Kids Today vs Kids Decades Ago: A Mother and Baby Boomer's PerspectiveChange isn't always a positive thing. This truth becomes more evident when you are from a older generation and watch the world shift in ways that leave behind more damage than improvement.
The word “boomer” becoming an insult is pretty new. The best example is “OK boomer” — a phrase that got really popular on TikTok and other social media. It’s like the old ‘90s saying “talk to the hand” — it’s a dismissive comeback that’s kind of mocking, like rolling your eyes at someone. Young people use it specifically to brush off older people’s perspective on today issues.
I think every young person has, at some point, dismissed comments or advice from older people — because they felt those perspectives were outdated or out of touch with reality. I’m certainly guilty of this. I remember rolling my eyes when my parents tried to offer guidance. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to understand the real value in an older person’s perspective. Their opinions draw from a before-and-current view of the world — they’ve lived and have experienced what was and what is now, which gives them unique insight into whether the changes we call “progress” are actually helping or hurting our society. Now that we’ve established that perspectives from Baby Boomers deserve consideration rather than dismissal, let’s explore how I believe today’s so-called progress is actually harming all of us — not just kids but young adults too. Support bold independent journalism and help us replace the mainstream media by becoming a PolitiBrawl/Her America Member todayRaising Kids Today VS Decades AgoA childhood without digital distraction: When I was a kid, we had our parents’ full attention, and they had ours. If we wanted to talk to someone at home, we walked over and spoke to them face to face. Today, kids and parents will actually text each other from different rooms instead of taking the time to have a conversation in person. This constant face-to-face interaction built essential communication skills and, in turn, fostered the self-confidence needed to engage with others. We weren’t aware of it, but this development of self-confidence happened naturally through our everyday interactions at home, that carried over to feeling more comfortable when we communicate outside the home environment. Today, whether we want to admit it or not, genuine face-to-face communication has diminished because of these constant digital distractions. Freedom to Roam: Our social lives were far more spontaneous. We had casual group hangouts rather than scheduled play dates. I remember coming home from school, parents not home yet, grabbing a snack, and immediately diving into my homework because that’s what was expected. Afterward, depending on my age I’d either watch some cartoons or when older I watched soap operas like General Hospital or Dark Shadows on TV, or head outside to play with neighborhood friends until dinner time. Weekends were even better! We were up at dawn, finished our chores, maybe watched an hour of cartoons or Soul Train on TV, then headed out into the neighborhood for the entire day. If we got hungry, we’d grab a snack at whichever friend’s house we happened to be at. Thirsty? We drank from the garden hose. It was perfectly normal for our parents not to see us again until dinnertime. Our days were filled with spontaneous fun—deciding on the fly what to do next. We’d ride bikes, build forts in the woods, go sledding in winter, and so on, or even just hang out talking face to face for hours. When we got older, going to the mall wasn’t just about shopping—it was about being together. We had no phones to check, no screens competing for our attention. Just hours of conversation, laughter, and the kind of undistracted quality time that seems rare today. This is the hidden cost for today’s generation. While we thought we were just hanging out with friends, we were actually building critical life skills—problem-solving when conflicts arose, learning to communicate face-to-face, developing real confidence, and soaking up vitamin D from being outside all day. These weren’t taught; they were lived. And that’s what’s missing now. Quality time together was more genuine: We’ve traded imagination for convenience. Before tablets, spending time together as a family was more common and never something we had to find time for. On the weekends, we would love to go to Blockbuster and, as a family, choose a VHS movie to rent. Another activity we enjoyed was playing board games together. I loved games like Tic-Tac-Toe, Checkers, and oh, Monopoly. We learned to entertain ourselves during travel—looking out windows, playing word games, reading, or simply learning to be patient. I remember traveling home late one night with my family in our station wagon. I was in the back trunk area, lying down, looking up at the stars and counting them. I know this all may sound lame to generations today, but these were good times. Now a days, screens provide instant distraction at every turn. It’s practical parenting for a busy world, but it raises important questions about what children miss when they’re constantly occupied: the chance to be bored, to observe, to talk, and to connect with the people around them. In today’s world, as a family gathers around, you will most likely see them on their phones—and the parents are leading the way. The Hard TruthWe weren’t immune to challenges as kids, but today’s generation faces everything we did and more. Here are some examples of what today’s generation is dealing with other than digital distraction. Gender Confusion Back Then: If a girl was a tomboy—preferring sports over dolls, jeans over skirts—that’s all it was. No one questioned it. When her body started changing during puberty and she felt confused or frightened, parents would have a heart-to-heart. They’d explain what was happening, reassure her that it was normal, and help her navigate those difficult feelings with understanding, love and support. Growing up with all brothers, I was certainly a tomboy and grew out of that phase naturally.
Girls Equal Rights Then: Back then we had our own bathrooms, locker rooms, and sports teams where we competed against other girls. Title IX established these sex-based protections as federal law in 1972. Males found in female facilities faced serious consequences. The standard was simple: boys competed with boys, girls with girls, men with men, women with women. This wasn’t debatable—it was common sense rooted in basic fairness and safety.
Peer Pressure Then: Peer pressure wasn’t new to our generation. We dealt with pressure to experiment with drugs like marijuana, pressure on how we dressed, what music we listened to, fitting into specific social circles, and sometimes doing things we knew were wrong—like shoplifting. There were also expectations around gender roles, though nothing like today’s focus on gender identity. The list goes on. But here’s what was different: we worked through these challenges privately. Our decisions and missteps stayed between us and our immediate circle. The world didn’t get to weigh in on our mistakes or judge our decisions in real time.
Support bold independent journalism and help us replace the mainstream media by becoming a PolitiBrawl/Her America Member todayWhere do we go from here?There are, of course, positive aspects to the technological progress we’ve made, but what is disheartening is the damage it has caused—and continues to cause—to our society. Both kids and adults today have established strong habits around using their phones, tablets, and computers on social media platforms. It’s become ingrained, with a firm belief that they can’t live without it. Social media is here to stay and will only continue to grow. On one hand, I believe parents can redirect this obsession with digital distraction by establishing healthier habits at home and modeling better usage for their children. On the other hand, unless every parent agreed to make these changes, those who try will constantly face pushback. Their kids will experience peer pressure and potential bullying simply because they don’t use or have access to the same digital distractions as their peers. As parents, I remember our kids begging us for cell phones when they reached 5th grade. We stood firm and didn’t give in to the pressure from them. However, when they entered the higher grades and their school was miles away, we recognized the benefit of them having a cell phone for emergencies. So we got them flip phones—simple devices they could use to call us if something urgent happened. A few years later, when the iPhone emerged, I started noticing a shift at the bus stop. The group of kids waiting there was now more focused on their iPhones than on engaging in conversation with each other. I found this troubling, which is why we decided to wait many more years before upgrading their phones. Looking back now, I had no idea I was witnessing the beginning of a decline in kids’ social skills and the development of an obsession with digital devices. So I don’t know where we go from here, but I will continue to pray for our kids today and remain hopeful.
You're currently a free subscriber to PolitiBrawl. For the full experience, upgrade your subscription.
|
Sunday, January 11, 2026
Kids Today vs Kids Decades Ago: A Mother and Baby Boomer's Perspective
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment