Kids Who Grew Up In The 70s & 80s Still Miss Those Times For 7 Bittersweet Reasons
melissamn | Shutterstock In a time of unstructured play and a lack of rampant technology, it's no surprise 70s and 80s kids are wildly nostalgic.
The things they still miss about those times are bittersweet but incredibly valuable. Younger generations are missing out, not because waiting to watch television on the weekends was fun, but because intentional living made these small things more enjoyable.
Bittersweet reasons kids who grew up the 70s and 80s still miss those times
1. They were sheltered from the news
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Young people today read all kinds of bad news and headlines on their phones constantly, usually without a choice in the matter. But older generations remember a time when they were somewhat sheltered from the world around them.
Their mental health was somewhat safeguarded early in life because news channels and word of mouth were how they got information. Their personal lives felt somewhat sacred, even when the world was changing and scary.
Being educated and aware is important, but the nostalgic protection of an innocent child outside news headlines is something many kids don't always have these days.
2. Media wasn't so widespread
In the 70s and 80s, there was a slower pace to life, but also to entertainment. You had to wait for Saturday morning cartoons. You had to buy a physical vinyl album or rent a movie.
Compared to the digital overload younger generations face today, 70s and 80s kids learned to appreciate media because they didn't have access to it 24/7. It's exciting being able to watch or listen to whatever you want, whenever you want, but there's still something bittersweet about the past and how things used to be.
3. Being bored could be a magical experience
Even though kids who grew up in the 70s and 80s complained about being bored, it was a rewarding experience to have the freedom to figure out ways to fill their time. Compared to kids today who immediately pull out their phones for entertainment, 70s and 80s kids built their creativity and problem-solving skills through boredom.
They played outdoors and messed around with neighborhood kids. They made up games in their head and played pretend. It's part of who they became thanks to that boredom.
4. They could explore the world without supervision
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Kids in the 70s and 80s had unstructured play, and it was a staple of Gen X childhoods. They were free to play without a parent supervising every move.
There were downsides to a latchkey childhood, including having to face struggles on their own, but these kids also grew into self-sufficient, independent adults. There was something freeing about having the space to make friends and use their imaginations without being stifled by too many rules.
Yes, they had structure and family dinners to fall back on, but this endless play without structure is something kids today completely miss out on.
5. Family dinners brought everyone together
Even if it was annoying to be called in for dinners every night, Gen X kids were getting all sorts of irreplaceable benefits from this quality time at home. Family dinners are more nutritionally valuable for kids, and often reduce depression and bond families closer together.
Now, kids are spending less time at home and family dinners are slowly going out of style. For 70s and 80s kids, it's bittersweet for them to look back on these much simpler times.
6. They had to wait to use the landline phone
The thought of having a single landline phone for an entire household feels annoying to people who didn't grow up this way. They don't know what it was like to have to remember phone numbers or impatiently wait for their mom to get off the phone.
It might have been irritating to fight over the phone or worry about someone listening in on your conversation, but looking back there was a flair of intentionality Gen Xers feel bittersweet about.
You couldn't just text someone or call someone casually. You had to make a plan for when they'd be home and bargain for the phone. It showed people you cared, and it's a nostalgic feeling to miss today.
7. Getting little treats and gifts was worth the wait
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With the convenience of overnight delivery and consumerism, many parents today feel pressured to constantly give into their children's wishes. It's not happening in every family, but there was something special about waiting in the 70s and 80s that made kids appreciate their belongings.
They anticipated the holiday season after a year of putting things on their wishlist. They looked forward to their parents letting them buy a small treat from the grocery store after a rough week. They appreciated things because they didn't always get what they wanted right away.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor's degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
