What do you remember from your childhood?

[Inlovewithblue]

I've been thinking about this a fair bit lately, and my favourite memories are usually from "every day life". In particular today, a trip to the DUMP.... yah, weird, isn't it?

So, what is your favourite childhood "every day" things that you remember? What are you going to do with your kids that you think they will remember?

[xox2010]

Hmmm.. this was a yearly thing for me but when I was younger my parents would send my sister, brother and I to Toronto to visit my grandma and aunt every summer. They took us to Centre Island every visit. (They had rides, petting zoo etc). We used to go down the log ride everytime (back then that was the "scariest" ride We also went to a beach about 2 hrs away from Toronto called Balm beach. They the coolest arcade (well, in my eyes at the time). My grandma become very ill in the years that followed and it was hard to see her go from being a lively person, to having problems walking etc. So I try to remember the best of times with her. (Sorry this is so long!)

Anyway, my favourite "Everyday" memory would be going for rides in my dads jeep. During the summer, he would take off the top, and we'd drive around the country etc.

[Zonny]

These memories will become more important as you get older.

For me, I remember going to Sydney, NS to visit one of my aunts. There was a mountain, and a bridge to go over.

The most important one for me now is fishing for smelts (small, tasty fish) with my Dad. We'd go into a brook near our Cape Breton home, when the smelts were running at a certain time of year. One of my earliest memories ever is going to do this with Dad, I was probably four. We'd take off our socks and shoes, he'd wade into the brook with a bucket and throw buckets full of water and fish onto the shore. My job was to gather up the fish and put them in another bucket before they wiggled back into the brook! We did this lots of times as I grew up, but I remember doing this as a very little kid.

My Dad died a little over a year ago, and this is one of the memories I hold close to my heart. it's my earliest memory of my father. I hope I can do this with my little boy someday soon, and carry on the tradition and remember doing this with me.

I really miss my Dad; those of you who still have one, appreciate all of these memories. He won't always be there.

[abbasgirl]

My earliest memories are of being left in a crib for a nap - once in the church nursery and once at home. I was not happy about it!

[carriez14]

My earliest childhood memories consist of driving to P.E.I. every summer with family...absolutely loved it! as well as the C.N.E. every Sept during the Air Show.

[monkeyincowtown]

My earliest memory is of being in the hospital when I got my tonsils out, I was 2 and a half. I remember being in a crib with a net over the top of it...must of been traumatic for me to remember that! I also remember sneaking out of the house when i was 3, early in the morning with my hamster in a paper bag. I'd go to 7-11 and steal candy

[vibrantflame]

Oh I love this thread

I have some pretty good memories of my childhood, although most are of somewhat "day-to-day" activities because my Mom was sick from when I was a young child plus we didn't have a lot of money (both parents on disability). But even with all that, we still made good memories

I remember going into "town" with my Dad (we lived in a tiny village) and back then a lot of the stores handed out treats for the kids, so that was always exciting.

Once in a while, my Dad would go to a bigger town about 45 minutes away from us, and he would only take me or my sister but never both of us, so it was always so exciting when it was my turn, just a chance to look at all the stuff in the stores and have a fun car ride and maybe get a treat.

It probably sounds weird, but I always liked when my Mom had doctors appointments (she had a lot). Well, you know as a kid you usually don't understand the meaning of it all. When we went to the family doctor and her reflexoligist, we got treats if we behaved ourselves while she was in there (we usually waited in the car with our Dad). And if she had to see a specialist, it was always in one of the big cities like Toronto and so we got to have a long car ride, we often got to ride the subway (so cool when you're a kid lol) and eat special food that Dad made (he'd make like pigs in a blanket or meat pies but they were only for when we went on trips).

I have an older brother and sister who are 20+ years older then me. When I was a kid, my older sister was around but my older brother lived very far away and I didn't get to see him much. So I always really looked forward to his visits because I thought he was SO cool (except when he used to tease me!! lol) and he'd always bring a little gift for us.

Oh and I was home schooled up until high school, but we were part of a home schooling group, so every month we went on a field trip to somewhere (places like Saint-Marie Among the Hurons, the Science Centre, the Royal Ontario Museum, etc.) so that was always loads of fun.

[mdutka]

I really miss my Dad; those of you who still have one, appreciate all of these memories. He won't always be there.

i only have my dad left, mom died a few years ago. when i was very little i remember climbing up on my dads lap and i guess that was my spot. before i hit puberty he was very affectionate, although he never kissed, he gave cheek rubs instead! hed rub his cheek against mine and it burned but that was his way of kissing. i remember "running errands" with my mom at the bramalea city centre and it was great. its funny how sometimes the most boring things you remember with the most fondness. i try to remember that with my boys and make the most of the "boring" moments.

