Thursday, August 11, 2011

Friday Loose Bloggers Consortium: My Childhood

Looking back at my life, I think I had a pretty idyllic childhood. No, I wasn't spoiled with material things. I also didn't have the privileges of children whose parents had money. But what was so wonderful about my childhood is that it was full of peace and innocence.

I don't remember being exposed to violence on television, or raunchy music. I don't think those things were even allowed in the public realm. I grew up in a religious home, where modesty, and spirituality, and chastity were valued. We weren't allowed to use bad words, or tell nasty jokes. I never heard my parents swear, and they were always honest in their dealings with others. I didn't know that evil was so rampant in the world. My world was peaceful, and calm.

As I said, my parents didn't spoil me. I got presents at Christmas, and a present on my birthday, but outside of that, they didn't buy me toys. But the one thing they did provide me with was paper! My parents bought a large roll of butcher paper, and I was allowed to use as much as I wanted. I spent many hours making paper dolls, making books, and drawing. I was the kind of child who could spend hours alone in my room without any other playmates. I could entertain myself.

I did have friends that I played with. I have to recount something that we did that wasn't very good. My best friend Gail lived around the corner. Every weekend we would beg our mothers to allow us to spend the night at one of our houses. Usually we would do it this way: I would ask my mother if I could spend the night with my friend. Usually she would say no, that we had spent enough nights together. So I would call up my friend, and then we would each hand the phone to our mothers saying, "Her Mom wants to talk to you." They both thought the other was going to ask if we could spend the night together, and so they both would agree. Yes, I was a sneaky. :)

If I could change anything about my childhood, I would wish that I would have had a better self image. I grew up feeling homely and shy. Perhaps that is something with which we all struggle, but I really was an ugly duckling. As I grew, I became more and more skinny, and my nose grew faster than the rest of my face. I was painfully shy, and got embarrassed if someone spoke directly to me. I didnt' have a lot of friends, and didn't know how to make them. It took me many years to overcome that shyness. Now I think people would say that I'm extroverted. But you couldn't pay me to re-live those shy years!

I hope that I gave my children some what of the kind of childhood I had. In some ways I have been able to give them more, but in other ways, I don't think I lived up to my parents' example. But I hope they can do the same; pass on what good they can to their own children.




















Now go and see what the other Consortium members have to say about this issue!

Rummuser, Anu, Ashkok, Gaelikka, Grannymar, Conrad, Padmum, Magpie11, and Akanksha,Will Knot, Maria the Silver Fox, Anki, Nema Noor Paul Plain Joe, and Rohit

9 comments:

Grannymar said...

I love the photo!

I remember those days of being skinny and timid. Seriously! I looked like a skeleton covered with skin, yet I eat all around me, I must have had hollow legs. It took me years to be comfortable walking into a room of strangers. Now I see it as a chance to meet new friends.

Rummuser said...

We share a lot of things that happened in our childhood. Instead of toys, you got paper and I got drawing books, water colours or crayons. We were also encouraged to read a lot.

Yes, things were different than what they are today, and what now prevails will be different from what they will be in our great-grandchildren's days.

Maria said...

I too, came from a religious family and can relate to the calm and peace. I think I was a little more indulged, although my toys were often made or repaired by my father who by the way often said, "I would rather spend the little extra money I have on my children rather than liquor." I never saw my father drink except for a once a year glass of wine.

By the way on your blog list you have Martha from Silver Fox. It is Maria.

Delirious said...

Thank you Maria, not sure where I got Martha from. :)

My parents never drank either, due to our religion. I do think that added even more to the peace we had!

Looney said...

We are always pleased to be more frugal and simple than the neighbors. On an absolute scale, however, we spoiled them.

Growing up in Tennessee, things were simpler, but there was a lot of junk floating around the neighborhood. Too bad in can't be completely avoided.

Maria said...

I really love the fact that you were a self-entertaining child. My own children, amazingly, are much the same. They have very limited internet access and are rather fond of television, as children are. But I know they would be fine if they didn't have it. What an interesting post! I loved it.

Nene said...

I wonder if kids really use their imaginations much today. They have movies, tv, video and computer games and other electronic toys that entertain them. I guess in the eyes of today's kids we lived a "deprived" childhood, but I wouldn't trade my childhood for anything.

Rohit said...

I don't think I commented on your blog before. Thanks for visiting mine!

Your childhood does indeed look more idyllic to mine. Whereas mine was a mixture of exposure to superficiality and violence in city and then the totally opposite on the other side...leaving me confused for many years after as to what is real, I think yours would have provided you a much needed belief that this is the way things are supposed to be. I think that's very important for children, for someone to show them from example and becoming their role model. I just wish there were more parents like yours in today's societies. Things would be just so much better and happier..

padmum said...

The wonder is our generation seems to have had similar upbringing in terms of values.

Lovely piece as usual with a confession too!