How did so many of us make it to adulthood?
This may sound sarcastic or facetious, but how did so many of us over 40 make it to adulthood. If you look at the countless toy recalls, I really have to wonder. Were we "smarter" than the kids today? Did our parents take the responsibility of watching us more seriously? How is it that we played with "killer" toys but survived?
Think about it. Lincoln Logs were tiny, easily small enough to swallow. Obviously we avoided that stupid step. The old Tonka Trucks and Suzy Homemaker sets were made of metal and loaded with sharp edges, we avoided cuts scrapes and putting out our eyes.
But I remember a toy so dangerous that producing it today would probably land the company in court slapped with a negligence lawsuit. It was called a Strange Change Machine and marketed by Mattel. My mom actually got it for us one Christmas. And all three of us kids survived it without injury.
Let me give you a rundown of the wonderful features of this one.
Powered by electricity, none of us electrocuted ourselves.
The electricity caused a hot plate in the machine to get hot, none of us burned ourselves.
You had sharp metal tongs to place plastic squares on the hotplate, the three of us still have 6 good functioning eyes between us.
The plastic squares got hot and expanded into all sorts of little creepy crawlies just the right size to choke a child, we are all still living.
You could mash the hot little crawlies back down to little squares by placing them in a vise and cranking it down, all fingers and toes accounted for too.
Could it be that we were given age appropriate toys? Could it be the fact that most homes were not "childproofed" and we were taught to respect things that could hurt us? Could it be that we just knew better? What ever the reason we survived toys that were potentially dangerous and remained healthy and whole. With all of the toy recalls I have to wonder just how many of the children from this generation would make it through childhood unscathed if they had to grow up with our generation.
Think about it. Lincoln Logs were tiny, easily small enough to swallow. Obviously we avoided that stupid step. The old Tonka Trucks and Suzy Homemaker sets were made of metal and loaded with sharp edges, we avoided cuts scrapes and putting out our eyes.
But I remember a toy so dangerous that producing it today would probably land the company in court slapped with a negligence lawsuit. It was called a Strange Change Machine and marketed by Mattel. My mom actually got it for us one Christmas. And all three of us kids survived it without injury.
Let me give you a rundown of the wonderful features of this one.
Powered by electricity, none of us electrocuted ourselves.
The electricity caused a hot plate in the machine to get hot, none of us burned ourselves.
You had sharp metal tongs to place plastic squares on the hotplate, the three of us still have 6 good functioning eyes between us.
The plastic squares got hot and expanded into all sorts of little creepy crawlies just the right size to choke a child, we are all still living.
You could mash the hot little crawlies back down to little squares by placing them in a vise and cranking it down, all fingers and toes accounted for too.
Could it be that we were given age appropriate toys? Could it be the fact that most homes were not "childproofed" and we were taught to respect things that could hurt us? Could it be that we just knew better? What ever the reason we survived toys that were potentially dangerous and remained healthy and whole. With all of the toy recalls I have to wonder just how many of the children from this generation would make it through childhood unscathed if they had to grow up with our generation.
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Comments (61)
Wendy7
I loved playing Donkey Kong.
Was actually sorting kids junk the other and found 2 boxes of all them old games. Even have a spare TV
Now I gotta hook up them for Xmas as the whole family will be here. Sure the boys and grandkids will get a kick out of it I know I will
Wendy
Cheryl Baumgartner12
Medical Billing/Coding/Insurance
Ah well. I'm a Nintendo 64 girl myself. I loved the original Mario Brothers!
Penny Young8
Consultant
Too true. I admit it ... I'm nostalgic about Pong!
Cheryl Baumgartner12
Medical Billing/Coding/Insurance
Don't worry Penny, that day is coming. I know people who are nostalgic about Pong, Atari and Nintendo 64! What even worse is hearing my dad complain because he still has a Beta Video player and can't find movies.
