The Things We Do

Have you ever thought about how many things we do for our kids because we loved, or hated something ourselves as a child?

My mum let us have a lot of pets. She was never allowed them you see. We had guinea pigs, snails, fish, mice, cockatiels, canaries, dogs, and more.

I now own a drill.  My dad taught me how to use one.  He is a fix-it man.  I am now the fix-it woman in my household, though not nearly as skilled as my dad!

A friend of mine bought her son a playhouse. She always wanted one as a child.

Another friend loves giving her child soft toys. She had many as a child.

My son has snails because I did (and loved them).

He now has monarch caterpillars too. Rescued from a small bush that managed to grow in the concrete in front of our garage door. Five caterpillars. Now we have to find regular food for them, either swan plant leaves from an unsuspecting bush, or some pieces of pumpkin if leaves are not forthcoming. I loved watching our caterpillars turn into chrysalis as a child (*caterpillars were supplied leaves from over our fence – bravely picked by Boyo standing on a chair, and we have since seen four of them become butterflies – the first chrysalis we suspect was too small and didn’t make it).

Munchkin has a small wooden table because my best friend had one, and we loved getting to have our ‘special dinner’ at our own table when we visited, while the grown ups sat at the big table (probably also enjoying their special dinner away from the kids!).

When I go to the beach, I expect (most of the time) to be there for hours.  Because that is what you DO at the beach, people!  From my earliest memories, we'd spend hours and hours at the beach.  Exploring rockpools, digging in sand, swimming, sitting with a good book, eating (somewhat sandy) sandwiches, going for long walks and collecting shells (the annoyance of my husband's beach life these days as once I put my head down and start shell-hunting I am very hard to disuade!).

My son has stripy sheets.

Two sets. I bought them on sale. I thought they looked cool, they’d match his duvet covers ok, and they were good value. It wasn’t until later, once they were washed and on his bed, that I remembered that I’d had striped sheets as a kid. There were two sets. One was blue, white and red striped I think. The other might have had blue spots on white? My brother and I fought over them, I seem to recall. I was disappointed when I had to have plain sheets because the striped ones were in the wash. It was sad when they were worn out and we were considered old enough to have outgrown the need for striped sheets. Without even realising it, I bought my son the kind of sheets I loved as a child, and I do so hope he will love them the way I did!

Isn’t it funny how our likes and dislikes as parents play such a big role in the lives our children lead? And how often that is so unconsciously done?

What have you deliberately gone and done for your kids because you liked it as a child?



Amy