Thursday, November 13, 2008

Let's Play House!

This evening, around our dinner table (and by table I mean counter), my roommates and I discussed the things we loved to do as kids. The conversation began with Disney World then made it's was to dolls and finally to the pretend games we just to play. 

School, doctor, dentist, office, store and even church made the this. My roommate, LP, profoundly said, "it's so weird, we played all these games when we're little because it's what we want to be when we grow up and then we grow up and we become these things and we're miserable." For the record, I was miserable playing church but when you're great aunt is a nun and your great uncle is a priest, when you visit them that's what you play.

My favorite of these games as a kid was actually playing "teenagers." My friends and I would pretend we were cool, popular high school girls with cars and boyfriends. We'd go on dates with our pretend boyfriends, shop at the mall and put on make-up. This probably explains why, at the age of 23, my friends call me a teeny bopper. 

But LP was right, we'd played office and house and love every moment of it. Now, I work in an office and have a house (and by house, I mean small apartment) and well, I don't love every moment of it. Office is not just typing at a desk and writing memo's and having meetings about who was cuter: Corey Matthews or Shawn Hunter. House or small apartment is not just cleaning and cooking. Office is doing actual work and having deadlines and a boss who you have to impress. Small apartment is actually cleaning (and paying for cleaning products), actually doing laundry and actually cooking.

Some days, I'd give anything to be a kid again. Playing games and dress up. Not having a care in the world besides finishing dinner so mom will give you dessert.  

22 comments:

ZuGab said...

We've grown up, and that's inevitable... I would give my right arm to stay as a kid forever.

missBee said...

It's strange isn't it! Life isn't as glamorous as we thougth it was when we were kids watching Party of Five and 90210!
Maybe its a good thing kids have reality TV to prepare them!

<3 J. said...

Omg this post is so true! And yup. My favorite games were "office" "house" and "teenagers" And then I grew up, and they became my real life. And gosh, wouldn't it be so nice if we could switch it around and play "real life" for a while and then go back to having no responsibilies? Now THAT would be awesome.

FB @ FabulouslyBroke.com said...

I wish I knew how good I had it as a kid....

Olde Town Style Guide said...

You said it perfectly girlfriend! Ohhh...the good old days!!

Melissa said...

*quote* Life isn't as glamorous as we thougth it was when we were kids watching Party of Five and 90210! *end quote*

Wow...I'm going to seriously date myself...

We played house, store, church, school, dentist, etc...because there were 3 stations on TV and our parents didn't let us watch most of what was on! (OK 4 - and we could watch Sesame St. and Mr. Rogers).

But you're right. As young as I think I am in my head, I'm a grown up with kids of my own, living in my own house and paying my own bills, and it's *not* as much fun as it was when we only imagined it.

Oh well...if it was easy, it wouldn't be life, would it?

Samantha said...

I believe it was these games that made me quit real office and become a nanny. Now I get played to play office! Best of both worlds man!

Stacey said...

I always played Bar and Drug Dealer! Is it obvious that my dad was a drinker and we lived in a ruff neighborhood??? I have never worked at or been either, but they were fun to play as a kid...the glamorous life (yep, that's a little sarcasm for you).

Amy said...

Corey Matthews... yes.

Melanie Busbee said...

hahaha. this made me laugh so hard. Reminds me of playing school and office. But even more embarrassing than playing "teenagers" was playing "boy/girl." Please tell me I'm not the only one who played this game where you'd stuff your mom's lingerie with socks and pretend you were dating whichever unfortunate friend of yours had to be the boy this time around. Then you'd pretend make out. Anybody....anybody?

Mishi said...

Do you really think the pretend games we played as kids indicated what we wanted to be? Because I used to play "Movie star" a lot. I mean, a lot. And I don't think I'd be happy being one (I like my privacy too much).

Sockit2me said...

WG1
Great post. Don't worry, adulthood gets better and better! Plus, enjoy the fact that you are still young!!!!
By the way, didn't you once tell me that your mother had TWO aunts that were nuns? I thought there was more than one, in addition to the uncle who was a priest.
Did I misunderstand?

LittleMissObsessive said...

My childhood friend and I used to pretend we were the girls from Saved by The Bell...haha :) those were the days

Amy said...

I think almost daily about nostalgic events from my childhood. I have so many great memories, I could write a book!

Jane said...

It's ironic how when we are kids, we want so much to be grown up, and when we are grown up, we want so much to be kids again. It would be nice if we could switch back and forth every now and then. :-)

Carolyn said...

Teenagers was defiantly a favorite of mine!! I loved playing that game. But want to hear something awful that you will forever judge me about? I used to pretend I was poor! I am a freak.

Anonymous said...

I always pretended to be a teacher. I'm not a teacher! Though come July & August I wish I was.
This is totally gonna sound totally weird but I also use to pretend committing suicide. Nothing graphic. I use to eat tic tacs or m&ms and pretend they were sleeping pills. How morbid!
It was all those darn stupid soap operas my mom watched. I swear! I'm totally normal :)

SingErin13 said...

Teenagers, House, Orphanage (inspired by Annie), Restaurant... Oh the thrills of being a kid..

Anonymous said...

so true! i miss those days so much and im not even in the career world yet.

Anonymous said...

Yes! I played a lot of Adoption Agency (no idea where I got that idea) and Sleeping Beauty. Glad I got over that one.
And the correct answer is Shawn Hunter. Always.

Holly said...

I don't know, I was such a weird kid. My sister, cousins and I used to play "Mermaid" or "Ecco the Dolphin," wherein we'd put scrunchies around our feet and pretend to be fish. "House" didn't have the same appeal, but then again, with four girls, someone inevitably had to play the dad. :(

I see what you mean. It's so strange to be a grown up now. And why don't real office jobs come with dolls and candy packed in your briefcase? Boo.

Monster Librarian said...

I hear ya!! Ha ha ha...loved the part about hating to play church. I used to play that and make all my stuffed animal children go to mass with me. Being a kid is so much fun...sigh!