GEN Z Kid Reacts To Why GEN X RULE (How Did Guys You SURVIVE)

[@paschamaryalophand9200]

She’s spot on and actually leaving some other stuff out. It was the best of times! Gen X all the way!

[@seaneendelong8065]

The most absurd part is.... GenX is convinced that every previous generation of kids were somehow watched over and protected. And every one since has been hemmed in by helicopter parents and regulations. I'm late Boomer and my much older brother and sister rode those skates and proto skateboards DOWN STEEP PAVED HILLS then crashed into cars or sidewalks or just plain asphalt to stop. The swing sets were 2 to 3x as high, metal rings, and you could easily get them high enough to have the centrifugal force fail and fall straight down from 25 to 50 feet up if your grip on the finger-busting if trapped chains slipped. More than one kid in our SMALL elementary school fell or were pushed on the top of those metal slides with metal angled support bars- with severe arm breakage or even busted open heads. No one ever considered removing them even then. Building treeforts out of dead branches in iffy trees over ravines, or almost worst having a series of 2x4 steps nailed into a 75 foot pine tree by an adult to an open platform as near.the top as possible and tied to that platform was a single long rope with a knot on the bottom to jump off. Jumping into the unknown depth or obstructions murky waters of the river flowing into the ocean from the levee when nearly none of us had been taught to swim. Riding bikes directly across uncontrolled highway traffic from neighborhoods to wherever, and being the passenger on the handlebars who slipped half the time. Actually EATING those mud pies when playing. Or bugs. Games of chicken with real lead in them pencils- more than a few of us still have a chunk of broken off lead stuck under our skin in a shin or foot or hand. And that was the SAFE version: the daring kids used switchblades between fingers. Hitchhiking to community centers, amusement parks, adventure zone forests, another town while walking directly down the shoulder of a highway with zero clearance. Science kits sold FOR KIDS with real caustic chemicals and glass containers that would explode or make toxic fumes with the wrong mixtures. The morning bus stop being at the corner bar- and routinely waiting inside on bad weather days where we could play pool or the pinball machine along with the drunks there at O Dark 30. And this isn't even talking about what we got up to as teens while she was being traumatized by Jaws.

[@charlesbryson7443]

Not previous, subsequent.

[@nickd920]

@@seaneendelong8065 I think you just described Gen X.

[@eilshines5451]

@@seaneendelong8065we had some fun times those days We used to walk for miles and end up in different towns and make our way back home not eating all day and making our way home when the park closed. There used to be men who would come to the park and flash at us children. We would tell the older children and they would stone them or follow them home and make life hell for them till the adults came and took over. The amount of times we would have broken body parts or deep gashes because we fell from the top of the high slide or climbing frame and they were all on concrete not grass. Some children had pellet guns or rifles. If anyone got hurt it be like a any other injury if worse you went to the hospital and maybe a smack for making your parents have to take time to take you 😂 Like you said that’s not even what we did as teens😂😂

[@erickalear7609]

No, we don't- all and none isn't a thing that any generation believes 100 percent. Idk about anyone else in GenX, but my parents were and are narcissists who i haven't spoken to for years due to their abuse and neglect. ​@seaneendelong8065

[@zuWangToo]

There used to be announcement on the TV. "It's 10 pm. Do you know where your children are?" That was everyone's reminder--make sure the kids came home.

[@cecilybilbrey8024]

Gen X rep here. All I can say is yes its all true.

[@desmien679]

GenX here and I've watched this video, not only is she spot on regarding our generation as kids, but she's telling the abridged little bedtime story of how things were when we were growing up. In fact the parents of older millennials would've be keeping their eyes on us interacting with their kids. Now granted some of our ways rubbed off on them when their parents weren't looking but they were still not quite like us. We were daredevils, rebels, and didn't give a F type of kids once we were out of the house. In fact we were literally doing stuff based on some of our idols like Evil Knievel. Starting at the age of about 5 years old I'd climb the wall of a local bank while my mother was inside paying bills. This was a wall 1 1/2 stories high and I'd climb close to the top. My mother would come out when finished and say nothing, usually even the bank didn't care. I never got hurt and for me it was just fun.

[@allenruss2976]

I wish she hadn't watered it down so much. Now you know why we don't give a shit.

[@weare1brother421]

scars count contest ?

[@JayFlexREAL]

Wait…what do you mean this is the watered down version…. WHATS THE REAL VERSION! 😳

[@weare1brother421]

@@JayFlexREAL park the car at the exact same place it was

[@jorejaha]

@@JayFlexREAL mine contained oversexualized kids running amok on the weekend while our parents were at the bar. Every house in the neighborhood. The older kids were "babysitting" My 15yr old sister was dating a 25 yo. Nobody cared.

