Education

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Reflection From Sandy

The following piece – Can’t Believe We Made It - is a clear indication in my mind, of the importance of educating the younger and up-coming generations from the forgotten human perspective. We can not only do this for our own children, but just as importantly, we can help our grandchildren to enjoy some of the forgotten freedoms we had as children.

Today, it seems, that too much focus is placed on only qualified ‘educators’ being responsible for our children’s development, and that you are only successful if you have more that everyone else, and have a hundred letters after your name – and have it spoon fed to you!

Our true education, I feel, comes not only from books, but from being given the freedom to find out who we really are, and being allowed to be that person!

As this piece clearly shows, we were the lucky ones who were able to find our own paths, and be responsible for the choices we made – whether they were good or bad.

I was at a funeral yesterday, and the eulogy, given by one of the sons, was not about what a great father he had been, or how he had enriched their lives as a parent, but rather, it was a listing of all the achievements he had made as a professional. I felt hollow listening to it.

Although I admired this man for all his achievements – and he was a great man - I was there to say goodbye to the man who I wanted to thank for the education he had given me. We had travelled together – he as a well travelled man, and we as young newly wed’s just embarking on life as adults. I wanted to thank him for the debates we had enjoyed when he really got me fired up! Boy he made me think! Boy he was stubborn! I wanted to thank him for still loving me even when I was no longer his daughter-in –law. In essence I wanted to acknowledge how he had enriched my life. Yes we had our differences, but that only added to the tapestry of experience from which I could draw as I grew.

This is what I see as a vital part of my education. The experiences I have had, and how I have been able to grow as a person through these – the good and the bad.

When I finally leave this world, I would like to think that I will be remembered not for my possessions and how much I can leave my children, but rather, for how I have enriched the lives of the people I have had the pleasure to know and share my life with, as much as they have mine.

I would love to know how you feel about this…………………………

Kind Regards
Sandy (sandy@forever-young-club.com.au)

Can’t Believe We Made It

If you lived as a child in the 40’s, 50’s, 60’s or 70’s, looking back, it’s hard to believe that we have lived as long as we have………………….

As children we would ride in cars with no seat belt or air bags.

Riding in the back of a ‘ute’ on a warm day was always a special treat.

Our cots were covered with bright coloured lead-based paint. We had no child-proof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cupboards, and when we rode our bikes we had no helmets.

We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle. HORRORS!

We would spend hours building go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find we had forgotten the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times we learned to solve the problem.

We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the street lights came on. No one was able to reach us all day. No mobile phones. UNTHINKABLE!

We got cut, broke bones and teeth, and there were no lawsuits from these accidents. They were accidents. No one was to blame, but us.

Remember Accidents?

We had fights and punched each other and got black and blue and learnt to get over it.

We ate patty cakes, bread and butter, and drank cordial, but we were never overweight……We were always outside playing. We shared one drink with four friends, from one bottle and no-one died from this.

We did not have play stations, Nintendo, X-boxes, video games, 65 channels on pay TV, video tapes, surround sound, personal mobile phones, personal computers, Internet chat rooms, MSM, Face Book, My Space…we had friends. We went outside and found them. We rode bikes or walked to a friend’s home and knocked on the door, or rung the bell, or just walked in and talked to them – the gate was never locked – it didn’t have a lock……

Imagine such a thing. Without asking a parent! By ourselves! Out there in the cruel world! HOW DID WE DO IT?

We made up games with sticks and tennis balls, and ate worms, and although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes, nor did the worms live inside us forever!

Footy and netball had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn’t had to learn to deal with disappointment………………….Some students weren’t as smart as others so they failed a grade and were held back to repeat the same grade. Tests were not adjusted for any reason.

Our actions were our own. Consequences were expected. No one to hide behind. The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law – imagine that!

This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers and problem solvers and inventors ever. The past 50 years has been an explosion of motivation and new ideas. We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned how to deal with it all.

And you’re one of them. CONGRATULATIONS!

We’re the lucky ones who have grown up as kids before lawyers and governments regulated our lives……………..for our own good!

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