Comments on: The Coolest Thing Your Parents Ever Did

By: CallMeKelly

CallMeKelly — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 09:40:39 +0000

My parents let us dig up the back yard. We were allowed to use the spade and shovel in one section of the backyard to dig around and we went all out, eventually creating a huge pit with trenches. It was awesome. My imagination is more limited now so I don’t even remember all the creative play we had, just vague memories of being archaeologists, miners, cavemen, martians tunneling under the human colonies… it was a great summer. All our friends were jealous that we were allowed to “destroy” part of our yard like that. Now I realize that my parents not only gave us great memories, but the next year they had a superbly cultivated spot to place our vegetable garden. Smart cookies, my parents.

By: Nancy

Nancy — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 19:21:45 +0000

Posted on my blog:

http://ntalan.wordpress.com/2008/02/05/trips-to-see-the-mouse/

By: Lydia

Lydia — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 03:27:28 +0000

I tend to worry a lot, even as a kid. When I started middle school I was freaked out that I would have to (a.) keep up with a locker and combination to that locker (b.) have to change classes within a set amount of time and (c.) have to carry all my crap (gym clothes,viola,books). My dad knew this was stressing me so he took me to the new school after hours where the custodial staff let us in. He timed me as I practiced walking from class to class and going to my locker.

By: Sara

Sara — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 19:21:55 +0000

My dad had salvaged an old barge rope from the Mississippi river barges and hung it in some giant trees in our backyard to make a rope swing. He probably had to climb 30 feet or so to hang it up. The rope was soft from being worn down in the water, and we could pull it up to a platform he built in another tree and jump from it onto the swing, Tarzan-style. It was awesome.

By: susan

susan — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 17:35:55 +0000

my parents also took us camping multiple times every summer! and lavabeds is one of my all time favorites! you're not my brother, are you?

aside from the camping, my dad is also a total thrift shop junkie and would always come home with "fun toys" for us, much to my mother's chagrin. his thrift shop finds included things like lawn darts and air rifles and real bow and arrow sets. ah, those were the days...

By: Deana

Deana — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 16:42:48 +0000

I posted on my blog a response. Thanks for the thought provoking post!

By: Diana

Diana — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 16:25:06 +0000

So my parents also did the road trip thing every summer-- the 4-week trip in our 1-ton van (no mini in those days!) around the perimeter of the US was definitely a highlight.

The other thing that comes to mind is when my dad got a huge fishing net and managed to string it up among the trees in our backyard so that you could climb up on one end and it went up to about 6 or 7 feet on the other. The whole neighborhood played at our house that summer-- I sure wish I had a picture!

By: Caro

Caro — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 15:47:21 +0000

So many cool things that my parents did, it's hard to pick between experiences and more general stuff.

We also spent a lot of time in the car driving around the country. When I was 16 we drove through the Pacific Northwest. I said that I was going to move there. When I was 24 I did. So all the driving helped me find somewhere I wanted to live and love.

And my Mom knit me a much loved and very comfortable ladybug blanket...full size bed size. I love that thing still and I'm 34.

But in a more theoretical sense, I love how my parents raised me on many many levels. Recently I talked to my Dad about how he explained Santa Clause to us. I couldn't remember ever "finding out that Santa Clause wasn't real" or feeling upset over the real/not-real debate. I found that my parents had explained to me at a very early age that anyone could be Santa. I was being a Santa when buying my grandparents a present, and they were being Santa's when they bought us things. The explained that it was the spirit of the season to give gifts and that can be done by anyone. They also explained that some people believed in a jolly fat man who went from house to house, so that's where the idea of one Santa came from.

I distinctly remember believing that Santa might exist and watching for evidence, but it never bothered me to hear that he didn't...because I knew they were wrong and that as long as I kept getting presents, there were definitely Santa Clauses's out there.

I'm not sure why this is so cool to me, but it is.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 15:23:09 +0000

We did many things that were cool. Probably the most memorable was our trip to Alaska. We drove from San Diego all the way to Anchorage with many fun stops on the way. We spend, I think, a week visiting my aunt’s family up there. It could have been more; time as a child tends be warped. Then we drove back, stopping at the world’s fair in Canada for 3 days before finishing the drive. Like I said, time is warped for the reference of length. However, I’m sure it was about 4 weeks for the entire trip. Looking back now, I have to say my parents were great in this whole trip; and a bit brave. Who else would take an 8 year old (me), a pre teen girl, and a teenage boy, stick them in a car together (they were smart enough to have a suburban), oh yeah, add a dog, pull a trailer, and end up not killing everyone in the process? Yep, can’t wait till I can do the same things with my kids!

By: Stacey

Stacey — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 15:14:26 +0000

Reply posted here

http://staceyspins.livejournal.com/104205.html