the good old days
- Thread starter bohunr
- Start date
AWS
Custom Accessory Maker & Retired PM Staff
We played kick the can in the streets even after the street light came on, it lit the game, Mom called us when it was time for bed.
When your mom came to a stop sign she automatically put her right arm out so you standing on the front seat didn't end on the dash. Of course you stood on the front seat you couldn't see sitting.
We roamed the park fishing the river, catching crawfish, having adventures, building forts, nobody worried that harm would befall us.
All the immigrants in my life were legal and most that I knew were relatives from Germany and Poland.
Life was good, then
When your mom came to a stop sign she automatically put her right arm out so you standing on the front seat didn't end on the dash. Of course you stood on the front seat you couldn't see sitting.
We roamed the park fishing the river, catching crawfish, having adventures, building forts, nobody worried that harm would befall us.
All the immigrants in my life were legal and most that I knew were relatives from Germany and Poland.
Life was good, then
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hunt0168
Well-known member
My best friends and I all had semi-permanent sleeping quarters in out backyards (2 man tents) each summer and were rarely in our real beds. Waking up at 4:30 AM and heading off to our favorite fishing holes before sunrise and often not returning until sunset. Our old backpacks filled with fishing gear and sometimes food and drinks for the day. Great childhood for sure. So many more fond memories. By today’s standards, it’s surprising that we somehow survived! 
bowhunter57
Well-known member
Once a week, my Aunt would give her 4 kids and me, a nickel each and we would walk to a "mom & pop" general store, to get a small brown bag full of multiple candy selections. 
During the summer months we played outside all day until it was dark, then we all took a bath and went to bed.
Being raised around all whites was different than the Cherokee family that I knew when I was younger. I was adopted by an all white family when I was 8 years old and lived a different/better life. I enjoyed sneaking up on white people and standing there until they noticed me. Entertaining times, that I reflect upon, now that I'm old.
During the summer months we played outside all day until it was dark, then we all took a bath and went to bed.Being raised around all whites was different than the Cherokee family that I knew when I was younger. I was adopted by an all white family when I was 8 years old and lived a different/better life. I enjoyed sneaking up on white people and standing there until they noticed me.
Entertaining times, that I reflect upon, now that I'm old. 
Sgt_Mike
Well-known member
Yeah and ya scared the s*%* outta me when ya did that too....
LMAO
Sgt_Mike
Well-known member
Honestly my biggest regret so far is that my kids, and grandchildren never got / or will get to enjoy the same childhood I did. It is a crying shame, it's no wonder they now have "issues" as kids.
We got to burn off enough energy that we was sorta "behaved" when we came back in. We, except for exceptions didn't need medication's to control behavior. When my son was small, I related that to him that I hated that he couldn't just roam as I did although I did try to allow it as much as I could. Many today would say our parents didn't care or just avoided protecting us. I whole heartily disagree they knew we needed to burn off energy, and explore to develop. I could go on and on but I'm in hopes that one day we as a population could sort of return to that which our parents, grandparents, and other adults did for us.
We got to burn off enough energy that we was sorta "behaved" when we came back in. We, except for exceptions didn't need medication's to control behavior. When my son was small, I related that to him that I hated that he couldn't just roam as I did although I did try to allow it as much as I could. Many today would say our parents didn't care or just avoided protecting us. I whole heartily disagree they knew we needed to burn off energy, and explore to develop. I could go on and on but I'm in hopes that one day we as a population could sort of return to that which our parents, grandparents, and other adults did for us.
Sprinkman
Well-known member
For real, medication back than was a swift smack on the butt. My dad would make me go cut a switch, which was probably more punishment than the switching that I got from it. Someone once told me that "the quickest way to a boys brain is through his bottom".
It saddens and pisses me off watching the current "parenting" that is going on where all they do is try to reason with a child. From what I've seen, all that happens is after the "reasoning session" is over the child gets their way when they calm down.
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Sprinkman
Well-known member
Some of my fondest memories are getting together with a bunch of neighborhood kids and walking or riding our bikes to a little family owned general store in Chatham, PA. It was about 4 miles away and there was nothing but woods, streams and fields between home and Chatham. Man, that was a lot of fun.
As others have stated, you could go in there with loose change and walk out with a small brown paper bag of candy. 5 Swedish fish for a penny, a nickel for a great big jawbreaker, Mary Jane's, hard candies, all the good stuff!
As others have stated, you could go in there with loose change and walk out with a small brown paper bag of candy. 5 Swedish fish for a penny, a nickel for a great big jawbreaker, Mary Jane's, hard candies, all the good stuff!
AWS
Custom Accessory Maker & Retired PM Staff
I remember using a four letter word and my dad telling me to put a bar of Ivory soap in my mouth, being a smartass I told him that wasn't so bad. He then went and got a bar of Lava soap, learned my lesson don't mess with dad, he's always going to win.
They trusted us with a lot of freedom but didn't tolerate something they thought was unacceptable.
They trusted us with a lot of freedom but didn't tolerate something they thought was unacceptable.
Sgt_Mike
Well-known member
LMAO.... today it would be a crime, but it was the last time I had corporal punishment.
Dad pulled his belt and went to town literally to almost exhaustion ...... I stood there never winced, moved, or made a noise. When he stopped.
I asked are you done yet?
He prompted said "ohhh you think you are a man?" Balled up his fist and smacked me dead between the eyes once (yes I dropped like a sack of potatoes, my bell was thoroughly rung)......
I NEVER needed corporal punishment again, he only needed to talk I obeyed to a tee from that point on. It was the LAST time he ever laid a hand on me, he didn't need to.
