I had the meanest parents EVER….

I had the meanest parents EVER…. 

Like every kid, I thought I had the meanest parents.

It took over 20 years to appreciate what all my parents did.

I was born in the spare the rod, spoil the child..   And I am here to tell you, my brother and I were not spoiled.  Yes, he got out of lots of trouble because he was 4 years younger than I.   But he got pretty much his fair share.   It was my mother who was the discipline person. Being a horse farm there were plenty of handy items… But that is the way life was in our generation’s life.   A lot decided to NOT do the same type of punishment when we got our children.. but sadly there were many who carried on the tradition.

We got our fair share of punishment..  but we got other punishment some times .. that was not as harsh.  But almost rather got the beating than the chore. I did learn to look pass that..  because surprise, it made me what I am today..   I did learn there is a difference of spankings and beatings..

The children raised in the 1950 (we were raised in the 1940’s)

But looking past that part of being raised. There were things that we thought our parents were mean..  and when we got in our 20’s and now we are in our 70’s and 80’s we see they were not mean at all. They were stern.  And thru that.. we learn.

I learn at the age of 6 to wash lunch dishes.. by 8 I was doing all of the dishes. And did them to the day I left my parents house..  and even for returning visits.  I took out the garbage until my brother got old enough to do that.  I clean stalls for MANY MANY years. I fed the horse and chickens before I went to school and later before going to work.  Weekends were cleaning stall .. all my job.  That meant throwing hay in the stalls, changing out the water..  and feeding the chickens.   That was the horror show.. as the one who also loved chicken feed, was MICE.  I HATED MICE.  Any of the neighbors would hear at 6am.. me kicking the barrel that the feed was in.. scaring out the mice. S0 they wouldn’t run up my arm to escape.

I learn how to plan a garden at a young age, as we had what was known as a Victory Garden..  that was gardens that people did during WWII… to feed our family..  and I believe you were suppose to share with your neighbor who could not do a garden.  I learn to make the line straight.. my mother made sure of that..  and to put seeds in every 3 inches..  to lightly put the dirt over it..   I learn I had to weed these garden, so the veggies grew.

I learn to keep my bedroom clean.. There was no throwing clothes across a chair, or on the floor.  Clothes were hung up or folded in our drawers.   We learn to put our toys away, or they would disappear.  All of these were learn from an early age..  5 and up.

Some time later before we became teens. We were given an allowance. .. We learn to save it for things we wanted.  As Mom and Dad did not buy everything we wanted.. only what we needed..   A trip to candy store the first week.. taught me that money disappears fast if you are foolish.   If I wanted a special blouse it was up to me.. to save for it.. So l learn to manage money.  And how to save for things. Mom and Dad only had one purchases monthly bill.  /that was our house… which Dad built.. but he did borrow from the bank to get the wood and nails and etc.   You want a car.. save up for it.  No charge accounts, not even at Sears and Roebucks..  there was lay a away… where you paid money monthly or weekly …depending on your pay period..  and when the item was paid for..  then you got to take it home.

So we learn money did not come easy.   Oh by the way.. the allowance?  It was for doing certain chores.. Dishes did not qualify.. anything that was helping the family directly.. no pay…  And if you did not do the chore… no allowance.  Did a few.. no allowance.. it was all or nothing. 

This went on to our teen years as well..  And we never charged for food.   At least my parents didn’t.  I know others that did, and they went to the store on pay day and paid the bill in full.    We learn there were no free rides.

We learn our word was like gold..  if you gave your word that you would do something.. YOU DID IT.. and it didn’t take long for the town to learn who did not.  A hand shake in those days was just as solid if not more so, than a contract today.  So you word was your bond, your work ethic was you got there on time, and you left at the end of the shift.. and it had to be major reason for not showing up for work.. and You called in way before starting time.

When I got my own family .. the rules were the same.  But I found out fast that allowance with big families, can be quite expensive, so I ended that..  But in places of that..  if we all got together and worked to get what had to be done..  then we would find money for the kids to go to shows.. Or other places..  But my kids were raised with coming home.. do homework FIRST… chores next.. and if the homework wasn’t all done after chores.. then they finished it after dinner.  There was no play time..  Unless homework and Your chores were done.  Same on weekends. Chores first.. then homework done..  ok .. now you can go to your friends house.  Or they could come over.  The family worked to gether.. chopping wood, stacking wood.. feeding the animals and what ever it took to live on that land.  We All worked..

My children’s generation..  wasn’t so strict as ours. And the next generation was even more leniet.. and it SHOWS…

Children of the last two generations would think it was slave labor it they had to do the same.   There is a difference you know..  Sadly the generation of now does not handle their money..  they go into debt beyond their means.  The King was told by a friend.. that the friend’s grandson was way over his head.. and he asked him..  what if you don’t make enough to pay for these toys.  Which the young man replied..  no problem.. Gramps..  I will just sell it for what I owe..  someone can take over the payments.. and then a year or so later, I will just go buy another one that is better..  Wow.. that is all I can..  must be nice to have that much faith..

Oh, yeah…  when I was young.. in my teens and 20’s.. it was normal.. for the oldest son to stay on the farm and help the parents until they died.  Daughter stayed near by.. to help the mom’s..   It just was the way it was..

Some of us wondered if those nationality plan it that way..  to have quite a few children  to help out on the farm..   Only the younger ones got to leave the area..  so the older ones knew what the deal was.. and some were honored to be the one who stayed with the parents.  so not so much..  The older ones escape by being drafted in the Army. Some came back.. some did not..  and the second on in line was the one who stayed with the folks