I’m lucky. My daughter is a poster child for “good kid.” Every morning before she went to school we read a chapter from Charlotte’s Web. She loved to play dress up, was fascinated by her ant farm, and never complained when her braces hurt.  Even as a teenager she didn’t sass me—well, maybe once or twice! 

Like most kids, she did ask questions about the “good old days.” She’d say, “Mom, is it really true you had a blue princess phone in your room? No cell phone? Really?” Or, “Mom, I can’t believe you walked a mile to school carrying your clarinet case. Really?!” Then there was, “You were a carhop at an A&W root beer stand? Really? What’s a carhop?”

My daughter isn’t the only one who wants to know about the past. Think back. Reminisce. What was your life like in the “good old days”?  

What were your household chores? What did you do to get out of your chores?

Tell a story about a time you were spanked or sent to your room for acting out.  

What did you and your friends do on Halloween? Did you dress up? What was your favorite costume? Tell a story about trick-or-treating. Tell a story about Halloween pranks. Did you get caught? What happened?

Describe how you dressed when you were a teenager. What do you remember about say pegged pants, culottes, knee socks, bell bottoms, leisure suits, white bucks, white socks, saddle shoes, and/or your very first “risqué” two-piece swimsuit?

Describe how you wore your hair when you were a teenager. What do you remember about say DA’s, ratting, Aqua Net, huge brush curlers, ironing, permanent waves, buzz cuts, and/or Brylcreem?

What were your favorite slang expressions?

Where did you go to park and make out? Who did you go with?

Tell stories about dancing in the “olden days.”  Where did you go to dance? Did you go with a date or a group of kids?  What did you do after the dance? What do you remember about say the waltz, the loco-motion, jitterbug, jive, twist, bump, hustle, and or disco? Tell a story about the limbo pole—how low could YOU go?   

Tell a story about life before TV. Tell a story about your first black-and-white TV—the one with the 10-inch screen and rabbit ears. Tell a story about TV test patterns. Tell a story about getting your first color TV. What were your favorite TV shows?

Tell a story about going to the picture show—the movies. How much did tickets, popcorn, and candy bars cost? What do you remember about newsreels? What was your all-time favorite movie—movie star?

Tell a story about going to the drive in. Did you really just watch the movie?

What time was your curfew? Tell a story about a time you snuck into your house after curfew?

Did you drink before you were “legal”? What did you drink? Did you get caught? What happened?

Tell a story about your first job, first car, first date, first kiss.

 WARNING: Some stories might be “true confessions.” TELL. THEM. ANYWAY!