To this day I think that is what kept me from jail or any serious trouble. I honestly thank the good Lord that he had the wisdom to respond that way.
As I think back (long before this post) he always despised using corporal punishment, and if I wanted to act like a man then a man's punishment's it would be. It wasn't IMHO abuse, it was a Lesson.
Dad pulled his belt and went to town literally to almost exhaustion ...... I stood there never winced, moved, or made a noise. When he stopped.
I asked are you done yet?
He prompted said "ohhh you think you are a man?" Balled up his fist and smacked me dead between the eyes once (yes I dropped like a sack of potatoes, my bell was thoroughly rung)......
I NEVER needed corporal punishment again, he only needed to talk I obeyed to a tee from that point on. It was the LAST time he ever laid a hand on me, he didn't need to.
To this day I think that is what kept me from jail or any serious trouble. I honestly thank the good Lord that he had the wisdom to respond that way.
As I think back (long before this post) he always despised using corporal punishment, and if I wanted to act like a man then a man's punishment's it would be. It wasn't IMHO abuse, it was a Lesson.
Hunter55
Well-known member
OHHHHHHHH... how I miss the simple things in life!
have you ever lived on a ranch?
2) lived on a farm?
3) have you ever counted cattle everyday?
4) ever broke ice on the pond so the cattle could drink?
5) have you ever saddled a horse?
6) ever rode a horse?
7) have you ever baled hay and threw the bales on a wagon?
8) ever driven a tractor?
9) have you ever raised a garden?
10) weeded the garden?
11) have you ever done any canning?
12) have you ever walked down to the cistern to fill the water bucket with drinking water?
13) ever used an out house?
14) have you ever used a wood burning stove?
15) ever split wood?
16) have you ever taken a bath in a large wash tub?
17) ever eat beans and cornbread?
18) have you ever fed the chickens?
19) ever got eggs every morning from the chicken house?
20) have you ever slopped the hogs?
21) ever mended barb wire fences?
22) have you ever fixed the water gap?
23) ever slept on a feather bed?
24) have you ever went squirrel hunting?
25) ever had frog legs?
26) have you ever went fishing in the pond?
27) ever had a family reunion at the one room school house?
28) have you ever helped make lye soap?
29) ever helped make homemade ketchup?
30) have you ever picks weeds from the strawberry bed?
31) ever painted the white picket fence?
32) have you ever mowed grass with a push mower for two straight days?
33) ever tossed bales into the loft?
34) have you ever been deer hunting?
35) ever processed your own deer?
36) have you ever seen the barn swallows building their nests in the barn?
37) ever cleaned the barn?
Ever had the doc pay a house call with his black bag?
Have you ever gone without a computer or phone?
Yes these are just a few reasons I'm different than some folks, and I wouldn't change it for all the tea in China!!!
Ever lived on a Farm
have you ever lived on a ranch?
2) lived on a farm?
3) have you ever counted cattle everyday?
4) ever broke ice on the pond so the cattle could drink?
5) have you ever saddled a horse?
6) ever rode a horse?
7) have you ever baled hay and threw the bales on a wagon?
8) ever driven a tractor?
9) have you ever raised a garden?
10) weeded the garden?
11) have you ever done any canning?
12) have you ever walked down to the cistern to fill the water bucket with drinking water?
13) ever used an out house?
14) have you ever used a wood burning stove?
15) ever split wood?
16) have you ever taken a bath in a large wash tub?
17) ever eat beans and cornbread?
18) have you ever fed the chickens?
19) ever got eggs every morning from the chicken house?
20) have you ever slopped the hogs?
21) ever mended barb wire fences?
22) have you ever fixed the water gap?
23) ever slept on a feather bed?
24) have you ever went squirrel hunting?
25) ever had frog legs?
26) have you ever went fishing in the pond?
27) ever had a family reunion at the one room school house?
28) have you ever helped make lye soap?
29) ever helped make homemade ketchup?
30) have you ever picks weeds from the strawberry bed?
31) ever painted the white picket fence?
32) have you ever mowed grass with a push mower for two straight days?
33) ever tossed bales into the loft?
34) have you ever been deer hunting?
35) ever processed your own deer?
36) have you ever seen the barn swallows building their nests in the barn?
37) ever cleaned the barn?
Ever had the doc pay a house call with his black bag?
Have you ever gone without a computer or phone?
Yes these are just a few reasons I'm different than some folks, and I wouldn't change it for all the tea in China!!!
hunt0168
Well-known member
Even though I was raised in a medium sized city, I had the pleasure of spending a ton of time on farms and in country settings throughout my youth. I have had the pleasure to do most of the things on the list. I do remember the doctor that made house calls. I remember him smoking a cigarette while examining me too! 
I have said a thousand times that every kid should spend some time on a farm.
Many of my hunting spots are farms of some sort. I have helped at some point on most of them with many tasks over the years. Always willing to help. Hell, I even installed a new toilet for a farmer about a year ago and refused to take any money for doing so. It went from a coyote only property to a full access deer, turkey, bunny, squirrel, coyote whatever property! For the record, I was, and still would be fine with coyote only!
I have said a thousand times that every kid should spend some time on a farm.Many of my hunting spots are farms of some sort. I have helped at some point on most of them with many tasks over the years. Always willing to help. Hell, I even installed a new toilet for a farmer about a year ago and refused to take any money for doing so. It went from a coyote only property to a full access deer, turkey, bunny, squirrel, coyote whatever property! For the record, I was, and still would be fine with coyote only!
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