There are things that today’s kids are missing (learn what they are)

No one questions the fact that things change a lot over the years, but the advancement of technology and society in recent times have made today’s childhood become something very different from the one we had 20 years ago or more.

We, from awesome.clubwe gathered amusing reports published by users of the Reddit involving certain things that were left in the past and that are totally unknown to children today.

Back to school was something of a “mystery”. Students wondered who the new classmates would be, what content would be covered and who the new teachers would be. Today, all this can be discovered through social networks.

Going to a video store to pick up VHS tapes or DVDs was quite an adventure. Sometimes we found that movie we so wanted to see, but at other times we returned home disappointed. Still, it was guaranteed fun for the weekend. Those days are behind us, as today we don’t even have to get up from the couch to watch our favorite movies through platforms like Netflix and Amazon.

To talk to someone far away, you had to call the landline, and if the person wasn’t at home, you had to repeat the operation later. This is something unthinkable these days, when cell phones make it possible to get in touch with people immediately, regardless of where they are.

Before the advent of cable TV, cartoons had a fixed day and time on open channels. And this usually happened on weekday mornings. But those who studied at the same time had to be satisfied with the productions shown on Saturdays and Sundays.

Today, we can record any moment using our cell phone: how many videos of babies or children doing fun pranks do we see on social media? Countless, especially if we compare with past decades, when cameras were only used on special occasions. The freedom to do anything without the fear of being recorded and going “viral” hasn’t existed for a few years now.

Many people consider that, in order for us to fully experience the events, cell phones should be left out. And this is very difficult in our time, marked by the constant connection to the Internet.

Sunny days were enjoyed with outdoor games. Whether riding a bicycle, playing soccer or climbing trees, the children only returned home when the streetlights turned on and the parents called them to take a shower and have dinner.

Today, when we register an image, we can immediately share it so that all our contacts can see it. But before that, it was necessary to pay to have our photos in our hands, as well as to handle the anxiety: the development of the images took days, or even weeks. And we still ran the risk of realizing that some of the clicks didn’t turn out as we imagined.

When there was no Internet, online gaming simply did not exist. So, when we wanted to dive into a virtual and fantastic universe together with a friend, there was no alternative but to be in the same physical environment as the other person.

When boredom took over, we needed to resort to toys and games in the company of friends or siblings. We invented thousands of stories from objects found at home, going from teachers to astronauts in a matter of seconds. Today it has become easier to spend time using applications and all the functionalities of electronic devices.

Before the rise of virtual games and the Internet, computers had little to offer. The devices were expensive, with programs developed only for offices. Therefore, they were not attractive to children at all. Speaking of which, let those who have never spent hours drawing in Microsoft Paint cast the first stone.

Because it was the single most direct means of communication, it was exciting when the phone rang. It could be a friend inviting us to play, our grandmother wanting to make small talk or even an advertisement. In any case, it was anyone’s guess as to who was on the other end of the line, and the mystery remained until we heard the voice of our caller. Today, tactile screens instantly show who is wanting to get in touch with us.

Our friends weren’t limited to those at school, because close to home we could also find children of the same age with whom we could have fun. The pranks with the neighbors were frequent, and we could spend hours until we felt like going home.

For those who didn’t have video games at home, these two games were the most technological entertainment available. Lots of people have spent hours fitting blocks together or feeding a virtual pet on devices that are as simple as they are fun.

Despite the fact that social networks are great tools for us to get in touch even with people from other countries, previously the only way to have a social life was to resort to environments that we physically attended, such as schools, sports courts and parks, among others. What mattered was charisma and personality, not the amount of likes nor the number of contacts in the friends list.

If you’re an adult, what do you miss most when you think about your childhood? If you’re a kid or teenager, is there anything retro you’d like to try? Comment!