[@SwayDarling]

@@JayFlexREAL I'm an 84' backwoods country kid and yeah all this is true. At 10 my friends and i used to walk an hour out of town to this random field that had a small waterfall type thing and we used to just leap off, then try and hitchhike home. Honestly we'd have been stuffed if we ever injured ourselves. Also we used to climb pine trees and then jump and let the branches catch us, miracle we survived our youth really, cos i have soooo many stories. I do also recall horse riding up to the local pub to get a bottle of bourbon for my mums bf at the time and they actually sold it to me, would have been early teens.

[@JD-km2ye]

She is definitely telling the truth. A phrase she left out that I remember hearing growing up and it usually came after rub some dirt on it was " don't cry or I'll give you a reason to cry"

[@TimesUp8888]

Every. Dang. Day 😂

[@angelcharms7297]

".....or I will give u something to Crystal about"---my parents

[@kathiek4239]

@@JD-km2ye omg, YES!

[@dcat7778]

My parent's FAVORITE!

[@SKIP-yj3xp]

Playing outside with your friend's built valuable social skills. You learned to get knocked down and to get back up and keep on going.

[@howlingbreeze7078]

that was us ...they even made a song about it

[@sekhmetdance6]

Totally true. I got shot in the chin with a BB gun. My brother's were freaking out. They called Mom's work. Meanwhile, I was in the bathroom playing with it. When I took my finger off, it squirted blood. So, I would plug and unplug it repeatedly. The only thing that actually hurt was the shot to numb my chin while they cut it out. Ironic 😂

[@EmmeJaye]

This is 99% true. 😂😂 70s kid here. My folks cared about the grades.

[@tammycenter8757]

Our parents cared about the grades but they didn't help with homework. If we struggled with something we had to go to the library and learn it on our own.

[@adithalee8660]

Yep and if you got hurt "GET OVER IT!" And the parents were serious. These kids these days would not be able to survive that time. And the funny and crazy thing about it is we thought or felt this was the best times of our lives. 🤣🤣

[@dpmiller1000]

I don't think my parents even really looked at my report card. They certainly never told me to go do my homework. I wasn't a great student, but I most generally got through school without even trying. I even had the credits to graduate early.

[@travr6]

My parents did not care about grades. I am the first person in my entire Gault history on both sides to graduate high school. They were actually shocked. So shocked that i had like 30 people from all over the country come to see me graduate. I was also in Florida so it was a vacation for them.

[@Saltine_American]

“Your grades don’t affect me, you are the one that is going to suffer if you don’t try in school. It’s your future.” Love, Mom

[@lock514]

When I was a kid in the 80s in my neighborhood we didn’t even lock our front doors, and many times you could go in the parking lot and find someone left their car keys in the ignition and the doors were open and nobody would touch it. Everything she is saying is so true.

[@amyradcliff6391]

My favorite my parents said was Bet you won’t do that again! That was when you hurt yourself.

[@TheaElaine]

Mine was “You’ll feel better when it stops hurting.”

[@amyrissa77]

My dad no matter what STUPID SHlT I did and he knew the end result my grand parents would say that baby gonna get hurt... Dads reply....I know but she will only do it ONCE... and valuable lesson learned... Most of the time dad was right.

[@iamnavarres8085]

After hurting ourselves. My Mom was like go ahead and do it again. lol

[@gawkersdeathrattle1759]

... "Now quiet down, or I'll REALLY give you something to cry about!" And meant it.

[@nancyprovence109]

That's how lessons were taught

[@Well-in-the-garden]

I’m in the UK like you. I’m 51. My mum often asked me to go and buy cigarettes or alcohol with a note 😂😂😂

[@oldmangimp2468]

Remember, kids... ... Gen X is also the last Analog Generation.

[@SacredWaves]

OMG... we were. I never thought of that. Good times.

[@sharkdentures3247]

Said the same thing many times. (Basically, I worded it as the last "Pre-Internet Generation". Even if early Millennials were too.)

[@oldmangimp2468]

@@sharkdentures3247 We're broadCAST, not broadBAND.

[@DaemonWulf7]

right down to the clocks on the dashboard, if your parents had the fancy car

[@MBGolfer]

Anybody remember Red Rover? Everything she said is fact. Romper room had a lady greeting kids by random names. Kids show back in the day. HR Puffenstuff? All of this is fact including letting the dog lick the wound. The best of times...❤

[@cindyv1401]

Life was OUTSIDE the house 🏠 🤓 Playing in hose water, slip n slides, pogo sticks, bike riding NO protective bubble gear 🤪, base ball in the street - drain covers were the bases, climbing trees, playing in creek water....all way to much fun KIDS ARE MISSING OUT ON LIFE TODAY 😳 🙄

[@thisblackgirloverhere9013]

Yes! You just brought back so many memories! 😂

[@oregonchick76]

The dangerous games bring back such good memories. My grandpa made two sets of stilts for me and my cousins and presented them at a family camping trip. We weren't excited about the idea of learning to walk on them on a gravel road, so he basically called us chickens and jumped up on a pair -- wearing his cowboy boots -- and took off running. It became a matter of honor to learn, even though we were all picking rock pieces out of our hands and knees for the first few hours. By the next time we were together, we invented a game of tag where we all frantically ran around and two suckers on stilts had to weave through the frenzied mob without getting knocked off or falling over. This was all done in plain view of our parents, who were apparently unconcerned about things like broken bones and permanent scarring. Nonetheless, this counted as fun in the 1980s.

