Rules of being a kid

I know we think back on our childhood as carefree, but thinking back on my own childhood, I realize that the opposite was true.  I remember looking at the adults around me and wishing I had their freedom to boss people around.  It was the truth, this is what makes kids lives so difficult, adults are bossy, this is were the rules of being a kid come into play.

As a kid dealing with bossy adults you learn that the more rules you figure out the better off you are. 

A good rule  was, if you are outside playing, don’t go in.  Outside is a safe zone, if you go in for any reason, you could get stuck there.  This rule was especially true in the winter time.  Don’t go in, if you were freezing, just wait, you would get a good numb going soon and couldn’t feel anything.  If you went in for any reason you could get caught in the chores trap, (out of parental sight, out of mind), or   you would thaw, get wet and begin to feel how cold you actually were.  Once you were wet you were in, the clothes came off and everything had to dry again before you were let out again, this could take hours.  

Usually, the only reason you would go inside, was for a potty break.  This usually came after too much waiting and the potty dance while stripping off six layers of sopping wet clothes ensued.  The memory is still vivid in my mind. 

My younger siblings actually beat the potty problem and the poo crew was born, but that is a story for another time.  Lets just say, when they sold the vacant house next door, it needed more than just paint.

Another good rule was be careful when, and on whom you tattled.  Usually tattling occurred when you were all doing something you weren’t supposed to.  I found that I screamed for a parent after I had slugged a sibling and they were about to slug me back.  I learned quickly that this didn’t work, because when you tell on someone, if they are crying and you are not, guess who got into trouble.    

There are just a couple of examples of how tough is was to be a kid.  Every once in a while, when I find myself bossing my kids around, which is by the way, as fun as I thought it would be as a child, I have flashbacks to my childhood, and I actually have pity on the poor things. 

Childhood memories are awesome, especially when you forget about how tough it can be being a kid.