The Richest Kid in the World

Richie Rich (1973)


Richie Rich (1974)

A good boy with money. What girl wouldn't want to know him? I certainly did. I loved that Richie Rich's family actually had a swimming pool filled with money (where one could actually swim in dough) in one of their many intriguing yet imaginative rooms.

Sleepytime Bird

Children's Television Workshop

We received this album in 1977 and listened to it with many cups of warm milk and hot chocolate. A listing of the songs:

1. Big Bird's Lullaby - Big Bird
2. Simba, Simba - David and Maria
3. The Snufflelullaby - Snuffleupagus
4. My Lagan Love - Bob
5. Quite Is - Olivia and Gordon
6. Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs - Maria
7. Golden Slumbers II - Olivia
8. The Grouch's Lullaby - Oscar the Grouch
9. Katchke Green - Mr. Hooper
10. The Count's Lullaby - The Count
11. Count Ten - Susan
12. Mockingbird II - Maria, Gordon, Olivia and Bob
13. Sleep, Sleep Big Bird/Pajarito Grande - Maria and the Ortiz Family
14. Big Bird's Lullaby (Reprise) - Big Bird and The Cast

Childhood Clothes

Exact replicas of what super-heroines wore or so my brother said. Strangely enough, I had the very same clothes in my drawer as a child.

Wonderful World of Reading

Disney's Wonderful World of Reading had some incredible pieces in their collection (in the late 70's), from "Cinderella" to "Gulliver's Travels" to "Sleeping Beauty" and beyond, there were many a treasured tale in the series. One of my favorites was "Peter and the Wolf". The imagery was breathtaking and literally had the power to carry you to a different time and place.

Remember these?

And of course (this one goes without saying):




Update Jan. 7, 2011: As a child, I found this cover of "Sleeping Beauty" mesmerizing (and still do).

The back cover for most books in the series:

Remember the blue book rack?

Our book rack would rest atop our living room bookshelf with our lovely collection nestled inside. I remember fondly, running up to that corner of the room awaiting my next adventure - within the pages of a book of course:

via family album circa late 70s

Disclaimer

I Miss My Childhood is a collection of memories inspired from personal experience and pop culture. Various sources (media, literature, archival, websites etc.) have been referenced for individual posts and where possible have been cited. Each blog post is copyright to the respective contributor/writer. All images, quotes, media etc. featured on this blog are copyright to their respective owners and are reproduced here without prior permission unless they are specifically supplied by individual contributors of this blog themselves, in which case copyrights belong to each contributor respectively. No copyright infringement is intended. If you own the rights of an image, quote, media etc. featured on this blog and want it removed, please send an email and it will be removed accordingly. I Miss My Childhood is a non-commercial blog celebrating childhood and reflects the views of each individual contributor, respectively.

Climb the Ladder with You

When you hear this theme song you can't help but be transported into a magical world that exists opposite a leaning ladder, over a wall in a small English town. Perhaps you'll be climbing that ladder with Simon just to catch a glimpse of Henry, his chalk mate. I always wanted to hang out with the chalk people, there's something so wonderfully eccentric about them (perhaps it's the chalk). Simon's neighbourhood in itself (all magical lands aside) looked cosy and apt for exploration. At any rate, when you revisit these lyrics you'll be taken back and it'll feel good:

Well you know my name is Simon,
and the things I draw come true,
Oh the pictures take me, take me over,
Climb the ladder with you.

Well you know my name is Simon,
and the things I draw come true,
Oh the pictures take me, take me over,
Climb the ladder with you.

Episode guide and screencaps (fansite)
Theme Song
Simon on Wikipedia



Images: simontdd

The Doll House

Images: eBay user wisepa44

I had a similar doll house as a child. The pieces were a tad different but everything else seems very much like a carbon copy of the one I owned. The house came with a Brady Bunch type of family: six kids (three girls and three boys), a mum and dad and a set of grandparents (no Alice the housekeeper though). The adults were permanently fashioned in a seated position (making it very difficult for them to walk, believe me I tried). The children, save for the two youngest, all remained standing. There was a cute little black dog too. Over the years I kept losing pieces, especially bits of the red picket fence. We never lived in a house growing up, so as you can imagine the doll house was magical to me. I received it one Christmas morning and I do believe that I played with it until I went to bed that night. And likewise, each day afterwards. If I had it today, I think I'd still play with it.

I'm over twenty years older now but that doesn't matter.

