People Raised In The 70s & 80s Usually Miss 7 Things About Their Childhood That Younger Generations Never Experienced
Krakenimages.com | Shutterstock When Gen Xers and millennials look back on their childhoods, they remember things like hanging out with their friends on long summer days and the creation of MTV, which brought music videos into their living rooms. With all of this at their fingertips, younger generations don’t appreciate the little things as much as they did.
Modern-day parenting is nothing like it was when people grew up in the '70s and '80s. They experienced freedoms that the younger generations could only dream about. Without cell phones and digital streaming, they were able to live in the moment. This made for experiences they’ll never forget.
People raised in the '70s and '80s miss these carefree moments of childhood that Gen Z and Gen Alpha will never experience:
1. The thrill of going to the movie theater
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I believe it was the great Nicole Kidman in an ad for AMC movie theaters who said, “We come to this place for magic.” That about sums up the experience of '70s and '80s kids watching movies on the big screen. When a new film came out, it wasn’t uploaded to a streaming service instantly. You watched it in a theater with a bunch of other people and experienced it together.
There may be hope for the younger generations. A 2025 survey found that while Gen Xers saw an average of 6 movies in theaters, Gen Z led the pack with an average of 7 movie-going experiences. Maybe the kids will be alright.
2. The anticipation of a new episode of their favorite TV show
Waiting weekly for an episode of a TV show is a lost art. Often, streaming services will upload an entire season, giving people the chance to binge-watch everything at once. Many people have stopped watching shows at the same time every week, which could be hurting their memory retention.
Psychologists have found that the way people who grew up in the '70s and '80s watched TV was better in multiple ways. Often, they’d tune in with their friends and family, strengthening connection. Waiting for new episodes was also better for their memory. They let the storyline marinate instead of jumping straight into the next. While streaming services may be a convenience, it's a whole lot less exciting.
3. Getting their favorite artists' music on vinyl, cassette, or CD
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Pre-saving an artist’s music on Spotify or Apple Music is the way younger generations prepare for a new release. When it comes out at midnight, it’s instantly available for them to stream. Again, the convenience is revolutionary, but millennials and Gen Xers may feel bad that younger generations never got to experience the thrill of going to a music store and purchasing that album, blasting it the entire way home in the car.
Rather than clicking on a song on their phones and listening to see if they jived with it, they had to listen to previews through headphones at the record store, which gave them social opportunities to discuss the sound with friends or even strangers shopping for the same album. Plus, buying music in person gives a boost of serotonin from what many would call ‘retail therapy.’
4. Watching MTV
When they got home from the record store, they could listen to their favorite song or, better yet, watch it on TV. Cable was still a relatively new concept, and it was often used to promote an artist’s music. Whether it was a live performance on The Ed Sullivan Show or a request for their favorite song on MTV’s Total Request Live, they would have to tune in to see the music video or performance they wanted.
MTV shifted how people consumed music, and how the industry promoted their artists. Music videos became a primary focus. Sadly, it’s no longer the top priority of record labels, and millennials and Gen Xers likely miss the good ole days of music, not reality TV, on MTV. Plus, who are their kids crushing on if they’re not watching boy band videos every day?
5. The excitement when the phone rang
I’m a stereotypical millennial and cringe when my phone rings. A study found that millennials and Gen Z actually fear picking up the phone when it rings. I’ll be honest, I depend on digital conversations more than I’d like to admit. That wasn’t the case for my parents’ generation.
The landline phone brought their social connections into their homes. There was no social media or texting, so to make plans or chat with friends, they had to pick up the phone. When their landline rang, they’d excitedly run to answer it. Anyone could be calling!
6. Playing outside until the streetlights came on
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The idea of spending time outside with friends until the streetlights come on is something Gen X is looking to bring back for their children, and someone wrote a book about it. "Until the Streetlights Come On" is a book by Ginny Yurich, who started a movement to get kids off their phones and out in the real world.
In-person socialization was this generation’s only option. Instead of staying cooped up inside, many of these kids would ride their bikes or play games with neighborhood friends. As long as they were inside before it got dark, they were granted that freedom.
7. Hours spent at the local mall
Have you seen recent videos of the tragic state of local malls? Many stores can’t sustain themselves anymore, and it’s not unusual for more to be shuttered than open and ready for shoppers. Older generations would flock to the mall every weekend. Now that we can shop from our computers or phones, physical stores have suffered.
The mall was a favorite place for kids raised in the '70s and '80s. Not only would they be there socializing and shopping with friends, but many teenagers’ first job was as cashiers at their favorite stores. Mall culture meant everything to them, and they are sad that younger generations are missing out on it.
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.
