7 Great Comebacks

Have you ever heard the saying "If it ain't broken, don't fix it?" Well, I have, quite a lot and I really believe that something that is already great shouldn't be changed, tweaked, removed, forgotten or worse replaced by something that doesn't even compare to it. Here are some of the great old school stuff that for a time we almost forgot about, but are now again rediscovering:

1. Homeschool

 

Once upon a time everybody was homeschooled. It's true! Homeschooling might not be a household term anymore in terms of education, but you'd be surprised at how many families in the world have chosen this method of formal schooling for their children. Parents who prefer home education for their kids are the hands on type, who don't want society to dictate how their children should be taught, most especially in the values department. You'd be surprised at how advanced these kids are not just academically but also when it comes to socialization. It is said that due to close family ties and their exposure to people of different age groups on a daily basis, they tend to be more confident and well-adjusted in the real world as opposed to kids who spend most hours of their school days in a room full of kids the same age as them - an artificial environment if you really think about it.

2. Boardgames

Board games are back! In the age of gadgets where everyone can install various apps and games in someone's mobile phone or tablet, I didn't imagine that boardgames would suddenly make it's presence known once again, but I'm glad that they did! As a child we never owned Monopoly but we did have a chess board, mini-snakes & ladders and a cheap scrabble set which my siblings and I barely used. I lived in a household where adults don't play those kinds of games with their kids, except for Chess, when they're in the mood or aren't busy with adult life. They usually just leave us alone to do our own thing so they can do chores, read the paper or watch tv in their room.

Fast forward to the present, my husband and I are very hands on when it comes to our kids. We read books to them, get down on the floor and pretend to be animals, sing and dance and even play with their toys, with them of course, haha. Board games are definitely in the cards, because it's another activity for the whole family to enjoy unlike computer and mobile games where only the user can play unless he/she goes connects to the internet and plays with other online players. But that just can't compare to playing a game, enjoying and interacting with people in the same room, in my opinion.

3. Organic/Natural Food

Before pesticides, herbicides and GMOs were introduced, all food was Organic and people lived healthier and far longer than we did. Cancer, diabetes and other chronic diseases were rare, but now the number of people who have them have definitely sky-rocketed and the food these people eat have been linked to the unhealthy state of their bodies.

Glad that more and more people are choosing, raw, organic whole foods and cook home-made meals from scratch. These organic buys maybe more expensive than pesticide-laden produce, but last time I checked getting hospitalized is way more expensive than eating healthy.

4. Bicycles

I love riding bikes! As a child we had a garage that could fit 3 cars, so even though our grandma wouldn't even hear of letting us out to play with other kids in the fear of getting into an accident, or kidnapped, at least we had the pleasure of riding a bike (the cars would be parked outside for us). My siblings and I plus 3 of our cousins lived together and shared most of our toys together, even bicycles. Our parents taught us how to ride one, because they all knew how as well and thought that it was a practical skill to learn as a child. 

For a time, riding bikes became something only kids enjoy or a mode of transportation for the less privileged part of the population. You'd see construction workers heading to their jobs in one of these, more so when the traffic in Metro Manila became unbearable. It was a cheaper and much faster way to get around if you couldn't afford a motorcycle.

Nowadays, cycling has become a trend. You'd see that even celebrities and politicians are sporting expensive bicycles and are going around the metro and even provinces in them. Cycling gear has been selling like hot cakes, mountain bike owners have soared and even vintage bicycles are in demand that you'd bike shops popping up like mushrooms in every vicinity. Loving that people are now embracing the great outdoors again, getting much needed Vitamin D & exercise, and breathing in fresh air while biking up the long roads to the provinces of Rizal, Tagaytay, some even as far as Baler! Try it out yourselves!

5. Natural Remedies

The current healthcare system (which is actually sickcare system to me) isn't doing a good job at keeping the population fit and healthy in my honest opinion. Why do I say that? Well, just look at home many people are sick, then you'll see where I'm coming from. People who tend to just do what the doctors tell them, take a pill for this or a tablet for this, or get surgery aren't doing well healthwise, which should tell us something.

The unconventional ones like myself who choose the alternative which is natural remedies are fairing pretty well on the other hand. Natural medicine is indeed making waves except on mainstream media, because of the many success stories from individuals who have decided to take a different route, steering away from pharmaceutical drugs full of chemicals with their many harmful side effects. 

A healthy diet, essential oils, fruits and vegetables, herbs, raw organic honey, raw Apple Cider Vinegar and baking soda are what you'd see in our natural medicine cabinets. We rarely catch the flu even during flu season and trips to the hospital are none existent too.

6. Hand-lettering/Caliigraphy

This one is for the art lovers, or frustrated artists like me haha. It is the digital age, and I am admittedly one of those who embrace Photoshop for graphics design on the web. Hey, the extra income from small projects aren't that bad. But working with your hands to make art is a whole different ball game. Ask artists like Abbey Sy! 

I plan to delve into the world of calligraphy and hand-lettering, not just right now. Although I have started hoarding materials like brushes, calligraphy pens and sketch pads already haha!

7. Growing Your Own Food

The best of the best that has made a big impact in a lot of families' lives here and abroad when it made its comeback is the "growing your own food" movement. It isn't the norm, far from it even, and it takes a lot of effort and hard work but the rewards are truly worth it.

How can you really be sure that your food is indeed organic and fresh? By growing them in your own backyard of course! More and more Filipinos are actually practicing this now, it's just not on the news or featured that often in print but their numbers are indeed increasing at a good rate.

It is one of my family's ultimate goals in life, we already took steps heading in that direction. Getting there, soon!

Do you agree with my list of 7 great comebacks? Which one is your favorite? Leave a comment, let's talk!

*Image credits to the owners