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What perks did you have as a kid because of your parent's job(s)?

scott43

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My dad was a project manager for Expo 67 and the 76 Olympics in Montreal. I got free tickets to both. I wasn't terribly impressed with world fair (Expo) as I was only 7 but I loved the 76 Olympics and went down every single day. I even had some friends competing in the diving and swimming events.

Remember when Jean Drapeau said "The Olympics could no sooner lose money than a man can have a baby!" There were a lot of men having babies apparently!!! :roflmao:Your dad must have had some stories on that job....
 

markojp

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Another military brat (Navy), when I was five years old we lived on a US Navy base in Morocco about 50 miles from Casablanca. Some locals stole our dog's doghouse once, they were desperate for the wood.
:cattledog:

When I was in 4-6th grade we lived in a Navy base in California that had a theater that showed movies for 10 cents. We'd go to the movies every weekend and I saw four Sean Connery 007 films there.
View attachment 133006

My dad spent time in Morocco while in the navy as well! Naval intelligence.
 
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Philpug

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Wow, a lot of teachers and military families.
 

SBrown

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Faculty brat. Dad’s year long sabbatical in Istanbul when I was 10 was pretty formative, as was growing up in an Ivy League town.

My dad was about to be stationed in Diyarbakir when he left active duty ... I was 10, I think, so it was good for me. I would have preferred Frankfurt ....
 

KevinF

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One (two...) more... Dad took a sabbatical year to do research with another professor in his “area of interest” at the University of Oregon in Eugene. So the summer of 79 was spent driving to Oregon. We literally took the whole summer to visit National Parks, museums, etc. Did it again the next summer to get home to Pennsylvania.

The professor my dad was working with got married in early December of 41. He and his wife decided to honeymoon in Hawaii. Yeah. They were there when Pearl Harbor was bombed. He had a piece of a shot down Japanese plane; you could see a chunk of the Rising Sun logo.
 
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He and his wife decided to honeymoon in Hawaii. Yeah. They were there when Pearl Harbor was bombed.
Reminds me of an episode of "Coach" where Luther was talking about when he was a kid and he got to choose the family vacation that year. He said he wanted to go see the boats at Pearl Harbor.
 

scott43

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When I was 8 years old, my father's job moved to California. The company flew my whole family coast to coast first class in a DC7, which was the top dog at the time. The perk was that a neighbor who worked for the airline was coincidentally on the plane, and he took me up to the cockpit. I got to sit in the co-pilot seat, listen to the weather on the headphones and fly the plane. Apparently I did a pretty good job because the plane didn't crash.

dm
DC7?? Can you tell me about the Dustbowl??? :ogbiggrin:
 

oldschoolskier

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My dad worked at Kodak as a programmer and we got every new Kodak camera going! Disc camera, instant camera, 110 cameras, Brownies, you name it. And free movies every weekend in winter (we lived up north so coming down for a movie was actually a big deal..) and I got a job there when I was in first year Uni measuring buildings and drawing plans that had probably been measured and drawn 100 times before! :) We also got every new computer as well as dad was anxious that I learn Assembler...

My dad retired, the plant was sold and is now a service yard for the Toronto Crosstown LRT line. Tempus Fugit.
When I still worked in the Elevator business the Kodak Plant on Weston Rd was one of my customers along with the plant in Brampton, close to Brampton Brick.

Actually the old Kodak access is for the public side and something else, the maintenance side is accessed from the North side.
 

oldschoolskier

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Mom worked for HP, so I got HP calculators, still have (and use) my HP33C and HP41CX, love RPN so much my most expensive iPhone App is the HP41CX+ app which looks and functions just like the true HP version plus other things.
 

wooglin

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My dad was about to be stationed in Diyarbakir when he left active duty ... I was 10, I think, so it was good for me. I would have preferred Frankfurt ....
On the way over dad and I flew into Frankfurt, picked up a red VV Bug convertible from the factory, and drove across Yugoslavia and whatever else to get to Istanbul where we met my mom and brother. Still trying to figure out exactly the route from my passport stamps.
 

Wendy

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My dad worked for Armstrong World Industries, which made vinyl flooring, carpet, and ceiling tile. In the 1970’s, the company had a private jet that was used for flying employees on business trips. Employees’ families were allowed to fly for free on the jet. My parents and I flew to Montreal for a weekend once, and another time, a friend and I flew to Pittsburgh and back (without ever getting off the plane)! just to have a plane ride! ogsmile

Meanwhile, my mom taught at the school I attended (not really fun for a kid...can’t get away with anything)! But.....it meant I could get rides to school and not have to ride the bus.

When I graduated from high school, because I was an employees’ child, I could work at Armstrong’s floor plant and earn good money for the summer. It was hard, dirty work, and I learned to drive a forklift and operate some interesting machinery. In 1984, I was earning $10/hour. I worked there for 3 summers in my college years and the money helped pay for my college expenses.
 

T-Square

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My parents had a white print and photo copy business in the house. The paper came in 24x36 inch bundles with sheets of thin cardboard protecting both sides. We used it for making all kinds of things. I remember making at least one gigantic paper airplane.
 

skibum4ever

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My father was a realtor. He always brought home books that people had left in houses which were for sale. I remember reading Jules Verne at a young age which probably sparked my love of science fiction.

And then there was the day a cute beagle puppy "followed him home"...
 

Pat AKA mustski

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Remember when Jean Drapeau said "The Olympics could no sooner lose money than a man can have a baby!" There were a lot of men having babies apparently!!! :roflmao:Your dad must have had some stories on that job....
Oh my goodness, yes! There was a running joke in our house about the Robert Bourassa tower... which never got built! The guy wanted a tower added to the top of the stadium - as a tribute to himself. My dad spent day upon day explaining why you can’t just stick a tower anywhere you want! I no also saw a Pink Floyd concert there and it was the world’s worst concert venue!
 

Dwight

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1. Dad was a pastor, when we had an ice storm, my 10th birthday party was at the church with gas stoves and a great place for hide and seek. Also, he was always close to work if/when we needed him.
2. Before a pastor he was a chemical salesperson and sold to the Green Bay Packers. My brother got to hang out with Lombardi and Bart.
3. Mother was a teacher, always had time to hockey skate outside at school rink after school.

My kids get to snow ski on skis they would never probably purchase before. :)
 

bbinder

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Well, my dad worked for Lane Bryant, so ...
Actually: my dad began going on business trips to China after Nixon opened up trade. On one of these trips in the early 70s he bought me a down jacket for $15 - at that time down jackets were retailing in the US for around $200.
 

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