todays generation of kids are f-ed up. I know i want to school with them. :roll: Growing up sucks today. I could go on and on.

 

It was Steve. When they started to flash, when the sun was nearly gone, I was headin home like my butt was on fire.

 

Cuz it would have been so red if you didnt come home from the belt. right jackrabbiit. Back when if a kid needed a good beatin you gave it to him.

 

No lie. :lol:

Well, I have 2 nieces, and 2 nephews. 2 nieces are 15 months, and 5 yrs, old. My nephews are 8yrs, and 12yrs old. My sister whips her boys like you wouldnt believe when they dont mind, or act up. Most of the time though, she can just look at them, and they are stiff as a board.

 

And that nap was a sacred event not to be interrupted for any reason lest you risk the wrath of dad!And would not hesitate for a minute to turn you over a knee and drag you home by the ear!

Only thing I would add is that the Government did not try to raise children, Parents did!

 

You guys had streets lights? Wait a second................................ You guys had streets???
:lol: :lol:

When it was time to come home mama would ring the bell, if you didn't come she'd fire the shotgun three times..........in our direction! :shock:

my mama beat us with a wooden spoon, the day she broke it over my a$$ was the happiest day of my life. I still flinch when the wife pulls out a wooden spoon to cook with. :shock: :lol: :lol:

 

It isn't the place of the government to raise our children. The problem is that many parents shuck their responsibility of raising their offspring. When I grew up we didn't even lock our homes. Many didn't even have locks. There was no need for them. Most people were honest and would not even think of breaking into your home and stealing. Those who were not honest took their lives in their hands because most homes had several guns within easy access. Criminals were dealt with on a personal level. We didn't call the cops to take care of minor problems. We handled them ourselves. Antics by children were mischievous but usually not dangerous. Parents, families and neighbors handled neighborhood children. If you got into trouble at school, you got into trouble again, once you got home. Parents didn't jump the teachers or principal because their children were misbehaving. The children were usually considered to be at fault, not the teachers. Teachers had time to teach rather than do paperwork to keep parents from suing them. We concentrated on raising good citizens rather than concerning ourselves about hurting their little feelings. We prayed around the table with our family and friends before meals that were prepared from food we raised and prepared ourselves. Mothers stayed at home to raise their children. Motherhood was treasured, not belittled. Most people raised at least part of their food unless they lived in one of the larger cities. Men would get up take care of the animals then go to work. He would come home and work again with the animals or in the fields. Women would work in the fields during the day, can or freeze food to carry the family through the winter. Families would have their own milk cow, hogs, cattle, chickens, etc., The children would pitch in to help the family. There was no choice. Everyone helped. If you didn't raise your own animals you may go to a slaughter house and buy a half cow or hog. You would have fresh sausage, hamburgers, steaks, etc., You would sometimes make your own hamburger and sausage as well as cube steak. Food tasted much better without all the chemicals. Fertilizer came from the animals. Today most children have no idea of where their food comes from. Most everyone hunted for part of their food. We ate squirrel, rabbit, deer, and most anything else edible, depending on where you lived. A lot of folks would kill their own turkey. People didn't go to the doctor for minor ailments. When you did go, you could afford to pay cash. In rural areas, patients would often bring vegetables or other things to barter with the town doctor. Most people would not think of allowing a doctor to take care of them without the payment being worked out before hand. I don't recall ever hearing about anyone who was diabetic. Cancer was rare. Many of today's ailments are related to the autoimmune system. Since we stay in a controlled environment and get little exercise our immune systems are not as able to fight off simple illnesses. Few people had health insurance. Emergency rooms were used for emergencies.

Children walked or rode their bicycles. Parents didn't just buy them a car. Most didn't get a car until they were grown. Children were held accountable for their behavior. Having children out of wedlock was frowned upon. If a boy got a girl pregnant they usually got married and raised their children. They didn't get an abortion, although there were a few who did. It was a criminal act in most states to abort a child. For major purchases that where we didn't have the money, we put the items in layaway. The merchant held the item until it was paid for in full. The customer would pay something down and a fixed amount each payday until it was paid in full. Then and only then were they allowed to take it home. This type of purchase involved anything from washing machines to furniture and clothing. The payout was usually short. There were Christmas Clubs at most banks. People put money into their Christmas Club so that they could buy what they wanted for Christmas. We earned interest on the money. Pharmacists made most of their medications rather than selling pre-made drugs. There are still a few of those around today. Ah, the good old days.

 

Now wait one dang minute here!!! Don't tell me, that I am the only one here, whom had to get up at 5am every friggin day, to go feed the animals!!!

Feed cattle and pigs from 5:30 till 7. Catch the school bus at 7:30...get home from school at 5 pm, if in football...feed cattle and pigs...load hay truck again, so I could feed again at 5:30am.

Weekends...those were for roadtrips. Maybe go to Missoula and pick up a load of calves...or Bozeman to pick up a horse....or get lucky....load 5 flatbeds with hay!!!!

Only tv I liked was Steve Maggarett(sp) and Matt Dillon!!!

Hawaii 50 & and Gunsmoke fer you kids!!!

 

Born 1968, started working on my Grampa's farm in 1975. Had one friend who lived 15 miles away (used to walk backwards to fend off the boredom). Another friend who lived 20 miles away( with a big mean dog en route),..nearest store 15 miles, the farm was 10 miles on an unmarked blacktop road barely wide enough for two cars, and it was 4 miles away if I wanted to run through the woods.
When I was 12 my Mom never knew where I was and my Grandparents were happy if I was home in time to do my chores.
I never got into any trouble (that could be proved anyway), and the local cops,...all 4 of them knew me from half a mile away.When I was 15 I would disappear into the woods for up to a week at a time,.....nobody cared,....no way to find me if they tried.
I worked my butt off to get my moped and rode it through the winter till I could afford a car (that I bought for $80.00 and a bag of crummy pot grown in the horse manure pile).
No cell phones,,...hell,..no phones, 3 channels of TV,..and all I had to do to buy beer was to give the guys kid at the store a Playboy,..and he would leave a case of Genessee beer outside the door.
Fast forward to today,.....and wow,....now I know what you old folks felt like when TV's were invented.
Those were the good old days when you could walk down a road at night and not fear for your life,..,....
There were 32 people in my graduating class,...including a guy who got his dink stuck in the milking machine while milking the cows (long story still drink milk??) short ending.
I have forgotten more than I remember,...its not until I get together from somebody from that era in my life,....and then I wonder why the entire school voted that I would be dead before I was 20.

 

Very well put Mike. I was born in '57 and can relate to everything you're saying.
The biggest thing I notice missing is when mom prepared a meal, we all sat down and ate it. And we aways sat at the same spot at the table.
There wasn't this "I want hot pockets," I'm having a pizza," I'm heating a pot pie" like it is now with my kids.
Today,I can't remember when we all ate the same meal at the same time except maybe for Thanksgiving.
Miss the good old days.
The closest thing I had to a laptop was my "etch a sketch"