How Did We Survive Our Childhood?

My friend, Elena Ho, sent me this email. I had edited and added a few more points, for indeed, I also had a great time spending my childhood days in Jelutong Kampong in Penang.

Take a very short walk through our history. How did we survive our childhood?
If you were a kid in the 50's, 60's, 70's or even early 80's ..how did you survive your childhood?

1.- When we were growing up we never wore seatbelts in the car for cars didn't have airbags then.

2.- Riding on the back of a pick up truck was an adventure that we still remember!

3.- Our cribs were painted with bright colors (paint which was full of lead.) Some of us poor ones slept in homemade cradles of sarong and a rope hanging from the ceiling! But we grew up feeling secure and loved!

4.- We didn't have childproof medicine bottles, nor did our parents ever childproof our house.

5.- When we rode our bikes we never wore a helmet. The brother who taught us how to ride a motorbike in the kampong, also probably did not have a licence himself!

6.- We would drink water from the faucet or from a hose in the backyard (not bottled water).

7.- We didn't have cell phones, so our parents were never able to reach us (awesome).

8.- We would get scrapes, bruises, break bones, lose teeth, but we would never sue for these accidents.

9.- We would eat cake, bread and butter, drink sugary drinks,and we weren't overweight because we were always outside playing.

10.- Four of us would share a drink, we would all drink from the same bottle and that wasn't gross nor would anyone get sick.

11.- We didn't have Playstations, Nintendo 64, X boxes, video games,
cable TV with over 100 channels, VCR's, surround sound , cellular phones , computers , online chatrooms , instead we would have tons of FRIENDS.

12.- Toy or Us was not operating yet. There was no shopping for toys, Barbie dolls or games. We created our own stuffed toys made from left over cloths and unwanted cotton or cloths for stuffing. We drew lines on the sand to play hopscotch and dig holes in the sand to play, "Hit ball and run!" For the tougher ones, we played "Robber and Thief" and the village was our hiding place! Climbing trees for coconuts, rambutans, chikus and others fruits was a feat for many of us nimble ones.

13.- Our parents did not send us for tuition. Some of us learnt to play musical instruments, drawing, dancing, swimming and playing badminton and table tennis on our own or from friends and siblings.

14.- Some of us weren't as bright as others but when one would get left back that was no big deal. They would not get taken to a psychologist, nor did they ever suffer from dyslexia, hyperactivity, ADHD, ADD, etc, they would simply repeat the grade until they passed.

15.- We had freedom , mishaps, successes, , responsibilities,
and we would learn to deal with them. The question is...How did we survive? and above all, to become the GREAT people that we are today? . Are you from one of these generations?

If you are, then send this article to others from your same generation or to others who are younger so that they can see how we survived.

They will probably say that we were very boring, but I believe that we were VERY HAPPY CHILDREN...