BACK IN THE DAY-THE 90’S

I have always taken pride in the fact that I am a 90’s kid. I love taking those online quizzes that are titled “You Will Only Pass This Test If You’re a 90’s Kid” or “Only 90’s Kids Will Remember These Things” or any such variety. And I get such a kick out of commenting on how “kids these days don’t know what they’re missing out on.” I often find myself comparing my childhood to the childhood that kids have nowadays…and thinking about much better mine was. The television shows I watched were more meaningful, the conversations took place more often and there was a much bigger sense of freedom. I lived in Louisiana until I was 10-years-old and I loved playing outside with my neighbor friends. There were four of us—two girls (of which I was one) and two boys—and we would just spend our entire Saturdays and Sundays running around from one house to the other (we all lived in the same row). There were some woods with a creek behind our homes and on some days, we would just grab our bikes and ride down there and hang out. Of course, a parent always came with us because my mom was quite protective –she still is, in fact—and there’s no way she would let me ride that far without an adult present. However, that didn’t mean I had no freedom. The other girl in our small group lived right next door to me and I would often call out through our shared fence “Lacey, I’m coming over” and we would spend the day together— mostly in the little house her parents had built for her in their backyard, which was filled with all the toys in the world (or so it seemed). I was also so lucky to find my best friend in Louisiana. It was one of those situations where we were bound to be friends, because our parents knew each other from before we were born. We grew up together, moved from one school to the other together, and were inseparable until I moved away in 5th grade. The memories I have with her are endless, but the ones that stand out are: watching the same TV shows and immediately calling each other to talk about the episode, going to the park together on the weekends, going to each other’s homes multiple times a week in the summer, being in Girl Scouts together and having sleepovers (we were only allowed to sleep over at each other’s homes). We have remained close as we have grown up but, unfortunately, have not lived in the same state since 2003. Travelling was also a huge part of my childhood. Since my mom is from India and my dad is from England, we would take trips to these locations every few years. The trips to England were more often, because it was closer, but we did visit India every six to seven years. And, when we moved to Europe in 2006, these trips increased and became closer together because of the shortened distance. Furthermore, my dad also has family all over America and so we would also take trips to visit them. I particularly remember being between the ages of five and six and visiting my dad’s brother in Arkansas every opportunity we had—no matter if it was a long weekend or a long-term holiday—because his daughter—my cousin—was really sick, we knew we were going to lose her at some point and we wanted to be there for the family. I was six-yearsold when my cousin passed away, and I could not even tell you how I felt. It was my first experience with death and I am sure my parents protected me from a lot of it. I was quite close to this cousin, with there being several home videos of us playing together. At the time, I probably didn’t understand what was going on. But, looking back, I am thankful that I have these home videos to remember her and our memories. And then, there were the miscellaneous items. Not memories of my childhood, but the toys and food that—when I see them—brings me back to those days. You would laugh if you saw how excited I was when I found that the Oreo O’s cereal was coming back. Playing with my Skip-It for hours before coming inside for a drink of Capri-Sun or Hi-Ci was how I spent my summer days. Feeling like the coolest person in the world when I would “make” my pizza lunchable, was how I spent my school days. And let’s not forget Kid Cuisine. The ready-made meal that consisted of a main dish, a side dish and a dessert. I can still taste the food from the Kid Cuisine. Thinking about it now, it wasn’t that great, but the element of nostalgia still stands. Oh, but there is one toy that I do not feel nostalgic for. And that is the Cabbage Patch dolls. I got one for Christmas and it was that doll that ate things. Well, four-year-old me put my finger in its mouth and, you guessed it, the doll bit me! I think that was the day that awoke my dislike for all things animatronic/toys that move. Put me in front of that type of object and I will run screaming in the other direction. And there you have it. My childhood consisted of travelling, playing with my friends and enjoying the delicious treats and exciting toys the world had to offer. I will always be proud to say that I’m a 90’s kid. Photo Source: Logojoy.com & Pinterest.com