[@Djwyrm]

​@@oregonchick76YES!❤

[@Saltine_American]

My brothers used metal stakes to secure the slip n slide and I went off the side and over one and cut my butthole open 😳 Blood everywhere. I was not taken to the hospital but the next door neighbor lady came by so that was good enough for my mom 🤣 In her defense she was worried they would think I was assaulted and take me away and arrest my dad or something. It was def the slip n slide to blame.

[@haleyoneil9172]

Hell yeah and most of the time after the baseball/football game we were going down through the drain grate to explore under the city!!!! Man those were the good ol days!!!!!❤❤

[@SweetHoney8ee]

I'm only 3 minutes in and I already have to comment. 1st, I'm 53 no kids and I love seeing how younger gens react to how we grew up. It makes me giggle, like they can't even imagine. 3min in, i heard all these... bleed over the sink, keep it off the carpet, rub dirt on it, let the dog lick it. All common things parents said, mine and my friends parents. EVERY kid drank out of the hoses. I remember thinking that the water tasted metallic. 👌🙄👍 I'll see how long before I have to comment again 😂

[@t.j.payeur5331]

There was Always some kid with a plaster cast on an arm in school. Broken bones weren't uncommon...

[@epbrown01]

Fifth grade gym we had 3 broken arms one year and not a peep from the parents. Blows my mind.

[@nonenone6884]

they would tell you about stranger danger, then make you get naked and shower with all of the boys in your class after gym.

[@BillRaby]

Ask someone under 35 years old if they can change the TV channel with pliers.

[@SPAMDAGGER22]

We had vice grips permanently attached.

[@aarongilmore1254]

And change the fan speed with a quarter or a dime

[@Djwyrm]

​@@SPAMDAGGER22vice grips for the win!

[@ljb8157]

Or how to watch stolen fuzzy porn with that adapter thing! I can't remember the name.

[@lisadominguez3457]

😂😂😂😂. Right⁉️.

[@nonenone6884]

we put rocks inside snow balls then had snow ball fights LOL

[@daphne0123]

And our teachers could spank the crap out of us

[@alansimonson8558]

I got in trouble at school, and got paddled by the principal, right at the end of the hallway so everyone would see it. Then when I went home, I got the belt and no dinner.

[@robinhartzell2380]

OMG yes! Teachers would keep wooden paddles in plain view to send a message! Our school district banned spanking and paddles when I got to 7th grade, but my grade school years were ruled by teachers with paddles. They were rarely used, though. You had to have done something really bad to get a paddling.

[@etherealceleste]

My principal paddled me with the "aerodynamic" paddle that my father made (dad taught carpentry and drafting in high school for 36 years).

[@travr6]

I was paddled numerous times in school

[@Djwyrm]

Yes! Those paddles were signed too😊

[@OniOnii-san]

As a Gen-X'er, I can confirm - no lies or even embellishments were said by this comic. Absolutely everything she said was real about our childhood.

[@CourtneyWells-p5n]

All true. They used to have a public announcement every night st 10 p.m. that said,...It's 10 o'clock! Do you know where your kids are!?!. Our parents would literally forget they had children.

[@jorejaha]

My parents were up at the bar, they barely knew where they were.

[@gelfling3077]

They didn't forget. They just didn't care.

[@CourtneyWells-p5n]

@@gelfling3077 True

[@DaemonWulf7]

yeah, i think i know where they are.. don't really give a damn... or on the flip side... yeah, my mom knows where i am.. not sure where she is. her and her friend will be back at some point, pukin in the toilet. lol

[@debstroud8294]

With Grace Jones and Andy Warhol!

[@kassandrahall6499]

She's bringing back sooo many memories. The difference between now and then was that it was safe back then. Now, adults aren't safe to be out alone after dark. She's got got it right on.😂😂😂

[@SPOCK_TALK]

All true. I had a jar of Mercury I used to play with. Just wash your hands after. 😎👍 if you didn't bleed after playing outside, you just weren't playing hard enough.

[@GushOnline]

My dad had a bottle of mercury we played with too. Interesting to see I’m not the only one.

[@mmm-mmm]

lol, bottle of mercury and mercury switches... still have 'em.

[@majakian]

Not to mention Mercurochrome/Merthiolate, that red stuff everyone's mom had in the medicine cabinet that they put on all our cuts that burned like hell...was named that for a reason ya know.

