The stewards of the future, the continuation of the family line, the leaders of tomorrow… but first: infancy, childhood, tweenage, adolescence, rites of passage, transition to adulthood… lots of narrative along the way!
Welcome to a page dedicated to growing up…
If you are an adult, this will remind you — for better or worse — of some great “childhood” things to write about. If you are a “kid” then, this will remind you of how complex life is as a young human being. Pick and choose what you need to make your narrative strong! Have fun!
Various Stages of Growing up…
- the idea of kids, the “hopes and dreams”, the accident,
- implantation, fertilization, conception, incubation, gestation, the cocoon (for you butterflies out there),
- the embryo, fetus, pupa, larva,
- birth, arrival (by stork?),
- newborn, infant, infancy, mewling and puking (as Shakespeare puts it),
- toddler, kid, child,
- “terrible twos”, the “why” stage,
- school kid, elementary, grade school, primary grades 1-4,
- the tweens, early teens, upper elementary school, grades 5-6,
- the teens, teenager, adolescence, going through puberty, developing, middle school, junior high school, grades 7-9
- young adult, upper teens, high school, grades 10-12, graduate,
- late teens or early twenties, still living at home, working student, undergrad,
The Stuff of Growing up…
- blankie, stuffie, teddy bear,
- toys,
- puppets, poppets, moppets,
- Barbie, doll, action figure,
- blocks, Tinkertoys, LEGO,
- models, plastic cement,
- video game, console, controller, disc, download, cartridge, Intellivision,
- skipping rope, swing set, tire swing,
- tablet, phone, computer, laptop, Chromebook, Mac,
- trains, electric cars,
- puzzle,
- baby stuff: crib, soother, bottle, diapers, wipes, more wipes, jars of mushed peas, high chair, diaper bag, butt cream, poop on everything, change of clothes, iPad (nowadays),
- art supplies, paints, finger paints, pencils,
- photographs,
- Etch-a-sketch, Slinky, Hoola Hoop, lawn darts (great idea, that!),
- pellet gun, bow and arrow, pop gun,
- costumes, dress up, hats, wigs, satin gloves, Halloween costume, get up, make up,
- comic books, manga, anime, graphic novels,
- books, novels, picture books, kid lit, scary stories,
- fishing rod, line, tackle, tin boat, dock,
- sports equipment, soccer ball, hockey bag full of smelly goodies, basketball hoop, hockey stick, cricket bat, badminton net, roller blades,
- sticks, stones, pebbles, the dirt, mudpies, sandbox,
- bunk beds, pirate ship bed, princess bed,
- tree fort,
- school stuff: binder, pencil case, eraser, textbooks, backpack, desk, chair (with requisite gum underneath), locker, combination lock,
Environments of Growing Up…
- your room, a shared room,
- home, house, apartment, farm, acreage, city lot, suburbia,
- parent’s work, office,
- parent’s vehicles, in the car, station wagon road trip!
- summer camp, day camp, math camp, scout camp,
- campground, travel trailer, tent, tent trailer,
- wilderness: nature, mountains, field, forest, valley, ravine, park, nature reserve, national park, mesa, canyon, river, stream, brook, lake, pond, wetland, bayou, jungle,
- daycare, day home, afterschool care,
- school: hallways, classroom, the office, principal’s office, counselor’s office, atrium, vestibule, cafeteria, drama room, music room, gym, change rooms, bathroom, field, track, playground, custodian’s office, shop class, foods room (home ec.), stage, storage rooms, basement, attic, roof (where all the balls end up), timeout room, study hall,
- places parents drag you: grocery store, doctor’s office, dentist’s, waiting rooms, barber shop or hair salon, the mall,
- hang outs: the mall, fort, hiding place, the river, waterfall, pond, the levee, tree house, sandlot, vacant house, under a bridge, school roof, cabin, park, playground, convenience store, junk yard,
- places on a dare: basement, cemetery after dark, girl’s washroom, forbidden forest (or anywhere you’re forbidden, right?), city dump, a haunted house, that really high bridge, that really steep hill, closet, outhouse, the pen of that super angry rooster, grumpy neighbour’s old Chevy, top of the cell tower, school at night, the labyrinth, ancient ruins, down the well, old mine shaft, corn field, sneak into the bar, creepy guy’s workshop shed, derelict amusement park, boarded up hospital, shipwreck, under the dock, out to the island, the wizards’ library, the rich part of town (when you’re not allowed) or poor part (slumming it), first to the top of the volcano,