When You Were A Kid (3 Viewers)

[bringbackrattles]

Talking to a customer yesterday and she said she tries to get her 2 kids out of the house more, but they prefer staying indoors and playing on their computers and phones. I told her when I was a youngster I was the opposite as me and my mates were never in, too busy playing football, climbing trees, bird nesting, and walking miles.
What was your childhood like ?

 

---

[Otis]

Out until it was dark. Always had to be home just as it was getting dark and just told not to play too far away from home.

We lived in Potters Green so we're always hanging round by the canal, or up Sowe Common, or riding our bikes about. Most of all though, playing football and that was most days.

 

[Otis]

There are parents these days who worry too much, but also those who don't seem the slightest bit bothered.

One of my daughter's friends is a very lovely girl, so sweet and nice and caring and polite, but her mum lets her do anything she wants and stay out until anytime she wants and it does worry me greatly.

A load of them met at the park the other day. Went about 1ish and I told my daughter she needed to be home between 7-8.

Two girls though, one, the girl I mentioned above, stayed in the park until 11 pm. Just the two of them, both 14.

That did shock me a bit. Parks can become quite a different place at night with beer and drugs and gangs of teenagers and bikes whizzing around.

Did worry me to hear that. It's all a case of being sensible and not being TOO overprotective, but as I say, you have to be sensible and two 14 year olds at 11 o'clock at night in an isolated park could be very vulnerable.

 

[bringbackrattles]

There are parents these days who worry too much, but also those who don't seem the slightest bit bothered.

One of my daughter's friends is a very lovely girl, so sweet and nice and caring and polite, but her mum lets her do anything she wants and stay out until anytime she wants and it does worry me greatly.

A load of them met at the park the other day. Went about 1ish and I told my daughter she needed to be home between 7-8.

Two girls though, one, the girl I mentioned above, stayed in the park until 11 pm. Just the two of them, both 14.

That did shock me a bit. Parks can become quite a different place at night with beer and drugs and gangs of teenagers and bikes whizzing around.

Did worry me to hear that. It's all a case of being sensible and not being TOO overprotective, but as I say, you have to be sensible and two 14 year olds at 11 o'clock at night in an isolated park could be very vulnerable.

My mum used to say watch out for the bogey man by Wiseman fields, so in other words a paedo. But I found out when I was older that he never existed, she said it to keep me on my guard. We were always in a group, and nothing ever happened to us, except a big fight with kids from Wood End ! But with drugs widespread now and kids carrying blades, I understand parents fears. We fought with fists, now they just stab each other.

 

[Nick]

My daughter loves being outside, climbing trees, playing about in mud, looking at insects but no way I'd let her out of my sight. We just about let her walk to the shop which is about 300 yards away and a not really busy road.

Other issue is that we don't live near her school so she doesn't really have any local friends, which I guess is a good thing as they are like the ones Otis mentions but are about 5 or 6. Remember walking past one day and one of them said to the other "Yeah but your mum's a slag". I found it hilarious but wouldn't want my daughter anywhere near them.

We just have to make an extra effort to take her places, try and arrange things in the holidays to see her school friends so she doesn't get too lonely.

I'd love for her to be like I was where I could walk and knock to see if my mates were playing out and just play in the street or at their house but not really viable

 

[clint van damme]

Talking to a customer yesterday and she said she tries to get her 2 kids out of the house more, but they prefer staying indoors and playing on their computers and phones. I told her when I was a youngster I was the opposite as me and my mates were never in, too busy playing football, climbing trees, bird nesting, and walking miles.
What was your childhood like ?

was always out.
Thing is, the road I grew up in had a handful of cars so we were always in the road playing football or on our bikes. Now it's bumper to bumper with cars parked up and fairly busy traffic wise.

As much as people can go on about paedophiles and abduction - the biggest danger to children these days is traffic. Even back then we lost a couple of kids round our way through getting ran over.