[@redtrinitygirl]

@@GushOnline seems the mercury thing was common back then! even on the playgrunds.

[@LeonardoPostacchini]

@@majakianoh boy! I was more scared of the methiolate treatment than from getting hurt. Whenever possible I would avoid letting my mom know I had a bruise in case she would rub the damn thing. Nowadays I have a saying that methiolate builds character.

[@leebex100]

Summer holidays... out by 8am, home when it got dark. Sneaking out with your mates and meeting up for a 'Midnight Walk' was common. Building a den in the woods... rock fights, jumping off roofs, playing 'Hang and Drop'. So many memories...

[@jillcostello6669]

Boomer born in 62. In the seventies we drank from the hose. We biked everywhere. We didn't come home unless we were hungry or it was dark.

[@Saltine_American]

Gen X were just the last of that type of childhood

[@joycewright3136]

@@Saltine_AmericanSo true. My kids grew up in the 90’s and early 2000’s and they were outside all day with the neighborhood kids!

[@scotthuffman8752]

1969

[@cyndirankin]

1963 here

[@howartshag1]

1964

[@gracieb.3054]

Mimeograph's were the pre-cursor to the copy machine. Unfortunately they discontinued making mimeograph's when I was in first or second grade. I still remember what they smelled like though. You would get your warm mimeographed paper and it was a scent that I've never smelled remotely in anything else. Everyone would take a long whiff of their paper as if we choreographed it. The BB gun thing is also true. My brother who is 9 years older, but still a Gen-Xer, were playing around with this BB gun either he or his best friend got. He came home after a short while b/c his friend shot him in the ass. He pulled his light blue Sergio Valenti's down and I could see some blood and an indentation where the little ball had penetrated his behind. It looked just like the BB! He was laughing so hard, but just wanted to know if any metal stayed embedded in his skin, which it didn't. However, that small but deep indentation is a permanent addition to his behind. Drinking from the hose was great. Just wait for the hot hose water to be flushed out first. It was great to get that cold, strangely fresh tasting hose water after being sweaty and dirty and extremely thirsty from running around outside all day. I loved me some candy jewelry. The necklace had these cylindrical pink, blue & yellow candy 'beads' on an elastic string. Then you could stretch it out and eat it while you wore it. It was a little difficult but somehow we liked that it was jewelry and food and thought your parents would just think it was a necklace. I don't recall drooling pastel colors from eating it. It's true that the paper would stick to a 'Now & Later' candy that looked like a Starburst. I wouldn't eat it though! Same for Pixi stix. I loved those. They're a paper tube with yummy flavored sugar powder inside. The only downside is that you would get saliva on the paper and then the sides stuck together. Again, I didn't eat the paper. The correct answer is that you learned to rip the wet paper off, and good as new. Just rip the paper off every time it sticks together. I loved buying the candy cigarettes. I walked home from the corner deli to my house where the family was having our weekly barbecue. I was maybe 7 or 8 and took one out and put it in my mouth and then sauntered over to my father. I blew on the cig and smoke came out. Well, my dad flipped out and told my mom about it and then she told him it was fake. He nearly had a heart attack, but he got over it and thought that was cute. I also liked 'Big League Chew' b/c it was bubble gum that was shredded to mimic chewing tobacco. And I lived for both chocolate 'yoo-hoo' and strawberry 'yoo-hoo' drinks. Hi-C, Hawaiian Punch, Country Time Lemonade were routine summer drinks. Seriously, was no one aware how bad sugar was back then? There were some things that I didn't experience, but I am surprised no one mentioned any of the chemical things we played with. I was obsessed with this weird chemical stuff that came out of a little tube. You rolled the substance into a ball and stuck it on the tiny straws they provided. Then you blew a swirly colored mystery chemical balloon. I felt like a wizard. I also liked this mannequin head thing where they said you could dye its hair different colors over and over. Well, much of my family helped but it was a disaster. The dye smelled like toxic waste and her hair turned a permanent greenish brown. That just had to be thrown away. My strawberry shortcake dolls smelled of such awful chemicals that my older brother was blown away by it and he normally would not give a sh*t. He told my parents that they shouldn't buy me any more of that. Romper Room was a children's program on PBS and at the end they would shout out a farewell to different children, using their names. I too hoped to be called, but at the time nobody had my name, so it wasn't going to happen. Besides, I adored 'The Magic Garden' more than Romper Room. Another PBS program you may have heard of was 'Mister Roger's Neighborhood'. That show was amazing and probably all of Gen-X were raised on it. Lady Fairchild was a puppet that Mr. Rogers voiced. She looked sloshed b/c her nose and cheeks were always so red! My parents didn't really drink, so I didn't put that together. I loved how empathic Mr. Roger's was. I learned a lot from TV, which is good b/c our generation watched a whole lot of it. It is said we were raised on TV and in my case that certainly was true. Thankfully I was drawn to shows where characters really cared for each other. Favorites were 'Three's Company' and 'Little House on the Prairie'. I also missed out on MTV. I asked my dad when we were going to get it and he replied, "When it's free." So I got it in the late 80's. I still felt pressured to dress like Madonna anyway. I *did* feel freaked out by Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka, but thought I was the only one. I don't remember anything about a chicken either. I just found it super creepy what he did to the 'bad' children. Also how he was going to withhold the prize from the kid at the end as if he was as 'bad' as the other children. I liked the merry go round. I don't recall people getting really hurt, even if they were thrown off, never to be seen again. I jest. The slide was made of shiny steel and under blazing sun and no shade, it became burning lava hot. I can still feel the sensation of it burning the backs of my thighs, since my mom made me wear a dress. What fun. I also miss the see-saw b/c me and my cousin created a game. It was called "Let's see who can drop the other on their ass". That was fun. We laughed so much. We also created our own little roller derby at the roller rink. More laughter. I'm 50 now and it seems like Gen-X has reached the point where we are feeling seriously nostalgic for times like these. My guess is you will too by the time you reach my age. I hope everyone enjoys my personal trip down memory lane. P.S. Since I'm from New York I also went to 'Action Park' twice in the '80's. Also nearly died in the wave pool, twice. It was a quintessential Gen-X experience in the NYC metro area. There are videos on KZbin and a movie about it that I think captures the recklessness of our generation. Enjoy!

