Breakfast Cereal being ruined.

[Sourdough]

I went into the kitchen yesterday and there sat Sky putting suger on his Frosted Flakes.  I looked at him and asked"Suger on top of suger"?  His reply was, "No, thanks to the fat kids they have taken the suger off, they are not much more than Corn Flakes now".  So I looked at the Cereal now in the cupboard.  He's right, the Pops and Smacks, just have a light coating on them.  Not the cereal I grew up with, not the same cereal Sky got when he was small.  Sky fussed about Mothers that would not let their kids go out and play, afraid they might get hurt.  Wanting the kids to instead stay inside and play video games.  Now because of their obesity his breakfast cereal is being ruined.  The young man is ticked.

I and my four brothers grew up eating Suger Frosted Flakes, Suger Corn Pops, and Suger Smacks, we never had a problem with Obesity.  (Not till we got old and long after we quite eating Breakfast Cereal).  In fact I, my brothers Jimmy and Darrell, were always taughted as being skinny.  David and Robin were considered Husky since they were heavier muscled than we were.  Fat they were not.  All the kids I grew up with were just like us, because we were physically active. 

Sky was the same way growing up.  He started Tumbling Classes when he was two, Ice skating when he was three.  Hockey when he was five.  The kid was never fat, or even overweight.  Sky always ate suggery breakfast cereal.  Sky has always hated candy, he will not eat a candy bar, chocolate, candy cane, or any other type of candy, between meals.  His snacks have always been fruit or cheese.   

In fact I think the teachers, and the schools, are partly to blame for the slower physical activity of todays kids.  When I was a kid we were allowed to play as hard as we wanted to as long as we did not do anything that might hurt someone else.  Or doing something Mr. Fowler called "Stupid" like trying to play superman off the top of the monkey bars. 

When Sky was in the fifth grade, I was called in by the school, and told sky was too physically active.  The other kids in his class were getting hurt trying to keep up with him on the play ground.  They wanted me to put him on drugs to slow him down.  As an example the teacher had me go to the window and watch the kids playing on the play ground that day.  As the kids went out Sky went straight to the swings and started swinging high.  There was a group of kids standing watching.   As Sky swung to the rear and reached apex of the swing he flipped over backwards and flew through the air in an arch, landing on his feet.  Three other boys immediately jumped on swings to duplicate that feat.  Personally I think that is just boys being boys, let them have fun.  They need to learn their limits.

I decided to splurge and have a bowl of Cereal this morning.  I got out the Smacks and poured a bowl.  Sky is right, Kelloggs sure knows how to ruin a cereal.  Darn Michelle Obama and the Fat Kids.   

[Dixie Dude]

Yep, most kids today play video games, watch TV, get on the internet or Facebook.  They don't play softball, baseball, touch football, dodge ball, kick ball, or volley ball, or even badmitton over the old clothes lines like we did.  If they do play sports, it has to be organized like little league or some school sports.  We used to roam nearby woods, ride bikes everywhere, and spend more time outside, except in the rain.  We only had one black & white TV when I was growing up and so on rainy days I read hunting or fishing magazines, or looked up things in the encyclopedia, especially if nothing was on TV.  Or, we got together at someone's house and played board games or cards.  That was better interaction than Facebook and we got more exercise.  They have cut so much sugar and fat out of school meals now, the kids come home hungry, and eat a lot of junk food at home. 

[powderman]

HEH. We never bought any of the sugared stuff, too expensive. Much cheaper to add your own sugar. If you are buying the sugared stuff you are losing money. POWDERMAN. 

[Sourdough]

Dixie Dude:  When I was growing up we had one TV, everything was Black and White in them days, in fact TV was new.  Our programming came out of Nashville, we got three channels.  Everyday at four all three channels went to local Country Entertainers.  Bobby Lord, Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, Jimmy Dean, Ralph Emmery, and a whole slew of others I have forgotten.  Therefore we never watched TV after four, we wanted to be outside playing.  We played Army, Cowboys and Indians, and lots of other things that gave us a lot of exercise. 

