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Kamloops News

MANN: Making childhood memories

Image Credit: SUBMITTED
July 13, 2017 - 12:00 PM

OPINION


I had an amazing childhood.

As I get older, I forget more and more specific moments but have this general sense of warmth and comfort.

If I wasn’t outside eating fresh raspberries or peas out of the garden with my brother and sister, I was playing with friends, learning about all different types of animals, camping in the great outdoors with no showers and playing board and card games as often as I could.

I never remember my parents being worried about what the next day would bring, money or our health.

I am sure those thoughts were on their minds daily, but they did a brilliant job of hiding the stress of it all.

Now will my two little tykes in tow, I wonder how they will remember their childhoods looking back. Will I have done my part to make sure they enter adulthood ready to survive without me (if need be) and will they have fond memories of earlier years.

Not to mention, how will I relate to them with how quickly the world seems to be changing?

I grew up reading Archie comics and saving documents to my floppy disk. If I wanted to go see a movie I would check my local paper for the listings. If I did go to the movie, I had to set a time to meet my ride following, as we didn’t have cell phones

We (my family) didn’t eat out a lot, but why would we when my mom cooks just as well as a gourmet chef. When we did venture out to restaurants around Kamloops, our choices weren’t between sushi and Thai, they were between sitting in the smoking or the non-smoking section.

My kiddos will never know the 'struggles' of waiting weeks for a letter from a pen pal or rushing to get home at 8 p.m. to catch the start of Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman.

They won’t have to ask their friends come Monday morning what they were up to all weekend because they will already know from their friend’s Facebook and/or Instagram updates.

I worry my children will be sucked into the black hole of the digital world and not fully experience and appreciate the “outside” world. I still believe that half the fun of the watching the movie was the search down the aisles of the video store.

The point is that I will continue to think too much and stress about my children (because that is just who I am), but time will keep passing and they will learn about the world and make their own memories with and without me.

I know my children will have opportunities that I did not have, and although it is easy to focus on the “What ifs” and the “It could happens,” I just have to keep believing that I made it through (good times and bad) and so will they.

Their childhoods may be different, but it’s going to be OK.

— Becky is a 30-something, red haired, mother of two, trying to navigate this life as best she can. She enjoys talking to people and discovering their stories. Still trying to balance her personal and professional life, she juggles work and play. In her spare time Becky can be found visiting with friends, spending time with her family and saving time by reading while walking, She knows there is so much more to come and is looking forward to the continued adventure.


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