[@ERC641]

From a generation X perspective, I was born in 1972 the eighties and early 90s. Were my formative years. Best movies, Best Music and Best friends, the things we did as kids hanging out at arcades, Shooting pellet guns on my friends farm. Swimming and fishing in the river. Sneaking beers and cigarettes from our parents. House parties most of what she says is spot on. I see kids now and there's a big disconnect in common sense and other issues. Right now is the best we've ever had for comfort and convenience. Yet.... Depression in youths are pretty high.I personally think Gen X are more thick skinned . Parents did care but they used common sense and let kids be kids 👍 I had a buddy in Grade 4 that ate his math book, took him the year but he did it. 🇨🇦🇬🇧

[@KatyFaulkner-f6c]

Right!!! There was always a glue eater in class too! I was born in 71!

[@IggyStardust1967]

@@KatyFaulkner-f6c Yeah, a kid in my kindergarten class would make "paste" sandwiches with paper towels and eat them. During class, mind you! Teachers knew, just didn't care. Paper + flower and water..... no big deal.

[@amybrown9539]

Fellow 72 er, all true!!

[@joshuaharris486]

Everything she said is spot on lmao!! all of it's true and we loved it !!

[@mikejanssen6344]

100% Jay, that’s what we went thru as kids. Tbh, I think we are better off for it.

[@absinthealice]

We were the last generation to grow up "building character". 😂😂😂 Hey, at least we learned mad social skills. Whether we wanted to or not. 😉

[@marinak221]

Paper sniffers Lol 😂. Ya that ink did give you a buzz.

[@christinab1288]

yup and rubber cement too

[@carolgrosklags8933]

Romper Room - romper bomper stomper boo, tell me tell me tell me do, magic mirror at home today, did all my friends have fun at play? 😅❤

[@Cor_Auri_613]

She never once said my name either 😂

[@KanchidoShinokyoufu]

Same here. Not once did she ever say my name.

[@grayhatjen5924]

I'm a Jennifer. She saw me allllll the time 😂 (graduated in a class of 56, SEVEN of us were Jennifers)

[@stephwest1382]

Wasn't romper room based out of Wichita KS

[@CeriusDeluge]

​@@stephwest1382 I believe it was out of a lot of places. Each city had their own version like a franchise. I think Bozo was the same way.

[@nonenone6884]

mr. rogers use to scare me, i was sure that people that grabs kids off the streets sounded like him

[@howlingbreeze7078]

really???? for me and a lot of people he was our best friend and taught us a lot, him and Bob Ross probably have the most soothing voices

[@oliver-yg6qr]

All true...A few notables. Lawn darts, chemistry set, Easy bake oven for children, candy cigarettes and cigars, houses and cars filled with cigarette smoke. As kids we always made ramps to jump off with our bikes, don't kids do that now?

[@embertheelder]

IDK. I took my kid out to have white tshirt fireworks fights in the woods at night and he told me it wasn't safe.....

[@seaneendelong8065]

Certain kid sub groups still do and never stopped- skater or BMX kids mostly.

[@cainkim42]

My brother had one of those wood burners. The one with the foot long cord, so you had to sit at the kitchen table by the curtain to use. He, also, had that creepy crawler machine. It looked just like an easy bake oven except you made bugs, You couldn't eat the bugs or anything. They were kind of like rubbery and squishy. The machine was very hot just like and easy bake. It was a horrible machine.

[@dequilafeara5326]

They still sell candy cigarettes and cigars my kid buys them at the gas station not to smoke they just like the candy sticks.