 

[hill83]

Used to be out and about all the time. When I was about 7 I wasn't allowed to cross Beake Avenue in Radford but I was allowed to cross Radford Road to get to Radford Common.
So I'd just cross Radford road walk down a bit and cross back over to circumnavigate Beake Avenue and continue my day. I actually got ran over (bumped off the bonnet) on Radford Road once chasing after a ball, didn't phase me and I didn't even mention it to my mum. When I think back to some of the nonsense I used to get up to it makes me cringe. I just can't imagine letting my son leg it about on his own at 7. When I got older I was mainly staying in playing computer games etc.

The main thing I miss from being a child is climbing trees.

 

[Otis]

Well, following on from the previous tale, I have just found out that four of my daughter's friends (all 14) stayed out all night last night. All night.

Told their mums they were sleeping round each others houses and stayed out all night in Coundon Park.

Crazy. I walk the dog and am always seeing remnants of drug use and beer cans etc. and I know older teenagers do hang out there.

When my daughter sleeps round anywhere I am always in contact with the parents of the other child.

If I think the parents are in anyway bad parents or dodgy, my daughter doesn't sleep round and I say for the other child to sleep here.

 

[clint van damme]

Well, following on from the previous tale, I have just found out that four of my daughter's friends (all 14) stayed out all night last night. All night.

Told their mums they were sleeping round each others houses and stayed out all night in Coundon Park.

Crazy. I walk the dog and am always seeing remnants of drug use and beer cans etc. and I know older teenagers do hang out there.

When my daughter sleeps round anywhere I am always in contact with the parents of the other child.

If I think the parents are in anyway bad parents or dodgy, my daughter doesn't sleep round and I say for the other child to sleep here.

oldest trick in the book.
When my son tells me he's sleeping at one of his friends we always check with the friends parents.

 

[hill83]

Were any of their mums sleeping round your house?

 

[Otis]

oldest trick in the book.
When my son tells me he's sleeping at one of his friends we always check with the friends parents.

Yep, know the trick well. Daughter never ever pulls it though. She knows I am all over it, but 4 14 year old girls should NOT be staying out all night.

 

[Otis]

Were any of their mums sleeping round your house?

Would definitely approve of that with at least two of them.

Not at the same time of course.

 

[hill83]

Yep, no the trick well. Daughter never ever pulls it though. She knows I am all over it, but 4 14 year old girls should NOT be staying out all night.

'know'

 

[Otis]

'know'

Leave me be, It's a Buzzard, I have poor eyesight this morning,

 

[olderskyblue]

Playing football or cricket. Climbing trees fishing down the hot waters or slough.

Sorting out the whippersnappers from wyken or potters green who dared to come into wood end lol

Carried a Sheath knife most of the time. Only ever used for aiming at trees or playing stretch.

Shooting the rats in the river with my air rifle. Good days lol

 

[bringbackrattles]

Playing football or cricket. Climbing trees fishing down the hot waters or slough.

Sorting out the whippersnappers from wyken or potters green who dared to come into wood end lol

Carried a Sheath knife most of the time. Only ever used for aiming at trees or playing stretch.

Shooting the rats in the river with my air rifle. Good days lol

I bet you were with the Wood End lads who we had a battle with in the sixties ? No knives or anything like that, in fact it ended with us having regular football matches against each other, we had Bobby Parker in our teams,ex City player. Good way in sorting rivalries out, as nobody really wanted to fight !

 

[Bumberclart]

I used to get told to be in when the street lights came on.

 

[jimmyhillsfanclub]

I was always out & about....loved my bike (still do) so was always setting up daring jumps & stunts, scrumping apples, setting fires & playing football.......as I got a bit older, it turned to sniffing glue, smoking weed, drinking cider, chasing tail, mindless vandalism, shoplifting for kicks, fighting the gypo kids...........happy days indeed:emoji_grin:

 

[Deleted member 5849]

I used to get told to be in when the street lights came on.

Out at midnight again when they go off?

 

[CovInEssex]

Looking back I spent nearly every hour when we weren’t at school, playing football.

Then I grew hairs and things

 

[Covstu]

Yep similar, weekends mostly kicked out of the house early doors to play football most of the day. we were fortunate to have the green right opposite my house on Sewall Highway, so close to the house also. Climbing trees, getting conkers, making peg guns the usual young boy childhood. We did get a computer so it did start getting into playing the Spectrum and Amiga more.

