Do you remember the joy ?

Our children were 4 and 2 in 1975. I used to put them to bed for 2 hours after lunch and then, later, DH and I would let them play outside until it got dark. Gazing up at the stars, the 4-year-old future mathematician/philosopher wondered out loud, "Does time go on forever?"
It's the sort of thing a parent remembers.

Doing the laundry never seemed very joyful to me. Taking them swimming or to the park was more my joyful moments.

FriedGreenTomatoes2

^often taking a child back with him. (One of ours obviously, not a random one)^ oh that really gave me a laugh! Thank you GG13 - joy in itself right now. x

You know, that made me laugh too!

I also remember the paddling pools in gardens being visited by all the children in our wee village. In late ‘70s early ‘80s, we were one of four ‘young’ families where mum was a stay at home, all skint, but a great support to each other. Seems we had lots of long sunny days, full of simple pleasures, maybe one mum hosting all the children while the others had a break.
I am so happy that all those children are still close, and talk fondly of the paddling pool days! Even happier to see grandchildren being friends.

Such a sweet thread! Today I’ve hung out on the washing line an old cot sheet I use as an undersheet nowadays. I bought it when I had my son who is 50 now and I was overjoyed to get some Harrington’s sheets in a sale - not Boots or Mothercare for my baby! They’ve lasted well, though. I’ve still got the coach built pram and a Morlands canopy that went with it. No one seems to want to buy such items now nowadays but I’m reluctant to put them in the skip.

Children didn’t seem to need so much entertaining back in the 70’s and 80’s. Mine were always happy to mess about in the garden with water or sand, digging holes, burying their toys(!) and so on. A frozen Ice Pole was a delight to them, though I dare say back then they were full of tartrazine etc. Then a tepid bath in the evening and pop them into bed for a good sleep facilitated by a days worth of fresh air.

eddiecat78

OH and FIL were always busy combining so a highlight of the day would be taking their tea "up the fields" when we would all have a picnic sitting on newly made bales of straw. Sometimes the kids would then travel home on top of a trailer loaded with the bales (no health and safety in those days!)

I remember going wild oat pulling, just before the combine started. We got half a crown for the week. Riches then. And the joyous sound of the baler. Bdum, bdum, it sounded like the field had a heartbeat.

SueDonim coach built prams and canopies are collectors items, I think you might find yours is valuable. Especially if it is a Silver Cross one.

I remember. We and our grandchildren still find joy in pools, fields of flowers, glowworms, butterflies, playing outside, our beach home.

And the joy of finding a half crown in the sand on the beach when my week's pocket money was probably a shilling or maybe 2 shillings. Finding 6d or even 3d was lucky, but 2/6d was a dream come true.

My dearly missed late friend and I found a £5 note in Richmond Park. It blew towards us in the quite strong wind. No one around to hand it back to. So we had a coffee in Pembroke Lodge cafe with it. That was a treat. This was about 15 years ago so it may have bought a slice of cake as well. Walking with her every week was a joy.

We had no money and lived in a horrible place but I tried hard to give my children the important things. We had lots and lots of pets, I made them lovely clothes, they all had sisters to play with. I scraped together the money for ballet and piano lessons and they went to Brownies then Guides. I taught them all to read and I read to them every night.
I told them that material things were not important and that, along with homemade clothes, lasted until they got old enough to demand what their friends had.

I remember the joyful times I had with my 3 children. Sadly, they have all left my life. However, one of the neighbour's children who was a regular visitor, remembers happy days with us and still keeps in touch. She recalled the Christmas Barbie that was always in pride of place, so last Christmas I wrapped Barbie up and gave it to the friend. She was moved to tears of joy when she unwrapped the Barbie.

Sindy adorns our tree each year 😀
She was given to DD when DD was 3 and Sindy might have been older than that. An Aunt used to buy them at jumble sales, bath them, dress their hair and make them fairy costumes complete with wand. I've made her a new dress but she still has her battered wand! 🧚‍♀️

watermeadow
Mine had a lot of home-made clothes too.
I remember DD1's joy when we went shopping and she chose a black and white skirt, quilted bolero to match and a white blouse, all with red trim - from a shop! She was about 8.

I remember my childhood also. Once my father dug a whole swimming pool by hand with a shovel and we had it for few years. Then he had car accident and got semi disabled but still walking, this changed his whole life outlook and he decided to fill the pool in and start a flowers business because he thought the money won't be enough when we come to uni age and if he is disabled. I cannot understand the whole logic, since he was always employed by the same company all his life.

Me and my brother had played on the streets, in the woods, on bikes, went to communal swimming pools, etc. Long summer holidays by the sea and then back to grandma's house so our parents had a whole month for just themselves.

From my mother's point of view, her whole life changed since that car accident. She was made to work on those flower fields and she did not want. She was a career woman according to her.

But ....I remember my childhood with joy

I only used terry nappies for my own two children and they ended up threadbare after the foster babies also used them . My DD was still in nappies herself ( less than a year and a half old ) when we started so they sure got good use. How much would have disposable nappies cost for the same use?

I was lucky to have a friend with a child of similar age to mine. She had a big static caravan near a beach and if the weather was good we'd disappear with the children until the weather changed. The children played on the beach and we'd sit in the dunes and read. It was absolute bliss.

Sounds heavenly.

I don't know about the 90's leaving my door open. But I know in the 70's we could leave the door unlocked and windows open. And have our windows down when we went into the store. It wasn't a big deal to leave your windows down in the summer

Happy memories of our younger days when we had ENERGY!

Floradora9

I only used terry nappies for my own two children and they ended up threadbare after the foster babies also used them . My DD was still in nappies herself ( less than a year and a half old ) when we started so they sure got good use. How much would have disposable nappies cost for the same use?

They made good cleaning cloths too, when they were no longer fit to use as nappies!

I miss the chubby wee handies in mine as we walked along.

midgey

SueDonim coach built prams and canopies are collectors items, I think you might find yours is valuable. Especially if it is a Silver Cross one.

I’m getting mine down from the attic next weekend. It’s been up there nearly forty years.

I love sunny weather and the light evenings, but I do recall the difficulty in keeping a little baby cool in a baking hot house. All of my children were born in the height of summer.

I stripped the bed this morning and put the sun dried sheets back on the bed this evening.

But I am watering the garden to keep even my trees alive!

Funny, I was driving past the Our local rec, thirty, or so, of us kids playing cricket, rounders, or for the brave, roller skates. Lying on the grass panting & laughing, knackered after playing a game of British Bull Dog.
Very sad to see it empty today.

Yesterday I went to a family barbeque. The weather was glorious, the food outstanding, the oldest there was approaching 80 and the youngest only 5. Because of the hose-pipe ban we had a big plastic box half filled with water and the kids messed about with it and in it all afternoon, they played badminton with a hammock for a net and just enjoyed being together mucking about in the sunshine. It was joyous in every sense. If you don't pass it on, the kids will never have it...