[@oliver-yg6qr]

@@dequilafeara5326 I didn't know that!

[@FuzzySockz1776]

Gen X here and everything she said is 100% spot on. 😊❤️✌️

[@EURIPODES]

Don't forget to let the water run for a bit before you drink from the hose. If a mouse or something crawled up there and died you'll want to let that rinse out for a bit before you take a drink. 😂

[@therealjetlag]

I grew up in California. We let it run so that it wasn’t 1000 degrees 😂

[@Fiona2254]

We let it run so it wouldn’t burn 😂😂😂

[@nyteshayde1197]

Damn, we were feral. 😆

[@England-Bob]

You only do that once lol. Can still taste mickey now.

[@danastacey7019]

Everything she's saying is so true!, It was awesome! Lawn darts were popular in my neighborhood.😁

[@teresitacholita2435]

Those skinny plastic skateboards and riding in the back of pickup trucks with no seatbelts, sitting on the wheel well and laughing when you caught air out after the truck went over a bump or hit a pothole.

[@embertheelder]

using those skinny skateboards while hang on to the back of the pickuptruck...

[@teresitacholita2435]

​@@embertheelder yesss! 😂

[@jorejaha]

even after my cousin died in the back of a pickup when it went off the gravel road, we all still road in the back.

[@Keraejis]

Yep, I remember the first time I saw those fat skateboards they use now and people playing touch football. My thoughts were "that's cheating!"

[@BohoBunMom]

Also riding in the back storage area of the station wagon. Forget seat belts, we didn't even have seats.

[@SweetHoney8ee]

Someone else confirm this, PLEASE YES, young kids were sent to buy their parents cigs. NO, we didn't sneak any, we'd literally get the crap beat out of us for pulling any shit like that. OR, if your parent WASN'T the type to beat, THEN you might be forced to chain smoke until you puked from nicotine poisoning just so you'd "never do that again".

[@zuWangToo]

Confirmed. We'd get a note with all the groceries on it, including beer and cigarettes. We'd buy it all and lug it home. The chips were ours--they never even went inside the house-- but the cigarettes and alcohol were NOT touched. My sister tried it once, and ended up smoking till she was sick when my mom found out. She never smoked again, and I never tried it. Watching sister puke taught me all I needed to know.

[@TimesUp8888]

My parents didn't smoke, but many of my friends parents did. So I can 💯 confirm. Also, when I decided to start smoking cigs at 15 yrs old (bc half my friends already did), I never once got carded at the gas station. Bought them myself in early 90s for less than $2/pack. Edit: Imagine my surprise when I was over 30 yrs old the 1st time they asked for my ID to buy cigarettes 😂😂😂. (due to new laws) Fortunately I was old enough to just say THANK YOU OMG I'm so flattered u think I look 17 😅 In my late 40s now and they STILL card me for everything. i find it Hilarious

[@mariacurtis9247]

My brother was caught smoking so my uncle decided to teach him a lesson by giving him a cigar.

[@SweetHoney8ee]

@@zuWangToo Ha! Thanks for taking the time to confirm the craziness. It really was common practice.

[@SweetHoney8ee]

@@mariacurtis9247 thx for the confirmation!

[@kennethv5250]

HEY, hose water is the best water.

[@martymar8993]

Except when the water was super hot and you forgot to let it run for a sec.

[@jsapcakrrow]

Loved hose water! It had the best flavor, especially on a hot summer day & you let the water run until it cooled down. Drink & drink & then put your head under the water to help cool down before running off to play some more. Good times!!

[@PaulM-d7k]

I remember my mom telling me that if the water in the gutter was running, it was okay to drink..

[@NarwahlGaming]

The hose filters it clean!

[@kennethv5250]

@@NarwahlGaming on ours we had a deep well and it was the coldest and cleanest water in the neighborhood no filters needed

[@audreyhorne75]

I can remember those worksheets like it was yesterday!! YES, they were damp with that blue xerox ink and I would put them up to my nose and just breathed in the goodness...wish I could describe the smell...oh, the nostalgia!

[@robertherring9277]

1971 GenX and this is so true! Pre-cell phones so NO evidence! Oh the things we did and just now talk about (statute of limitations expired) but the best stuff we will take to our graves. Started smoking cigarettes at 10 and buying my own at 11. Dad used to pull up at a store when I was 5, send me in with $5 to buy a pack of Marlboro Reds and a 6 of Budwiser.

[@boomhaur626]

lol been there done that, same DOB but I was buying my own at 10, while I was buying moms

[@etherealceleste]

Got my driver's license at 15 and "if yah driven, you can buy alcohol". Funny enough, they finally changed the age to 21 a few months before my 21st birthday, but by then I didn't care to drink because I don't like to lose control.

[@w1975b]

Used to be cigarette machines, no one to see if a kid was buying it.

