Re: Treasured Moments of Childhood

Can't remember any fond memories either

Mum and dad were always either lashing out at each other or us kids

By the age of fifteen I was out at work to feed and clothe myself and little sister so can't really say I had a childhood

Re: Treasured Moments of Childhood

So many childhood memories - Sunday lunch with the family - the smell of whatever meat and veg was cooking in the oven, laying the table and sitting down to eat. Some winter Sundays, Dragon would make a steamed suet pudding and then smother it with Tate & Lyle Golden Syrup - Mmmmm.

Xmas at home, sitting round the fire while roasting chestnuts on the grate.

Listening to 'Journey into Space' on the radio.

Many, many more.

Re: Treasured Moments of Childhood

Same here too. A loner as a child and a loner as an adult, who should never have married.

Re: Treasured Moments of Childhood

There are some lovely memories posted. Other peoples memories tend to jog ones own too. Roller skating, playing rounders in the road, knocking the neighbours windows in, many times ! There was a sense of free spirit , something children don't have these days. Who sees children playing out now ?
Christmas was always a thrill. Dad had never had a proper Christmas as his dad had died when he was a baby, and before benefits etc. his mum had very little . He loved Christmas and always tried to make it special for us. He'd bounce up and down in the kitchen singing as he was cooking the dinner and all the trimmings. His feast.. was our gift. We were never overloaded in the way of presents but always a couple of nice presents from Santa . A doll, a Rupert Annual, slippers, tangerine and a new penny. A real tree that he'd carry home from work , always went up on Christmas eve in the front room, where the coal fire made it warm and cosy.
Lots of memories with aunts ,uncles, cousins from mum's side of the family. Special times, but many more besides.


For Meg. Missy, CeeCee, and Realspeed. and I'm sure many others, it is so sad that any children should never have felt loved or wanted, but maybe not your fault.
It could have been to do with the hand-me downs from the Victorian era. They never showed love, everything was for appearances and think the children from that era ( maybe your parents) would not have known how to show or share what they had never been given themselves .
I don't think I ever told my gran that I loved her, just not done , but things have changed and my own grandchildren are always telling me they love me.
I suppose we should also remember that a lot of men came back from WWI in a pretty bad state , memories which must have stayed with them for a very long time, thus affecting theirs, their wives and their children's lives.. ..

I'm sorry.

Re: Treasured Moments of Childhood

Thank you PD it was just bad luck I guess.

CeeCee I think it had a positive side for me, it was good preparation for what lay ahead and becoming a widow age 35.
Now I looked at married couples around me in unsatisfactory relationships and I feel lucky to be alone and content.

I also made sure my son had lots of 'treasured moments' which he talks about all the time with my grandchildren

Re: Treasured Moments of Childhood

Being taken by my Nan to Bearman's department store in Leytonstone. She took me to see Father Christmas and we had to go on a sleigh ride to get to his grotto. We sat in the front seats of the sleigh and watched the reindeer pulling us in front. I can't remember what present I was given but I do remember lots of purple tree decorations and tinsel. Whenever I see purple tinsel, I think of my Nan.

Re: Treasured Moments of Childhood

Meg, it sounds like you've had some really bad times in your life, and while you of course have my sympathy my overwhelming feeling is one of admiration.

You've had all that crap thrown at you and you're still standing. I applaud your strength of character.

Re: Treasured Moments of Childhood

I grew up with 3 brothers, and their friends...so I was always with the boys and I loved to do boys things. Street hockey, swimming, fishing......being out in the boat.

I have fond memories of the boys I had crushes on. I wasn't allowed to date until Prom night as my mom wanted to make sure I finished high school. But, I did have my first kiss under a porch when I was playing a game where we hid. I guess it was hide and seek. I was very young and this boy Robert was older. He kissed me, and wow, did the stars ever come out. I loved it.

Then we played "spin the bottle" and I loved getting those kisses.

Went to the prom with a guy called Gary, I wore a pink prom dress and I guess I looked pretty nice, had pictures taken. I didn't go out with Gary after that, I don't know why. Probably it was summer and I had to go to the farm and I didn't date there. I spent every year in the summer on the farm.....

I can't remember anything really big that I have fond memories about....but I sure had a wonderful childhood. Lived mostly on the farm or on the houseboat on the water...
Christmas at or our house was so nice.

Guess that is all I can think of. I lived in an awesome area where tourists go.

Re: Treasured Moments of Childhood

I always said I couldn't really remember my childhood, certainly not many happy times - but I've been surprised. I've been going through old photos recently, sorting stuff out. Looking at them nudged the memories which nudged other memories.

This thread nudged the memories of the recently nudged memories.

I went to sleep with a smile on my face last night thinking of my grandma and my aunt, uncle and cousins who all lived down south. I loved them all to bits. Always happy open loving people who I longed to live with.

I remember I broke some of grandma's best china when putting it away for her. She never even got cross with me, but I bet she was gutted inside.

At the back of her garden, past the veg patch with her prized curly kale, was the local cricket pitch. There was something so comforting about hearing the thwack of the ball on the bat and clapping hands.

The hot water geyser frightened me to death firing up delivering the hot water. It was over the bath. I remember one gorgeous sunny late afternoon, it was heaven lying in the bath with the window wide open , sunlight and the cricket match sounds.

One time a friend of one of the cousins took me to see Mary Poppins. I couldn't say supercalifragilisticexpiatlidotious for the life of me, so she taught me to say it. What a prat I must have been

Almost feels like it was yesterday not yesteryear those days.

At home with mum and dad, there weren't displays of affection as such, and we were never told we were loved, but I s'pose they did. Dad was in the police force and in his 'memoirs' he admitted he didn't cuddle his children, supposedly because he didn't want people to think he did (let's say) 'unnatural things'. Like that made it right that he didn't hug his kids

I'm glad I'm a hugger - oh, sorry, wrong thread

Edited
Oh, and another thing I've just remembered, the water down south is bloody awful. Hard and horrid. Up here it's nice soft, tasty water

Re: Treasured Moments of Childhood

I have both fond and frightening memories of childhood. My brother was 8 years older than me and he also had four friends that were a part of his and my life to adulthood and beyond.

My brother's name was Robert...and his four friends were Lewis, Bill, Ross and Fred. From the time that I was about 8 years old I had a crush on Lewis. He married when I was 10 and left me broken hearted.

My brother has been gone now for 39 years and I miss him as much today as I did back then. Lewis passed away about 5 years ago...and I've not kept in touch with the other 2 for many years...

I recall when I was 4 years old I had my tonsils out...it was during the war and the doctor came to our house and did the surgery on the kitchen table. My brother scared the daylights out of me before the operation...because he had, had his out 12 years prior...he didn't know he was going under the knife as well to remove tag ends...

I think you get the message here by now...I loved my childhood and wouldn't trade a moment of it...