Its different nowadays and I wouldn't have been as lenient on my kids to what I got. My girls are young anyway but I doubt I would let them out as 'free' as I did given the risks. Maybe social media has created a better awareness of risks (or scaremongering)

 

[Mr Panda]

I'm still relatively young at 26 years old but is it really that different as to what it was a years ago in terms of safety?

Is the fear of letting kids out to play just because we have more exposure and are connected to many more people than we were before so we're more aware of the dangers?

I'd have thought kids will still have had knives and drugs back in the day, but now it's of public concern because of the exposure it gets in the media.

How often does something bad actually happen? I'm yet to have kids so obviously I can't really level myself with some of you who do have kids and these concerns.

 

[jimmyhillsfanclub]

I'm still relatively young at 26 years old but is it really that different as to what it was a years ago in terms of safety?

Is the fear of letting kids out to play just because we have more exposure and are connected to many more people than we were before so we're more aware of the dangers?

I'd have thought kids will still have had knives and drugs back in the day, but now it's of public concern because of the exposure it gets in the media.

How often does something bad actually happen? I'm yet to have kids so obviously I can't really level myself with some of you who do have kids and these concerns.

Yep.....agree completely. The risks we are all now scared of as parents were always there, and often were of a far higher level....its just the media hysteria & negative re-enforcement that makes a lot of folk believe there is a direct & immediate risk around every corner......

The only thing i'm really more concerned about compared to my childhood is the horrendous levels of traffic absolutely everywhere.......this risk is amplified as motorists of yesteryear used to expect kids to be playing in the street....it was the norm.....these days its not so common, so drivers are not constantly half-expecting a kid to hurtle across the street chasing a ball or come flying off the kerb on a bmx....plus the fact a lot of them now are too busy playing on their phone instead of watching the fecking road!

 

[olderskyblue]

I bet you were with the Wood End lads who we had a battle with in the sixties ? No knives or anything like that, in fact it ended with us having regular football matches against each other, we had Bobby Parker in our teams,ex City player. Good way in sorting rivalries out, as nobody really wanted to fight !

I think I’ve mentioned it on here before. The only “battle” we really had was with a load of wyken lads from the kings head. About 30 or so of them decided to do over the wood Enders outside the Livvey.

Apparently they all marched up Henley mill lane, and then deedmore road full of Bravado. When they neared the island they all charged.

Unfortunately, they chose the wrong night. We had almost 100 youths milling around.

Their charge came to a full stop as we all chased towards them, and they turned tail and ran.

Not a single punch was thrown. (Although I have head the story told by others saying there was carnage with battered wyken bodies all over the place)

 

[bringbackrattles]

Yep.....agree completely. The risks we are all now scared of as parents were always there, and often were of a far higher level....its just the media hysteria & negative re-enforcement that makes a lot of folk believe there is a direct & immediate risk around every corner......

The only thing i'm really more concerned about compared to my childhood is the horrendous levels of traffic absolutely everywhere.......this risk is amplified as motorists of yesteryear used to expect kids to be playing in the street....it was the norm.....these days its not so common, so drivers are not constantly half-expecting a kid to hurtle across the street chasing a ball or come flying off the kerb on a bmx....plus the fact a lot of them now are too busy playing on their phone instead of watching the fecking road!

There wasn't hardly any traffic about like there is now, so we weren' t in much danger of getting hit by a car. In fact we played marbles on Woodway Lane road, and have the odd kick about on there too. Wasn't climbing trees banned for kids,health and safety ? I fell out of many a tree, dangerous hobby bird nesting !

 

[bringbackrattles]

I think I’ve mentioned it on here before. The only “battle” we really had was with a load of wyken lads from the kings head. About 30 or so of them decided to do over the wood Enders outside the Livvey.

Apparently they all marched up Henley mill lane, and then deedmore road full of Bravado. When they neared the island they all charged.

Unfortunately, they chose the wrong night. We had almost 100 youths milling around.

Their charge came to a full stop as we all chased towards them, and they turned tail and ran.

