11 Everyday Things 90s Kids Were Expected To Handle All On Their Own
melissamn / Shutterstock I was a '90s kid. When I reflect on my childhood, I realize that we were expected to handle many things on our own that more current generations could never imagine dealing with. While our parents were involved and invested in our lives, they were more hands-off than parents these days.
We were tasked with handling many things on our own that kids today don't have to worry about. Although the internet and technology were on the rise, we did not experience their advantages until we were older. That meant we were responsible for doing our homework without Google. Cell Phones were on the verge of becoming popular, so that meant we were using landline phones. We had to memorize phone numbers to keep in touch with our friends and families. If you grew up handling these things on your own, you were definitely a '90s kid.
These are 11 everyday things 90s kids were expected to handle all on their own
1. Figuring out their homework and getting it done
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Kids today often seem to have it a lot easier than we did back in the '90s. For example, they have a slew of technology to help them with their school assignments. From Google to online libraries filled with resources, getting homework done has never been easier. Although ‘90s kids would be able to enjoy dial-up internet in the future, for the most part, we were left to our own devices to figure out our homework and make sure we got it done.
Some ‘90s kids had more help at home from their parents, with some mothers choosing to buck the working-mom trend, but our parents could only provide so much help with our homework. Instead, ‘90s kids had to be sure they paid attention in class so they could do their homework without the resources current generations enjoy.
2. Prepping their own breakfast
Most '90s kids grew up with working parents. Data from the US Department of Health and Human Services noted that "Between 1985 and 1997, the percentage of children who have all resident parents in the labor force increased from 59 percent to 68 percent."
I was one of those kids who had two working parents. That meant that our mornings were hectic. It was a mad dash to try to get everyone ready for school and work. Since our mornings were a bit hectic, most ‘90s kids were left to their own devices for breakfast. Throwing an Eggo waffle into the toaster or grabbing Pop-Tarts as we ran out the door was usually the easiest thing to do. Our parents had time to focus on their own morning routines, and we were fed.
3. Memorizing phone numbers
In the ‘90s, kids didn’t have cell phones. This fact of life that would send Gen Alpha into a panic. Instead of having access to contacts saved in a phone, we had to memorize everyone’s phone numbers. If a ‘90s kid felt sick at school, they had to memorize the best number to reach their parents. When trying to make plans with friends, they had to remember their friends’ phone numbers by heart.
Although I was born and raised in the 1990s, I've now fallen into the habit of relying on my smartphone. I don't have anyone’s phone number memorized. And as it turns out, our phones are making us less intelligent. Susan Krauss Whitbourne, PhD, ABPP, recommends memorizing phone numbers before you save them to your contacts. We rely too much on our phones now, and it’s preventing our brains from doing things they’re completely capable of, like memorizing phone numbers.
4. Entertaining themselves
Without cellphones and complex video games, ‘90s kids were in charge of entertaining themselves. Our parents were busy. Whether they were dealing with work or doing projects at home, they weren't always able to help occupy our time. Instead, we had to get creative. Posting up in front of the TV for hours only works for so long before you get bored.
I remember coming up with a complex imaginary land with my cousin. We would transport ourselves there and play make-believe for hours. Pretending and playing outside occupied our time. We were always out and running around. It not only provided us with entertainment, but it also kept us out of our busy parents’ hair. Plus, research shows that kids who play pretend "more often have stronger skills in a number of important areas," including creativity, emotional skills, social skills, executive functioning, language, and communication.
5. Figuring out technology
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In the 1990s, digital connections started to become popular. Growing up, I remember having a TV, a Nintendo 64, and one large family computer that had a few games on it. I loved playing those games, but I had no access to our computer’s instructions. I remember playing around until I figured out exactly what to do. I’d love to open a Word document and type silly things. Those were the days!
We didn’t have YouTube videos to refer to when our technology had issues. Instead, we ‘90s kids had to figure out how to manage our tech on our own. We became the turn it off, turn it back on generation. It was the only way we could think of troubleshooting our early technology.
