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Gen X mom reenacts 'coming home from school in the 80s' and totally nails it

"This is why we're built different."

Photo credit: Canva

If you lived through an 80s childhood, this will send you back.

Generation X, made up of those born between 1965 and 1980, has many claims-to-fame in their younger years game. Gen X brought the world Prince and Kurt Cobain. We were The Goonies and The Breakfast Club. We took down the Berlin Wall while watching MTV.

But perhaps the most iconic thing about Gen X is our semi-feral childhoods of benign neglect. The standards of parenting and child rearing have shifted a lot in the past 40 to 50 years, as has the technological landscape that kids grow up in, so naturally, today's kids won't have the same childhoods previous generations had. But there's something particularly nostalgic about being a child of the 80s for those who lived it.

 

One mom nailed the experience with a video reenactment of what it was like to come home from school in the 80s. Elizabeth Stevens (@BennettPeach on YouTube) arrives at the front door in her backpack, then pulls out a house key on a string around her neck. (Ah, the "latchkey kid" era when children were expected to come home to an empty house and let themselves in.)

Then she goes into the kitchen in her Care Bears t-shirt and finds a handwritten note—in cursive, of course—on the back of an envelope. "Working late—make your own dinner, watch your brother and the dishes better be done when I get home from bowling. – Mom"

  - YouTube  www.youtube.com  

 

That's right. Mom wasn't just working late, she was also going bowling while her kids were home caring for themselves.

Then we see her washing the dishes despite barely being able to reach the faucet, even with a stool, and then her making a Gen X staple—the cinnamon-sugar and butter sandwich. On white bread, of course.

In just one minute, Stevens managed to capture the essence of so many Gen X memories, as commenters shared:

"The mom notes on an unopened bill is memories."

"Nailed it! The best thing about growing up in the '70s/'80's was being ALLOWED to grow up."

"Why this video made me almost cry?? How quiet it is inside the home. Lovely."

 child doing dishes, 80s childhood, gen x childhood Kids did chores at home alone after school in the 80s. Photo credit: Canva

"Facts!!! No babysitter, go in the house, read the note, do the chores n not let anybody in!!!! I remember the homemade the 'cinnamon bun.'"

"70s and 80s … latch key kid here elementary, junior high and high school. we turned out self sufficient, independent and successful."

"Just so frickin on point!!! All of it from the clothes to the key on the necklace to the note. Even what you chose to do for a snack. Too good!!! The windbreaker that's memories. It's all coming back to me now lol thank you for this. You have brought a huge grin to both me and my inner child."

  Ah, the 80s.  Giphy  

"I was met with a note everyday, too. On the back of an envelope, my daily chores would be listed. If I was in trouble, I would cry as soon as I saw the note....lolol Love you momma. How I wished I could have saved those notes! They were historical treasures."

Tons of people gushed over the nostalgia of remembering those "good old days" when they were given both freedom and responsibility, with many saying kids today have no idea. One thing that might surprise the younger generations was how young the theoretical kid in this video could have been. We're not talking about young teens here—kids as young as 5 or 6 could be latchkey kids, and kids any older than that were often given responsibility for looking after younger siblings. Even official babysitting jobs could start around age 11, or sometimes even younger.

 

Gen X kids had learned to take care of themselves early on, which has its pros and cons. The rose-colored glasses many Gen X adults view their childhoods through can sometimes cloud the parts that were not so great about growing up in the 70s and 80s. Sure, that benign neglect resulted in resilience and independence, but for some that came at the cost of parental relationships and a sense of safety and security. We have more knowledge now about things like mental health support, parent-child attachment, and healthy relationship dynamics, and some of that learning is reflected in shifting parenting practices.

As often happens, the pendulum may have swung too far from the absent parents of the 70s and 80s to the helicopter parents of the 90s and 2000s, of course, and the "right" approach (if there is one) probably lies somewhere in the middle. But it is still fun to look back on those iconic childhood experiences with joy and humor and appreciate that they helped us become who we are today.

This article originally appeared in April

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Joy

People share 19 everyday things from the 90s and early 2000s that are now considered 'luxuries'

Remember happy hour specials and real wood furniture?

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Really should have appreciated some of these things when they were commonplace.

Bob Dylan sang that the times are a-changin' back in the late 70s, and since then, they haven't ever stopped a-changin'. And yes, change has been a constant for all of humanity's existence, but things certainly seem to be progressing a whole heck of a lot faster, don't they?

Before ya know it, those once fashion-forward pants you purchased are now retro, you don't understand any of the slang the kids are spouting, and you're doing your taxes, grocery planning and work meetings all from your phone. You know, that device that once only…gasp…called people.

It certainly feels like more than simply growing older, too. Technology is evolving at a rapid pace, to the point where human beings are finally having a hard time keeping up. Combine that with uncertain economic times, and it's no wonder that some folks are left reminiscing about how, in some (not all or even most, but some) ways, the good old days really were good.

Take for instance this interesting question posed by a user over on Ask Reddit. They asked: "What was normal 20 to 30 years ago but is considered a luxury now?"

Thousands of people chimed in with fascinating bits of bittersweet nostalgia. Some were monetary — just think that the price of most everyday items has increased 2-3x since the 90s. Other memories were more intangible, based on experiences you just don't get very often anymore.

Here are some of the best answers.

1. "New furniture made out of real wood."

If you regularly traffic in furniture from Target, IKEA, Wayfair, and other relatively affordable places like that, you'll recognize that furniture these days is more often than not made from particle board or fiber board, not real wood. That makes it convenient and relatively cheap, but not very durable.

 90s trends, 00s trends, 00s nostalgia, 90s nostalgia, 90s, 2000s, millennials, generations, economy Real wood furniture.  Giphy  

2. "Owning the software you purchased."

Remember the days when you just bought Microsoft Office once and were set for years? Today, the SAAS (Software As A Service) model has us paying recurring monthly fees for a million different subscriptions, for things we used to own outright. It's maddening.

3. "Paying no more than 30% of your income in rent."

One user added: "I lived in poverty housing and this was how they determined our rent. It was 30% of mom's income, regardless of how much she was making. That was 20 years ago, not sure what starving kids do today."

4. "Concert ticket prices."

The entire concert-going experience has gotten completely out of hand due to high-tech scalpers and unregulated reseller markets.

 90s trends, 00s trends, 00s nostalgia, 90s nostalgia, 90s, 2000s, millennials, generations, economy Going to a concert.  Giphy  

One person added: "17 years ago I spent $30 to see an internationally touring band play a concert, and I thought that was way too high. Now I’m spending minimum $20 to see local bands. Just on admission."

The New York Times writes that the average concert ticket for a mainstream show costs a staggering, ridiculous $135.

5. "Household products that don't break within the first few years of use."

One user wrote: "My grandma had the same fridge from 1993 before deciding to switch to a newer, bigger one two years ago. My mom's wedding cookware is still going strong 25 years later, but whenever she needs new pans, they start flaking Teflon into the food within a few months."

Today, modern refrigerators are only expected to last about 10 years and gennerally aren't worth repairing.

6. "Not being expected to be reachable 24/7."

Ah, yes, being completely unreachable was the ultimate luxury. Most of us have actually forgotten what it feels like.

7. "Being able to afford going out every Friday after work."

Remember happy hour specials? Dollar beer nights? It was easy to go out with friends or colleagues when a single beer didn't cost $11 with tip.

 90s trends, 00s trends, 00s nostalgia, 90s nostalgia, 90s, 2000s, millennials, generations, economy Grabbing a drink after work.  Giphy  

8. "Farmer's markets."

"You used to be able to go down and get fruit and vegetables cheaper than the grocery store. Now it seems like they charge 3x more than stores do," one user noted.

9. "Single income families buying a home."

Another user read everyone's mind by adding: "Buying a home in general"

If you thought inflation on everything else was bad, housing prices might be the worst of all. They've ballooned far faster than salaries have, putting owning a home completely out of reach for many young people.

10. "Good quality fabric in clothing."

"I have clothes from the 90s (and 80s from my mother) that still hold up today. These days, I'm lucky if my shirt isn't saggy and misshapen within a year," one user wrote.

Fast-fashion is everywhere now! Like appliances, our clothes used to be built to last.


