Kids these days! | The voice
As a parent of two girls, I find myself exasperated when girls don’t understand a reference. It’s usually something generational, something I know they’ve never experienced, but I expect them to understand just because they’re my kids. I guess I expect them to automatically know everything I do.
Kids these days don’t know what it’s like to have to manually roll down a car window. Now just press a button and you’re done! fresh air and the ability to talk to the attendant behind the wheel of your favorite fast food joint. I remember back then, if I was alone and had to reach through the car to manually roll down the passenger window; how exhausting! What would today’s children suffer if they had to make the effort to roll down the windows of their car by hand!
Kids today don’t remember that finding a job meant going from company to company, filling out applications by hand. Find a job by signs in the windows indicating that a position was open. Always make sure you are dressed appropriately because if you are lucky the manager will conduct the interview once he has had a moment to take a look at the application. And, of course, almost all the time, you would know right away whether you got the job or not.
Kids these days don’t know what it’s like to use a rotary phone. The agony of a dialing error and having to start over. And cords from wall phones! I can’t remember the exact cord length of our old mustard yellow rotary wall phone, but it was long enough for me to run from the kitchen to my bedroom for privacy. The cords were always twisted and bent, so I spent at least five minutes untangling the cord to be able to stretch it that far without a hitch.
Kids today don’t know what it’s like to watch television in bunny ears with aluminum “caps” that had to be adjusted every three minutes when the picture became static. And with only three channels to choose from, and no remote to change those channels. And the knowledge that if you missed an episode of your favorite show, you had to wait for reruns to hopefully catch up. And since the TV turned off at midnight, falling asleep while watching TV meant waking up to a screen full of static. Don’t wake up in the middle of the night and watch old TV shows until you fall back asleep.
Kids these days don’t know what it’s like to go grocery shopping, hoping you’ll remember everything on your list. Or that you brought your list. There were no cell phones for family members hoping to catch you before you left the store with “Do you want to pick up…” messages. I think I forgot fewer errands before cell phones because I paid more attention to my list and what I needed before I left the house.
Although there are many things children today don’t know, there are also things they are lucky enough to know. Today’s children will always have the opportunity to stay in touch with family members and loved ones. Technology will continue to advance and improve and today’s children will benefit from these advancements. When I was a kid, there were no computers with Zoom or phones with Facetime to contact friends and family long-distance. I used to think how lucky it was that we could travel by car to see my grandparents in just a few hours, especially when I realized how many days it took our ancestors to visit the family before cars. Today, children can at least see and hear their loved ones when communicating through a computer or cell phone.
Nowadays, children have access to all the information they need at their fingertips. While I miss using an encyclopedia, it’s easier for kids today to gather information without relying on those big, heavy tomes. Those who needed updating every year but could afford to constantly buy new ones.
Nowadays, children can attend the college of their choice remotely, which reduces costs and allows older students to have access to a college education at their convenience. Who needs to worry about rotary phones, televisions, or manual car windows when today’s kids are showing the world’s tolerance. Kids these days recognize the value of diversity. Today’s kids are showing yesterday’s kids that having a voice is a precious commodity. Kids these days are letting the world know that everyone matters and that their experiences matter. Kids these days are pretty amazing.