Memories of Childhood

memories-of-childhood

We had a personal development session at work yesterday, you would think that they would be easier than professional development sessions but it was surprisingly a lot of work and tiring.  The session started with us in small groups with talking points for things that coworkers are unlikely to know about us – memories of our childhood.  I thought I would share some of them with you.

Memories of: Time with your siblings

memories of childhood - red pramI have two younger sisters and have lots of memories of time with them, but one of my earliest is pushing my youngest sister around in my dolls pram.  Thinking back it is amazing we made it through childhood, I would bump her down the stairs in this with my dolls surrounding her, she was probably only 2 when I took her outside in it to play with the other kids, imagine allowing 2 year olds outside now.   The bottom was just thin particle board, meant for a lightweight doll, not an actual child too.  Image credit lexibility /ebay.

Another memory is jumping off the top bunk bed onto the twin bed on the other side of the room in my sisters’ room (I was cool enough to have my own room, but they had a bunk set so friends could stay) and my sister getting her “nightie” caught and hanging upside down off the post of the bunk and us laughing at her rather than helping her down.  My mum still reminds us of “almost letting your poor sister die” whenever she is lecturing us about something.

I also remember us all doing each others’ hair on order of height – my mum would braid mine, while I did my sisters and she did our little sister.

Memories of: Your prized childhood possessions

memories of childhood - lunch boxI was a huge Care Bears fan, I had all of the bears and many other items.  One of my favourites, that I would beat up my sisters if they touched it, was my plastic Care Bears lunchbox.  To think, now kids have environmentally friendly boxes, minimize ziplocs and have ice packs to keep their food at the correct temperature.  We had a sandwich (wrapped in plastic wrap), piece of fruit and a penguin bar.  No rounded meals, no heat up food (although I did get to have soup in a thermos when I had a tooth pulled).  Image credit: SilverLiningToys / etsy.

I also had a Nintendo and Commodore 64 – I remember getting the Commodore for Christmas and we ate really late because the adults “helped” by setting it up for me and played “Dice” (Yahtzee) all day.

80s-clothes-memories

Memories of: Childhood clothes

We were often dressed similarly, despite not being twins.  My mum would either dress us in all of the same colour but different clothes, or we would all wear similar things in different colours.  Given 80s/90s UK fashions, it is probably a good thing we were in school uniforms a great deal of the day.

  • Lycra shorts – with neon stripes and matching tees!
  • Shell suits – what a fire hazard!
  • “RaRa” Skirts – well they came back into fashion so…
  • “Circle Skirts” – where you wore matching shorts under so you could spin in circles and they would go straight out as you spun.
  • Stirrup leggings – because you know the bottoms couldn’t roll up or crease
  • Jelly shoes!

Memories of: Things You Bought

These were not quite childhood things, I don’t think I bought all that much as a child.  I remember putting my pocket money in the bank and making the teller fill in my bank book every week.  I started babysitting at 10 or 11 (yeah that wouldn’t really happen these days either) so had money for my own stuff then.

80s bodyshop packaging memories of the 80sI loved The Body Shop and must have smelled very fruity.  I used Satsuma body wash/bubble bath and banana shampoo and conditioner.  I was “better” than my sisters because they had to use Herbal Essences.  Oh and Body Shop bath beads, I loved those things!  And the unscented lotion that you could add their perfume oils to and make your own scent!

My love of Body Shop products started fairly early, my mum used White Musk products so every Christmas we would go to the big one in London and have a custom basket made for her, the three of us choose products, argued over which basket and what colour filling and eagerly watched the basket as it was wrapped in cellophane because we picked it all and it was perfect.  As teens, Body Shop stuff was the easy choice for my dad who could go and order “one White Musk, one Satsuma, one Fuzzy Peach and one Ice Blue” and we were done.

What are your childhood memories?

 

3 Replies to “Memories of Childhood”

  1. Victoria Ess says: Reply

    What are shell suits??? I had TONS of stirrup leggings and blister-causing jelly shoes!! I loved watching Sailor Moon and The Smoggies before school, and was OBSESSED with Calgon Body Mists.

    1. Tea & Nail Polish says: Reply

      The pink thing in the middle of the picture, a tracksuit but some weird shiny polyester that burned and crinkled if you got too close to a source of heat

  2. Being a child of the 80’s I totally recognize all the above… Loved the Care Bears, the original Nintendo and neon anything!!!!

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