What's the one thing that you DID have as a child that your child won't have?

[DuelingFanjo]

Not sure if anyone has done this? In response to the other thread...

I think it's sad my DS won't have the freedom I had, as in we lived in the country and I was out and about exploring a lot of the time. I also had siblings which he won't have and so that meant we were able to travel in a pack and always had companions.

Sisters. I have two, and a brother. My 2 ds's have each other, but won't have a sister, or another brother come to that!

My first thought was freedom, being out bike all day long, making camps down the woods.

Secondly grandparents and family nearby. Its just us.

A VCR

big family parties in the house, cousins our own age, visitors just dropping in. I have loads of aunts & uncles & dozens of 1st cousins who all grew up in London.
My ds's have a much smaller extended family & spread out across the country

top of the pops

Cerisier my DC has fuzzy felts.

Rusk and a nip of whiskey in a baby bottle with tea.

Hand knitted cardigans etc

Rollerskates with the tiny leather strap instead of the proper boots

cod liver oil
pontins holidays
toilet seat cover (what were they all about?
findus crispy pancakes
Agado & oops up side your head

nip down to the shop for a box of matches at 6 yrs old

go to the carona lorry to choose the fizzy drink

onestepcloser yy to both of those!

Home made things.

Ds had his first birthday at the weekend. Food and cake was all from TESCOs. It took me 1/5 mins to organise and I didn't consider the cost any more than Id consider wasting my precioys time with him, making rounds of sandwiches or icing cakes.

In my time Id have had: cheese sandwiches cut into tiny triangles, home made cupcakes and birthday cake, cheese and pineapple on cocktail sticks.

Her ears peirced.

The freedom.

I'm such a worrier. We used to play out all day. 5 mile bike rides, around Country lanes knocking on doors asking folk if they needed jobs doing like car washing gardening etc. I was about 8. I let mine play out but can't imagine ever letting them do as much.

Is it much more dangerous these days? I haven't a clue.

The opportunity to live in different places and start afresh every couple of years. I was an army child and I LOVED moving around. I feel for my dc that they're stuck in the same place.

Freedom. Me & my brother used to play out at primary age all the time. We used to go cycling for miles and hours.

My children won't be doing that sadly. Personally I think cars speeding and busy roads are the biggest threat to children now, and are the reason I don't let mine play on the street. We live in a village with only a few bits of pavement - and cars zoom by. It's idiotic, but we have to load up the bikes and drive them to somewhere suitable for the dc ride around.

Boarding school, corporal punishment, smallpox immunisation, endless moving house.

Chilblains

A gorgeous garden with homegrown fruit and veg.
A two parent family.
A father who was nice to them, patient and kind, and put his family first.
Growing up right beside the sea.
Ability to just take off into the nearby hills and walk and explore forestry.
Extended family close by.
Houses and gardens of extended family to explore.
Strangeness of extended family to accept and wonder at.
Black and white TV with dodgy reception.
Freezing cold house.
Intermittent hot water.
Neighbourhood dogs and cats wandering around freely and known as 'Fido Murphy', etc..

Time. There always seemed to be so much more time when I was a child.

A alcoholic grandmother

The DC are sad that they don't get toys inside cereal boxes.

Milk at school.

The joy of recording the songs you like off the Radio 1 Top 40 every week, timing the buttons just so. Or even holding the cassette player up to the telly when TOTP was on and recording the songs complete with background noise. ( Grumbles ...Kids don't know they're born.)

Dempsey and Makepeace.

Pets. (DH is severely allergic to anything that lives).

And on a sadder note, my Dad. He was bloody lovely and I wish my kids had him in their lives.

Financial worries
Shared bedroom with sibling
The pools
Haircut by mum
Dc They've never seen a Record player,never seen a video player

Opportunities to try different stuff. I tried every hobby going, did it for a few months before moving on the next one. You name it I've tried it: Judo, Brownies, Horse riding, Ballroom dancing... The list is endless.

However, my DD has only ever had the two hobbies: gymnastics and ballet. She already competes at gym, and will soon do so in ballet. Therefore, she has no time for other hobbies.

Likewise, we always played family board games on a Sunday evening, but again lack of time prevents my DD from doing this.

I personally think her choices means she misses out a lot in life, but they're her choices, and she's happy with them.