Things Our Kids Miss Out On
23 October 2009
57 Comments
It seems to me that Lauren from “Think Spin” and I light fires under each other. Inspire each other. She posted about a phone call she made and it had me thinking about things my son will probably never get to experience or have to do…
- The ability to make a phony phone call. With the invention of caller ID, call blocking and *69, the art of making a healthy “Is your refrigerator running?” prank call has been lost. So sad.
- Budgeting. With the invention of the ATM card, they never know what it feels like to hit Sunday morning and realize they have only $2 until the banks open on Monday morning. On the same note, they’ll probably have no clue what “writing a check” means when they get to be adults. I think I write maybe 5 a year?
- Licking postage stamps. Email, Evites, faxing, scanning. It’s no wonder the postal service is in dire straights. I haven’t licked a stamp in years. Even when I buy some now, they are self sticking.
- Finding spare change. Go find a pay phone. There are none anymore. My son will never experience the joy of going from payphone to payphone to see if anyone forgot to take their coins. (Coins? What are coins?)
- Using white out. Does this need explaining? Typewriters are obsolete. “Backspace” is the new white out.
- Facing the wrong way in the back of a station wagon. First….do they even know what a station wagon is? And with with creation of safety belt laws, they’ll never know what it’s like to wave 200 times to the person driving right behind them.
- Holding a thought. Have a thought? Text it, tweet it. Gone.
- Remembering a phone number. With “contacts” programmed into my phone, I don’t even know my husband’s cell phone by heart. No lie. All I remember is that his area code is one of those odd new ones.
- Hanging out at the record store for hours in a mall. And even if there are still CD’s around my child has never once used it for listening to music. Maybe ITunes should think about opening Kiosks in malls?
- Playing pinball. Xbox, Playstation, Wii, games on their phones. And for that matter……IPhone has a “Spin the Coke Bottle” application. Seriously, they do. C’mon…..is nothing sacred?
@Kristin_OPC on twitter.
said:
I totally thought of the refrigerator running when I saw the picture in my reading list! The Girl tried prank calling me at work the other night, it was relly funny, but I knew her voice all to well.
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Ha! Nancy – that was truly nostalgic, I can relate to every single one. We have an old rotary dial black telephone as part of the decor in our living room, my kids friends wonder “what on earth it is!”.
Too Funny!
Kristin
.-= Kristin´s last blog ..Just Get the Shot Already =-.
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HA-LAR-IOUS!
You surely took me down memory lane with ALL of these…..especially the station wagon one.
I am still miffed over the removal of phone booths…..I really needed one a month or so ago, my cell phone died. Dang it, I saw one in this parking lot and even had my two quarters handy but it was a dud. Then I complained about how it used to be only 10 cents. Then I felt really old.
Here is one that shows my age…..talking about licking stamps. How about those S & H Green Stamps? My mom used to make us lick those things until my tongue felt like it had fur on it….but then we could go to the S & H store and pick something out. Like the Magic 8 ball or something.
.-= *Michelle*´s last blog ..Stop the ride…I’m gonna puke. =-.
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Nancy
@ifevolution on twitter.
Replied on : October 23rd, 2009 at 12:31 PM
I remember those green stamps. They had stores and I think even a catalog? Wow…najor blast from the past!
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That is all too true! Glad that we all got to experience it though. We will always have memories to share with our children that will make them think we are ancient
.-= Lindsey´s last blog ..blogs are for venting…right?! =-.
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You forgot to mention film…I mentioned film (in regard to a 35mm camera) and my daugher says, “What’s film?” No idea and no concept of why anyone would consider such a thing.
.-= Stephanie @ Figments´s last blog ..Phillies! =-.
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Nancy
@ifevolution on twitter.
Replied on : October 23rd, 2009 at 12:36 PM
Oh yes, film!!! How could I forget? It’s funny, I just found an unprocessed roll in a desk drawer. What to do with it?
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I love this post! Except for I think I feel old now… Crap.
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Nancy
@ifevolution on twitter.
Replied on : October 23rd, 2009 at 12:36 PM
Oops…sorry
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I recently had to explain to my boys what a “pay phone” was! But quit with the station wagon comments — *I* drive a station wagon!