[@robertherring9277]

@@w1975b they were cheaper than stores too!

[@ljb8157]

Same! That and scratch tickets

[@reneeangele4766]

Romper room lady never said my name either lol

[@laraismyname821]

Those red rubber dodge balls could knock you off your feet. They were very scary.

[@Defhrone]

that's why it's called dodge ball ;)

[@GHBOIDS]

The choking sound from the pixie sticks got me lol, so true.

[@jenniferfoster1692]

We GenXers love to hear about ourselves, since we were actually the most ignored generation (although the coolest 😂). I'm elder Gen X, born mid-60s, grew up in the 70s and 80s. Best times ever, I'll always be thankful for growing up then. I'm American, just to be specific. There are certainly similarities & differences between countries during those times due to many reasons.

[@sooz5703]

still kinda ignored (or forgotten).. Let's see there's Boomers, there's Millenials, and now we have Gen Z!

[@jenniferfoster1692]

@@sooz5703 Yes, it's crazy when there's graphics about the generations on the news and Gen X isn't even on it 🤣

[@kathiek4239]

We had several sayings in our family: -“No crybabies in the pool.” If you cried because one of your sibs/cousins tried to kill you, you had to get out of the pool until you got your 💩 together. -“Walk it off.” Referred to ANY injury, 4 inch bleeding gash on your leg? Clean it up & walk it off. -My personal fav, from mom “Sick or sore, headache or ass-ache, you’re going to school.”

[@TaldrenMGMoonGuard]

As someone who is Gen X ALL of this is true. I LOVE watching Gen Z react to this because it really puts it in perspective for us because we never really thought much about it. When I grew up my mother went back to work because she didn't want to be a mom anymore, and I'm the eldest daughter. So she had to keep the house unlocked so I could do her job, and our house was the only one in the neighborhood that was unlocked during the day. My parents would get so mad at me because ALL the kids came to our house, I fed the neighborhood kids. It became a sort of "Camp Taldren." It was one of the few orders I disobeyed from my parents to stop feeding the neighborhood, but I kept doing it because our friends treated us way better than our parents did.

[@randompixels6237]

This is exactly right.

[@amyrenaud7589]

We could sneak people a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, but our neighbors had the popsicles and all we had to do was sit on the porch until they came outside with them. Sometimes I was there for an hour.

[@dfghjdefrgthxcv]

As a Gen Xer, everything she said was completely spot on. It’s not even an exaggeration. I’m watching this being more surprised that the guy watching it just doesn’t understand any of it. What seems so crazy and incomprehensible to him was just another Saturday afternoon in my childhood. I never even thought it was all that crazy till I saw how future generations reacted to hearing about it.

[@shellybmya]

Yep, all true. 😂 We spent every minute we could outside. If no one was dead, everything was fine. Blood had to be gushing for us to head home while there was still light left in the day. We had to wait quite a while in the Texas heat for the water to run through enough to cool down before drinking out of the hoses left in the yards. Cigarettes were also sold in vending machines, so anyone could buy them without having to go into the store.

[@wandlee75]

It's all true. Sometimes parents were outside and still let us do stuff. It builds character. Best time of my life.

[@RobinHardman-vv6kr]

I swear the sayings were all the same. Walk It Off, put some dirt on it and stop it. I’ll give you something to cry about. Rolling your eyes and then realizing Uh Oh, leaving really fast. I think being with another person and always finding friends to hang out with.

[@randompixels6237]

Get outside and blow the stink off ya. Come home when the street lights come on. Put all your wants in one hand, crap in the other & see which gets filled faster.

[@allainamae]

Yep - 100%!! I did all of these and worse - we had bike fights one day (who could swipe someone's back tire out on gravel with their front tire) and fell, getting all bloody. Did I go home? Nope! Had to wash my socks in the creek so my mom didn't yell at me for getting blood on them and scrounge band-aids from a friend's house whose mom was at work. lol, We were resilient and knew how to solve problems.

[@zuzax1656]

Oh, yeah, I've done everything she talked about. But, she did miss one important thing about the bike jump ramps, although it might be because she was a girl, and that is the card in the spokes.

[@sarahkelly4026]

If anyone doesn’t know a card in the spokes made it sound like a motor

[@martymar8993]

Oh yeah bike ramps were shady and we would lay down after the ramp and compete for who could jump the most kids. Sure we could've just measured and marked but not as tough or fun, lol.

[@toodlescae]

I had cards in my spokes.

[@cameronliddell9533]

not to mention the 4 or 5 kids laying down at the end of the jump that your trying to jump over. Over hoping your not kid 3, 4 or 5 lol

[@andreavaughn854]

All true! Those were the days. We ran wild. I'm really surprised I got through it without ever breaking a bone.

[@patrickflannery198]

My high school had a smoking porch yep a place for students to smoke. I didn't smoke but it was packed w people. Our teachers had an indoor smoking lounge. Crazy!