Penny Young8
Consultant
LOL! I just found this discussion. Very entertaining - I love the comments!
"We lived in a lawyer's wet dream!" Arthur, that has to be the quote of the century. I love it :D
... and yes Jenny, I suffered the friars balsam treatment also. Thanks for THAT memory!
I recall smashing a piece of marble with a hammer for days on end to chip off bits for a mosaic. Amazing I still have fingers and eyesight! I had falls and accidents and injuries, and I still have scars, but I also have g
Cheryl Baumgartner12
Medical Billing/Coding/Insurance
Just the title question in general.
Arthur Webster7
Just plain honesty
What is? Ex-lax?
Cheryl Baumgartner12
Medical Billing/Coding/Insurance
It's just one of those things that make you go "hhhmmmm"
Jeff Greene8
Online Marketing Specialist/Consultant
Good grief, Cheryl! :)
You sure know how to ask 'em! LOL! :)
Just how on Earth did I survive Gravity, being struck be Lightening, playing with toys that had poisons of every kind plastered all over them, real knives and axes in my boyscout kit, reading medical text about sex that would make me go blind?
I'm still trying to figure that all out and more wondrous things about living Life these days! LOL! :)
Wendy7
We can like swap em HUH??? ROFLMAO
Course it could end up being a real sh*tty deal LOL
Sorry Emperor sire LOL
Cheryl Baumgartner12
Medical Billing/Coding/Insurance
We'll just put it in a Hershey wrapper!!!!!! (The Godiva not the Ex-Lax)
Cheryl Baumgartner12
Medical Billing/Coding/Insurance
I just realized Juenelle will never trust a box of Godiva Chocolates from the two of us Wendy!
Cheryl Baumgartner12
Medical Billing/Coding/Insurance
Sometimes it just takes a good dose of Ex-Lax ROFLMAO!
Wendy7
Cheryl
Yea I too went thru a few pairs in a few years LOL What a truly hilarious Shame it was banned in out town Cause it was out and out fun for all. Not to sure about the donkeys though
ROFLAMO The true meaning of slip slidin away ROFLMAO
OMG First I read ALAS's post I thought it said "toilet" OMG Sorry hahahahaha
Who wants to grow Man could blast playing all them that games again
Cheryl we had a person at work like that Stole peoples lunches out the fridge and then not admit to it.
Cheryl Baumgartner12
Medical Billing/Coding/Insurance
Thinking of medications. I remember in junior high school being part of a group that played a rather mean trick on a classmate. This kid was the class beggar. No matter what anyone had he would beg for some of it. One day we decided to all contribute to a box of chocolate Ex-Lax. When he came around to beg we let him have the whole thing. He never begged again.
Jenny Stewart11
Wendy - when it comes to the subject of Cod Liver Oil - WE ARE NOT GOING THERE!
Does anyone remember having their head stuck under a towel,bent over a bowl of steaming Friars Balsam' YUK!!
It is a miracle that we made it this far. At least they put sugar in medicine for kids now.
And we have all made it too adulthood - but does anyone think that we will ever grow up?
Cheryl Baumgartner12
Medical Billing/Coding/Insurance
Not Baseball, But Donkey Basketball LOL. I had to trash the sneakers after the game
Wendy7
Good thing we did
Hey anyone of you folks out there ever played
"Donkey Baseball" ??
Wendy
Cheryl Baumgartner12
Medical Billing/Coding/Insurance
I noticed that Wendy. We just had to push the topic uphill for a while.
Wendy7
See Cheryl I knew they would catch up to us LOL
Glad they did They have added so much more tho this conversation.
I don't think we poor (maybe we were) We got a roast on Sundays only Parents had a huge garden and we lived off what came out of it for the whole winter.
We were always dressed (we never 2nd guessed hand me downs) They were new to us. We each got one new outfit for Christmas (maybe)
What amazes me is a child that we had 2 choices at Christmas One gift we really wanted and anoth