"Pass it on will you?"

she said. "OK," I said. Below is what was written on the sheet of paper she gave me. Below that is the same message again with annotations by me. Make of it what you will.

To all the kids who survived the 1930s, '40s' '50s' '60s and '70s.

First, we survived being put to sleep on our tummies in cribs covered with bright coloured lead-based paints. We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, locks on doors or cabinets and we rode our bikes without helmets.

We would ride in cars with no booster seats, no seat belts, no air bags, bald tyres and sometimes no brakes. We ate worms, mud pies and drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle. We shared one drink with four friends, from one bottle, and no one actually died from this.

We ate cakes, white bread, real butter, and bacon. We drank lemonade made with real white sugar and we weren't overweight. WHY? Because we were always outside playing … that's why!

We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on. No one was able to reach us all day … and, we were OKAY.

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

We didn't have Play Stations, Nintendos, Sky TV, DVDs, mobiles or laptops. WE HAD FRIENDS - and we went outside and found them! We just walked to a friend's house, knocked on the door or just walked in and talked to them. We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth. AND NO-ONE GOT SUED!

At school not everyone came top or made the sports team.. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!!

The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!

Our generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever. Witness the past 50 years of innovation and new ideas.

We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility … and we learned how to deal with it all. 

If YOU are one of those born between 1925 - 1970, 

CONGRATULATOIONS FRIEND.

To all the kids who survived the 1930s, '40s' '50s' '60s and '70s.

First, we survived being put to sleep on our tummies in cribs covered with bright coloured lead-based paints. We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, locks on doors or cabinets and we rode our bikes without helmets. 

( I can't remember whether I had a crib or not. My earliest memories are of a bed which was quite high off the ground. The covers were one sheet, 2 blankets, one coverlet and one eiderdown, all that could be tucked in was tucked in. I wouldn't have gone near any medicines even though they were in a cupboard in the bathroom. In that cupboard was the sick jug which always reminded me of throwing up! No helmets for me on my bikes. Perhaps I should have had one, if they had been around as I came a cropper on a steep hill on my fairy cycle. I head butted a wall and ran home crying. No lasting damage though, I think!)

We would ride in cars with no booster seats, no seat belts, no air bags, bald tyres and sometimes no brakes. We ate worms, mud pies and drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle. We shared one drink with four friends, from one bottle, and no one actually died from this. 

(I'm sure our car, when we eventually got one, had brakes. I had to ride in the front as I was travel sick in the back. I certainly didn't eat worms but I did make mud pies with added worms. I only drank at home - milk from the milkman, or Dandelion and Burdock which was delivered to the door by the Corona man. We had one bottle of D and B and one bottle of Tango delivered each week - for 4 of us!)

We ate cakes, white bread, real butter, and bacon. We drank lemonade made with real white sugar and we weren't overweight. WHY? Because we were always outside playing … that's why!

(My mum used margarine for baking and I don't recall drinking homemade lemonade. I wasn't overweight because our meal portions were small. I did go playing with my best friend down the road. We used to play in our gardens, in the street and on the beach. I remember playing tennis in the road by the side of her house. The ball kept going over someone's hedge and we used to sneak in to get it back.)

We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on. No one was able to reach us all day … and, we were OKAY. (I always had to say where I was going and when I would be home. Woe betide if I went anywhere else.)

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

(I don't think I had a hand in building the go-cart. Perhaps it was my brother and dad. It didn't have brakes though and didn't get any.)

We didn't have Play Stations, Nintendos, Sky TV, DVDs, mobiles or laptops. WE HAD FRIENDS - and we went outside and found them! We just walked to a friend's house, knocked on the door or just walked in and talked to them. We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth. AND NO-ONE GOT SUED! 

(I did climb trees but not very high ones but I didn't fall out. I did fall down when I was tied up for a game of cowboys and indians and I chipped my front teeth! We made bows and arrows out of canes and string and fired them into the air. We went into the rough sea with car tyres and had a great time with the waves. No adults in sight. Perhaps that was a bit risky.)

At school not everyone came top or made the sports team.. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!! (I hated sports and always came last in races except one obstacle race which I won because I could squeeze under the long school bench and the others were too big.)

The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law! (Policemen were on the street then.)

Our generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever. Witness the past 50 years of innovation and new ideas. 

(Ah yes, Play Stations, Nintendos, Sky TV, DVDs, mobiles and laptops! Oh yes and bigger and faster cars, one way systems, mini roundabouts ...)

We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility … and we learned how to deal with it all. 

If YOU are one of those born between 1925 - 1970, 

CONGRATULATOIONS FRIEND.

PS  Thank you for your plant identifications. I think it may be chard - I will certainly be eating it.

xx