if you grew up in the 90s, then...

one of my favorite games to play is when you say "hey, remember [insert that thing that used to be huge when we were kids]? that was so awesome!" and then everybody is like, "yeah, that was awesome! and remember [other thing that we forgot all about but was also a vital part of our adolescence]? i loved that thing!" and so on, until you realize you've spent two hours reminiscing about all of this random--dare i say--crap that, although we have to deal with things like taxes and gas prices and getting into a ph.d. program and finding somebody to marry, really are still awesome. and, when it comes right down to it, most of us (i'm guessing) would go back to those days in a heartbeat.
i mean, remember gushers? or dunkaroos? (how could you resist this commercial? the girl with the braids means business) or lunchables (my favorite was the bologna one. or the pizza one. they got fancy when i was in sixth grade or so.)
remember chinese jump rope? and handball and tetherball and four square and the swings? and running the mile? (wait, that was never awesome.) and making clubs with your friends that only certain people could get into?
remember lisa frank? and tamagotchis? and pokemon? (i couldn't resist the video.) and pogs? and power rangers and ninja turtles and full house and saved by the bell and boy meets world and sabrina the teenaged witch and, for that matter, clarissa explains it all?
remember the baby sitters club and nancy drew and the boxcar children and sweet valley high and american girl?
remember sleepovers and three-way calling and secret best friend notebooks and braided bracelets and toilet papering? or chasing the boys around to try and kiss them?

life was so much simpler back then. so many little things brought me great joy, and i didn't have to worry about what i was doing with my life. sometimes i lose sight of my real goal, which is to be happy.

i'm worried that kids today aren't as carefree as they used to be, or at least that we can't afford to let them be carefree because of all of the different obstacles that they face. i'm worried that kids don't get enough of the simple pleasures in life (like going out in the backyard with a book determined to find a tree to sit in...and finding one that has weak branches.) i'm worried that they won't know how to appreciate things like that because they don't even know they exist.

i'm not sure what the solution is here. obviously i don't have kids of my own yet. but hopefully, when i do, i will be able to show them what is so awesome about being a kid--you don't have to worry about the same kinds of things grown-ups do. childhood is the only time you are actually expected to be a child, and i don't want my kids to miss out on that.