Let us talk games like Ludo, Snakes and Ladders and FIFA 2013

I remember cowboys and indians...I was usually a squaw tied to a tree I was about to say that girls wouldn't put up with it these days and it would be regarded as racist now, but sadly I don't think many children nowadays play what was called 'wide games' in my childhood. Wide because they took place over a large area. Children now claim to be bored and everyone thinks sports and activities should be organized for them. We invented our own games...but then parks and open spaces weren't considered dangerous then.

 

The interesting thing Fran is that we knew every field, lane wood, street over a large area and today even though my granddaughters lead very full lives it is all organised for them and not surprisingly they know little about their local geography.

We also knew all the local Bobbies by name and i remember on one occassion being called by PC Willis and running away only to find when I went home he was sat in my mother's kitchen having a cup of tea. Boy did I get a telling off from him for not waiting when he had called me. A big deal was made of him writing my name in his book and then when he went I got a clipped ear and was sent to bed without any supper.

The other thing I remember from my childhood is that we only had one fat kid in the whole school and no one's mum was fat either and yet most of the mums I see today are carrying extra weight.

 

We discussed this at work recently. Everyone said that every 'year class' had only 1 fat kid. Mums were slim because of all the physical activity involved in housework(wouldn't want to go back to that) and in a working class area they ate last behind the breadwinner and the kids. Mind you they weren't skinny...just female shaped.

 

Unfortunately the computer game age has bred a space-hopper shaped generation.
Even at the age of around 10, in the summer holidays, my friends and I would be 'off to play in the woods' shortly after breakfast, laden with some sandwiches and some orange squash for lunch and instructions to 'be home by 5 for tea'.
Many hours would be spent climbing and jumping out of trees (never a broken limb!), "scrumping" golf balls at the hole (7 I think) with the pond at Waterlooville (even though it's in Cowplain) golf course. Hanging around on the bridge watching the workmen who were building the A3(M).
Our mothers didn't feel the need to be worrying about us all day; rather they were glad to get us away from 'under their feet'.
Oh , and not once were any of us approached by a man asking if we would like to see some puppies.

 

Have to say I was approached by a young man who exposed himself....this has happened to most women I'm afraid. Wasn't frightened but was sensible enough to go somewhere else to play. Never told my Mum because I didn't want to be kept in. I lived in the new housing estate of Paulsgrove (then just a few streets served by a mobile shop) and had access to the hills behind...great place for a kid (less so now!).

 

Have no idea what you mean??? Does it mean beautiful? (hopeful mode).

 

My brother had this game. I seem to remember it took ages to play

 

Hard to escape from, was it?

 

Must be after my time. When I lived there, Paulsgrove was taken up by ex-servicemen and their families. It consisted of streets of brand new prefabs (actually nice semis) with wide roads lined with cherry blossom trees. Later they emptied the Portsmouth slums and people arrived who really did keep coal in their baths. Went down hill after that...perhaps the term appeared then.