My Daughter thinks I am gibbing!!

This thread has brought back lots of memories. It’s just lovely. I remember taking babies out in their lovely big prams when I was about ten years old. I took the responsibility very seriously! ?

The babies were always dressed nicely and had beautiful had knitted pram blankets keeping them snug. On sunny days a white canopy was put over the pram, some with fringes around the edge and they would flutter in the breeze.

I also had a Silver Cross pram with matching bag and canopy and my babies spent a lot of time in the garden for fresh air. Just remembered when babies were sitting up they had lovely reins in white, pink or blue.

Should read ..hand knitted blankets.

When my oldest child was born I had no money, everything was hand me downs, when my last child was born, nearly 20 years later, I bought a beautiful silver cross coach built pram, I loved it, and walked miles with it everyday, problem was, I also had to have a smaller one to fit in the car, that definitely wouldn’t have been a problem for many families when I was growing up

Marilla

Yes I remember those pink or blue leather harnesss, and the lovely hand knitted bonnets and matinee coats. Whenever a baby was born in the street, all the women would knit something

Yes, I used to do this, mums used to appreciate an hour or two to get on with some housework or piecework. I loved pushing the big prams. Mums would give me some sweets or other small gift. I was once given a copy of Little Women, best gift ever.

My sister, who is nine years my senior, used to take me out in my pram. Apparently, so she tells me, I used to be strapped in by reins and she used to run with the pram and then stop and tip it towards her suddenly so that I would shoot down to the bottom of the pram, suspended on the reins. Apparently I laughed like a drain which was why she persisted in doing it. Mother, I think, might have been less inclined to let her take me out had she known. I do need to point out that this was the summer so, being born in January, I was far from a newborn. I don't appear to have come to any harm.

I too used to wheel my little fully dressed terrier out in my doll’s trolley that my dad had won in a darts competition! Probably pushed the dog because there were no babies around! Mum used to tell the story of when the horrible girl child who lived up the street, released the brake on my silver cross pram! We lived on a hill! ?

My cousin aged about 8 or nine was often sent out in charge of her two brothers one in his pram and the other hanging on to the pram handle aged around 3. This would be in the '50's, a different time.

Aaah, the days when you could safely park the pram outside a shop and go inside, leaving baby alone! The good old days!

During the war my mother put me out in the pram. The women in the flat above threw a lit cigarette end out which landed in my pram. The blanket was smouldering when my mother checked. She moved us out as soon as possible. A month or so later a bomb dropped on the row of houses.

We used to do that all the time - most of the Mum's were only too happy to put baby in the pram and hand them over to us so they could get a cup of tea in peace! We were always very careful and I don't remember there ever being a problem. Times were different then - people knew the families in their road and nearby.

Yes, we all did take other children out, babies in prams, toddlers to the park, put little ones to bed, properly washed first when we were 10 or 12. Changed nappies, even washed them at 12 or 13.

At 13 I willingly did the whole family's ironing too.

Times have changed, haven't they?

I'd guess it was the Mary Bell case, in 1968, that started the change in attitudes.

3dognight
Happy days and remember when you could, and I frequently did, leave your baby in its pram outside a shop while doing your shopping. This was normal in the 60's but the thought of doing this 21c fills me with horror as to what would happen.

why oh why do some of you ladies feel the need to correct others mistakes. I think it is very unkind and you must be such perfect people. Not needed.

When I went home once during the holidays, my mother suggested that if I was going to town, I take the neighbors baby to give her a break

He looked like quite a big baby, more like a toddler, so when I got to the post office, I Un-clicked him and stood him on the pavement, only to discover he couldn’t walk, he fell forward and bashed his face on the pavement, nobody asked me again

Neighbours would ask kids to take babies for a walk and tell us where we could take them - usually just up & down our street and sometimes round the block (4 streets, no roads to cross). We would be told to bring it back if it cried as it might need feeding or changing. We would also be asked to babysit sometimes too - guess we were considered more responsible in those days, or a cheaper alternative to an adult babysitter as most parents were poor - usually got a small reward but sometimes this would be a free service and we'd be given dinner one night, or a bag of sweets on payday or something instead. I thought it was supposed to teach us a few of the basics of looking after a baby so that when we were old enough we'd have a better idea on what to do! Come to think of it, that was probably how being a free baby walker/ babysitter was sold to us!

I remember taking a neighbours baby out when I was 9/10 years old and she said to me whatever you do don’t take her out of the pram. First thing I did when I was out of sight ........... Luckily baby was ok and I never got found out!

Phoenix. As a cat lover, it would be great to see some old photos of your well-dressed pet! ?

Hi I would like to hear opinions, I am trying so hard with my children ( all girls, adults with children ) I’m sick of being the go between ! One has a miff about what the others (or other one )are doing and I get the earache for it, this morning I asked them all to converse with each other and not through me as I was being asked ones plans for something another was doing . It blew into a full scale row culminating in me being called a bad mother ! I haven’t seen my two oldest grandchildren for 6-8 weeks although they only live less than a mile away, because I am now no longer needed for minding them. I’ve recently had a special birthday but because I was away I had a text off each of them and that was it ! I suffer from stress and depression but I don’t think I’m being unreasonable or selfish to have expected a bit more ! What would you think

Aww brings back happy memories I used to take a baby called Eric a walk at weekends and every day in the holidays and was thrilled when my mum had another baby so I could take her a walk in her pram I was only 11-12 ☺️

Sorry to the person who started this I have put my post in the wrong place I’ve not done this before help!! How do I remove it and put into s new thread ??

I don't remember taking a baby out personally, but I know people that did. However when I was about 13 or 14, my friend and I went back to visit our former infant school. The head asked us if we would like to look after a class and we were left with 40+ 6 year olds whilst the teachers had a meeting!!!

Yes, it’s all true. I was definitely babysitting aged 12 - it was a new estate with lots of young families and I was in great demand. Funny thing is, when I became a mother myself, I vividly remember instructing my Mum on how to cross a road. Bless her, she let me carry on and then very gently reminded me that she had brought up 5 children of her own!

You could ask for your post to be deleted, Babs, but copy and paste it first into whichever thread is the appropriate one.