We built cars that would coast down the hill.  Our street was a long hill, that ended in a deadend circle at the bottom.  These cars would coast down that hill pretty fast.  Thirty to fourty five seconds for a complete ride, slidding to a turning stop at the bottom.  Then we had to drag it all the way back to the top.  That was exercise, pulling that heavy thing back to the top of the hill. 

[powderman]

No.  IMHO, it's normal, at least for those with homosexual tendencies.  They can't change their preference any more than you can.




SOURDOUGH. I think thats why we rarely see any kids sledding, too much like work. POWDERMAN. 

[Brett]

Dixie Dude:  When I was growing up we had one TV, everything was Black and White in them days, in fact TV was new.  Our programming came out of Nashville, we got three channels.  Everyday at four all three channels went to local Country Entertainers.  Bobby Lord, Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, Jimmy Dean, Ralph Emmery, and a whole slew of others I have forgotten.  Therefore we never watched TV after four, we wanted to be outside playing.  We played Army, Cowboys and Indians, and lots of other things that gave us a lot of exercise. 

We built cars that would coast down the hill.  Our street was a long hill, that ended in a deadend circle at the bottom.  These cars would coast down that hill pretty fast.  Thirty to fourty five seconds for a complete ride, slidding to a turning stop at the bottom.  Then we had to drag it all the way back to the top.  That was exercise, pulling that heavy thing back to the top of the hill.

Wow did your post bring back memories Sourdough.  We had a 20" (?) B&W Zenith TV, like yours it only got 3 channels and of course you had to get up off your butt and twist a dial on the front of the set and adjust the rabbit ears to change them.  We also played in the woods, built forts out of scrap lumber, old tarps, etc.  Played cowboys and Indians,  army, etc.

We also played 'unorganized' sports.   We just got together with other kids in the neighborhood and played baseball or football in the empty field next to our house or played basketball in our driveway where my dad had set up a basketball goal on a set of posts at the head of our driveway.  We also played hide and seek or kick the can.

There was a good sized pretty long hill at the top of the street I lived on and we too used to make coaster cars to fly down the hill on, and in the winter we used to go sledding on that hill.  Then their was' the swamp' at the foot of my street where we used to fish, catch frogs and snakes and shoot our BB guns. We would ride dirt bikes there in the summer and ice skate in the winter.  Plus I had a BB gun range and electric trains and slot cars set up in the basement of our house.

I swear kids just don't know what fun is these days.  I can't tell you how often I hear my 11 year old daughter complain that she is bored.        

[scootrd]

Dixie Dude:  When I was growing up we had one TV, everything was Black and White in them days, in fact TV was new. 

My father Built our First TV through a correspondence course HeathKit .. Anybody remember those?
Ran well for many many years and finally started having Convergence issues, By that time he was
working for Sears AND ROEBUCK and was ably to purchase a new Black and white for our living room. 

we also only had 3 channels (except once in while we could pick up channel 22 at night)

Powderman ,
My sisters Kids are farm kids , all we do is sledding and other outdoor activities.
They are limited to TV or computer 1 hour a night after homework.
and chores.

In my days Kick the can was a great outdoor activity the kids played till it got late at night and one by one Moms were calling out the door for their Kids to come in. All we did was play outside every day.. (unless it was raining) then we would congregate at whos ever mom was having the best dinner cause we new we all would be invited .. So all the kids in the neighborhood just rotated and everyone had extended moms and you never knew who was going to be at the dinner tables on any given night in any given house. Great memories.

[bobg]

  Lots of memories brought back. I was hardly ever in the house when i was a kid. We had an underground fort so we called it.  Had to crawl through a tunnel to get down in there. Spent a lot of time in that damn thing. I lived next to a cherry packing plant. The boss would leave the door unlocked at night so we could get some cherries. Told us to lock the door when we were done. Try that now. There was a big field behind the house. My father set up a volley ball net. Everyone in the neighborhood adults included played there almost every evening. We didn't have a tv. My dads friend had one and dad and i would go there to watch the Friday night fights. They were really better days than now.

