How, if at all, was the way you grew up different from the way kids grow up now?

Getting my teeth cleaned the other day, the dental hygienist was reminiscing about how her childhood in Queens NY was so nice. Even though she’s about 10 years older than I am, our childhoods were similar.

We talked about playing outside, being able to walk far distances (relatively far for little kids) from home by ourselves or with friends, riding bikes, playing hopscotch, jumping rope, staying outside all day without parents getting arrested or getting CPS involvement.

She lived in a big apartment complex that was for war veterans and their families. She said they didn’t think of themselves as rich or poor as everyone around them lived the same way. For me, that was a bit different than my childhood home (regular apartment building in an affluent neighborhood but everyone shopped in the same stores).

We both remember our parents going to the butcher, the soda shop, the stationery store, the toy store, the book store. Now there are not usually stores like that, typically.

What was life like for you growing up and how was it different from the way it is now for kids?