There’s something strange that happens as you get older—you start to realize just how wildly different the world was when you were a kid. And not in a “walked 10 miles to school in the snow” sort of way (though I do remember a few chilly walks). I’m talking about the pace of life, the freedom we had, and the little things that shaped our day-to-day.

Now that I have grandkids of my own, it’s both delightful and slightly baffling to watch them grow up in a world that feels more like science fiction than my childhood. And every now and then, I catch myself thinking, You have no idea what life used to be like.

So, let’s take a stroll down memory lane—back to the bell bottoms, rotary phones, and Saturday morning cartoons—and explore seven things kids today just wouldn’t understand about growing up in the 1970s.

1. Waiting was just part of life

Instant gratification? That wasn’t a thing. If you wanted to watch your favorite show, you had to be in front of the TV at the exact time it aired. Missed it? Tough luck—you’d have to wait until a rerun came around. Maybe.

There was no binge-watching, no YouTube “just one more” videos. Everything from photographs to music took time. You’d drop off your film and wait a week to see how the photos turned out—half of them probably blurry. If you wanted the latest album, you saved up and walked to the record store.

I often think there was a quiet beauty in that kind of patience. It might sound quaint now, but that slower pace taught us to savor things. And I sometimes wonder what that kind of waiting might teach the kids of today about appreciation.

2. The phone was attached to the wall—and so was our privacy

Remember when phone cords could stretch halfway across the house so you could talk to your crush in relative privacy? 

The landline was sacred real estate in the 70s. If the phone rang, everyone heard it. And if your sibling was on a call, you had to wait your turn—sometimes for hours.

There was no texting under the table, no Snapchat. Conversations were real-time, often awkward, and—shock horror—held out loud.

It’s wild to think my grandkids will never experience the rush of racing home to catch a message on the answering machine (if your parents had one). Today, it’s all instant replies and emoji reactions. But back then, that single phone in the hallway was the gateway to your social world.

3. We were truly offline—and nobody expected otherwise

In the 70s, when you left the house, you were gone. No checking in every few minutes, no location tracking. If your parents needed you, they’d tell you to be home by dinner—and that was that.

We roamed free, made plans by memory, and relied on handwritten notes or word of mouth. There was an unspoken trust in the air. And when you hung out with friends, you were fully there. No one was scrolling mid-conversation.

While I’m not against technology—hey, I’m writing this on a laptop—I do sometimes wonder what our kids might gain from switching off once in a while.

4. We had to make our own fun

No curated content, no apps, no algorithm picking your entertainment. If you were bored, you figured something out. We built forts, played kick-the-can until dark, and turned cardboard boxes into race cars or spaceships.

Imagination wasn’t just encouraged—it was necessary. If you told your parents you were bored, they’d hand you a broom or tell you to go outside.

Steve Jobs once said, “Creativity is just connecting things.” Well, we connected sticks, rocks, and whatever else we could find to create whole worlds in our backyards.

These days, I see kids with access to thousands of games and still saying “I’m bored.” Maybe it’s not about how much you have, but what you do with it.

5. Discipline

Now, I’m not here to glorify strict parenting, but let’s be real: in the 70s, rules were rules. You respected your elders, and if you didn’t, there were consequences—sometimes immediate and not particularly subtle.

Fear-based discipline? Not ideal, and I’m glad we’ve moved toward more emotionally intelligent parenting. But there was a clarity back then. Kids understood boundaries. You knew not to talk back at the dinner table or slam your bedroom door.

And looking back, that structure gave us a sense of where the lines were—even if we occasionally tested them.

6. We learned things the hard way

Google didn’t exist. If you wanted to learn something, you either asked someone, looked it up in an encyclopedia, or tried and failed until you got it right.

I remember trying to fix my bike chain for the first time. It took an hour, a sliced thumb, and more trial and error than I care to admit. But I figured it out. That satisfaction—the moment it finally clicked—was worth every scraped knuckle.

Today, if something breaks, kids look up a tutorial or hand it off. I can’t blame them—it’s convenient—but I do wonder if we’re robbing them of those tiny victories that build self-efficacy.

Learning through doing—especially when it’s messy—is a different kind of education. And it sticks.

7. We weren’t the center of the universe

Here’s the thing: in the 70s, kids didn’t run the show. Parents didn’t hover. You weren’t applauded for every move you made. You were part of the family—not the star of it.

Birthdays meant cake and some friends over—not a curated party with a professional photographer. Achievements were celebrated, sure, but not blown out of proportion. You knew the world didn’t revolve around you—and honestly, that was a relief.

We knew struggle. We didn’t expect trophies for showing up. And somehow, that built a quiet confidence—one that didn’t need constant validation.

Wrapping up

I’m not saying it was all better back then—there’s plenty to appreciate about the world my grandkids are growing up in. 

But if there’s one thing we can do, it’s to share these stories. Pass on the lessons. And maybe, just maybe, encourage the next generation to unplug, get a little bored, and find the joy in doing things the long way.

So, what would you add to this list? What do you think kids today will never understand about your childhood? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Let’s keep the conversation going.