Get your skates on!

Does anybody else remember these?

The skates that strap on to your shoes, they're adjustable in size?
I remember them so clearly. Cumbersome and awkward. We would skate around under our house for hours.

I have been thinking a lot lately about the way kids grow up today, compared to when we, their parents did.
We had just a few toys, if we were lucky.
Our kids have everything. Way too many toys.
Too much of EVERYTHING.

As a kid all of my clothing and shoes were second-hand or hand-me-downs.
My children have loads of second-hand clothes, but they have new clothes too.

As a kid, I was allowed to just be a kid.
I wish the same for my own children.

I want them to play and dream and be happy, without exposure to adult concepts, thoughts and worries, for as long as they possibly can. You would think that every parent would want this. But sometimes it seems that it's not much of a priority for some people.

Even looking through store catalogues sometimes, I get annoyed.
I see childrens clothing. But it's not. It's mini versions of adults clothing.
Why do people want their kids to dress like little adults?
I don't understand.
I love vintage childrens clothing because it could never be mistaken for something that might belong to a petite adult. 'Back then' there was clear definition between childrens clothing and adults clothing. Now, not so much.

Anyway, I'm rambling and I could go for hours with no direction, waffling on, and reaching no real conclusion.

Cut the waffle.

I found two pairs of these skates in the op-shop today and it made my soul happy.
Didn't know if my kids would feel the same but you know what? They do. They were so excited when I showed them to them, and had a blast mucking around when they got them on.

Score one for me in my battle to see kids being kids.