 90s trends, 00s trends, 00s nostalgia, 90s nostalgia, 90s, 2000s, millennials, generations, economy Clothes that lasted.  Giphy  

11. "Items not requiring a subscription each month."

I'd love to see the average bank or credit card statement from the 90s. It must have been stunningly simple without a dozen recurring charges, from iCloud storage to Netflix.


12. "Legroom on an airplane."

You're not crazy. Flying used to be more comfortable. Planes have given up about 1-2 inches of legroom over the years, making passengers cramped and grumpy.

13. "Free driver’s education classes taught in all high schools."

Private driver's ed can cost anywhere from $500-1000 where it used to be much more commonly provided for free. Shouldn't giving the next generation of drivers thorough safety training be considered a public necessity?

14 . "Family vacations."

"I remember going on road trips regularly as a kid and even flying once or twice. Now that I have kids, I cannot afford a weeklong trip to the Badlands, Grand Canyon, Disney/Universal Studios, etc. The best I can do is a day trip to the Wisconsin Dells maybe once a year," one user wrote.


 90s trends, 00s trends, 00s nostalgia, 90s nostalgia, 90s, 2000s, millennials, generations, economy Taking vacations.  Giphy  

14. "Apartments."

"I could get a one-bedroom apartment in Wisconsin back in 1997 for under $500. Now that same apartment is at least $2,000."

Apartments are supposed to be the affordable thing! What happened?!

15. "Affordable healthcare."

Even "good" healthcare these days leaves you paying enormous of out of pocket expenses. I'm not sure healthcare in America was ever great, but it's definitely gotten worse.


16. "People making friends with one another purely because they enjoy their companionship and not because of networking."

Hustle culture has really changed the way we think about friends and leisure time.


17. "Calling a company and getting a person on the other end of the phone.

Another problem that's only getting worse with AI! They even have AI instead of people working at drive-thrus now.


 90s trends, 00s trends, 00s nostalgia, 90s nostalgia, 90s, 2000s, millennials, generations, economy Talking to humans on the phone.  Giphy  

18. "Drinking water from the tap without filters and softeners."

More and more people are using home water filters for taste and, more importantly, because they don't trust the local drinking water. Gee, wonder why?

19. "Being able to dance and have a good time without having the risk that it will end up being recorded and put on social media."

Every time you leave your house you're at risk of being pranked for TikTok or ending up in one of those life-ruining drunk "street interviews."

The 90s and 2000s were a simpler time. Not everything was better, or even great, but there was something real about it. People were more authentic, things we bought weren't so cheaply made yet expensive, and your hard-earned dollar went a lot further than it did today. We can't go back, but it's sure nice to visit every now and then.

This article originally appeared two years ago. It has been updated.


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Culture

Gen Z and Millennials have revealing chat about how differently they've experienced the 2000s

"Millennials had dial up internet. And a life before that internet was created."

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Gen Z discusses the biggest cultural differences between them and Millennials.

Gen Z (those born between 1997 and 2012) and Millennials (those born between 1981 and 1996) only have a handful of years between them. But if you ask them, they were raised worlds apart.

In an online forum discussing generational differences, a member named @No_Title_615 posed the question: "Why are Gen Z so much different to Millennials?" They went on to share, "So I grew up during the 2000’s and 2010’s and as a society I felt like we were honestly in a really good place culturally. However as we entered the 2020’s I felt a big shift in society."

The shift? A noticed change in overall optimism to pessimism. "Suddenly there was so much more doomerism. The optimism of the 2010’s pretty much went away," they wrote.

The post prompted many Gen Zers and Millennials to add their thoughts and opinions about their differences growing up--and they did not hold back. From societal norms to technology and more, here are the most interesting responses from Gen Z and Millennials.

"Millennials grew up and learned the internet and technology as it was happening whereas GenZ will utter phrases like “wtf do you mean, no internet?” at some point in their lives." —@Quiet-Donut2192

"I feel like the optimism of the 2010s was more an Obama 2nd term thing than an all of the 2010s thing." —@Someperson727

"Millennials had dial up internet. And a life before that internet was created." —@grom513

dial up, dial up internet, internet, aol, internet memeDial Up The Struggle GIFGiphy

"The way that I see it, is that the 2010’s were right after the housing crash, and ppl became more optimistic, going to clubs more and such. However, post-COVID, I feel after that crisis, music I particular seems to be getting better. After a social crisis, the music seems to reflect the feelings that everyone is feeling. Then afterwards, a couple of years or so, the music becomes more uplifting and even reflective. This is the period that we’re in, imo. Hope this makes sense." —@Maxi-Lux

"9/11 and COVID were large reasons that separate Gen Z and Millennials. Millennials had an understanding of what life was like before 9/11, not Gen Z. Millennials had a taste of the workforce before COVID, not Gen Z. Gen Z grew up and faced adulthood in the midst of crisises, Millennials had the taste of the normal life before it got taken away." —@XConejoMaloX

scrolling, smart phone, iphone, scrolling mindlessly, scrolling gifAdd Hasan Minhaj GIF by MOODMANGiphy

"Smartphones changed everything. My upbringing was largely the same as millenials, but when smartphones started getting popular, everyone I knew got busy, cold, and distant. I'd try having conversations with people and they'd just stare at their phones the whole time. I think constant internet access has left people fragmented, with our heads in the clouds. You could live right next to each other but have nothing in common, because everything is online now." —@OnTheRadio3

"I say this all the time and frequently get a lot of flack for it but the doomerism is a byproduct of inexperience. People who spend most of their time online or in videogames or otherwise rotting away alone at home aren’t gaining much in the way of life experience but they don’t want to come off to others (or themselves) as naive, sheltered, etc. so they adopt this kind of idiotic cynicism to stand in for the wisdom of experience. Others see this and basically copy it because if you don’t know better then it sounds very worldly and jaded. Gen Z exhibits this due to the isolation and terminally online nature of their upbringing." —@Woodit

party rock, millennials, party rock dance, dancing, shufflingdance party everyday im shufflin GIFGiphy

"Gen Z refused to Party Rock." —@One_Huckleberry_

"Millennials had access to the world’s information without it being algorithmically weaponized against them during their formative years." —@Messiah_Thomas

"We know what it’s like to not have the internet or phones on us 24/7. Also we know what it’s like to play outside and be bored to our core." —User Unknown

play outside, outside, outdoors, playing, boredPlay Go GIFGiphy

"I mean bruh, 2020 literally started off with a pandemic, it’s not the best reference point to go off of plus we are only halfway through our current decade. I think nostalgia for happier/youthful times is playing a part in warping your perspective. There’s a lot of factors though, Gen Z as a whole has been disenfranchised by a feeling of lack of purpose and bad financial prospects. It’s not something I’d arbitrarily chalk down to our generation as a whole, but rather the material conditions of our modern day environment and things happening beyond our control. For most of us, we were hit by the Covid lockdowns right after or during high school so key years of our youth got utterly fucked and what came after was bitter sweet. Things got a hell of a lot more expensive in the last few years and wages aren’t sufficiently rising to keep up with inflation. so that plays a huge part. More youth are realizing the contradictions and flaws within our economic system and yearn for change. Tough times can create a lot of animosity and frustration in people." —@Triscuitsandbiscuits

"I wonder if the fact that there was a global pandemic had anything to do with decreasing levels of optimism." —@AdMurky3039

tiktok, tiktok dance, tik tok choreo, tiktok dancing, dance tiktokJimmy Fallon Dancing GIF by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonGiphy

"Internet, YouTube, Tik Tok. Constantly exposed to what we would have considered bad influences before." —@Electrical-Lead-3792

"We had an incredible upbringing. Music was great, the state of the world was great (besides 9/11). Pop culture was great. Everything was just getting better and better. Movies, games, phones, internet, cars getting cooler and cooler, buildings getting cooler and cooler. People getting cooler. And we learned almost everything through experiences, socializing, mentorships, taking advice, listening to our elders, asking questions, experimenting, arguing, challenging ourselves, breaking ourselves down, lifting ourselves up, and figuring what this world means to us. While the new generation, the minute they’re unsure about something they run to ChatGPT. They don’t take risks. They don’t argue anything, the right opinion is the most popular or upvoted. They’re not insightful. They don’t value perspective. And everything is as good as it gets for them. Different times. We were like the roaring twenties before 1929 happened." —@SasukesFriend321


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Culture

People from Generation Jones explain their major cultural differences with Boomers

"Think of us as a generation that got the tail end of the party but had to clean up the mess."