For Your Inner Smurf

Jokey Smurf

I once had a friend who owned hundreds of Smurfs. We only had five in our home but they were wonderful. When I played with them, I literally escaped into new worlds. My brother and I even built houses for them out of old cookie and cereal boxes (and even those little green strawberry baskets). I wish I had photographed those houses.

In addition to Jokey Smurf (pictured above), the images below are replicas of the Smurf figurines my brother and I shared as children. Since we had two Smurfettes, one on rollerskates and one playing tennis, we thought it appropriate to give one of them a slightly different name. Seeing that the one on rollerskates looked different by default (she wore pig tails which was not common for Smurfette) she was deemed, "Smurfettia".


Smurfettia and Smurfette (they were always competing)


Archer Smurf and Chef Smurf also lived in our home.

The two Smurfs I longed for but never owned are Brainy and Papa Smurf:



Who didn't love the Smurfs? More smurfy goodness over at Blue Imps and Blue Cavern. For your inner smurf, of course.

Uncle Arthur's Bedtime Stories

In my younger days, it wasn't unusual to find me curled up somewhere on a Saturday afternoon with a good book or comic. More often than not I had with me, a cookie and Volume 1 of Uncle Arthur's Bedtime Stories. It was the only volume out of the ten penned by Uncle Arthur, that we owned. But it was a delight. Contained within those pages still, are the first imprints made by my brother and myself, when (in our babyhood) we first took pen to paper and duly scribbled all over the edition.

Highlights

When I was a kid, I suffered alot with Asthma. Some of the attacks were so bad, I often went weeks without school. In order to occupy my mind from focusing too much on my ailing lungs, my mum subscribed to Highlights magazine. Everytime they arrived I was excited beyond belief. It was such a lovely escape and I'll never forget how they made me feel. I always felt at home when reading.

Blueberry Muffin

She was my best friend in fifth grade. I had always wanted the Strawberry Shortcake doll but once I got Blueberry, well I couldn't quite care less about Ms. Priss Shortcake.

Snoopy's Holiday Greeting Puzzle Set

It was Christmas in the late 70's when I first played with this puzzle set. I was completely consumed by it. My brother meanwhile rather than joining me and those five hundred pieces, firmly intended instead to skate along with the Peanuts gang. There are ways to skate indoors without ice. My brother devised his own remedy. He grabbed a bottle of talcum powder and sprinkled it all over the bedroom floor. As I struggled to put the puzzle pieces together, he slide by from one end of the room to the other in his socks, as happy and as free as a bird.

Nothing beats the imagination of a child.

The Charlie Brown Dictionary

Remember this one? I can't tell you how many hours of enjoyment this dictionary brought into our lives. We often consulted it not for definitions mind you but for comfort. The illustrations are colourful and glorious. It's a meaningful part of my childhood. I could never forget it.

Pangs

Lord, I would pour over this version of Cinderella (Disney's Wonderful World of Reading) when I was four, as if it was the Holy Grail itself. Handled with care, it went everywhere with me. Knowing that the bullied child had the last laugh and was not forgotten: provided hope. It was and still remains a beautifully illustrated piece of escapism, even though life has taken most of its idealistic magic away. It (gulp) takes me back to a place that I've never quite forgotten. Sigh, I can still remember the scent of the covers.

Pangs.

About

"Memory... is the diary that we all carry about with us."—Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest

I Miss My Childhood is a blog about childhood and all of the unique memories and stories connected to an individual's experience. What once began as a personal endeavor in June 2006, expanded to feature contributions from fellow bloggers/writers of varying ages, backgrounds and nationalities (Canada, the United States, the Netherlands and England).

As I document some of my earliest moments, I hope you will be transported back to your childhood and relive some of your most treasured times. Childhood is not always filled with happy experiences but any joy that can be experienced is worth holding on to.

Have a Memory to Share? Readers are always welcome to share their childhood pics and stories. Send an email for more information.

Remember to browse through the archives. This blog has a lovely repository of memories, written with affection and humour. Welcome and I hope you enjoy your visit!

"A childhood is what anyone wants to remember of it."—Carol Shields

With many good wishes...

 

Chelly is the creator/contributing editor of I Miss My Childhood. She hails from Toronto, Canada. She's a Peanuts obsessed (the Charlie Brown kind, not the Mr. Planter variety although she finds the latter in moderation rather enjoyable), mystery novel loving, retro enthusiast. Childhood for her was family, make-believe and storytelling. You can read more about her here or here. View her profile, read her posts or view vintage photos.

This blog is dedicated to her hero and the love of her life, her beloved mother, Susee Mable, in loving memory.