.-= Jane´s last blog ..Chocolate Cake for Breakfast, Lucky Charms for Dinner =-.
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Nancy
@ifevolution on twitter.
Replied on : October 23rd, 2009 at 12:46 PM
I was watching Casino and watched Sharon Stone run to a payphone. Seemed so…..old. Sorry for the station wagon insult
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THAT is a great post!! They won’t know what it’s like to get up and change a TV channel either. It’s amazing how much things have changed. Shit, I was born in the dark ages. I am really old…
.-= Lee the Hot Flash Queen´s last blog ..bLerApy© – Host a Post =-.
[Reply]
Nancy
@ifevolution on twitter.
Replied on : October 23rd, 2009 at 12:49 PM
I was going to put something i nthe re about 8 track tapes and how songs used to get cut off right smack in the middle and continue on the next track. But then I thought that some readers here might not even remember THAT one. (I’m ancient)
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A trip down memory lane. Film and 8 tracks are good ones as well. Soon VCR’s/video tapes and cassette tapes will joing the dinosaur club.
.-= kys´s last blog ..Blerapy: Blog Therapy =-.
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Nancy
@ifevolution on twitter.
Replied on : October 23rd, 2009 at 6:41 PM
Yes! Vcr’s and cassettes for sure. Heck, CD music is pretty much history too.
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@2ToddlersandMe on twitter.
said:
Great post! It is amazing how times have changed, isn’t it? I just think it’s funny that our kids will probably never hold a camer up to their eye to take a photo. And the fact that my 2 year old can use a mouse correctly is just too weird for me.
.-= 2 Toddlers and Me´s last blog ..Toddlers Love the Circus…Who Knew? =-.
[Reply]
Nancy
@ifevolution on twitter.
Replied on : October 23rd, 2009 at 4:09 PM
The whole computer thing amazes me. At 4 years old, my son knew more about how to operate a PC than my husband did.
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I love thinking of things like this. The one I always use is being able to dial a phone number without the area code first. Whenever I used the area code when I was little, I was calling North Carolina from Massachusetts.
Reponding to some comments…I have never seen an 8 track tape in person. I was born in 1984.
.-= Joe´s last blog ..Funny Crap of the Week =-.
[Reply]
Nancy
@ifevolution on twitter.
Replied on : October 23rd, 2009 at 4:10 PM
I miss the “no area code” way of dialing. I bet you don’t remember when phone numbers had letters in them: DE2-1657 for example. You baby you
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Joe
Replied on : October 23rd, 2009 at 5:04 PM
You’re messing with me, right??
.-= Joe´s last blog ..Funny Crap of the Week =-.
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Nancy
@ifevolution on twitter.
Replied on : October 23rd, 2009 at 6:43 PM
On the lettered phone numbers..no. On the baby thing…yes (kinda). I was born in 63.
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@hrtsmakefamily on twitter.
said:
I always love to walk down those lanes. I love this post. Please stop by my blog. I have left you an award on it.
.-= Tami´s last blog ..Coming Down the Aisle Is =-.
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Nancy
@ifevolution on twitter.
Replied on : October 23rd, 2009 at 4:11 PM
Thank you so much, Tami!! It means a lot to me.
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Prank calls were so much fun! There was NO chance of getting caught and it was a highlight of childhood.
What a shame our kids can’t experience anything on your list.
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Nancy
@ifevolution on twitter.
Replied on : October 23rd, 2009 at 6:48 PM
They were fun to make. Another thing I haven’t heard in years…a busy signal when you call someone. (Thanks to call waiting)
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My husband has one line at work and I get one there all the time! Annoying!!!
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I loved this list you’ve come up with. They definitely brought back memories. I remember getting so nauseous sitting backwards in the back of a stationwagon, but wanted to do it anyway!
And I don’t think I know anyone’s phone number anymore. Including my own cell phone.
.-= Momisodes´s last blog ..When I finally lift my shirt =-.
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It is sad our kids won’t get to experience the same fun we had as kids, isn’t it?
LOVED the list!
Happy VGNO!
