People Raised In The 70s & 80s Were Allowed To Do 8 Things That Actually Made Them More Resilient
Lyudmila2509 | Shutterstock People raised in the 70s and 80s often had more freedom to figure things out on their own.
Every generation faces different struggles, so it's impossible to say that one is automatically more resilient than another, but many people who grew up in the 70s and 80s had experiences that helped them become independent, solve their own problems, and recover from mistakes more quickly than those in other generations. The American Psychological Association defines resilience as the ability to adapt successfully to difficult or challenging experiences. While many childhood norms from that period came with real risks and shouldn't necessarily be brought back, some gave kids opportunities to practice the skills that helped them become more resilient adults.
People raised in the 70s & 80s were allowed to do 8 things that made them more resilient:
1. Move out and support themselves at a younger age
Although Gen Z has the option to move out, it is becoming increasingly difficult. They are being hit with a housing and economic crisis, forcing a third of Americans under the age of 35 to live at home, according to realtor.com.
Back in the day, living at home was a huge no-no. Once you graduated from high school or college, it was time to move out. Now, it’s becoming increasingly impossible for younger generations to move out, even if they want to. As a result, some young adults have fewer opportunities to develop the practical and emotional skills that can come from living independently.
When you move out, you learn how to manage practical and emotional needs. You also learn how to be alone, which is a very important skill. Younger adults who can't afford to move out may have fewer chances to learn certain skills through living independently.
2. Go places without their parents tracking their location
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Obviously, safety precautions were still very important for people raised in the 70s and 80s, but Life360 didn't exist. As a result, they could go out with their friends without worrying about people knowing where they were.
Their parents weren’t tracking them 24/7, and they didn’t need to send constant updates. This helped them develop independence and learn how to handle unexpected problems without immediate help from their parents. They were able to explore without having to report back to their parents constantly. As a result, they developed more independence and coping mechanisms to deal with hardships.
3. Be bored and figure out how to entertain themselves
Many studies show that kids benefit from being bored. According to the Child Mind Institute, kids “develop skills, creativity, and self-esteem” when they are bored. Although kids complain a lot about it, it really is best for them.
Younger kids don’t have this advantage. In a world of screens, kids have fewer opportunities to just be bored. They instead just watch a movie or play a game on their parents' phone. As a result, they don’t know how to be bored, which unfortunately lowers their resilience later on in life.
4. Resolve arguments face-to-face
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This was less about being allowed to resolve conflicts face-to-face and more about not having another choice. Texting and social media make it possible to avoid difficult face-to-face conversations, including apologies. Apologizing is a skill that takes time to learn, and when kids aren’t forced to do it face-to-face, it’s hard to learn later on in life. Since people raised in the 70s and 80s did not have a screen to hide behind, they learned how to give and receive feedback.
5. Start working as teenagers
Federal and state child labor laws limit the hours and types of jobs teenagers can work, but many teens can begin working before age 16. However, according to studies, most teenagers are not working. The Center for American Progress reported this July that teen employment has decreased from 50% in 1978 to 30% in 2026. As a result, teenagers aren’t learning the skills that come with working. Those skills include earning and managing money, time management, organization, and building relationships, all of which lead to building resilience.
6. Make mistakes without creating a permanent digital record
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Making mistakes is arguably the most important part of being a human, as it’s the only way to grow. However, with the rise of social media, people are afraid to make mistakes. Social media has changed how people respond to mistakes and embarrassment. People are afraid to voice their opinions for fear of negative reactions from others. They’re also afraid to do anything even remotely embarrassing, in case it gets posted online.
The issue with this is that resilience is built through making mistakes. Learning to recover from failure is what makes a person resilient. When people avoid taking chances for fear of public embarrassment, they miss opportunities to learn from failure and practice recovering from it.
7. Talk to strangers
It’s engraved in us from a young age: don’t talk to strangers. It’s a safety issue, but also something that younger generations just don’t like to do.
Brief conversations with people outside one's regular social circle can strengthen friendships and reduce feelings of loneliness. Research published by Cambridge University Press examined how older adults experience these small interactions. Years of relying on screens for social interaction may have left younger people less comfortable starting conversations with people they don’t know.
8. Complete chores without payment or reward
There’s no worse feeling than having a long day and coming home to unfolded laundry or a sink full of dirty dishes. Research suggests that giving kids regular household chores can help them develop responsibility and self-esteem, and teach them how to deal with frustration, all of which build resilience.
Since kids are so used to instant gratification these days, whether it’s a reward in a game or being able to watch an entire TV show at once without waiting a week for a new episode, they don’t know how to do chores just for the sake of it. Rewards can help motivate children in some situations, but they shouldn't replace the expectation that everyone contributes to the household.
Sophie Bagheri is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and theatre who covers lifestyle topics.
