When I Was A Kid

I turned 46 years old last month. That might seem pretty old to some, but let me just point out that it is less than half a century. ;-)

Still, I've been thinking of how different things are now from when I was a kid. I think most people after the age of 30 begin to reminisce about the "good ole days," so I thought I'd make a small list of some of the changes that have happened since, say, the late 1960's - early 1980's:

Then - When I was a kid, doing my hair meant I'd wash it with shampoo, add some cream rinse if my mom had remembered to buy it, rinse and towel dry. After combing out the tangles, I was done. Since my hair was so long, this process would take about a half hour.

Now - Doing my hair today means shampoo and condition, add leave-in conditioner and frizz control after rinsing, then blow dry and iron straight. Now that my hair is just below my shoulders, it takes a good hour to go through all the steps.

Then - When we came home from school, we'd sit and watch cartoons from 3:00 - 5:00pm, after which the news would come on and we'd do homework, then play with our toys till it was bedtime.

Now - Kids have multiple channels of 24/7 cartoons, enough to keep them "entertained" and out of mom's hair till the wee hours of the night.

Then - A report for school meant going to the library and doing research, reading actual books and encyclopedias for information. Teachers would give at least 2 weeks so that all the material could be read and studied, then written down by hand or, for the luckier ones, on a typewriter.

Now - Encyclopedias have been replaced by Wikipedia, and library research consists of logging on to the Internet where any and all information, true or false, can be located. It takes just a few minutes of copying and pasting, and a report can be completed in less than an hour, with little to no reading done.

Then - Talking on the phone meant using an apparatus that was attached to the wall or sat on a desk. It had a cord which meant you couldn't walk very far from the contraption. What's more, it had one line, so if the phone was in use no one else could make or receive any calls. Those that called would get a busy signal.

Now - Families have multiple cell phones, some known as smart phones that feature call waiting, call forwarding, conference calling, text messaging, email, etc. Which brings me to my next point,

Then - Sending mail meant sitting down, writing out a letter, getting an envelope and stamp (which cost $.05), putting it in the mailbox and waiting anywhere from 1 - 7 days for the intended party to receive it.

Now - We go to a computer, probably in our own home, type up a letter and email it to anywhere in the world, where it will arrive within seconds.

Then - We looked forward to certain times of the year when our favorite movies would be shown on network television (CBS, NBC or ABC). Movies like The Wizard of Oz, Gone With the Wind and the Sound of Music would be shown once a year, and if you missed it, tough luck. It was another year before it would show again. As for Disney, we had to wait till Sunday night, when the Wonderful World of Disney came on after Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom.

Now - Between cable and satellite television, DVD's, Blu-ray, Net-flix and Disney channel, we get instant gratification.

Then - An empty shoe box became a kitchen, or a doll house for Barbie.

Now - For a hefty price you can purchase a kitchen or doll's house that looks like the real thing; or better yet, get a virtual one on the computer that takes up less room.

Then - Most moms stayed at home; those that worked were considered neglectful of their homes and families, especially if they didn't "need" to work (meaning they were married and their husbands were supporting the household).

Now - Most moms work; those that stay at home are considered lazy underachievers. We're supposed to be superwomen, holding down the fort while having a career. A woman who chooses to be a homemaker is "short-changing" herself.

Now I understand why the older generations would talk about the simpler times. Yet I don't think times have changed as drastically at any other time in history as they have these past 25 years. Our way of seeing communication, entertainment and everything technological has changed our mindset about what's important. We need to work more so we can earn more so we can have more. In the end, though, are we enjoying more? Looking back, I've come to the conclusion that less is more. The less stuff I have, the less I worry about, and the more time I have for more important things, like family. I'm glad I'm alive today, but I'm gonna go ahead and say it: I miss my childhood days.