This week we started a new school year. It’s amazing to think that school is back in session in the first week of August but there it is. As I sent my daughter into her first few days of 5th grade, my heart hurt just a little bit. After all, it seems like just yesterday that she was a preemie with feet so little that her socks fell off! My son has anxiously awaited the start of his kindergarten year and again, where did the time go? It’s starting to hit me that my children won’t be here forever. While you might need to remind me of this feeling when they’re teenagers and starting to rebel, at this moment I can’t imagine wanting them to leave the nest. They should still be babies!
This week I told my students that even though the calendar says I’m 39 years old, in my head I still feel like I’m 22. Maybe it’s because I’ve been a 6th grade teacher for so many years; the students don’t age so I don’t either. My feet may hurt by the end of the day and the face in the mirror denies what I say, but truly my heart and mind still feel young. So when they don’t understand little details about my generation, I get a kick out of realizing that the world has changed. For example, in one lesson I had to describe what a tin Band-Aid box was. Mine contained collectibles like rocks and coins. My students were amused at my amazement when I realized that some Coke machines take credit cards! This made me wonder what funny nuances of life will be remembered from my kids’ childhoods. Will they look back on Minecraft and try to describe its appeal to their kids? What about Bubble Guppies, the Wiggles, and the “new” My Little Ponies? All of these things will be precious to me in years to come because my children cherished those toys.
What memories do you hold dear from your growing-up years?
Making creepy crawlers with the Easy Bake Oven like device and Weebles, those are strong memories from my childhood. I wonder if beanie Babies will ever disappear?
I know it! I feel the same way. My kids liked Power Rangers and Barney and stuff from the 90s. It makes me feel so sentimental!
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I know how you feel. I know I’m getting older but I don’t feel any different from when I was in my 20s Except for the aches and pains. But then I look in the mirror and see the gray peaking through the dye. This year I’m sending all five of my babies to school this year.
I miss spending summers at my Gamma’s house. Those memories I keep and will cherish forever.
I don’t have children so I can’t really say what I feel nostalgic about that kids would have no idea about today. But even with my baby cousin (who is now going into her 2nd year of college) watching her and her friends grow up even they played with things and watched tv shows that I had no idea about.
I’m actually loving that some of my favorite things from childhood are coming back into style so my kids are loving them too! Now if only we can get Popples to come back! lol.
Record players, black and white TV. I actually worked in a bank and there were NO computers yet! My how the times have changed.
We would spend a week each summer with each set of grandparents. I remember staying up late, watching Johnny Carson, and reading all day in my grandparents farmhouse.
My daughter is just 1.5, but it seems like her childhood is already going by so fast. I saw a brand new baby at the doctor’s office yesterday, and was shocked at how big my child was compared to this tiny little boy. I almost started crying right then!
Cartoons change, dolls and cars suddenly become able to “do” things, Barbie has jobs and more accessories than one can imagine, and our children grow up. My kids are grown and my grandson just turned 8….8! He’s so big now and the first to say that’s baby about his sister’s likes. Take time with each age and situation. I’m still learning this but one day you will look back on fifth grade and want it back.
I hold dear returning to school and I loved to read. I miss that unfettered reading time.
They sure grow so fast (I get so emotional thinking about it)
I was having this thought today as I watched my husband walking my oldest to school. Where does the time go?
As far as nostalgia, one of my clients has an old 8-track/radio in her showroom! LOVE it!
That is awesome! I remember my parents listening to Cat Stevens on the 8 track.
I still remember sitting in my highchair as a baby
Wow, you have an amazing memory!!
I remember when a soda was five cents and you took it out of an ice chest in the market. A car load of friends could go to the drive in for a dollar. Wait till your babies have babies. You will love them more than you can imagine.
I was able to go visit my grandkids this weekend, and it’s amazing how they are growing. No longer wanting character clothes and cartoons….”that’s baby”….my grandson is now into Minecraft and Pokemon. He had his first pinewood derby race, too. My granddaughter was singing Frozen like crazy and carrying around an MP3 player. It astonishes me how much they’ve grown. Still adorable and my heart loves them so much. I do wonder what they will be into by Christmas and how many teeth they will have lost by then.
I remember my “old” original Barbies and playing with my brother’s GI Joe. They didn’t talk, take batteries….but we had a lot of fun with them. I thought it was big stuff to have actual Barbies. My daughter played with the original My Little Ponies, now my granddaughter does the “new” My Little Ponies.