What are your favourite memories of childhood

[pbdr]

I have a 20 month old daughter, and like most mums I am absolutely besotted with her, and my life's mission has become to give her the best childhood and life that I possibly can.
I had a happy childhood myself, and certainly am trying to emulate the happiest parts for her, but I am aware that there are lots of different types of happy childhood, and plenty of people's fondest memories of childhood will be things that I didn't experience or wouldn't occur to me. So please let me know what your fondest/happiest memories of childhood are to help me figure out how to give her the loveliest one possible.

Thanks!

When we watched films on TV in the evening, we used to have all the lights off. My mum would pop out and return in the interval with drinks and snacks, like an usherette!

My grandma would always do a roast dinner and she would cut a little bit off the meat for me to test before she carved it. I don't know what I was testing for but I always liked that.

Helping my dad mend various cars and tractors and being allowed to turn the engine on or rev up or whatever.

I went to an amazing village primary school, both the school and my parents did magical Christmases. I also have great memories of hot summers, Hoseasons (!) and playing with my friends.

And showing my age here, but ABBA was always playing in our house!

I didn't have the happiest of childhoods but I always loved Christmas. I was quite lonely as a child and thinking back my happiest times were when we had time together as a family and with extended family where I felt a sense of belonging. It didn't happen that often so I loved it when it did.

I've gone on to have 4dc, in part, I think to overcompensate for that sense of loneliness. I love my family fiercely and we spend a lot of time with extended family and friends. I hope that my kids grow up to feel safe, secure and loved and look back with a sense of belonging.

I was so lucky in that my Mum & Dad spent so much time with us and we (older DB) always knew we were loved . We were warm and cosy in our little home and we never went hungry. They didn't have a lot but they were interested in us- we never went away on holiday but we had lots of fun times,

Things I really remember

Christmas with the foil garlands in the "front room", Dad cooking and my Nans homemade Christmas pudding with real sixpences in, satsumas in my stocking. Me and my DB washing and wiping up super quickly because main gifts were after the Queens speech .

My Dad making us a hurdle track down our long garden which my DB and I raced over or jumped over. Filling our paddling pool and spraying us with the sprinkler.

Building me a dressing table.

Going by 2 trains to Bognor Regis every day for a week - same journey each day just because we loved going to the beach so much and fish and chips on the way home.Up early and back late.

Always coming to any school presentation or performance - listening to me rehearse.

Eating everything I made in Home Economics (!)and pretending to like it.

On my eighteenth birthday my Mum had a small arrangement of flowers delivered to the door for me.

Crumpets for tea on a winter Sunday.

Helping plant things and dig up things at the allotment

My Dad teaching me rummy, riding a bike and after in life gyp roc coving.

So many many more- very very lucky -miss my lovely Mum , lovely Dad still here and still amazingly wonderful .

Summertime early morning walks (before he went to work) with my father and weekends ‘helping’ him in the garden.
He was 52 when I was born, and by the time I was eight was a stroke victim which changed him totally.
Short lived, but much revisited memories.

All the little things!

I remember my dad would go away for a night and my mom would buy us a KFC and we would sit on the living room floor on an old sheet and have a tea time picnic. It would be a bucket and we'd all get some of the pop that came with it.

Holidays in a caravan in Cornwall. My parents still go (albeit in a cottage now) and I've joined them as an adult and the memories of our holidays are fantastic.

Going to nans on a Sunday and eating m&s sliced chicken.

Going to see my Dad fishing, I always wanted to touch the fish and he would let me every so often.

Christmas, we would spend one Sunday night decorating the house, foil garlands everywhere. Then a week or 2 later my dad and brother would go out and get the real Christmas tree. We would then spend a Sunday evening decorating the tree. Me and my brother had our own ornaments to put on the tree. We still do this when we go over at Christmas. Making Christmas cakes with my mom and sneaking some of the batter to eat. Making mince pies with my nan stood on a stool in the kitchen. Family gatherings at Christmas, they've morphed over the years, we used to have a boxing day get together but more people are working the day after boxing day so we work out what's best and have fake boxing day. The children are still friends and I hope that when we have our own children we will continue.

Waiting for my dad at the door from work. I once got my thumb in the door frame and the door slammed shut, I blamed this on my dad.. he was still in his car!

I am very lucky I had a loving upbringing. We weren't well off but had some amazing times I am grateful of. Christmas and birthdays were and are always still celebrated. I can't thank my parents enough and the stuff we did helped shape me to who I am today. My parents have always wanted to spend time with us as children that's what makes the difference I think.

Don't sweat it, anything you do that involves time with you and DC will make some fantastic memories. And take hundreds of photos, print them off and make a photo album for them to look at when they get older.

My mum was a SAHM and I have two sisters, growing up we didn't have a lot of money but we had a camper van and spent weekends all over Devon and Cornwall. Looking back on my childhood I realise how lucky we were to spend so much time as a family enjoying being outdoors and being in nature.
We played outdoors with friends a lot and had so much freedom, we really did leave the house after breakfast and not come home until tea time, playing in the woods and streams.
I loved spending time with my beloved Nanny, baking with her was the highlight of my week.
Spending time on the beach with my parents and sisters, always with a packed lunch (usually sandy eggs sandwiches) endless hours rockpooling and crabbing.
Going out occasionally with my Aunt and sisters to a posh cafe on a Saturday for a milkshake made me feel very grown up!