How was your childhood?

[sheep_herder ★]

 

[JerrySTL ★]

It isn't over yet.

[Tizeye]

Which one? Multiple personalities can be fun.

[Parsnip Totin Jack ★]

Good times. Complete freedom and shenanigans that go with such. 

[maddmaxx ★]

My dad died when I was 10 and my stepdad was a drunk.  I grew up entertaining myself on a farm, hunting and fishing and getting around on my bike.  I understand this song.  There were better parts of my life, but without the experience I wouldn't be who I am.

[Further]

I can't say it was bad, but I didn't enjoy it.

[shootingstar]

A little restrictive but we were well-loved even if money wasn't enough. It got better when we moved to a house from 1 bedroom apt. for 5 kids.

[Airehead]

It was the experience I needed to be an adult. 

[shootingstar]

20 minutes ago, Airehead said:

It was the experience I needed to be an adult. 

For me, sometimes I wonder the end result was: someone who was just more direct.

[BR46]

It was good......I had a motorcycle 

[Kirby]

Some people might not think growing up in a 2 bedroom apartment in the city was ideal, but it was a wonderful neighborhood and since my Mom was a teacher and had lived in the same 2 block region since she was a kid, we knew everyone in our neighborhood. We never really knew the things we didn't have.  But most importantly, I always knew that my parents loved me and they made their kids and family a priority.  I feel very lucky.

[Tizeye]

I feel sorry for my mom and dad. They had me to contend with.

[KrAzY]

It was screwed up, and every time I talk about it… I notice more screwed up things. 

[ChrisL]

Mine was fine. Up until I was 14 when my dad died it was a typical childhood. My parents were strict but they did give us lots of freedom to go on outdoor adventures. We didn’t live lavishly but didn’t want for anything either. 

After my dad died my mom pretty much checked out and lived in Holland 4 months of the year. Times were tight financially and she pretty much left me to my own devices.  I surfed a lot, rode my bike and basically meandered along my HS years with no direction. 
 

 

[BR46]

22 minutes ago, ChrisL said:

Mine was fine. Up until I was 14 when my dad died it was a typical childhood. My parents were strict but they did give us lots of freedom to go on outdoor adventures. We didn’t live lavishly but didn’t want for anything either. 

After my dad died my mom pretty much checked out and lived in Holland 4 months of the year. Times were tight financially and she pretty much left me to my own devices.  I surfed a lot, rode my bike and basically meandered along my HS years with no direction. 
 

 

Sounds familiar 

Dad died when I was 13. Mom got a boyfriend and wasn't around much so I raced around on my motorcycle, rode my bicycle, sometimes I went to school.

[Square Wheels]

I liked it.  My parents may not have.

[petitepedal ★]

My mom was a single parent...(divorced) felt she was "marked"..by the time I was in 8th grade, my sister had mental health issues...I survived..my mom died when I was 23( my absent dad died a few days after my 18th birthday.)

[Zephyr]

Mine was awesome.  One of four kids(I was third) with two loving parents.  We went on many adventures camping and fishing and traveling.  We had great fun as a group and although I am quite different from my three very smart siblings, my parents let me and encouraged me to develop into who I am now, even though I am different from either of them of my brothers and sisters.

To this day, as a parent, when wondering what to do I think about what they would do and do exactly that.

I literally would not change anything 

[Ralphie ★]

Mine was pretty darn good.  Very normal. Good parents, siblings, neighborhoods. Loved the visits with the grandparents in the summer. Little League, kart racing, saxophone playing, bike riding, fort building, playing in the woods. Very beaver-esque.

 

[Airehead]

18 hours ago, Kirby said:

Some people might not think growing up in a 2 bedroom apartment in the city was ideal, but it was a wonderful neighborhood and since my Mom was a teacher and had lived in the same 2 block region since she was a kid, we knew everyone in our neighborhood. We never really knew the things we didn't have.  But most importantly, I always knew that my parents loved me and they made their kids and family a priority.  I feel very lucky.

You were very lucky. What a wonderful way to grow up. I bet there is a book in it. 

[Parsnip Totin Jack ★]

Not my photo, but this captures the essence of growing up 7. 

[Airehead]

18 minutes ago, Old No. 7 said:

Not my photo, but this captures the essence of growing up 7. 

We did “hitching too.”

[Kirby]

36 minutes ago, Airehead said:

You were very lucky. What a wonderful way to grow up. I bet there is a book in it. 

My Mom grew up in a house two blocks away.  They lived in the upper part of a 2 family house with a family of 7.  My uncle grew up to be an English professor in California and was a wonderful storyteller. He recorded  a number of tapes with stories from their childhood as a gift to his wife and kids - to help them understand his background but he sent a copy to my Mom as well.   I was very happy to find those old tapes when my Mom was moving to the apartment after my Dad died.  I was able to have them copied onto dvd's and my Mom loved listening to them all over again   She not only loved reliving those memories, but loved hearing her brother's voice again.

[MickinMD ★]

We were the poorest family on the block: no car, no gloves some winters, very few vacations, spread the jam thin so the jar will last, etc.

But most of the time we weren't miserable: we had loving and supportive parents.

I had to give up high school sports to get a job and save enough money to get a $300 used car so I could commute to college.

When I got a job on campus doing chemistry research after my sophomore year, life was much less stressful since I could fit my working hours between classes.  And I was in a clique of friends on campus that made life very pleasant.

After I finished grad school, my parents had emerged from poverty.

In some ways, growing up poor made me appreciate money more and my sister, brother, and I all ended up with decent jobs and are comfortable in retirement or headed for the same.

 

[Kirby]

On 11/13/2021 at 10:57 PM, petitepedal said:

My mom was a single parent...(divorced) felt she was "marked"..by the time I was in 8th grade, my sister had mental health issues...I survived..my mom died when I was 23( my absent dad died a few days after my 18th birthday.)

You didn't just survive, you built on those experiences to become one of the most caring and generous people I know with an open heart for everyone you encounter. I'm always impressed by the connections you've made with people in the building, people at work and even friends on the forum.

[Zealot]

.

[sheep_herder ★]

2 hours ago, Zealot said:

.

You are quiet this morning.

[Zealot]

15 minutes ago, sheep_herder said:

You are quiet this morning.

It’s Monday.... 😉 

[Zealot]

35 minutes ago, sheep_herder said:

You are quiet this morning.

I’ve often thought, and been told, that I should write a book about my childhood. Maybe now I will give it consideration. It would probably sell. 

I think it would be cathartic.