.-= Stacy (the Random Cool Chick)´s last blog ..Friday Fragment Freewrite VGNO – Brain Fog, Dinosaur Bone and Don’t Call Me Shorty =-.
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I actually went to sleep last night thinking about how lucky I was that I grew up when I could call someone I had a crush on and hang up because I was too scared to say anything. Too bad my daughter won’t get to do that.
.-= Unknown Mami´s last blog ..Fragmented Fridays =-.
[Reply]
Nancy
@ifevolution on twitter.
Replied on : October 23rd, 2009 at 11:05 PM
I remember dialing a boyfriend way back and being able to tell by how long it took to connect, if the line was going to ring or be busy. If the line was busy, it connected a lot faster than a ring. I can’t believe I can even remember that.
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@fromtracie on twitter.
said:
It is so funny that you posted this, because just tonight my daughter was reading a Boxcar Children book and asked me what a station wagon is. I finally had to google it to show her pictures. I grew up with one of these, I have great memories of vacations spent lying in the back reading and listening to music. It is hard to believe that my daughter didn’t even know what one was.
Happy VGNO
.-= Tracie´s last blog ..-Knit a Square =-.
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Nancy
@ifevolution on twitter.
Replied on : October 24th, 2009 at 7:24 AM
The back of a station wagon was awesome! I was always envious of friends that had them. How funny!
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LOL…How true is that……technology really does take away some wonderful, sacred experiences….
.-= shraddha´s last blog ..Elusive =-.
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@JulieChats on twitter.
said:
Great post! So many things we remember as kids will be gone soon. And I love the lady who mentioned film, I guess my daughter won’t get the chance to make out with the cute guy in yearbook in the darkroom, now will she…..hmmmm, can’t decide if that’s good or bad!
Have a great weekend & Happy VGNO!
.-= Julie@JulieChats´s last blog ..Layout of the Week – Our Little Monster =-.
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Nancy
@ifevolution on twitter.
Replied on : October 24th, 2009 at 7:33 AM
Poor girl!
Happy VGNO to you too!
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I was the prank calling QUEEN when I was younger. If it weren’t for countless hours messing with people on the phone, I have no idea what I would have done with myself.
Damn you caller ID!!! Damn you to hell!!
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Nancy
@ifevolution on twitter.
Replied on : October 24th, 2009 at 7:34 AM
Hahahaha! I am proud of a few good pranks myself.
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@trinmom on twitter.
said:
I was JUST telling my husband today that our kids will never know about payphones! Unless it’s in the airport… And yeh – coins? Lol
So true.
You realize we sound just like our parents right? All we’re missing is, yall kids today don’t know how to have a good time. Now in OUR day….
.-= Mom of Three´s last blog ..Flashback Friday – Music Marks the Generation =-.
[Reply]
Nancy
@ifevolution on twitter.
Replied on : October 24th, 2009 at 7:36 AM
Yes we do sound like our parents, you’re right. “When I was younger, I used to drive 4 miles to my nearest bank. Now there’s an atm in every store and on every corner”
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@Maven on twitter.
said:
So true. I think about this stuff all the time. In fact, a few years ago when my, now 17 year old, son was a litle guy he came to me one afternoon with the classic “I’m bored.” I told him “Go outside and pretend it’s 1956.”
“What do you mean?”
“Pretend you live in a world with no X Box, DVD’s, computers and instead, grab some friends and build a fort.”
Miraculously, he was bored enough to take me up on the idea and a group of them built a fort in the back yard under my bedroom window where I was blessed to hear the whispers and giggling of little boys on sleepovers the rest of the summer.
I came by way of VGNO. Thanks for reviving this memory. Love your blog!
.-= Maven´s last blog ..Dental Phobias and Other Health Related Angst =-.
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I’m lucky. I grew up as the computer craze was happening. I got to experience a typewriter (still have it too) and white out, waving at the person behind us in traffic, (but it was in an suv). Heck, I remember writing letters! haha Seems like ages ago now. (I’m 25 by the way.) Did a prank call once, but it was odd because my friend’s phone-line was messing up, so he kinda had a party line going on, and other people didn’t really notice it, so we played pranks. Remember glass pop bottles, and trading the empty ones in for money or another 6 pack of pop? ah, the good ole days.
