|
Did you know there are a many things ’80s kids could do that today’s
kids can’t? The world has changed a lot since three decades ago.
Technology and culture has radically altered the way we do things. What
once was pretty normal is now either old fashioned, taboo, out-dated, or
weird. While kids today have access to way more information and
entertainment than we did, we ’80s kids had way more freedom to roam
around the neighborhood unsupervised. That’s just the tip of the
iceberg. From sugary cereals to access to computers, so many things were
far and away different. For us ’80s kids, it was a beautiful time. For
kids today, it probably will look like a foreign universe. Get ready to
travel back in time, here are some things ’80s kids could do that
today’s kids can’t.
Bike anywhere
When you got your first bike as a kid in the ’80s, it was the best thing
ever. It meant freedom. Your parents didn’t care where you went as long
as you came back before dinner. You could go to your friends, the gas
station down the street, the barrens, the library, the school
playground, and basically anywhere your legs could pedal fast enough to
get you there. Today, with a long, sad history of missing kids and kids
being kidnapped, parents aren’t so willing to let kids wander off too
far from home. |
 |
|
Experience the joys of chalk
Sure, some kids still use chalk today, but it’s rare. In the ’80s, chalk
boards and chalk abounded. Kids were using it on the playgrounds, their
driveways, and everywhere. Chalk is making a bit of a comeback amongst
many hipsters today, likely because they remember the days of yore when
chalk ruled and markers drooled. |
|
|
Use their brains to find a book at the library
Today, we’ve got computers to look everything up for us. But, If you
grew up in the ’80s, you likely became best friends with the “card
catalog” to find books at the library. For you youngsters that aren’t
sure what that is, it was a wooden cabinet full of tiny drawers that
carried small cards. You sifted through the cards to find the book you
wanted using the Dewey Decimal System. It was a bit more complicated. |
|
|
Play outside in the front yard
Gone are the days when mom would let kids out to play in the front yard
and only occasionally peak out the window to make sure everything was
okay. Now, even if it were a safe place, parents would likely be judged
by neighbors and maybe even have the cops called. |
 |
|
Discover computers slowly
In the ’80s, most kids were lucky if they had a computer in the house.
Even if they had one, many had little idea how to use the DOS-based
operating system. The computer was like an odd alien object, mysterious
and wonderful. Gradually over time, you could discover the different
aspects of a computer because they were so new and fresh. It was
exciting. Today, of course, computers are everywhere and the wonder and
awe is kind of gone.
|
 |