Kids & Company Blog

Give Your Kids a ‘70s or ‘80s Summer (like we all had)

As we head into summer, I have noticed that in the last few weeks alone I have, on a number of occasions, discussed/reminisced with various people about how we used to spend our summers as kids and wonder how my kids will be spending their summers in the years ahead.  I remember literally getting on my bike in the morning and not being home until dinner time – maybe a lunch pit stop at a friend’s house - and every day was pretty much the same.  There was no over-planning of “activities”…just an entire summer to do whatever my friends and I felt like doing that day.  And it was awesome –so much so that I can remember specific days from those summers over 30 years later!

So, I took notice when I saw an article recently that was shared with me titled “10 ways to give your kids an honest to goodness 1970’s (or 80’s) summer”.  It is a very nostalgic and funny read for those of my generation and I have included the link below.  However, there were a few excerpts I wanted to share that I found particularly funny: 

“2. Eat whatever you want, and/or whatever you can find. There will be no more pantries full of organic vegetable chips…No more refrigerators full of anti-pesticide fruit, free range eggs and cold-pressed juice. This will be the summer of Frito-Lay and Red Dye #5. I want to see my kids' reaction when I tear open a large, fat envelope of cherry Kool-Aid, sprinkle it into a BPA-laden plastic pitcher, dump four cups of regular, granulated, white and maybe even generic sugar (not raw, stevia or agave), then add water from the TAP, and voila! You are hydrated! I will be over here drinking a Tab…

3. Make them play outside. Like all day. All. Damn. Day. Hot? Drink from the hose. Run through the sprinklers. Swim in the pool until your hair feels like straw…

4. Send them to the movies for the entire day. I will drop you off at around 11 and pick you up for dinner. It's real simple. You sneak from one theater to the next. Nobody cares.”

 

I think you get the idea…and while you may not be quite ready to try a full-on 1970/80’s devil-may-care summer for your kids, here’s to maybe just giving them a peak into those free times & memories we all still cherish so much – even 30 years later.

Click here for the full article 

 

 Scott Taylor, our Director of Marketing & Operations for Alberta, is a busy Calgary father of two (to Jainie & Joshua, 4 & 2) and these days can name more My Little Pony & Thomas the Tank Engine characters than any one grown man should be able to ;-) Scott can be reached at staylor@kidsandcompany.com

Posted on: Tuesday June 17th, 2014

Posted by: Kids & Company