A walk down memory lane: Growing up in the 1960s
<p><em><strong>Kath Williams has worked in sales, education, social work and programme writing. She is currently living in Nelson, New Zealand, with her partner, Peter, working in mental health and has begun her next book, “Growing up in the 1970s – Life after High School”.</strong></em> </p>
<p><img width="216" height="216" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/25357/kath_216x216.jpg" alt="Kath" style="float: left;"/>It was the 1960’s; the era of the mini-skirt, Twiggy, hippies and flower-power, hipster trousers, psychedelic drugs and colours, words like “groovy” and expressions such as “Peace, man”, and the height of anti-Vietnam War protests. Even in our small town, in a country far away from the centre of things, we listened to songs from the musical Hair, Elvis’ latest hit In the Ghetto, and everything that the Beatles put out. Dances with strange names like the Stroll, the Mashed Potato, the Twist, the Hitch Hike, and the Swim. TVs arrived on the scene, men landed on the Moon, the Wahine sank, and we changed to decimal currency. What an era of changes we were a part of. It was so memorable.</p>
<p>Corporal punishment was still in schools, parents smacked their kids, and the only rule we had in our young lives was, “If you go outside to play after your jobs have been done, be home before dark.” Growing up as a child in the 1960’s was magical! A decade of freedom, friendships, fun and, above all else: Family.</p>
<p>So I decided to write a book about growing up in that magical decade, filled with memories, photographs and stories, aptly titled “I Remember When-Growing up in the 1960's in New Zealand” (although Australian counterparts are sure relate) which was officially launched in April. It’s been three years in the making and I’m exhilarated and happy it’s finally finished.</p>
<p>How did this all begin? A conversation with my eldest granddaughter Brianna, 10, two years ago, went something like this:</p>
<p>Brianna, “Nanni, what was it like being a kid back in the olden days?”</p>
<p>Myself, “The olden days? What do you mean dear? I am not that old”</p>
<p>Brianna, “Well you are really, Nanni. I mean that was like over 50 years ago. That is old.”</p>
<p>And to rub salt into the already very open wound, she said, “And what did you write on, and with what, and was it hard using an abacus?”</p>
<p>I was absolutely gob smacked with her questions. I had never thought of myself as being old. Oh, out of the mouths of babes! I duly answered her, and thought to myself, crikey, she has no idea what it was like 50 years ago. The seed had been planted. The writing of the book had begun.</p>
<p>My name is Kath Williams, Kathryn when my Mum wasn’t happy with me, and I am currently living in Nelson although I am a Hawera, Taranaki girl. In my heart still a girl, maybe not so much physically. My eldest son is always telling me not to forget my inner child, I just have to be careful when she pops out sometimes.</p>
<p>After recovering from the shock of my granddaughter thinking I was old, I set about starting two Facebook pages inviting friends to like the pages and to begin collecting their memories. Each day I would write a new status update or post a photo from the 1960’s. The response was huge, and the pages grew. Friends told friends about what I was doing, and they told their friends, and so on it went. I could only work two days a week at a paying job as I was diagnosed with Lupus Disease when I moved to Nelson to write the book.</p>
<p>For me, the book was a personal journey, trying to recapture my childhood through other people’s memories. I had forgotten so many wonderful things that happened to me growing up. Oh, some of the stories were just so funny and everyone could relate to them, or come up with their own story.</p>
<p>I now have a book that I am proud to have written and can leave to my own children:</p>
<p>Victoria, Neil, Rachel and Scott, and their children: Brianna, Isabele, Austin, Maddi and Piper, in the hope they have a better understanding of just how much fun and freedom we had as children growing up in the 1960’s.</p>
<p>So come and join me on my Magic Carpet Ride back in time to the 1960's where it all began and let me share our memories with you.</p>
<p><em>To join Kath’s Facebook page, <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheNakikids/info/?tab=page_info" target="_blank">click here</a></span>. </strong>Visit Kath’s website <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://thewritingdesk.weebly.com/" target="_blank">here</a></span>.</strong></em></p>
<p><em><strong>If you have a story to share please get in touch at <a href="mailto:melody@oversixty.com.au">melody@oversixty.com.au</a></strong></em></p>
<p><strong>Related links:</strong></p>
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<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/07/how-to-pass-family-history-onto-grandkids/">How to pass family history onto grandkids</a></em></strong></span></p>
