When I was little I thought everyone was being filmed at all times, except when they were in the bathroom. From the time I was four I believed this to be true, so the bathroom was my sanctuary. I could pick my nose, scratch those forbidden places and just relax. This was not so far fetched in 1964. "The Dick Van Dyke Show" (why did they call it that when his name on the show was Rob Petrie?) "I Love Lucy" and "The Andy Griffith Show" were all about home life, in the suburbs, the city and a rural small town, respectively.
I loved Shirley Temple, I wanted to BE Shirley Temple. I would wake up early Saturday mornings, make a fort out of couch cushions and a blanket, (leaving a tiny triangle of space in the front for viewing) and lay on my tummy eating my cereal watching her movies. She got herself out of bad situations, or made the most of them by singing, dancing and being freaking adorable. Her movies were in black and white and set in the forties, during wartime. They symbolized joy, hope and resilience. I was hooked.
One of the problems with this viewpoint was that I thought the people and situations were real. I didn't know they were scripted and rehearsed. This led me to believe there was something wrong with me if I didn't get it right the first time. That's a lot of pressure! I was in awe of the people on the radio who could make up a song on the spot, just like that. I'm not sure when I found out or figured it out, but it shaped me in a way. When I realized you could learn how to do things like draw or play an instrument it was a huge relief.
I think it was the comedian Rhett Butler (Grace Under Fire) who said "All six year olds are insane". She was right! We believed in monsters under the bed, the bogey man in our closet, the tooth fairy, the Easter bunny and Santa Claus. I remember a boy on the bus in first grade told me that all the Doctors were born first because they had to deliver everyone else. When you think about it from a little one's perspective, it sounded logical to me!
I don't have any kids and my recollection of being a kid is sketchy. I think they ask thought provoking questions, ad nauseum! And remind us to stop, notice, play, sniff, jump and laugh. This does not, in any way, alter the way I feel about the decision I made, a long time ago, to not have kids. Honestly, I think you can get the same satisfaction from a dog with way less angst.