The 1980s truly were a wonderful time to be a kid. There was no social media, no cameras on phones everywhere you went, and your parents couldn’t get a hold of you once you walked out the front door. Movies and TV shows were a big deal, especially because if you missed them when they came out, it would be a long time before you got a chance to see it again. Nostalgia for the ‘80s is hot right now, with Cobra Kai and Stranger Things hitting ratings gold—but only people who were kids at the time can appreciate how special it was. Here are 7 facts only ‘80s kids will understand.
RELATED: The 25 Best ‘80s Movies You Have to See.
1. Landlines Were a Thing
Shutterstock
There were no cell phones—homes had a landline that everyone shared. If your siblings were being sneaky, they could listen in on your conversations, and you had to ask someone’s parents to speak to them, which would have text-only adults these days running for the hills. Not only that, but many homes in the 1980s still had rotary phones—try putting one of those in front of a 12-year-old today, they would have zero idea what to do with it.
2. Saturday Morning Cartoons
Shutterstock
Saturday morning cartoons were worth waking up early for back then—Inspector Gadget, G.I. Joe, He-Man, The Smurfs, Scooby-Doo… kids who grew up with streaming could never understand.
3. A Very Special Episode
Shutterstock
We got very special episodes back then of our favorite shows, usually highlighting some serious social issues of the day. Here’s a great roundup of some of the best.
5. Long-Distance Charges
Shutterstock
We’re so used to calling people on the other side of the planet without a second thought, but back in the 1980s long-distance charges were astronomical. And if you wanted to make international calls, there was a whole industry that sold phone cards for it.
6. Library Books
Shutterstock
There were no E-readers back in the 1980s—you checked out books from the library, both local and school. If you needed to do research or write a paper, there was no Google to help—everybody used the library.
7. Slap Bracelets
Shutterstock
Slap bracelets were all the rage in the 1980s, but ended up getting banned in schools in the ‘90s after kids were injuring themselves. The bracelets are making a comeback, but are no longer considered appropriate for kids.