It's a Wonder We All Survived
Terry L. Mitchell
May 11, 2009
Today´s trend toward overprotection and mollycoddling of children makes me wonder how those from my generation survived childhood. Yet we made it to adulthood even without all of the consumer protection laws and child advocacy. If you can believe it, here are some of the things we had to endure:
1) Most of us did not attend kindergarten, much less preschool.
2) We lived in houses with lead paint.
3) Nearly everywhere we went, people were allowed to smoke.
4) We played with toys that were small enough to swallow and had sharp edges.
5) We rode bikes and skateboarded without wearing helmets.
6) We played unorganized and unsupervised sports, including football, without any of the proper safety equipment.
7) We often left for school after skipping breakfast, and there was none available for us when we got there.
8) We were allowed to buy soda and chips from school vending machines.
9) Most us of us were forced to behave in public places, including schools, at the risk of corporal punishment – which we got a taste of now and then.
10) We rode in automobiles without child safety seats and were frequently not buckled up.
And – you know – despite all of this, I think we did just fine and grew up to become fairly well-adjusted adults, thank you.
1) Most of us did not attend kindergarten, much less preschool.
2) We lived in houses with lead paint.
3) Nearly everywhere we went, people were allowed to smoke.
4) We played with toys that were small enough to swallow and had sharp edges.
5) We rode bikes and skateboarded without wearing helmets.
6) We played unorganized and unsupervised sports, including football, without any of the proper safety equipment.
7) We often left for school after skipping breakfast, and there was none available for us when we got there.
8) We were allowed to buy soda and chips from school vending machines.
9) Most us of us were forced to behave in public places, including schools, at the risk of corporal punishment – which we got a taste of now and then.
10) We rode in automobiles without child safety seats and were frequently not buckled up.
And – you know – despite all of this, I think we did just fine and grew up to become fairly well-adjusted adults, thank you.
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