[Reply]
Nancy
@ifevolution on twitter.
Replied on : October 24th, 2009 at 7:38 AM
Now you can trade in a can for 2 cents and buy a brand new can of soda for $1.75! Lucky us!
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Loved this! Came here by way of Maven, but I think I’m here to stay! Thanks for the laughs!
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Nancy
@ifevolution on twitter.
Replied on : October 24th, 2009 at 11:40 AM
Glad you found me!!! And you’re welcome for the laughes. Do you have a blog? If so, please leave it so I can follow you!
[Reply]
Shannon
Replied on : October 24th, 2009 at 11:45 AM
Nope, no blog here. I’m a voracious blog reader but not a dedicated enough writer to keep a blog going. Maybe some day!
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Nancy
@ifevolution on twitter.
Replied on : October 24th, 2009 at 12:09 PM
Glad to have you!! Maybe some day
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@2ToddlersandMe on twitter.
said:
Back again to let you know, you have an award waiting for you on my blog. Come on over and pick it up when you get a chance. Congrats!
.-= 2 Toddlers and Me´s last blog ..It’s Raining Awards! =-.
[Reply]
Nancy
@ifevolution on twitter.
Replied on : October 24th, 2009 at 11:17 PM
Thank you so much!!!!!
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@thinkspin on twitter.
said:
You are always such a great inspiration. Thank you so much for citing my blog.
What a wonderful post. Brings back so many memories. When I was in grade school, we used to play spin the bottle in the utility room of my parent’s house. And now it’s an IPhone app. Sigh!
Thanks for the memories. Who sang that? Was that a Carol Burnett song?
.-= Lauren´s last blog ..Slouching Towards Absurdity =-.
[Reply]
Nancy
@ifevolution on twitter.
Replied on : October 24th, 2009 at 11:17 PM
I think that it might have been Bob Hope? Though…I loved the Carol Burnett show!!
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@goodgirlgonered on twitter.
said:
Every little bit of this is SO friggin’ true. And scary. Cr@p. I’m old, too. I have to read all of the comments, because some of them are freaking me out! Film! ACK!!! My daughter already knows how to zoom our digital camera, and she’s 2-1/2!!!
.-= Andrea´s last blog ..I love Sundays. =-.
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Albums, not too many kids know what a album looks like.
My daughters numbers are 2 and 3…. really that’s all I know. Sucked the night I was asked to work over and my phone died, I couldn’t call them to tell them I would be home later
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Ahh, I remember the station wagon thing. As the youngest that was my seat, baby.
Ooo, Ooo, I thought of another one…what about rotary phones. I still have one in the basement somewhere.
Great post!!!
.-= Zen Mom´s last blog ..Of Mommies and Menopause =-.
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i’ve read this post 3 times now because it brings back memories and i so agree with you! i did just buy my twins lite brites for christmas — granted, they look like laptops now and say flat screen on the box and require batteries, but i hope they love them as much as i did as a kid — and i hope they insist on taking them to their bedroom to use a a night light just like i did.
[Reply]
Nancy
@ifevolution on twitter.
Replied on : October 26th, 2009 at 2:01 PM
I loved Lite Brite! I was so excited to give my own son one as well. I think I enjoyed it more than he did. Now that I think about it, I can’t recall him playing with it more than once or twice. I guess that Lite Brite doesn’t have the thrill factor it used to for kids these days
I hope your kids love it!
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Hey, that is so weird. Was yakkin’ bout this all night last night on my blog, well, I do mean, a similar situation, only with freebies and samples and typwriters and so on.
Check out these posts at http://stuffreviews.isgreat.org/ to see what I had all said. Couple of posts similar to this. Please take a look and tell me your stories of your memories of all this past stuffs, please.
.-= Jermaine Mintuck´s last blog ..Added new Twitter Follow Us button! =-.
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I dont do prank calls these days,, FOR SURE!! I KNOW about *69 and so on. That is one thing I wish I could have experienced. Was born in 75 and was too young to do that before these technologies came out around here.
.-= Jermaine Mintuck´s last blog ..Added new Twitter Follow Us button! =-.
[Reply]
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