Kids Raised In The 80s Developed These Tough Personality Traits That Children Today Don't Naturally Learn
melissamn | Shutterstock Let’s chat about growing up in the 80s and being an 80s kid. In the 1980s, our lives were vastly different than the world we know now. My kids, who are now teenagers, even call the 80s the "olden days”.
Over 40 years have passed since that decade first began, which puts me into the bucket of “old” people who lived before the Internet was even a thing. Heck, even cordless phones weren’t around when I was young. Yet the more time passes, the more I look back on those days with so much fondness and nostalgia because I miss their simplicity. Yes, technology is great (you wouldn’t be reading my words right now without it, right?), but back then, ignorance was bliss. As 80s kids, we didn’t know better, and because we didn’t know better, we lived the most amazing lives without all the bells and whistles that our kids now have.
We also developed some tough personality traits that kids today don't naturally learn. Kids raised in the 80s were seen but not heard. We were taught to respect our elders and do what we were told. We didn’t dare to talk back. We didn’t dare to question things (out loud). We still got smacked if we really misbehaved. Some parents would use wooden spoons. Fear was somehow a good motivator to keep us in line. Scare tactics worked.
Kids raised in the 80s developed these tough personality traits that kids today don't naturally develop:
1. Kids raised in the 80s developed a strong sense of personal responsibility
We just did what we were told because we thought parents had eyes in the back of their heads and that they would always find out. We didn’t love it, but we didn’t think to complain. We just assumed this was the way that it was. We were taught to respect our elders. We never confessed all our deepest feelings to our parents. We weren’t mushy with our 'I love yous.'
Parents usually skipped the Birds and Bees and puberty talk, assuming we would work it out on our own sooner or later. We usually did. We assumed our parents loved us because they put a roof over our heads and kept us fed, as opposed to indulging us with a million presents. If we fought with our friends, our parents didn’t try to solve it. In fact, they probably didn’t even know what was going on. They didn’t get involved. They assumed we were totally capable of working it out on our own.
2. Kids raised in the 80s learned how to occupy themselves without adult supervision
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There was no Cable TV. There was no Netflix. Back then, there were only five channels, and if we woke up before 6 am, there would be a static signal on Channel 1, which indicated that we were up too early.
3. Kids raised in the 80s were mindful of boundaries, even before anyone explained them
We knew never to make too much noise in case we woke up our parents—we didn’t think of running and jumping into their bed. Children’s shows like cartoons were played only in the mornings, and then there was a long stretch of the day where the TV only played shows geared solely to adults.
If we were really, really desperate, we could watch an Elvis Presley, Shirley Temple, or Jerry Lewis midday movie. We also had to live by one rule: sit back from the TV, or you'll need glasses later on — the correct magic distance was 5 times the length of the TV screen.
4. Kids raised in the 80s didn't rely on screens to cure boredom
We got our first VHS player the summer I finished sixth grade, so if you missed seeing a movie at the cinemas before then, you had to wait until it was screened on TV as the big Sunday night movie.
We would wait with abated breath to catch the first showing of all the blockbusters like ET and Back to the Future on TV. That was an event in itself and the highlight of our week.
Once VHS cassettes became all the rage, every kid in town could be found on a Friday or Saturday night at the local video store, trying to rent out their favorite movie. The store would be crowded and buzzing with activity, desperate to find our next-must-see movie fix.
It cost $2 to rent a movie for the whole week or $5 for a new release for one night, and the late fees were much feared. Sometimes we pretended to be a new person just to get a new card and avoid those late fees if we were slammed with them.
There were no PS4s. No Wiis. No Xboxes. The closest thing to an electronic game was an Atari, which my parents didn’t see the purpose of purchasing because they didn’t like the idea of us staring into something for hours every day.)
5. Kids raised in the 80s grew up with tangible fads, not digital trends
We all wanted a Cabbage Patch Kid, a Rubik’s Cube, a View-master, and a My Child doll. An Etch-A-Sketch, Simon Says, Care Bear, or real Barbie were just as coveted. But seriously, our moms didn’t rush to the shops to buy us any of these things when they came out. We were used to hearing no and going without.
