A Long Weekend Flashback

My childhood could be summed up in a sun drenched 70’s polaroid photo.  I can’t thank my parents enough for the fabulous ‘everydays’ they created for me and my 8 siblings.

The long weekends, however, were always so much more exciting, knowing that my parents had planned 3 days of absolutely nothing for us. Now, every families ‘nothing’ will always differ. Ours consisted of anything that was legal and safe within the parameters of our block in the leafy streets of Lane Cove. We were not the family who would plan elegant mini-breaks or patronise fancy restaurants on our long weekends. Actually, come to think of it, the fancy restaurants were probably relieved.

My mum always encouraged us to create our own adventures with the tools we had in our hand or at our disposal, be it a pen and paper or the tree house at the back of our yard. I remember aching on Friday afternoons until the 3pm school bell rang, heralding three days of long weekend bliss, then racing my brother Daniel home from school to see who would be the first to crack open the tin of Milo. We would tear our school clothes off, jump into our ‘adventure’ clothes and head out to the back yard until the call for dinner reached our ears.

Knowing that both parents were just as excited to be with us for these 3 days of blissful nothing made it that much sweeter. I was so proud that my parents were known in our neighbourhood as ‘that lovely couple that has an open door and a hundred kids’. They loved our company and we felt it. One of my strongest and fondest long weekend memories was lying on a mattress in our back yard in the sun next to my mum. She smelt of coconut oil and wore a royal blue cheesecloth sundress. I would practice pacing my breathing with hers and trace the veins on her hand as I watched her read.

It’s amazing how some of the seemingly insignificant moments, the ‘nothings’ we share with our children, can be the very moments that get them through the tougher moments of life. That image, complete with the scent of coconut oil has never left me or ceased to bring a smile to my face some thirty years later. Never underestimate the power of the ‘nothings’. They are what kids crave.

As the winter weather comes sneaking up on us in Australia and the sun begins to shine in the rest of the world, give yourself permission to sit for a few hours and write down a list of the ‘great’ times you had as a child. Draw out the creative gem that is in you and re-create some of these for your children. Or call your siblings, invite them around, serve up a childhood meal, play some ‘take me back’ music and laugh about all the old times you shared. Here is a snapshot of my childhood. I hope it inspires you to keep striving as my parents did and never allow a ‘nothing’ moment to mean nothing.

Running through the sprinkler on the grass
Fish and chips for dinner at the beach
Hunting for cicadas in liquid amber trees
Hula hoops
Eating fresh mulberries
The smell of coconut oil on my mum’s skin
Blowing dandelions
Treks to the corner store for icy poles
Handstand competitions
Chalk all over the side walk
The Best of Bread…The Beach Boys…Abba…Richard Clayderman
Noisy hot bbq’s
Jumping on the trampoline in the rain
Dozing next to Laddie our golden retriever in the sun
Swinging with our eyes closed
Shell searching for hours
Building sand castles
Snail races
Learning to whistle
Nicking the strawberries off the pavlova
Twirling in 70’s smocked sundresses
Laughing at nothing until we cried
TV – Flipper…The Muppet Show…The Brady Bunch
Sherbet tubes
Riding my yellow scooter
Camping – Dad’s scary stories
Building cubby houses in any room that took our fancy
Hand ball
Knock knock jokes
Icy cold Milo….3 parts Milo….1 part milk
The constant fragrance of fresh linen
Swap cards
Riding our bikes in Centennial Park
Fairy bread
Falling asleep on dad’s chest

Thank you Mum and Dad….it was gold.

Michaela.

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