The Kids in the 1950, 1960, 1970, and 1980

When we are Babies There are some of us who are born in the year 1950, 1960, 1970, and 1980. Our baby cribs were made of hard wood and might be covered with lead based paints. And too the walker some of them do not really have wheels which are made of rattan woods that are sold from the moving caravan that is pulled by a cow.

Diapers are made out of real cotton cloths; there are no yet available disposable diapers. There are no yet soft cribs that play music only real songs from our parents, older brothers, older sisters, aunties, uncles, grand parents, and who wants us to fall asleep.


When we are toddlers

When we are introduced to the outside world (in the streets), the bikes for those who have a means to get on, helmets and kneepads are not yet available in those times, most of the bikes does not have brakes and you have to depend on your foot as your primary brakes this is also the reason why most slippers of kids does not last.

Our first bus ride does not have air-conditioned then and seats are made out of hard wood even the windows are not made of glass, when it rains you have to pull up the wooden window so as not to get wet and water does not get inside the bus. When all wooden windows are up it is dark and only the driver seat gets the day light. Worse is becomes hotter inside as there is only little fresh air coming inside.

When we gets our first schooling

In school we drank water straight from the water faucet and/or from the garden host. There is no bottled water yet what is available is water that was filled on an ice plastic bag that cost 0.25 cents at that time. The camaraderie begins when we share a bottle of soft drinks or refreshments with our friends, no one actual get sick or even contacted various diseases about this.

Kid’s talk of the town is not based on gossips but then talks about comic books. If I am correct the only available local kids comics is the Funny comics and I can still recall how I am very pleased with the stories of it's funny character Niknok Anok centered on the character's appetite for fried chicken. In television the weekend prime time series which is aired every Saturday, Kulit Bulilit is a hit. The show centered most of stories around local legends among these that I can still remember are The Legends of Coconut Tree, Why Sea Water are made of Salts, Legends of First Local Man and a Woman (local version of Adam and Eve), and The Legends of Pineapple. Cartoons classic such as Voltes V, Mazinger Z, Daimos, were a hit too but sad to say that these were ordered by former President Ferdinand Marcos off the air as he was ill-advised that these cartoons are deterrent to the students study habits. In reality these cartoons have somehow help build our English language skills.

On health facts

Locally made commercials that made some brands popular such as star margarine that can be mixed with rice to help you grow taller is more a gimmick than truth but still it provides some nutrition to help you stay healthy and strong. Sarsi a locally made soft drinks can be stirred up with raw eggs gives you better calcium that your bones needed, fact is there is real sugar no diet soft drinks are yet available in those times. The bottom line is we did not get sick or overweight because of those nutrition’s.

Kids playing outside always

Playing outside on the streets in the morning till all day when there is no schools, and back to home when street lights are turned on. Kids shout while playing but these are all ok with neighbors as long as they knew kids are having fun. Our favorites games are Patintero which is a line draw to defend incoming intruders, Tumbang Preso a combination of slippers and can that you have to attempt to knocked down a can with your slipper, Hide en Seek you know this game, and Agawan Base this is game that who ever first touched your base just like the baseball gets win. Our parents does not worried much they can see us through the windows, in those times there are no beepers and cell phone that they can reach us, still they know where to find us.


Our toys are made of various inventions

I have seen kids build their own wooden trolleys - a homemade skateboards that are made of woods and spare parts that are no longer in use. These kids labored all day finding piece of used plywood slides out of scraps and bearing spare parts to put them all together. These wooden trolleys are most used on an incline street the higher the better speed you can get. It has a single steering wheel but not equipped with brakes. Not a single kid in our neighbor that I know had a bad accident experience from this toy. They learned how to maneuver and solve the problem themselves after hitting the sidewalk or falling into a canal - sewage channel on the side of the canal. Amazing what these kids can build and the ideas that can spur great problem solving techniques.

The kites made out of pieces of stick brooms or barbeque sticks and cut-outs from newspapers or old PLDT telephone directories.


On gadgets

Nintendo’s Game Boy, Sony PlayStations, Microsoft X-boxes, those technology gadget does not yet exist in those times, even Cable Television channels, DVD players, CD players, Karaoke’s, Stereo Players, iPods, Cell phones, Computers, Internet, you name it does not exists. There are no online chat rooms and no online social networking such as Friendsters, Multiply, and Facebook. What we have are real friends to talk live and interact with.


On injuries

Sometimes we got injured from playing on the streets got cut or minor bruise while falling down when running or riding a bike, worst is broke bones and teeth’s. Medication is very painful when red mertiolet is applied to the wounds instead of getting comforting words from the elders what we got is also painful advise from them. But the end we learned how to tolerate, endure, and live in those experiences.

On playgrounds

The city government has no interest in building public playgrounds. For this matter only once in your lifetime that you can go to paid playgrounds such as the Manila Parks and Wildlife. Your house front mini yard with a space size of 6 feet by 5 feet is turned into a play yard where you play marbles in the soil that helps exercise your mind concentration.

On the street or if sidewalks are available you can play syatong - games made with stick, and tumbang preso - games using cans and slippers. Yet these are very dangerous you can get hurt or worse make you lose your sight. Nevertheless not a single people that I know suffered severe painfully experience from these games. These games are actually will simulate and exercise you physically and your thinking prowess.


On emotions

Depressions and emotions are not common in those days. I can give an example in school alone when sporting events are held annually during tryouts for basketball not everyone who wants to play made the team. Those who did not make it had learned to deal with the disappointment and themselves alone carries it in their secret. As saying goes by "those who are pique are always losers" and nobody wants to show being a loser they keep it themselves.


All of these symbolizes that our generations has produces some of the best problem solvers and creative minds. These people become successful professionals it does not matter what level of position we occupied.

Failures and success, we learned and earned the hard way.