I grew up in the ’90s and spent my teenage years in the early 2000s, which means I remember a childhood that looked completely different from the one kids are experiencing today. The older I get, the more I realize that the things we miss about childhood are often the ordinary moments we never thought twice about. It’s funny how one random conversation can bring so many of those memories rushing back.
Plenty of these experiences will feel familiar regardless of when you grew up. Others belong to a time that’s long gone, and there are a few I’d love for my children to enjoy.
Things We Miss About Childhood
When the House Phone Was Our Entire Social Life
Before everybody had a cellphone, the house phone was where everything happened. Three-way calling was our version of a group chat, and getting everybody on the line was practically an event. You could spend hours talking to your friends about absolutely nothing, only to see them at school the next morning with even more to talk about.
And the excitement of coming home and checking the caller ID to see who called while you were gone! You’d scroll through those missed calls, hoping to see a certain number. Then there was the art of secretly picking up another extension to listen to somebody else’s conversation. You had to lift that receiver carefully, because one wrong move and everybody heard that click. Remember when you only had to dial seven digits to make a local call? I can still recite my childhood house phone number by heart.
And please, can we talk about the chat lines? Calling in, listening to introductions, leaving your own little message, and talking to people you had never even seen before. No dating sites, no profile pictures, no swiping through people to decide who you wanted to talk to. Nothing at all, just vibes.
Passing Handwritten Notes in School
Before text messages and DMs, we had handwritten notes folded into tiny little squares and passed around classrooms and hallways. Who could forget the classic “Do you like me? Check yes or no” notes? We’d even start our love letters with the date, exact time, and location. “To my boo, December 12th, 2002, 9:07 a.m., History class.” And if you didn’t get a response before the final bell, you had to wait until the next school day.
The Suspense of Disposable Cameras
Remember taking pictures with a disposable camera and waiting to get the film developed? You could go through an entire roll thinking you took the cutest pictures, only to discover half were blurry, somebody had their eyes closed, or your finger was covering the lens. No deleting or taking 15 more pictures to get the perfect angle. Whatever came back from the photo lab was what you got, and we showed everybody anyway.
Friday Nights at the Video Store
No Netflix, no Hulu, no Peacock. Just Blockbuster on a Friday night. Browsing the aisles of VHS tapes and DVDs, trying to find the perfect movie for the weekend, was an experience in itself. My mother took me almost every Friday or Saturday, and I had my own little tradition of buying this ridiculously huge jawbreaker that came in a square box. I’d finish it during the week, and by our next trip, I was ready for another one.
Recording Songs From the Radio and Making Mixtapes
Before we could pull up any song in seconds, we sat by the radio with blank cassette tapes, waiting to hit RECORD and praying the DJ wouldn’t talk over our favorite song. Then came burning CDs, carefully choosing our tracks and writing the titles on them with a Sharpie. And when we bought an actual album, we’d flip through the little booklet, reading the lyrics and looking at the pictures while the music played. I distinctly remember having a CD labeled “In My Feelings,” and to this day, I have no idea what little boy had me so upset.
When We Were All MySpace Web Designers
We were out here teaching ourselves HTML just to make our MySpace pages look cute. We changed backgrounds, added glitter graphics, picked profile songs, and rearranged our Top 8 like it was serious business. One wrong code could mess up your entire layout, but we figured it out. All that technical knowledge, and we were just trying to impress our friends and whoever we had a crush on.
Before Roblox, We Had Snake
Before Roblox, we had Snake on those little Nokia cell phones. We chased high scores, trying to keep that pixelated snake from running into its own tail. The graphics were practically nonexistent, but we were thoroughly entertained. Matter of fact, I just found a version in the App Store called Snake ’97: Retro Phone Classic, and it turns your entire screen into an old Nokia phone! It’s just as fun as I remember.
AOL Instant Messenger and Those Away Messages
Signing on to AOL Instant Messenger after school was part of our routine. We’d chat with our friends and spend entirely too much time perfecting our away messages. Song lyrics, dramatic quotes, and subliminal messages directed at somebody who probably had no idea we were talking about them.
Word Up Magazines and Bedroom Wall Posters
Before Pinterest boards and Instagram saves, we decorated our bedroom walls with pictures of our favorite celebrities straight out of magazines. Word Up was one of my favorites, especially those big posters folded into the middle. I had Mase, Lil Wayne, and Nas plastered all over my walls. We took those magazine personality quizzes like the results were going to reveal our entire future.
Rushing Home to Watch 106 & Park
Rushing home after school to watch BET’s 106 & Park was practically a daily ritual. We’d tune in for the music video countdown, but the real excitement was seeing which celebrities would stop by to sit on the couch with Free and AJ before hitting the stage to perform. Half the time, you were watching with your best friend or talking to her on the house phone during the show.
High School Parties and Those Legendary Flyers
Before Instagram stories and digital invitations, we had party flyers being passed around school, complete with flashy backgrounds, wild fonts, and pictures of the promoters. Growing up in North Jersey, Hit Squad and D.M.S. were the names to know, with parties often held at the Robert Treat Hotel in downtown Newark. We’d be outside waiting to get in, wearing heels I couldn’t even imagine putting on my feet today. Whoever designed those flyers deserves some credit, because we were doing graphic design long before AI came along.