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Generation Jones points out the biggest cultural differences between them and Boomers.

Generation Jones, people born from 1954-1964, is considered a 'micro-generation' between Boomers and Generation X. Though typically lumped in with Boomers, there are some pretty distinct differences between them.

In an online community of Generation Jones-ers, a member named @WalkingHorse, prompted those in Generation Jones to discuss how their upbringing differed from Boomers in a post titled "What is and who are Generation Jones. Step inside...".

"We're often described as pragmatic idealists—raised on big dreams but tempered by economic recessions and a sense of lowered expectations compared to the Boomers’ post-war prosperity," they wrote. "Think of us a generation that got the tail end of the party but had to clean up the mess."

It inspired many Generation Jones members to share their thoughts and opinions. These are some of the major cultural differences those in Generation Jones have with Boomers:

"We were too young to fully participate in the counterculture of the '60s but old enough to feel its aftershocks." —@WalkingHorse

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Gen Jones men also signed up for the selective service, but were not drafted as the Vietnam war had ended." —@tedshreddon

"Boomers had Elvis and The Beatles. We had Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd." —@Scr33ble

"First teenage generation to experience the Space Shuttle launch. First teen generation to watch music videos in between movies on cable TV then the birth of MTV. We laughed when hearing that golf obsessed President Gerald Ford would routinely slice or hook a ball into a crowd of spectators. Then laugh at Chevy Chase for mimicking our clumsy commander in Chief. We watched our parents go through the fuel rationing days where you could only buy gas for you car if the last digit on the plate was an odd or even number. We counted days along with the media on how long the Iran hostages were being held. We lost John Lennon while not in that sweet spot age to have experienced the musical British Invasion of the 60’s. Instead, MTV opened to floodgates to the Brit-pop invasion of Duran Duran followed closely by big hair, neon clothing and wondering why saying ‘too hip’ was all that and a bag of chips. Best part was that college tuition was sorta affordable." —@contrivancedevice

"Not mentioned yet, but we were present for the rise of gay rights. Went to my first gay bar at 19. Music, especially Disco, was infused with pride and acceptance and coming out. 'We are Family', 'I’m Coming Out'. Queen and the Village People, etc. The rise of 'women’s music' like Holly Near and Chris Williamson. Activists like Harvey Milk and later ACT UP. We were young adults when AIDS hit and the fight for treatment led to a huge wave of coming out. We lost a whole generation of gay men to that plague. 😢" —@BldrJanet

"Boomers remember where they were when President Kennedy died. We remember where we were when John Lennon died." —@KJPratt

"Musically speaking, I think we were blessed. Our musical heyday had everything. Our moms played Elvis the king on the radio, and we had Elvis Costello. The Stones and The Who transverse generations. We are old enough to remember Joan Baez and Bob Dylan pre-Chalamet, not to mention Freddie and Elton before their bio-pics. And Johnny Cash too. And shout out to the poster girl of the 80’s Cyndi Lauper (I got special love for her as a race tracker cause she walked hots at Belmont Park.)" —@Binky-Answer896

"We gave a hoot, and didn’t pollute!" —@Awkwardimplemet698

"We are the generation that got to see the war every evening at dinner 'live via satellite'. —@blurtlebaby

"Think: 45s—albums—-8 tracks—cassettes—-CDs—-Streaming! I’ve had the Rolling Stones on all!" —@NOLALaura

"I always said that I experienced it all...born in 1957. I listened to my older siblings music. I stole my sisters Woodstock album when she went off to college. I still have it. I recall all the assassinations from JFK and MLK.I saw RFK being killed on live tv.(at least I think I did), I remember the chaos of the Vietnam war, the Chicago riots, the Nixon mess. I recall the beginning of the environmental fight, Sesame Street and the moon launch. Computers, and floppy discs, cell phones that came in small cases that would plug into the car. So much good stuff. So much chaos." —@mammaV55

"There’s a sure way to know if you’re Gen J. Were you deadly afraid of quicksand?!" —@NOLALaura

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