9 Ordinary Parts Of Childhood Boomers Took For Granted That Kids Today Rarely Experience
Lyudmila2509 | ShutterstockWhen you're a kid, the normal parts of your life seem like they'll never go away. Maybe it's teasing your younger sibling or playing in the snow after a winter storm. But then you start to grow up and realize that all the time you spent doing these things was precious.
For baby boomers, they took many ordinary parts of childhood for granted, and now, kids today will rarely, if ever, experience the same things. It's a generation of iPads and wearing makeup from a young age, rather than a free-roaming, resilience-oriented childhood.
Boomers took these normal parts of childhood for granted, and kids today rarely experience them
1. Playing outside until the streetlights came on
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It wasn't uncommon to befriend the neighborhood kids and ask if they wanted to play. The only rules for the day was the warning from your parents reminding you to come back when the streetlights came on, or when the sun set.
These days of freedom running around were certainly taken for granted, likely because there were so many of them. Especially in the summer, kids spent most or all of their time outdoors.
But now, kids aren't outside like they used to be, if they're even out there at all. You might see kids cruising around in electric scooters, but no longer do they knock on doors to ask if their friends can play.
2. Calling friends on the landline
When you had something to say to your friends who lived more than walking distance from home, you'd dial them on the landline and hope the line wasn't busy. If you didn't have their number memorized, you'd flip through the phone book before you landed on their surname.
Using the landline has now been entirely erased by the introduction of the cell phones. While boomers are using cell phones as their primary source of communication, so are kids. Some older generations also still have landlines connected in addition to their cells.
It's common to see kids with a smartphone, and even if it's their parents', it's still a reminder of how much society has changed over the decades. Even millennial parents have begun to buy cell phones for children at a younger and younger age, crediting it to keeping them safe.
3. Biking everywhere
When you were too young to get your driver's license but your parents refused to take you to your friend's house, you'd hop onto your bike and ride over. A bike was a necessary thing to own as a kid because it was the only means of getting around, aside from walking.
Bikes still seem to be an effective way of transportation, but they've been overshadowed by e-bikes. Rather than pedaling as fast as their legs can handle, kids are riding at break-neck speeds through neighborhoods and swerving to avoid cars.
4. Playing 'make believe'
Playing a game of "house," which undoubtedly romanticized parenthood, was something every kid did. Creating elaborate tales that resulted in games that went on for hours was something that kept boomers entertained when there weren't any toys around.
It probably seems silly looking back, but the benefits of pretend play are nothing to laugh at. It gives children a space to be creative without judgment and helps them develop skills such as emotional and executive functioning.
Today's kids, though still imaginative, do still play pretend, but things have shifted quite a lot. It's not as common to see grade-school children assigning the roles of "mother" or "father" in the confines of a plastic playhouse. Technology has spoon-fed entertainment to them, making sure they're constantly stimulated.
5. Eating what their parents made for dinner
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When boomers were children, they saw a lot of food that the average adult today would turn their nose up at. Whether it was meatloaf or a cheese salad, these were things often found on their dinner plate.
For boomers, if you didn't like something your parents made, you had no other choice but to eat it or go up to your room and stay hungry. There was no making separate dinners and you weren't allowed to choose what was for dinner.
Today, 40-50% of parents say their child is a picky eater. They'll make multiple meal options for their kids to choose from, and may even opt for fast food or junk food.
6. Walking to school
Boomers probably joke with their grandchildren that they walked to school in the most adverse conditions, or "uphill both ways." But there's definitely some truth to this. No matter the amount of snow on the ground or the heat of the sun, you were stuck trudging the mile or so walk to school in the morning, then back home in the afternoon.
This practice phased out long ago, as parents either pick up their kids from school or have them dropped off by the school bus, but back then, walking was normal. It taught independence and resilience, and is something boomers took for granted at the time.
7. Playing on the playground
There are still playgrounds everywhere, but long gone are the days of begging your parents to take you to the playground on a hot day. Kids today don't experience the childhood event of burning yourself on a hot metal slide or jumping off a swing and scraping your knees.
Many kids would much rather be stationed inside with air conditioning than playing in the sun. Even with the prospect of recess during school, kids are more caught up with being on iPads than playing tag or going on the seesaw. While this may save kids from the injuries, it certainly limits the scope of their imagination.
8. Watching TV during live air times
Boomers are cushioned by the luxury of on-demand and streaming services, but they haven't forgotten their roots. As a kid, when their favorite cartoon ended on a cliff-hanger, they'd wait a whole week to see what happened. They'd make sure they were seated at the scheduled air time, or else they'd miss it.
But today, children can't imagine having to wait for the next episode to be released. Everything is available immediately, and streaming services make it easier than ever. Boomers didn't rely on television as their primary source of entertainment. Instead, it was a luxury they had every now and then.
9. Running through the sprinkler on a hot day
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Rather than water balloon fights or splash pads, when the sun was scorching, boomers brought out the lawn sprinkler and took turns running through the spray of water. Kids today likely enjoy the hours of fun of playing in the water, but for boomers, it was a summer classic.
This is a childhood memory they look back on fondly and took for granted at that time. They gathered the neighborhood kids and spent all day playing like this. Now, there are plenty of options for kids to stay cool inside.
Gabrielle Mattes is a writer working towards a Creative Writing degree. Her focus is lifestyle, wellness, human-interest, and relationships.