6. Kids raised in the 80s were free-range and independent
Kids were encouraged to go outside to play after school in the streets and expected to be home in time for dinner. We wouldn’t wear watches, so the moment the sun went down and street lights came on — that was our signal that our outside playtime was over.
We played games like Hide and Seek, Tag, Blind Man’s Buff, Hopscotch, Red Rover, Simon Says, Duck, Duck, Goose, Sly Fox, and Stuck in the Mud almost obsessively. Our weekdays weren’t jam-packed with after-school extracurricular activities.
If we played sports, it was somehow connected with the school, and our parents expected us to take care of the organization. We would walk home alone after training, and they would assume we would get home safely. We had the freedom to do whatever we wanted to do without parents watching over our every word or action.
7. Kids raised in the 80s made friends fast
We had the best friends from the neighborhood, and it took us about five minutes to become instant friends. At the park, the playthings were dangerous. The slides were too tall and made of metal that would burn our bottoms as we slid down.
We would fly off roundabouts as they spun around super-fast. We would often go to the park by ourselves. We were encouraged to play with fireworks on special occasions. If we got grazed knees, our parents didn’t always bother with Band-Aids. They didn’t ever fuss over a little blood.
8. Kids raised in the 80s didn't expect elaborate celebrations
Instead, we were lucky to have one or two big parties with our school friends before our parents ticked that chore permanently off their list. After that, it was just a quiet or next-to-no celebration. We would receive one or two presents, and it felt thrilling just to get those few precious gifts.
When it was our lucky year for a party, parents didn’t organize parties at Timezone or Clowntown or anywhere special other than your own backyard. Parents kept catering simple and didn’t fear serving junky stuff like Cheezels and red cordial.
It wasn’t a proper party if we didn’t play Musical Chairs or Pass the Parcel (for which there was only one prize at the end, and nope, it was not always the birthday kid). They didn’t always give out treat bags at the end of the day, either.
9. Kids raised in the 80s were used to not getting what they wanted
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Santa usually brought only one or two presents and not necessarily something from our Christmas wish-list. There was no massive pile of gifts. There was no compulsion on the part of parents to spend hundreds of dollars trying to make us happy. We got used to the disappointment because we were all in the same boat together.
Kids, of course, walked to school or caught a bus. Our parents didn’t check out or investigate a dozen schools first to see which had the best academic achievement results. Instead, they sent us to whatever was nearest to one.
At school, teachers could still smack you if you didn’t behave. My fourth-grade teacher had a rolled-up newspaper that was rumored to have a wooden rod inside it. If boys misbehaved, they were taken outside to receive a little tap on the tush.
10. Kids raised in the 80s were expected to do their homework on their own
Parents didn’t even know what our homework was, when an assignment was due, nor did they force us to study. They expected that we would do it on our own.
If we did a minor naughty thing, the teacher made us face the wall in the corner of the classroom for a time-out. We were told often: “You get what you get and you don’t get upset. There were no trophies or ribbons for participation.
Sometimes the same kid (aka the teacher’s pet) received the award every single week. The teachers didn’t care if our feelings were hurt.
At lunchtime, we played hopscotch, marbles, and elastics with our friends. Our parents packed us food without giving thought to how healthy it was. We were obsessed with learning new string tricks like the Cat’s Cradle.
For music time, we learned to play the recorder. For art, we mastered the art of macramé. We used Encyclopaedia Britannica as our go-to reference when doing school reports. Salesmen would sell these door-to-door and convince our parents to fork over $1400 for the full 32-volume print edition.
Growing up in the 80s was ultimately a pretty cool experience, shaped by a unique blend of technological innovation, cultural phenomena, and timeless traditions.
From the cheap thrills of Saturday morning cartoons to the camaraderie of neighborhood adventures, the memories we forged during this iconic era continue to hold a special place in the hearts of those who came of age during this time.
As we look back on the 80s with fondness and nostalgia, I encourage you to take a moment to celebrate the enduring legacy of this decade and the indelible impact it has had on our lives. It was pretty special, right? How lucky we were to experience it.
Frances Vidakovic is the face behind Inspiring Mom Life and host of the Inspiring Life School podcast.
