What where the worst things you had to endure as a child?

[Suzy W]

Big sisters
A dose of Malt each night
Jelly tongue
Mean teacher

[Graham47]

As a  youngster I used to love tongue, and black pudding until I was told what they were. Should have realised with tongue I suppose, but black pudding? Tripe was another one I tried, never liked and never would have even if I'd known what is was. Yuk.

Being made to eat fat was another one and again, never would and never have.

As an aside, I was asked to dinner once at the home of an Irish girlfriend of mine.... and I love the Irish to bits, honest (well, some of them) but was presented with a plate of thick ham with loads of fat on it, boiled potatoes with skins on, and a huge (and I mean huge) pile of white cabbage. Deep breath so not to disappoint the new girlfriend and started to have a poke around when all of a sudden her mother leaned over my shoulder and dolloped white sauce with parsley all over whole lot! I was mortified as white parsley sauce has to be my top number one pet hate. Arghhh.

Fish n chips, can't go wrong 

[bearsome]

My 'worst things' pale into insignificance compared to some on here. But it seems the old saying is true - what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

I was a very picky eater when I was a child but my mother made me eat everything. Thank goodness she did, there's isn't much I won't eat now, although I'm still not keen on dark green cabbage or butter beans. I love broad beans though!

Our younger daughter was a very picky eater as a child, and eventually became a vegetarian when she was 14. It was nothing to do with animal issues, but because she just couldn't stand the texture of meat. And the smell of fish makes her feel really 'ill' - bit of a problem for someone who works in the pub/hotel trade. Don't think I ever 'forced' my children to eat anything, but we weren't pushed by rationing etc.

[DudleyWinchurch]

Hi all,

lots of these things resonate here, but my new one to add is

the taste of penicillin on jam

but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be still here today without that.

It only came in adult doses, so my Mum had to split the capsules and measure it out for me.  She made lovely jam, but it didn't hide the taste and texture of the dry powder.

Also familiar with:
 -   the "your sister can write neatly, so why can't you?" - I now know that it's called dyspraxia

 -  relating to this, only once ever having my artwork on the wall in one particular class, as it was always "too messy".  The once was "draw a picture of your father".  the teacher knew my father and decided it was recognisable (but still too messy)

 -  being forced to eat stewed grated carrot - and then being caned for throwing up and putting the other children off their dinner

 -  all sorts of cheap cuts, some of which I couldn't stand then (sheep's brains?) and some that I didn't like once that I knew what they were.

 -  and quite a few more.

But on the subject of cod-liver oil and malt, which I used to love, did you know that it also came in an extra special version, only obtainable on prescription from the child clinics, with added iron?  I loved that even more, I think that it was called Maltaline.
 

[kooky]

And what's wrong with tripe
I was brought up on tripe and onions, oxtail, and shin beef with a cowheel in it, also black pudding-hot from Bury Market.
However one memory I have about food is not a good one. I ALWAYS had to clear my plate.We had just had a full roast dinner, extra yorkshire pud, roast and boiled potatoes , vegetables etc etc. Then there was rice pudding. I just could not finish it. I was full. I was told that the rice pudding would be served each meal until I ate it. Cold rice pud is not the best breakfast. Two days later I managed to slip it under the table for the dog.
Kooky

[keyboard86]

 

And what's wrong with tripe
I was brought up on tripe and onions, oxtail, and shin beef with a cowheel in it, also black pudding-hot from Bury Market.
However one memory I have about food is not a good one. I ALWAYS had to clear my plate.We had just had a full roast dinner, extra yorkshire pud, roast and boiled potatoes , vegetables etc etc. Then there was rice pudding. I just could not finish it. I was full. I was told that the rice pudding would be served each meal until I ate it. Cold rice pud is not the best breakfast. Two days later I managed to slip it under the table for the dog.
Kooky

Look, I could put up with ( and enjoyed) Hearts, Liver and Kidney, but a couple of days in the week of tripe in any variation of accessories still leaves me " gagging" glad I'm a veggie!!

Keyboard86

[Graham47]

On a fishing trip to Ireland a while back I was presented with what I was told was a "traditional delicacy", deep fried pigs trotters! I drank the Guinness and left the trotters!

I guess it came down from when the peasants - excuse the term, had the feet, nose and brain of the pigs whilst the landlords (probably English shamed to say) had the best bits but how that got turned around to being a "must have" pub grub had me baffled truth be told.

[snooziflooze]

Bullying in primary school.  My parents and I had moved to a new area and I had to start attending primary school knowing no-one.  I still remember the loneliness to this day and I'm now fifty.  It was considered really modern to group us on tables rather than seating us in rows like yesteryear.  But I found to my horror that my worst bullies were seated with me on the same table.  I finally plucked up courage to tell the teacher that I wanted to move to another table a week before term ended and moving to senior school.  Oh the humiliation, when she pointed out that I had left it too late!

As for food, I don't remember anything exotic like spinach, just boring meat and two veg type of meals, until the Vesta Curry.  Remember those?  Then all of sudden chicken curry was served at home, but with chips not rice.  Rice for some reason was considered inferior and foreign.   

Later, when I moved out of my parents house at eighteen, I remember the embarrassment of having to admit to the rather trendy set I was mixing with, that I'd never had a take-away.  Stunned amazement was the response.  I duly ordered sweet and sour chicken with egg fried rice and I've been hooked to this day.

Lol.

[Graham47]

Bullying in primary school.  My parents and I had moved to a new area and I had to start attending primary school knowing no-one.  I still remember the loneliness to this day and I'm now fifty.  It was considered really modern to group us on tables rather than seating us in rows like yesteryear.  But I found to my horror that my worst bullies were seated with me on the same table.  I finally plucked up courage to tell the teacher that I wanted to move to another table a week before term ended and moving to senior school.  Oh the humiliation, when she pointed out that I had left it too late!

As for food, I don't remember anything exotic like spinach, just boring meat and two veg type of meals, until the Vesta Curry.  Remember those?  Then all of sudden chicken curry was served at home, but with chips not rice.  Rice for some reason was considered inferior and foreign.   

Later, when I moved out of my parents house at eighteen, I remember the embarrassment of having to admit to the rather trendy set I was mixing with, that I'd never had a take-away.  Stunned amazement was the response.  I duly ordered sweet and sour chicken with egg fried rice and I've been hooked to this day.

Lol.

Ah yes, Vesta Curry... with those raisins! My first ever pancake roll Oxford c1970.... 2/- and like yourself, been hooked ever since