When We Customized Everything We Wore
We were cutting up jerseys, tying them into different styles, and turning regular clothes into our own little fashion statements. I was the designated jersey stylist for my friends, and we really thought we were doing something! And who remembers the name belts? We’d spell out our names with individual letters, but the real showstoppers were those electronic belt buckles that lit up and scrolled your name across the front. You couldn’t tell us NOTHING!
When the TV Guide Channel and Local News Had Us in a Chokehold
Remember watching the TV Guide Channel, waiting for the listings to scroll to your favorite channel, only to look away for two seconds and miss it? Now you had to sit there for another ten minutes just to catch the time slot you were looking for. And on snowy mornings, we’d be glued to the local news, waiting for our school’s name to appear on the closing list. Seeing your district finally scroll across that screen was like winning the lottery! But that TV Guide Channel? That’s one thing I’m glad we left in the past.
When a Dollar Made You Rich at the Corner Store
Remember walking into the corner store with a dollar and coming out with an entire bag of snacks? Now and Laters were five or ten cents, and you could still grab a bag of Rap Snacks, a juice, and an Icy. And don’t let my mother send me with two dollars. I was really living then! But five dollars? I was practically the talk of the town.
Being Outside Until the Streetlights Came On
As kids, we spent entire afternoons outside with our friends. We’d ride bikes, play tag, jump Double Dutch, and make up games until somebody’s mother yelled for them to come inside. Half the time, our parents had no idea exactly where we were, and we weren’t checking in every twenty minutes. Once those streetlights came on, we knew it was time to get home.
Spending the Entire Day at the Mall
Catching the bus to the mall with your friends was an entire Saturday adventure. We’d walk through stores, try on clothes we had no intention of buying, run into people from school, and just enjoy each other’s company. We’d come home with nothing but an ice cream cone, and somehow, it was still the best day ever.
Friday Nights at the Skating Rink
The skating rink was one of THE places to be growing up. We’d meet up with friends, skate to our favorite songs, and spend half the night seeing who else showed up. Between the music, the lights, and everybody trying to look cute while staying on their feet, those nights were unforgettable.
Saturday Morning Cartoons and Cereal
Saturday mornings were for waking up early, pouring yourself a big bowl of cereal, and parking yourself in front of the television to watch your favorite cartoons. No school, no rushing out the door, just you in your pajamas enjoying your shows. And if you slept too late and missed your favorite cartoon, you were out of luck until the next Saturday.
The Prizes Inside Cereal Boxes
Getting a toy inside your cereal box was a childhood thrill I genuinely wish my kids could experience. I remember digging through the cereal to find the prize, and my aunt, before she passed away, would even cut out the order forms on the back of the boxes and send away for the toys they advertised. I would absolutely love to see cereal companies bring this tradition back, especially for my son, who’s two. Where do we start the petition?
Looking back at all these memories, I realize just how much has changed. Our children are growing up in a completely different world, and they’ll have their own stories to tell one day. But there are still pieces of our childhood we can share with them, experiences that brought us so much joy and are just as worth enjoying today.
If you’re looking for more ways to make memories together, I’ve also shared 27 family traditions to start with your kids at any age.
Childhood Experiences Worth Bringing Back
Let Kids Go Outside and Just Play
Give the kids a few hours away from their screens and let them enjoy being kids. Set some reasonable boundaries, choose a safe place for them to play, and give them the freedom to figure out what they want to do together without an adult directing the fun. Bonus points if they actually walk over to a friend’s house, knock on the door, and ask, “Can so-and-so come outside?”
Throw a Real Old-School Birthday Party
For your child’s next birthday, bring back the parties we actually grew up attending. I’m talking barrel juices, a grocery store sheet cake, party hats, a regular Happy Birthday banner, musical chairs, and goodie bags filled with little treats. Skip the expensive decorations and over the top productions designed to impress everybody on social media. Just give the kids some cake, a few games, and a room full of friends having the time of their lives.
Bring Back Old-Fashioned Sleepovers
Bring back the sleepovers filled with movies, snacks, painting toenails, doing each other’s hair, and staying up laughing with your friends. For families who prefer sleepunders, like I do (picking the kids up later in the evening instead of having them spend the night), let them enjoy the same activities before heading home. Give them a couple of disposable cameras, encourage everyone to put their phones away for the evening, and let them make memories they won’t get to see until the pictures are developed.
Looking for more ideas? Check out these fun things to do with kids at home.
Introduce Them to the Toys We Grew Up With
Skip-It, Tamagotchi, walkie-talkies, and all those toys that were such a big part of growing up deserve another generation of fans. My daughter received a Tamagotchi for her birthday, and I love that she gets to experience a toy I remember from my own childhood. Pick out a few of your old favorites and let your kids discover why we loved them so much.
A Little Piece of Our Childhood
I hope years from now, my children will look back on some of these experiences with the same excitement and affection I feel when I remember mine. I want them to have those funny little stories, the unexpected adventures, and the ordinary moments that somehow stay with you for a lifetime. And if introducing them to a few things from my childhood helps create those memories, I’ll consider that time well spent.
A love letter to the childhood we remember, with an invitation to share pieces of it with the kids we’re raising.
Thanks for doing life with me.
Lexi
Share this:
