myself as a kid anymore.

my childhood was the good old 80s, and growing up in the 80s for me for the greatest life experience ever, i absolutely loved everything in the 80s, the music, the TV shows, the toys, the outrageous fashion.

[ayrshireman]

Re: When was your childhood ?

If we are not including toddler years (0-4) or the teenage years (15-18), its 1975-1985 for me.

[philipdalton]

Re: When was your childhood ?

Let's have a debate on at what age 'childhood' comes to an end. Most people nowadays would say between the ages of 16 and 18. 16 is the 'age of consent' in Britain and 18 is the 'age of majority', the age at which young people 'come of age'. However, the age of majority was 21 until quite recently and in Bible times it was 30 (fancy being a 'child' for three decades, talk about Peter Pan).
In some states of the US youngsters are considered old enough to drive as early as 14 and in 1959 the rock singer Jerry-Lee Lewis married his 13-year-old cousin in a state with a low age of consent.

[zip55]

Re: When was your childhood ?

mmmmm ... maybe next year after I turn 58

[philipdalton]

Re: When was your childhood ?

I'm 43 and I've certainly never grown up yet. I've been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome. Anyone else on here know anything about that?

[scotchmist]

Re: When was your childhood ?

I'm 43 and I've certainly never grown up yet. I've been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome. Anyone else on here know anything about that?

Yeah, it's just an excuse for people to be rude, selfish and antisocial! Think I've got it!