Earlier this week, I was on TikTok and saw a post about toys that only kids from the early 2000s remember, and it made me so nostalgic! While I love being an adult, I truly miss some moments that I experienced as a child growing up with a big family. While certain toys or trends are coming back in style, there are some things that I may never be able to experience again. With that being said, here are 10 things that I miss from my childhood:
1. Being carried from the car to my room after falling asleep
After a long day spent with my family, I would always fall asleep in the backseat of our car on the way back home. I can still remember my mom or dad trying to wake me up to walk into the house, but when they would see I was too tired, they would pick me up and carry me.
2. Kellog’s Cereal Straws
These cereal straws were amazing! I loved the concept of them, and they always tasted just like my favorite cereals—Fruit Loops, Cocoa Krispies, etc. Even though I think the straws are being produced and sold again, they won’t be able to recreate the nostalgic feelings or moments from my childhood.
3. Riding bikes around the neighborhood with my friends
When I used to live on Main Street in my town, my brothers and I would always ride our bikes with the neighborhood kids. I miss riding to the park, the local store, each other’s houses, etc. Now all of us are grown up, driving cars, and living in our own homes, so it won’t ever be the same.
4. Collecting Lisa Frank products
My grandmother fed my Lisa Frank addiction. The rainbow stickers, notebooks, pens, pencils, and anything else you can think of, I had. Somedays I would get home from school and they would be on my kitchen table waiting for me. The bright colors, big-eyed animals, and glitter-covered designs will always have a place in my heart.
5. Staying up all night trying to see Santa Claus
This was a mission. Every year, my brothers and I would create a complex plan that would allow us to catch and trap Santa Claus. Our main goal was to gain access to the North Pole, but I secretly wanted a pet reindeer. But after many failed attempts, which just involved us falling asleep, I grew too old and learned the truth from friends around me. There are many mythological figures that I used to love as a child, and I’m thankful for the time that I got to spend believing.
6. Family camping trips
Camping trips during the summer used to be my absolute favorite. One week out of the summer, my whole family would go camping and partake in activities like swimming, fishing, dancing, roasting marshmallows, and more! Playing hide and seek at night was my favorite, since as a kid it felt so cool to stay up late at night while everyone else slept. Now that we are older, not everyone can take off from work in order to camp, so it doesn’t happen every year anymore.
7. Living at home with all of my siblings
Lastly, I miss living at home with all of my siblings. When we all lived at home, we could all share stories, play games, and just do whatever we wanted. I loved having movie nights or even taking trips to the store. Now that we are older, we all live in separate places, and it’s hard to get together as much. I love my siblings more than anything, but with my busy schedule, I feel like sometimes our relationships aren’t as connected as they used to be. I’m hoping this year we will make a plan to choose one weekend each month to catch up.