Public holiday was much fun as kids

It’s a long holiday and a Easter weekend. It’s supposed to be very exciting and restful but it’s just 50% of both. Public holidays are what we as adults look forward to after long stretch of work stress.

Eventually, when the holidays come it’s not what we expect because there’s still a lot of a stress we excape from back at home. The chores, the bills, the errands, the holiday calls to be made, and more things to do around the house. The public holidays used to be so much fun as kids with zero to less responsibilities.

When we were kids we looked up to public holidays, weekends, midterm breaks and term break. It was so much fun because we had nothing to worry about.

1. Food

No matter what we did, there was always 3 square ready meals. We didn’t have to sit hours preparing for meals, we just knew it’s morning and breakfast would be ready soon. All we did was brush our teeth, join in the assigned chore, bath and eat breakfast then expect lunch and dinner at appropriate time.

Imagine a celebratory holiday like Easter or Christmas, food was always surplus with options coming from neighbors, friends, relatives, etc.

As an adult, the “food burden” is on you. Preparing, getting ingredients, choosing what to eat, etc. Oh, and You have to do your chores that sometimes you forget breakfast and when you Remember, it’s breakfast + lunch you’ll be eating.

2. Things were affordable

When we were kids, things were affordable. We could buy things at N5, N10, and 15 unlike this present time where nothing cost N5 or N10. We could easily save up to buy goodies.

Now, you have to be buoyant enough to enjoy Easter and the holiday. You’ll be hungry enough to remember it’s 3 square meal unlike when you’re a work. The spirit of chore will tell you to clean the house, dust the chairs and clean the refrigerator. All the things you couldn’t do while at work will be done and before you remember you were supposed to be resting, the day is dark.

3. No bills to think about

Things were easier when we were not worrying about bills to pay or stocking up in the house. We just knew there was light, food and water without worrying about how or where it came from. Adulthood has us on chokehold, we worry about everything from the moment we wake till we say goodnight. Sometimes, worry still find a way to haunt us in our dreams.

Your worry is doubled when you have a family to cater for.

4. Lots of outing

During public holidays or long holidays, we visited friends and relatives. That our uncle that always gives us cash at the end of the visit was our favorite.

Parents tried as much as possible to make things fun during these periods, new clothes were a must and if we were not visiting friends and family, we were going to the parks, restaurants and other outings were we would meet other kids like us. What it was about then was fun.

Now, you just want to sit by yourself and enjoy the little time you have or hang out with 1 or 2 friends with the same vibe as yours.

5. Playtime all the time

In school, at home, in church, wherever we were was all fun to us back then. As kids we were much happier on holidays as well as school days.

We would play all kinds of games before the advent of in-house games, this was our outdoor games.

The house, compound and streets would be filled with kids who are also trying to have a good time. Just join the group that’s interested in the kind of fun you’re looking for.

I wonder how the “Omo get inside” kids had fun, they had their adult experience at a young age. We were so much in hurry to be adults. We would ask ourselves “what do you want to be when you grow up” not knowing growing up was a huge scam and we would play “mummy and daddy” games, unknown to us taking care of a family takes away all the fun you can manage to get as an adult.