6. Watching younger siblings
If you were the eldest child in the 1990s, you became your parents’ extra set of hands. Older children were often tasked with watching the younger ones. Whether it was while their parents were at work or keeping an eye on them as they played outside, the weight of keeping the younger kids safe fell on the older ones. From helping them with homework after school to ensuring they weren’t playing in the street, they were expected to watch their younger siblings whenever their parents asked. In fact, a survey from 1995 found that children under the age of five spent an average of 11 hours per week in their siblings' care.
When I was a kid, I remember playing outside with my neighbors. Even if we weren't related to the younger kids, the older ones would always keep an eye on them and help with whatever they needed. It was instilled in us at a young age to be observant.
7. Minor injuries
Today’s children are spending significantly less time playing outside than their parents’ generation. Given that ‘90s kids didn’t have tablets or smartphones to occupy their time. Riding bikes, running around, and spending time outside were our only options for fun. Our parents let us stay outside until dark, and we would stay active until those streetlights came on. I have a very specific memory of racing rolling office chairs down the driveway with my uncle. When I went flying off onto the concrete, as to be expected, I put a band-aid on and went on with my day. Our parents were busy. Unless something serious happened, we would be left to our own devices to clean up minor injuries.
A report from the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research "found that the average child in America between the ages of six and 17 spends just seven minutes a day in unstructured outdoor play. That represents a 50 percent decline over 20 years." This shift, they say, "has alarmed health experts who point to the many mental and physical benefits of outdoor play."
8. Dealing with boredom
I don’t know about you, but my parents were never happy hearing how bored I was. I was taught that I had everything I needed to entertain myself at home. If I became bored, I had to figure it out on my own. Sometimes that meant sitting in front of the TV for hours, but mostly it meant getting creative. Who else remembers those silly bracelets we used to make? Thanks to Taylor Swift fans, they’ve become popular again. I remember busting boredom by crafting, playing with dolls, and kicking a ball around the backyard. If we were bored, we had to solve the problem ourselves.
Erin Westgate, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Florida, explained to the New York Times that while there tends to be cultural stigma tied to boredom, "in moderate doses, boredom can offer a valuable learning opportunity, spurring creativity and problem solving and motivating children to seek out activities that feel meaningful to them.
9. Talking to strangers
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Growing up in the ‘90s, kids were expected to be respectful. Manners meant everything. That meant extending kindness and talking with respect to everyone, even strangers. Now kids are taught stranger danger, but when I was growing up, my parents would often task me with talking to them.
Whether it was at a store when I needed help finding something or saying my own order at a restaurant, my parents often had me talk to people I didn’t know. They thought it would help me develop confidence and social skills. The joke is on them now, however, as I fear having the most basic conversations with people I do not know well. How did we do it back then?
10. Getting to and from school
Kids in the 1990s were more independent. While we weren’t latchkey kids like Gen X, we did have more flexibility in our day-to-day lives. Our parents were often busy working in the mornings and afternoons. My parents would often drop me off at school on their way to work, but it was up to me to get home. Sometimes, I would hitch a ride with friends, and other times I would walk home.
We were figuring out our commute when our parents were working. While many of us grew up walking home on our own, the stranger-danger panic began to kick in, and we were expected to be watched by adults to keep safe.
11. Answering the landline phone
When I was a kid, the sound of the phone ringing brought me joy. I can’t say it’s the same now that I am an adult. I would always be excited to see if the call was for me. I had become so obsessed with the phone that my parents put me in charge of answering the landline. It was always disappointing when someone was calling for them and not me.
If the landline phone rang, 1990s kids would race to be the first to answer it. Many of us were given answering the phone as an assigned task. When a call would come in for my parents, I remember trying to chase them around the house to let them know. These were simpler times before cell phones. But now, data from the Chamber of Commerce reveals, "With a staggering 71.7% of U.S. adults (183 million) now relying solely on wireless phones, landlines are becoming a thing of the past."
Haley Van Horn is a freelance writer with a master’s degree in Humanities, living in Los Angeles. Her focus includes entertainment and lifestyle stories.
