1980s parenting

Parenting was very different back in the 1980s. From latchkey kids to "roaming free," it hardly can compare to raising kids today.

But one mom is trying to emulate parenthood from back then. Mom of two Vanessa Eaves (@vanessaeves) shared with her followers that she is parenting her children like it is 1985.

In a post that resonated with fellow parents, Eaves laid out eight ways that she is turning back time while raising her kids. "Time to rewind 40 years 🙃🙃 Here’s 8 (potentially dividing 🤭) ways that I parent like it’s the 1980’s," she shared.

Eaves shared that the eight key things she is focusing on with her kids are:

- I don’t buy them lots of stuff
- I teach them resilience
- I seriously limit tablet time
- I’m not giving in to requests for an XBox
- I won’t be getting them a smartphone
- I like them wearing bare feet outside
- I let them be bored
- I don’t stress if their vegetables are just carrots & cucumbers on repeat

She shared her open and honest reasons why these eight pillars work best for her and her family, and explained more about her process. And many fellow parents love her take. "Agree with each and every point 🙌," one commented. Another added, "I’m glad I’m not alone! I do pretty much all of these."

Eaves wants to create a childhood experience similar to hers. "I grew up in New Zealand in the 80’s and we had the most wonderful childhood—always outside, in nature and using our imaginations for play," she tells Upworthy. "Too many kids these days spend too much time inside and far too much time on screens, so I’m just trying to take the positive down-to-earth aspects of how I was raised, mix it with common sense and modern day life and be aware of what we’ve learned from recent studies on the impact of technology on children."

She adds that this has worked with her kids and maintains an open dialogue with them about it. "We’re honest with our kids about our approach and they understand that too much screen time is not healthy, so they respect the boundaries when we give them limited time on their tablets," she says. "Kids are amazingly adaptable—they enjoy the freedom to be creative and get bored enough to invent their own fun."

Eaves has noticed more positives than negatives from raising her kids like it's the 1980s.

"I also hope for my kids it will instill independence, confidence, a strong sense of self and knowing what’s right for them. And resilience is key!" she adds. "I grew up with my grandparents around who fought in the war and they had no option but to be resilient. They never complained, showed a lot of gratitude and got on with life. Life is very different now but building resilience is still a core part of preparing them for adulthood—that and developing a growth mindset."

And by sharing her parenting perspective, she's been met with a lot of positive feedback.

"I've had a huge amount of support from other moms and people in agreement on various aspects of the post that they relate too," Eaves shared. "Some have found it a relief to know that there's other parents out there who are striving for a more wholesome childhood for their kids without too much technology or screentime."