ADVERTISEMENT

Kids in the '70s and '80s had a different experience when growing up. No wonder your auntie Betsie never misses a chance to tell the same old story of her 10-year-old self walking 5 km to school in freezing winter. “These days kids, they don’t know!” she mumbles.

But she must be right. This illuminating thread shared by Dan Wuori, the senior director of early learning at The Hunt Institute, shed light on what kids in the past experienced in their daily lives and most of it is simply hard to imagine.

“My high school had a smoking area. For the kids,” Wuori tweeted before asking everyone to share “What’s something you experienced as a kid that would blow your children’s minds?” Below we selected some of the most interesting posts that reveal just how much times have changed.

Image credits: DanWuori

You May Also Like:
#2

Mindblowing-Childhood-Experiences

CourtneyAnnePh Report

Add photo comments
POST
Juan Ghote
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Trawling through the library index first to find the right encyclopedia / reference publication then building your footnotes / bibliography to support your submission. Roughly 30 minutes for per reference...

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

Childhood memories are something most of us cherish throughout our lives. Prof. Krystine Batcho, a scholar in science of nostalgia and licensed psychologist, has developed a tool to measure our emotions towards the past using the Nostalgia Inventory Test. The tool shows how strongly and how often people feel nostalgic.

In a previous in-depth interview with Prof. Batcho, Bored Panda asked the professor about the role our childhood memories play in our lives. According to the professor, childhood memories can influence our adult lives in a number of ways. “They can contribute to our overall sense of happiness in life.”

ADVERTISEMENT
#6

Mindblowing-Childhood-Experiences

MiraCeleste2 Report

Add photo comments
POST
Robert T
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This was "normal" in the UK in the 80s and 90s. Uniform was a skirt for the girls. In winter they simply wore woolly tights, which was also part of the uniform and had to be a certain colour. Boys wore trousers and it was only if it was really hot we could wear shorts and very occasionally it would be declared a "no tie" day.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

Moreover, Batcho argues that social experiences we had when little are crucial to our development and adult lives. “Positive childhood social events, such as family get-togethers during the holidays or parties to celebrate birthdays or achievements, help establish good self-esteem and healthy social skills in adulthood,” she told us.

Prof. Batcho’s life-long research suggested that “positive childhood memories are associated with more adaptive coping skills in adulthood.” For example, people with happier memories of childhood were less likely to turn to counterproductive ways of dealing with stressful situations, such as substance abuse or escapist behavior.

#7

Mindblowing-Childhood-Experiences

StacyKratochvil Report

Add photo comments
POST
Robert T
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You think that's bad. When I was a university, I didn't have a phone and used the public call boxes at the end of the street. Doesn't sound too bad until I say that I lived in the red light district and got propositioned whilst on the phone to my mother! LOL

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#8

Mindblowing-Childhood-Experiences

RealGravitas Report

Add photo comments
POST
Holly Freeman
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The amount of times I would burn my hands on the monkey bars from the hot Aussie sun 😤 the blisters! But my god was it fun!!!

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

That means that healthy coping is not something we’re born with, but rather “it is learned during childhood by role modeling trusted adults, and memories of how respected adults coped with adversity,” the professor explained.

If you deeply cherish your childhood memories and carry them throughout your life, you’re not the only one, Batcho argues. The professor explained that this phenomenon is called “rosy retrospection,” and it refers to a tendency to remember the past as better than it really was.

#10

Mindblowing-Childhood-Experiences

crunchyrugger Report

Add photo comments
POST
Robert T
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ha. There was one bus stop in the entire village. Apart from the one and only school bus, the remainder of the bus service flipped between one an hour to two busses a week! I walked to primary school, including on my own from about aged 7 or 8, and cycled to secondary school which was 3 miles away in the nearest town. This is probably why I have such little patience with the Chelsea tractors (SUVs) doing the "school run".

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

“There might be an evolutionary reason for it, because a favorable focus on the past helps most people remain healthy and happy despite the practical and emotional challenges of adult life,” prof. Batcho explained. Having said that, it’s also important to note that memory retrieval and the way we feel about them is directly influenced by a person’s current mood and state of mind. It turns out that when we are sad or depressed, we are more likely to remember negative events in our past and remember past experiences less favorably.

