Hey Mac Families!
I heard on the radio today that the Illinois State Museum is going to unveil a new exhibit this fall called "Growing Up X". My first thought? I wanna go. My second? I want to take my kids.
The exhibit will feature items that you might remember if you are part of Gen X, growing up in the 70's, 80's, and 90's... so yeah, it's totally gonna be my jam. And it will be radical.
You see, as my kids have grown up, my hubs and I have found ourselves sharing (or, in some cases, forcing, lol) parts of our childhood with them, kinda like rites of passage. We actually loved a lot of things about growing up Gen X, and as it turns out, we've had a lot of fun passing on those gems to our kidlets.
I could go on for days, listing the memories that we've unlocked over the years, but here are a few that immediately come to mind:
- My kids have watched many of the 80's and 90's movie classics, like ET, Top Gun, Stand by Me, Ghostbusters, all of the Star Wars movies, and all of the Back to the Future movies. (Heads up, lots of swearing than we all remembered from the edited TV versions! LOL!)
- They've all tried Fluffernutter sandwiches. With actual Fluff. And they know the difference.
- My daughter's favorite movie of all time is Pretty in Pink.
- All of my kids know how to tight roll their pants.
- They've played pinball, been to a drive-in, watched Full House, and smoked candy cigarettes (i know, I know... it was only once).
- We've taken our kids to see NKOTB, Rick Springfield, Journey, and Boston in concert, and exposed them to MANY more nostalgic songs than anyone should be forced to listen to. Thankfully, they are fans.
- A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving is a staple in our house.
- My kids have all eaten a Flintstone vitamin at some point in their lives, although I can't remember if they have ever watched the cartoon.
- They have all been properly taught how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop.
It really doesn't matter if you are Gen X, Gen Z, a Millennial, or even a Boomer. There are always going to be fun and weird things from your childhood to share with your kids. (Or, like I said, force them to "enjoy".) You may wonder if it's worth sharing these gems... if they will even be interested. Trust me, they will. They might not realize it right away, but eventually, they will figure out the benefit of getting to peak into your younger years.
And it will be quite the ride for you!
Peace ☮️, Love ❤️, & Macaroni 🌼,
Christen