[sweetproserpina]

When I was 4/5 I used to go over to my great-grandma's after kindergarten and hang out with my nana and her sisters (my aunties). We'd all sit around the table and drink tea and play cards. To this day I still love interacting with little old ladies They are so fun and opinionated, and have such wonderful stories. I wish I had been a bit older and asked more questions and wrote more down!

[ame555]

I've been thinking about this a fair bit lately, and my favourite memories are usually from "every day life". In particular today, a trip to the DUMP.... yah, weird, isn't it?

So, what is your favourite childhood "every day" things that you remember? What are you going to do with your kids that you think they will remember?

That funny...one set of grand parents lived in a really small town, and when we'd go visit them, Grandpa would always take us for a drive to the dump to "look for bears"!!!

When I was 4/5 I used to go over to my great-grandma's after kindergarten and hang out with my nana and her sisters (my aunties). We'd all sit around the table and drink tea and play cards. To this day I still love interacting with little old ladies They are so fun and opinionated, and have such wonderful stories. I wish I had been a bit older and asked more questions and wrote more down!

I got babysat before and after school by my Italian grandparents and the memories and things I learned I cherish greatly!


Other then that...car rides, I loved going for car rides in the winter looking for christmas lights, in the summer maybe stopping for ice cream. We used to do a lot of day trips.

On Friday nights we were allowed a little bowl of chips each and a glass of pop. We would play while my parents watched Dallas on tv (the only show I remember them watching!)

[krysta lynne]

going to niagara falls every new years was awesome. now i live like 30 min away and its not so special. but at the time it was like a two hour drive and we would stay in a hotel (all six kids and two parents) and have a blast at the arcade and stuff.

[krysta lynne]

everyday favs were kinda few and far between, but we would have fires in our backyard and campout and stuff. it was pretty cool

[MrsSunshine]

i can't believe how many memories we 'share'.. its weird.. a few for me.. whenever my Dad went to Crappy tire. he'd yell who wants to go. I was the only one home.? LOL but it was his way of saying do you wanna go. just to be with him and go for a ride was neat.
or the year we went to the zoo and a monkey grabbed my hair and I cried.
we always went somewhere every summer. we had to choose in advance if we wanted to go away or go to our local fair. i only think we went once to the fair.. we went to alot of places in the states and out east. loved it out there (hubby and i are going back this summer).
i remember going shopping alot with my mom and her saying on the way home.. do you know how much I spent on you today.. then she'd tell me and I'd be like ya and? not realizing how much that was back then. boy do i realize now though.
mostly though I remember spending ALOT of time with my BFF like from 2 years old til Gr.6. then one day she just *poof* disappeared. found out her family had moved over night.

[nadiabreckon]

I remember going 4-wheeling with my dad and his friends until the wee hours of the morning...then spending a few more hours around the campfire, roasting marshmellows and weiners... Yeah, it sounds weird, but we lived out in the country and had nothing better to do! hahaha I was a real tom-boy when I was young!

I also remember when I rode my first bike without training wheels...I was approx 3-4, my bike was a red "boy" bike, and I remember my mom and oldest sister outside our apartment with me and encouraging me! Those are my favorite memories to go back on!

[walkonby]

I think we can all remember some good and maybe not so good childhood experiences. For myself it was a bit of both. As you age, you cling more to the fonder memories, especially after your parents pass on.

Our family did not own a vehicle ever, and I remember with excitement even now when my Dad would announce to my Mom that we were going on a family picnic!! We took loaded shopping carts down to the Ferry Boat in the summer and went to centre Island. Sounds lame by today's standards of entertainment, but with 6 kids that was what my parents could afford. The eats is what I remember!

Over the years with my own 3 some might say they we lavished them by summer camping for 2-3 weeks at a time, they all had bicycles, blades, and other gear.
They did various " indoor " play facilities, enrolled in many sports programmes, had some pricey birthday spreads and by comparison with DH and my upbringing, I would have considered my kids downright spoiled if I had met them while growing up.
But the desire to give your own kids more or something you never had is always a fine balancing act. They will not have the same point of reference that we did, so the appreciation is not nearly the same. My kids are appreciative and never behaved spoiled, so time will tell when they have their own families, wonder what memories they will keep or have?