[bigbird09]

You gotta have friends for that kinda stuff, I had no friends:(.  Anyways I think alot of it has to do with more people moving into town as well, so you can't really go out and rummage through the woods and shoot BB guns like the kids of past.  Also I think schools are kinda going against us.  I remember when I was in grade school we had P.E. and one or 2 recesses.  Then junior high we got cut down to one recess and P.E..  High school came and all we had was P.E. and by the time I graduated it really wasn't very physical.  My freshman year we played alot of dodgeball, volleyball, and some other odd sports that you would actualy have to run around the gym.  My senior year, most of it was converted over mainly wieght lifting, which even that was sporadic and you would hardly work up a sweat.  Then the 6 hours was sitting on your butt listening to the teachers ramble on.

[Pat/Rick]

Yep, things are a bit different from the 50's and sixties. We got our first TV when I was 5, 1959. IIRC it was about 20" also. Bikes, parks, baseball, and just running and having fun.Scared about Cuba and russian missiles, "duck and cover". Actually glad I grew up then. Doesn't seem to be any "direction" these days.

[FourBee]

Yep; in the mid 1950's mom set our 1st box of Corn Flakes on the breakfast table.   Prior to that, Dad always crumbled cornbread in a glass of milk and added a little sugar to taste. 
We had an old crank telephone until about 1949 when the phone company installed a beautiful black rotary dial phone.   

[Sourdough]

My Grandma Hunter had a crank phone till the late 50s, when my Grandpa died and she moved into town. 

My other Grandparents did mot have electricity till the mid 50s.  No phone till the mid 60s.  Many of their Brothers and Sisters died in the 60s and early 70s, never having electricity, phone, or any other modern convience.

These people farmed with mules.  Raised everything they put on the table.  Many times I remember hearing them refer to themselves as "Just plain ole hill folks".  They had words that were differant.  Your Ear was pronounced "Year", you eat "Roast nears".  At times it was like they spoke a differant language.

My first wife was born and raised in Alaska.  She had never really heard a Southern Drawl.  I took her home to meet my folks and she thought they were putting on for her benifit.  She had a hard time believing they really talked like that, and she had a hard time understanding them.  She complained that by the time they got the end of a sentence out she had forgot what the first part was.   

[slim rem 7]

 i grew up in those good ole days.. its hard not to worry ,especially about my grandkids..
 now there are regulations regulating regulations..mankind still thinks he is in control..
 change is constant.. but the creator is ,an always will be, in charge..
 still i wonder what my grandkids will call the good ole days..
 theres a hym ..something about trust an obey..may God bless us all ..now
my advice is take one day at a time,keep the faith and sweeten you cereal to taste.. god bless.

[351 power]

great post sourdough. too many kids don't get to play like sky did. i went to a school where i wrestled with other kids about 75% of the outdoor time. we played some sports but in winter was the best. we'd climb the piles of snow from ploughing and throw each other off to be "king of the mountian". looked like wwf most of the time. few bloody noses but mostly just fun

[guzzijohn]

Kids are individuals however. It has always been interesting to watch teenagers or a adults for that matter try the glider flying thing. A lot of physical activity is involved and usually in hot weather. Within about 30 minutes to an hour you can tell which ones will continue to pursue the sport and which won't. Having to deal with heavy hanger doors, pushing a glider a quarter mile from the hanger to the runway. Fetching the and hooking up the tow rope. Helping to push gliders back to the takeoff spot after a student pilot lands hundreds of feet short or long. Helping other assemble gliders. Some are up to it and some are not.
GuzziJohn

[Junior1942]

We used an outhouse and a chamberpot until I was 15 or so.  Try that with today's kids....

[FourBee]

When I was ten, we visited my great aunt and uncle up in the mountains of Russelville, Arkansas.   We stayed the night with them.  No electricity, just a couple of oil lamps.   No running water.  They had an Outhouse and used 'Corncobs to wipe up with'.  Now that was ruff on this kid, but you gotta do what you gotta do, right ?   
What I thought was neat were the 'Feather Beds and homemade Quilts'. I drew well water for them.   Breakfast was cooked on a woodburner cookstove.

Now my wife was raised in a Oklahoma small town.  They had a crank Telephone.  Her folks phone number was 55.  Her Grandparents was 145, and her other Grandparents was 72.  But the Operator new everyone in town, so you just told her the name and she'd plug you right in.  Her folks sent her afoot to pay the bills over town, All the businesses new her, and some were her own kin.  She liked to pay the Phone bill, cause she could see the swithch board from the counter, and those little lights would blink on till the operator could plug into it.   
Oh; the memories of times gone bye......................