Not a single punch was thrown. (Although I have head the story told by others saying there was carnage with battered wyken bodies all over the place)

We were only kids as were the "woodenders" so it wasn't the one you mention. We met on Wiseman fields, a bit of squaring up, then charging into each other. Fists and boots flying about, went on for about ten minutes. Stupid really, but it was Walsgrave kids sticking up for each other. I met up years later with some lads from that fight through playing for Cally and Cov Boys football teams, we laughed about it,now they would probably shoot each other !

 

[Nick]

Yeah think there is a massive difference with the thought process in some of the little twats nowadays.

Back in the day it would be "somebody is after so and so" and then they end up having a little bit of a scuffle. Probably a broken nose and a black eye at the very maximum. Nowadays they would be rocking up at your house in the night to stab you in your sleep.

I think parenting plays a part too, now half of the twats parents think their kids can do no wrong. I would be petrified of getting taken home by the police because I'd get a bollocking, you see it happen nowadays and the parents then start on the police for daring to say anything to their angel.

 

[olderskyblue]

We were only kids as were the "woodenders" so it wasn't the one you mention. We met on Wiseman fields, a bit of squaring up, then charging into each other. Fists and boots flying about, went on for about ten minutes. Stupid really, but it was Walsgrave kids sticking up for each other. I met up years later with some lads from that fight through playing for Cally and Cov Boys football teams, we laughed about it,now they would probably shoot each other !

Not the same one then. We were about 15/16. Although did recognise a couple of lads from Cally. Laughed about it at school.

 

[olderskyblue]

Yeah think there is a massive difference with the thought process in some of the little twats nowadays.

Back in the day it would be "somebody is after so and so" and then they end up having a little bit of a scuffle. Probably a broken nose and a black eye at the very maximum. Nowadays they would be rocking up at your house in the night to stab you in your sleep.

I think parenting plays a part too, now half of the twats parents think their kids can do no wrong. I would be petrified of getting taken home by the police because I'd get a bollocking, you see it happen nowadays and the parents then start on the police for daring to say anything to their angel.

Agree with most of that nick, but it wasn’t always punches and kicks. My next door neighbour stabbed someone when he was about 17 (5 lads attacked him and his mate)

I was 19 at the time.

His older brother and his wood end tough mates “visited” each of the witnesses, one was in his bed at the time..

Nobody testified.

 

[bringbackrattles]

Not the same one then. We were about 15/16. Although did recognise a couple of lads from Cally. Laughed about it at school.

We were all around 11 or 12 years old. With a couple on each side a bit older. But I remember parents arriving to break it up,no police at all,so much like now then !

 

[bringbackrattles]

Agree with most of that nick, but it wasn’t always punches and kicks. My next door neighbour stabbed someone when he was about 17 (5 lads attacked him and his mate)

I was 19 at the time.

His older brother and his wood end tough mates “visited” each of the witnesses, one was in his bed at the time..

Nobody testified.

I think I know who you're talking about here.

 

[Nick]

Agree with most of that nick, but it wasn’t always punches and kicks. My next door neighbour stabbed someone when he was about 17 (5 lads attacked him and his mate)

I was 19 at the time.

His older brother and his wood end tough mates “visited” each of the witnesses, one was in his bed at the time..

Nobody testified.

I was thinking a bit younger

 

[hill83]

I'm still relatively young at 26 years old but is it really that different as to what it was a years ago in terms of safety?

Is the fear of letting kids out to play just because we have more exposure and are connected to many more people than we were before so we're more aware of the dangers?

I'd have thought kids will still have had knives and drugs back in the day, but now it's of public concern because of the exposure it gets in the media.

How often does something bad actually happen? I'm yet to have kids so obviously I can't really level myself with some of you who do have kids and these concerns.

Exactly this really. Without finding any actual evidence we are living in the safest time period in recorded history.

 

[olderskyblue]

I think I know who you're talking about here.

Well, the 2 families who hung about together were very well known around wood end. In fact, didn’t you know the older one who got killed in Longford years later?

 

[olderskyblue]

I was thinking a bit younger

Ok

But none of this got reported anywhere as far as I can recall. That’s different today.