ADVERTISEMENT
#13

Mindblowing-Childhood-Experiences

long17_de Report

Add photo comments
POST
Grady'sRaider
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The one I remember was mostly a toy: molded plastic seat, one inch plastic strap with a buckle, and a plastic steering wheel with a squeeky horn button.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#14

Mindblowing-Childhood-Experiences

KevinGi62453362 Report

Add photo comments
POST
Robert T
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That was a student prank. Our chemistry teacher had some mercury in a beaker and we stuck our hands in it. Not sure that touching it is a big deal, but you don't want to ingest it.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#17

Mindblowing-Childhood-Experiences

Seymour_from_GP Report

Add photo comments
POST
Ash
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

AND you could pick up the phone and listen in on their conversations!

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#18

Mindblowing-Childhood-Experiences

MelissaV007 Report

Add photo comments
POST
Katy McMouse
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Probably because they were hunting rifles, used for hunting and not assault rifles, used for God knows what.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#23

Mindblowing-Childhood-Experiences

DarciaAnne Report

Add photo comments
POST
Nathaniel
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There is one of these near my sisters, in a park, it is 3 feet wide. Spin on that fast and you will vomit and feel ill for the rest of the day.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#24

Mindblowing-Childhood-Experiences

HoldenCapt Report

Add photo comments
POST
Pat Head
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Fortunately, the jet injectors do no use a needle, but instead use a high pressure spray that penetrates the top layers of skin to deliver the vaccine. They used to be used for mass vaccinations, but now only a fraction of people in the States use it for insulin.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#25

Mindblowing-Childhood-Experiences

3rdtimewalter Report

Add photo comments
POST
Emerald Ocean
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well at least the nurse tried to calm her down, though a newborn should not be near smoking!

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#28

Mindblowing-Childhood-Experiences

jan_ruscoe Report

Add photo comments
POST
Karin Gibson
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We had Nitty Nora the head explorer. You were treated then and there. The shame of going back to class was dreadful.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#29

Mindblowing-Childhood-Experiences

Elisabethmngirl Report

Add photo comments
POST
Marie
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm also from Raleigh. My second grade teacher's wooden paddle was made by her husband and he'd even done fancy burn in lettering to put her name on it. Good times

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#30

Mindblowing-Childhood-Experiences

m00n_child_227 Report

Add photo comments
POST
Ed
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That would have been quite a trick in the 70s and 80s, since Netflix wasn't even founded until mid-1997.

FreshGanesh
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh, you sweet summer child! That was the late 90s & early to mid Oughts. There was no Netflix or dvds in the 70s/80s.

dream of delusion
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

yes, the title did say 70/80’s, but the question was different, never talked about the year

Load More Replies...
Jonathan Warren
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I still get DVDs from Netflix because I can't stream here in rural Virginia

Steve Riddle
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Netflix doesn't Stream all their movies. Especially for old movies, you have to rent the DVD.

Load More Replies...
Hugh Wellford
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Netflix still sends out DVDs in the mail. Not everything is available on the stream.

Ellen Ranks
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Netflix? Hahaha.. we would go down the road to rent VCR cassettes.

Mali Holdaway
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sent in the mail??? I had to actually walk, a good long walk uphill both ways ;), to the video store where we rented VHS tapes. And that started when I was about 13, before that you either saw it in the theater, or waited until it was on HBO or Showtime, before that u had to wait until 1 of the 3 networks or however many UHF stations u got showed it with a whole bunch of commercial breaks!!!

Christian Fuller
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And make sure you don't get caught going through the beaded curtain to the 'special' section - by a clerk or, more embarrassingly, a neighbor.

Load More Replies...
Partsqueen
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's the 80s. What's Netflix? And what in the hell is an internet?

Fredrika
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And you had to pay according to how many DVDs you wanted to have at home at the same time: 1, 2 or 3.

