Friday, August 3, 2012

Ah the good ol' days...

I grew up in the eighties and nineties, where cassette tapes were in regular use, CD’s were the newest thing and bands like Guns N’ Roses rocked the air waves. For you youngsters, those said air waves would be a radio, and I’m not talking about one you can listen to online. I didn’t grow up with a computer in my house, and I remember with great excitement when our school finally got a computer lab. Anyone remember the old IBM computers? I also recall when our family got its first camcorder, you know the one that had to be plugged in to be used as the battery didn’t hold a charge for very long. All exciting stuff in those days, and all things that are nonexistent in our current technology ridden era.

Needless to say, I was propelled back to my younger years around the time of my son’s eighth birthday when he received a disposable Polaroid camera. Growing up in a household that used only digital items, he was a bit perplexed as to how it worked. Where was the window to view the pictures after you took them?  Why did you have to take it to a store then wait to get your pictures back? While it didn’t take him long to figure out how to use it, I was reminded yet again of how much times have changed since I was growing up.

I can remember a time when it was common day for kids to ride their bikes all over town during summer break, for weekends to be set aside for family time and when people weren’t afraid to leave their doors unlocked. I also love that my memories are filled with Sunday afternoons at the park listening to a live band play Dixie music while getting all the ice cream cones my stomach could hold. These are memories I’ll cherish forever, and ones that I wish kids this day and age could have.

Of course I’m a realist and understand that times have certainly changed for this country girl. Though I worry about the unknown my children will face as they get older, one thing remains true. The old fashioned values ingrained in me as a child still hold true today, and at our house we don’t think twice about turning off the television to enjoy a family game of kickball or baseball in the back yard.

Because if there’s anything I hope my children will learn from me it would be that above all else, family is what’s important.

6 comments:

  1. What a great post Amy! Hey - I remember when Microwaves were new! And the VCR was invented! I even remember 8 tracks and the fact there was no such thing as call waiting! When we were kids - you were outside by 8:30 - and came home when the street lights came on. Dinner time - you would hear bells ringing and lunch was always where ever you were playing! Neighbor's didn't think twice about putting kids in their place and demanding respect.

    Nice to think back on those days... thanks for the reminder!

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    1. OMG I remember the dinner bells! And the neighborhood was always full of kids to play with. We lived on a highway but still managed to stay outside well after the sun went down and our parents started calling for us. These days you can hardly get kids to GO outside, at least not without their Nintendo DS's or Ipod's ;0)

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  2. Great job, Amy! I think a lot about those good old days in the summer months--something about the freedom we had--because I feel like we've bubble-wrapped everyone...BUT the world has changed! Ugh...I sound old! Really great post!

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    1. You're so right Kathie, we have bubble wrapped everyone, unfortunately for good reason. I miss my summers of freedom though, those were definitely much easier times :0)

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  3. Lovely post. It's funny about cameras. I remember going on holidays about 7 or 8 years ago and someone handed me a digital camera to take a picture of them outside some ruins in Europe. I had never held a digital camera before and was holding it right up to my eye to take the pic. The tourist just looked at me like I was an idiot! I have to laugh at how times change.

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    1. That's so funny! I more than likely did the exact same thing when we first went digital. We got our first digital camera when I was pregnant with our daughter and I learned the hard way that when you delete a picture and it asks "Delete All?" you DON'T push yes lol

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