14/04/2024
I grew up in the Philippines and never once questioned my parents' income. It was never a discussion. We didn't eat a lot of fast food because it was considered a treat, not a food group. We ate homemade meals like adobo, paksiw, sinigang and vegetables - eat what’s on the table!
We grew up during a time when we pulled white hair from my grandma, babysat, helped with chores to be able to earn our own money. We by no means were given everything we wanted.
We went outside a lot to play, ride bikes, run with friends, play hide and seek, spent precious times with our cousins, and we went swimming for free on nearby rivers or sea. We rarely just sat inside.
Bottled water was unheard of. If we ever had a Coke, it was in a glass bottle, and we didn’t break the bottle when finished. We saved it and cashed it back in at the shops for a sweet.
After school, we came home and did homework and chores, before going outside or having friends over. We would ride our bikes for hours. We had to tell our parents where we were going, who we were going with, and we had to be home when the street lights came on!
You LEARNED from your parents instead of disrespecting them, and treating them as if they knew absolutely nothing. What they said was LAW, and you did not question it, and you had better know it!
We watched what we said around our elders because we knew if we DISRESPECTED any grown-up we would get a real telling off. It wasn't called abuse, it was called discipline! We held doors, carried the shopping, and gave up our seat for an older person without being asked. You didn't hear swear words on the radio in songs or TV.
“Please and Thank You" were part of our daily vocabulary! The world we live in now is just so full of people who hate and disrespect others.
Consider re-posting if you're thankful for your childhood. I will never forget where I came from and only wish children nowadays had half the chance at the fun and respect for real life we grew up with! And we were never bored!
Ccto