Piper Fair
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I remember the dvd delivery. Those were the days!!! My family would watch little house on the prairie

Linda Rhyne
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I still get Netflix DVDs in the mail in a red paper envelope. I don't have internet.

elcee
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

THE VIDEO STORE. we lucked out as weirdo teens bc there was a cool guy who ran the cinema in the big city and he got all sorts of demented stuff on tape : ) and then a pretty cool store in our town where my bff worked, and her boss would get us stuff too. lucky duckys

Baali Venomax
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

probably wasnt called Netflix, one of those video mail order companies. I remember those. They had them for cassettes too.

Madster
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This whole post makes me feel young 🤗 as can't comment on most of it. Fascinating nonetheless!

ArodTheHorrible
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This one does NOT qualify LOL. Leave this topic to your elders, youngin'

Rebecca Bohn
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Netflix still sends DVDs in the mail. Many movies are not available to stream.

Tammy Morris
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No cellphones either, my mom had an old rotary dial phone and she had the lock for it when she didn’t want us to use it!

Andy Hinds
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Netflix didn't exist until 1997, and DVDs didn't become a thing until around1998.

censor
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Dude, this was still a thing in 2008, I know because I did it.

StrangeWalrus
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I had to go to a video rental place rent a video tape hoping what i wanted was in if not had to get on a wait list.dvds were not a thing yet it was bata max

Debbie Pugsley
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I work with a woman who is 'grandfathered in' to the Netflix DVD by mail thing. She doesn't have the streaming part.

Christina B
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I worked a 'ball pit' at chucky cheese - I'd avoid those at all cost....

Amanda Lawrence
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Netflix didnt exist until almost the 2000s, we are talking about a time before internet was a regular houshold thing

Pam Ives
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Netflix was formed in 1997. They still send DVDs but are planning to retire it at some point. Though with their recent business missteps, they may need to stick with DVDs for longer.

Patrick McKemie
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was a member of The DVD Barn until they sold it and recommended I give the new owners a try...I've been with NetFlix ever since.

Lazy Panda
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I had to go to my friend’s house to watch vhs tapes her sisters had taped off of fuzzy broadcast tv.

Sandy Parker
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My parents still do this to THIS DAY! They are 80. Every time I visit I try to explain it's so much easier to do it on the TV. NOPE!~

Edward Monks
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

used to rent games And DVDs this way via a company like netflix called Love Film, altho this was in like 2007

olx
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

yup im pretty sure lovefilm was renamed/bought out by netflix. thats what my dad told me when lovefilm disappeared from our ps3's app menu lol

Load More Replies...
View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
Continue reading with Bored Panda Premium
Unlimited content
Ad-free browsing
Dark mode
#31

Mindblowing-Childhood-Experiences

KristieMft Report

Add photo comments
POST
Hugh Wellford
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We had a new girl freaking out when she transferred to our school because all the girls wore smocked tops with flowing sleeves and bell-bottom jeans and at her previous school only pregnant girls wore smocked tops.

View more commentsArrow down menu
#32

Mindblowing-Childhood-Experiences

whiskeyandmagic Report

Add photo comments
POST
James016
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Parents: "Where you going?" Me: "Out." Parents: "Dinner is at 7 be back by then"

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#33

Mindblowing-Childhood-Experiences

Lundworks_C Report

Add photo comments
POST
Grady'sRaider
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Didn't have tape. Had 45's, a small record with one song on each side. They cost a dollar, which was minimum hourly wage.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#34

Mindblowing-Childhood-Experiences

CaraMillsATL Report

Add photo comments
POST
Catherine Binder
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I can still picture those aluminum fastfood ashtrays. I used to love folding them.

View more commentsArrow down menu
#35

Mindblowing-Childhood-Experiences

Francp Report

#36

Mindblowing-Childhood-Experiences

MaritMeya Report

Add photo comments
POST
Nathaniel
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In primary school it was Watership Down. It always used to make me cry, and I had to hide that from a classroom full of children.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#39

Mindblowing-Childhood-Experiences

a1magfly Report

Add photo comments
POST
AliJanx
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Public Middle school - girls had to shower after gym class, then wrap a towel around our torsos so the female gym teacher could "check our hips" for dampness to make sure we showered. Looking back on it, I'm stunned that was allowed, even then!

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#41

Mindblowing-Childhood-Experiences

RobEdward1122 Report

Add photo comments
POST
Tami
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Who didn't want to date at least one of their teachers at some point in their school years?

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu