I am a child of the 1960s. Not the hippie, flowerchild variety. But an actual my-elementary-school-years-spanned-the-decade variety. Thinking back on those years, here are 10 things that made those great years to be a kid.
10. Year after year, food manufacturers created amazing, space-age convenience foods like Tang, Pringles, Tab, and Dream Whip.
9. Walt Disney on Sunday nights. American kids were sure Uncle Walt was talking directly to them when he introduced The Walt Disney Show every Sunday evening.
8. NASA’s space program was a wonder to behold. I was in kindergarten or first grade when John Glenn orbited. By junior high, men were walking on the moon.
7. In the 1960s, the whole town showed up for high school basketball and football games, music concerts, and school plays. Without the distraction of cell phones, iPods, and tablets, the audience’s entire attention was focused on the kids.
6. A nickel bought a big candy bar. A quarter bought a bagful.
5. All the kids in the neighborhood gathered on summer evenings to pay Kick the Can until porch lights came on–the signal that it was time to go home.
4. Summer slumber parties in the backyard. The thought of child abductions or other dangers never crossed our minds. Or our parents’.
3. Weddings. The most glamorous wedding was my ballet teacher’s because her bridesmaids wore gold lame gowns. But the most fun weddings were when my older cousins got married and our parents were so busy talking that we younger cousins could gorge on cake, mints, and nuts to our hearts’ content.
2. Real letters from friends and family in the mail. Long ones. Several times a week.
1. Living within 90 miles of all of Mom’s family and within 150 miles of Dad’s and knowing I belonged to something bigger than me, bigger than the people who lived in our house, something big enough to keep all of us safe.
Did you grow up in the 1960s? What did you love about being a kid in that decade? And be sure to stop by next week for a look at what wasn’t so great about growing up during those years.
Yes! I grew up in the 60’s too! I loved watching Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color on Sunday nights after watching Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom!! In my neighborhood all the kids played kick ball right in the street and badminton in our backyard! I was 10 when Neil Armstrong took his first steps on the moon!
I grew up in the 80s, but I remember I had to head home from the park when the streetlights came on.
Until cell phones came along, porch lights were a major way to communicate, apparently.
We must be about the same age, Sylvia. Dad loved Bonanza so we watched that on Sunday night, too.
This post brought back so many wonderful memories.
I’m so glad, Twyla. It was a great time to be a kid, wasn’t it?
Yes! Long letters written on real stationery with a fountain pen. My mother actually gave me a sealing wax kit. I had penpals in other areas of the country and watched the mail every day for letters.
That is a fun memory. Your mom was pretty cool to give you that kit.