Should bring a smile on the face of some of you old timers

Should bring a smile on the face of some of you old timers..

According to today's regulators and bureaucrats, those of us who were kids in the 30's, 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's or even early 80's probably shouldn't have survived. Here's a look back that will tell you why you were a "Lucky" kid. It's sure to put a smile on your face and bring back some fun memories.

Our baby cribs were covered with bright colored lead-based paint. We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets, and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets. Not to mention the risks we took hitchhiking. As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags. Riding in the back of a pickup truck on a warm day was always a special treat.

We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle. Horrors! We ate cupcakes, bread and butter, and drank soda pop with sugar in it, but we were never overweight because we were always outside playing.

We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle, and no one actually died from this.

We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then rode down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.

We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the street lights came on.

No one was able to reach us all day. No cell phones. Unthinkable!

We didn't have Playstations, Nintendo 64, X-Boxes, no video games at all, no 99 channels on cable, video tape movies, surround sound, personal cell phones--that was only for the "Get Smart" show, no personal computers, or Internet chat rooms. We had friends! We went outside and found them.

We played dodge ball, and sometimes, the ball would really hurt.

We fell out of trees and played a variety of tag games. We got cut, broke bones and chipped our teeth, and there were no lawsuits from these accidents. They were accidents. No one was to blame but us.

We had fights and punched each other and got black and blue and learned to get over it. Shortly after, we'd have fun playing a game of punch ball.

We made up games with sticks and tennis balls, gave ants caramel candies to carry to their home and caught bees and fire flies in jars to let loose after a while.

We rode bikes or walked to a friend's home and knocked on the door, or rang the bell or just walked in and talked to them.

Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Some students weren't as smart as others, so they failed a grade and were held back to repeat the same grade. Horrors! Tests were not adjusted for any reason.

Our actions were our own with consequences that were expected. There was "No wiggling out of this one!"

The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke a law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law. Imagine that! Not to mention the neighborhood adults who were allowed and expected to scold you if they saw you in mischief.

This generation of kids has produced some of the best risk-takers and problem solvers and inventors, ever.

The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas. We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned how to deal with it all.

And you're one of them! Congratulations.


After reading this, you're sure to feel "Lucky"
to have had the luck to grow up as kids,
before lawyers and government regulated our lives,
for our own good.

Happy Spring!
Now Go Outside and Play.