[guzzijohn]

Now my wife was raised in a Oklahoma small town.  They had a crank Telephone.  Her folks phone number was 55.  Her Grandparents was 145, and her other Grandparents was 72.  But the Operator new everyone in town, so you just told her the name and she'd plug you right in.  Her folks sent her afoot to pay the bills over town, All the businesses new her, and some were her own kin.  She liked to pay the Phone bill, cause she could see the swithch board from the counter, and those little lights would blink on till the operator could plug into it.   
Oh; the memories of times gone bye......................

But don't forget how expensive long distance calling was then as compared to now. I attended school in a town that was a long distance call from home and my to closest friends as a kid lived close to me but were also on another phone system and long distance. It made communicating with friends or calling about a date frustrating because my parents either would not let me call or the call had to be kept very short.
GuzziJohn

[scootrd]

We used an outhouse and a chamberpot until I was 15 or so.  Try that with today's kids....

My wife was raised by her Grandparents in East Texas .. They had an outhouse for many years . When they finally got "indoor Plumbing" most of the neighbors came over to see the new fangled Toilet and give it a flush.

Anyone remember Telephone Party Lines?. we had a Party Line until I was about 10 years old.

[myronman3]

i think it is parents/society more than anything.   case in point: sky.   sounds like you have raised a good strong son.   
  with my own kids, they have not failed to rise to any occasion i have presented to them.   
   how you raise them is a huge factor. 

[bigbird09]

i think it is parents/society more than anything.   case in point: sky.   sounds like you have raised a good strong son.   
  with my own kids, they have not failed to rise to any occasion i have presented to them.   
   how you raise them is a huge factor. 

This is true,  and from what I have noticed from being around people in school, you can tell the people whose parents really didn't have much to do with the lives,  or if they did lead less then suitable lives when raising there kids.  One thing that bugs me is any more parents don't spank their kids.  I know when I ef'd up I got a spanking.  Any more it seems that people seem to be to "good" to spank their kids, or they are afraid that if they do that someone else will see and turn them in for child abuse,  I have yet to see just putting your kid in the corner or in time out work very well on a regular basis.

[wreckhog]

Was never a cereal guy. Gimme a pound of bacon and wash it down with 6 Cokes.

[myronman3]

one other thing...if sky likes sugary cereal,  have him get lucky charms.   

[Gun Runner]

Lived in san francisco during the early 40s. Remember the heavy black curtins over the windows during WW 2. That was in an apartment at the corner of Gary and Filmore. In 45 we moved out by the cow palace. After the war folks bought property in N Cal and built a house up here. First TV I saw was a 6 in with a blue magnifing lens that was 12 in. No running water, elect, or in door plumbing till the 50s and the old 4 party crank phone, then got fancy and they installed one where the operator asked what nr,  We had a couple cows, couple horses and a batch of chickins. Cut our own lumber on a home built mill that had an old dodge 6 cyl eng running it. Built the barn and corral fenceing and a couple out buildings. Nearest kids bout half mile down the lane.

Gun Runner

[oldandslow]

Most cereals and all the sugar coated ones are basically very expensive, for what you get in nutrition, junk food. Lots of empty calories and very little actual nutrition.

My parents never had TV until after I was grown and gone. Never had a telephone until they retired and moved closer to town. We did have a co-op offer electricity when I was in the first grade and my dad was one of the first to sign up for service. What a difference from a coal oil lamp! Nothing else was available way out in the sticks until the late '50s. I really never noticed the lack. I was busy hunting and chasing girls and a few other things. After I got married we got a TV. We could get CBS and NBC with a TALL antennae and then we had a big ice storm which brought both transmitter towers down.  We found other ways to pass the time. 

[steg]

LOL the outhouses got me to thinking about something my Grandfather said about them, when we finally put one in the house I was around 13 years old then, he said" now people want to eat outside,( charcoal grilling) and S--t inside, this worlds goin crazy. Yep I remember outhouses, and they all had an updraft, especially in winter,LOL..........steg