Kids In The 60s & 70s Had 5 Common Sense Traits That Most Adults Today Don’t Even Have
Quaresmeira / Shutterstock Back in the 60s and 70s, kids lived without modern conveniences like cell phones or constant internet access. Left to their own devices (without any devices), they naturally developed several life skills that are slowly becoming rare in today’s digital age. Looking back, it's easy to see how making sure kids had time and space to themselves with nothing but their thoughts and friends to entertain them did everyone a world of good.
Kids growing up in the 60s and 70s often had these traits that are rarely found today even in adults:
1. The ability to manage boredom
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Being bored is rarely enjoyable. Today, most people are tempted to grab their phones and play a game or scroll social media. This is considered a solution to their boredom as it keeps their minds busy, but back in the 60s and 70s, children didn’t have a phone or tablet with unlimited things to do.
They had to sit in their boredom or use their imagination. If there were other kids around, they could play with them outside, but otherwise, they were on their own.
2. Conflict resolution skills
People typically try to avoid conflict rather than address it and solve it. This can be due to people-pleasing behavior or discomfort around conflict.
However, kids in the 60s and 70s handled conflict differently. They handled conflicts with each other directly and learned how to argue and compromise without adults getting in the middle of it.
3. Resourcefulness
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If I wanted to learn the meaning behind a certain word or figure out what kind of apple to use in the apple pie I’m making, I could just open my phone and find the answer within seconds.
This is a convenience kids 50 or 60 years ago didn’t have. They had to use an encyclopedia to figure out the meaning of a word. They used their free time to explore their neighborhoods and learned new things from the people around them. People today don't trust themselves enough to reach out to other people and learn new things without the internet.
4. Patience
With the convenience of phones and delivery services, there aren’t many reasons adults have to wait. As a result, we've become impatient and often choose the fastest reward, even if it’s a smaller reward than we wanted.
In the 60s and 70s, kids had to become patient because it was normal. Their favorite shows came on at a certain time on a certain day, and they couldn’t get a particular treat until their parents went to the store. Unlike today, there were many delays that were much harder to avoid.
5. Effective communication skills
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Communication skills are needed to build relationships with other people, but many people struggle with them. Many people don’t know how to hold meaningful conversations or know how to connect with each other despite us being more connected than ever before.
In the 60s and 70s, kids spent a lot of time talking to each other face to face. Without cell phones, kids had to navigate social situations in real time. This allowed them to learn to read body language, trust each other, resolve issues without adults, and learn how to listen to understand the other person. It helped them become more empathetic and build deeper bonds.
Aricka Croxton is a writer with a Bachelor’s Degree in Creative Writing from the University of Michigan who covers relationships, self-help, and wellness.
