Autism Awareness Month! Childhood Memories, Blog Hop, and Giveaways!

Autism fact: Autism is not a disease.

It’s always a great honour for me to take part in RJ Scott’s Autism Awareness Blog Hop. And this year I took a trip down memory lane, waaaaaaay back to my childhood, and my favourite toys that I remember. I was never into anything overtly ‘girly’ (I’m still not LOL) and while my sisters would play dress-ups and cook and sew, I played with trucks, and explored the countryside with my cousins (who were all boys). We lived in a small country town, so I spent every spare minute outside, up trees, in gullies, making tree houses, and would only ever come home to eat.

I can set rabbit traps, skin rabbits, make bows and arrows from weeping willow trees, ride motorbikes, skateboards, and horses. I can’t sew, I hate cooking, and the only two dresses I own are my wedding dress and a bridesmaid dress.

But as a child, I don’t recall it ever being an issue. No one ever said (to me, anyway) that I couldn’t have something because it’s just for boys. I wasn’t bound by stereotypical gender roles. Maybe growing up in the 70s was different… I don’t know. But also as a child of the 70/80s, we didn’t have much of anything and the only time we ever received presents/gifts was on birthdays and at Christmas. It was also the only time we ever ate lollies and chips and fizzy drinks.

Different times, indeed.

Anyway, these are the toys I remember the most.

The Tomy Tuneyville Music Train was my first Christmas present ever, and it worked for years and years. I got the Tonka Truck for my second birthday – apparently it was all I wanted. The Family Tree House belonged to me and my sisters, so I can’t claim it as mine alone but I did enjoy playing with it. And as I got a bit older, I loved Lego. I had the entire “Moon Landscape” series and I LOVED it. I would use my dad’s pool table and make an entire moon and if I needed extra villains I’d use my sister’s Strawberry Shortcake dolls and the big purple guy with the cool/evil moustache (I think his name is Purple Pieman LOL) and my moon Lego heroes would use their mineral detectors and laser tractor beams to catch him.

Good times. (LOL! But clearly, my love for science fiction started at an early age….)

I hope you’ve enjoyed my little trip down memory lane. It’s been fun!

For the giveaway, I’d like to give one lucky reader the chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card. To enter, simply comment on this post and tell me what toy you remember from your childhood.

Also, if you haven’t checked out my latest release UPSIDE DOWN yet, you can find it at Amazon

And see for yourself why everyone is loving Jordan and Hennessy’s story!