[@DaemonWulf7]

i was pissed back then.. my first HS had a smoking area, but i didn't smoke yet, second HS i went to i smoked, but no smoking area. got a bum deal on that one

[@luluvalentina8310]

My High School also had a smoking area for students.

[@anitaname1]

@luluvalentina8310 mine had 2 places, either 4th floor or the basement cafeteria 😁😉

[@dfghjdefrgthxcv]

Ditto

[@LoriCrabtree31]

Smoking vs non smoking areas in restaurants separated by a pony wall or Ash trays on tables vs none on tables.

[@mistique77]

It's true!😂😂😂 My cousin has a BB in his shoulder to this day! Oh...but there's so much more than what she's saying here! It was absolute, pure fun! The best times ever! It's funny I just got this, bc I was showing my older son about kids now vs if they had been that way in the 90's and before 😂😂😂 it was great! And I said to him he better be happy with how n when he was a child bc my brother and I was a total different situation 😂 even if we were out somewhere, strangers would discipline us, then (if we couldn't talk them out of it) go to our parent's and we'd get it again!

[@neilrodrigues5588]

Willie Wonka was nowhere near as scary as HR PuffNStuff.

[@paigeballard253]

Jack was my first crush! 😂

[@stanpresto5670]

That damn talking flute and witchy poos haunting laugh

[@sonyadakers3984]

HR PuffNStuff was my favorite!

[@retrovinyl5392]

I’m still traumatized.

[@larrycarmichael7818]

Don't forget The Sleestak

[@katherinegipson1126]

I haven’t laughed that hard in so long! Thank you for sharing this it was amazing & nostalgic #1984baby

[@Joes7179]

My brother and i took a plane from Pittsburgh to LAX. On the plane i told the stewardess that i needed a bottle of wild turkey for my aunt Valerie. She gave it to me without blinking. My aunt Valerie didn't even know what wild turkey was...😂😂😂i was 9 my brother was 10.

[@timmclaughlin7196]

Lol. Second comment. Rocks are cheaper than bb guns. And yes you straight up chucked the rock at people. 😂

[@KatyFaulkner-f6c]

I’m freaking laughing here! Born in 1971! Saw jaws when I was 8, I saw Poltergeist when I was 11 in the theater with my parents! They never knew where we were during the day, we used to find an old tractor tire and one would get in it and the rest would push and push as the one in the tire would go around and around! Every thing she said in this is 100% true!!! Whenever we cut ourselves or hurt ourselves we’d start crying and our parents would say oh stop, you’re fine!!! Not to judge your generation but we were raised to be tough and self sufficient! And yours has been coddled. 😂😂😂

[@andromedaspark2241]

Man, I forgot about rolling in tires. 🤣 the playgrounds made of steel, blazing hot in the sun & directly over dirt, taught dexterity or pain...there was no in between. I miss dangling by my knees from the high bar. We liked to get scared. Still do.

[@KatyFaulkner-f6c]

@@andromedaspark2241 absolutely!!! 😂

[@KatyFaulkner-f6c]

Gen x, dude we were no pussies! 😂😂😂😂

[@angelagraves865]

I was 8 and my brother was 6 when my parents took us with them to see The Deep. 8 year old me was terrified and almost threw up, so my mom took me to the lobby and found a couple old women (who were probably the age I am now 😐) and asked them if they'd watch me while she went back in a watched the movie with my dad and brother, who was fine with it. I've tried to watch it a couple times over the years since, and it's just really boring, and I lose interest and turn it off. And it's our generation and their kids who've done the coddling. I mean, clearly not all of us, but enough. We remember what went down when there was no adult supervision. And while some of us might consider the younger generations weak, they're giften in ways we're not. But that's a different conversation.

[@etherealceleste]

8! no wonder I still imagine freaking sharks when I swim in my indoor pool at night. I can't stop it. Just over and over, no matter how much I know its not, the imagination spam is annoying.

[@StergiosMekras]

She's leaving a LOT out ...and my parents were actually quite present and loving.

[@anitaname1]

@@StergiosMekras u were lucky🥰

[@SanguineSunshine]

She told the "tame" stuff.😂 But everything she said was spot on & so true. This is why you should never test a GenXer. We have been through, & survived, way more than you know. We will definitely hurt your feelings, & just don't give a F about much. We fought, with fists, in real life, there was no keyboard or screen to "hide" behind. If you had a problem with someone, you met at the playground to battle it out. This is why we always warn people, "F around, & find out". GenX definitely rules, & you now know only a portion of why.👍🏽😉

[@dizzywordninja]

Yep. We Gen Xers' motto is "say sh*t, get hit." waaaaaay before fafo came out.

[@RuggedArt]

​@@dizzywordninja I think it's funny to hear "snitches get stitches" coming out of the grade school. It's coming back around lol

[@chickenbird69]

100% spot on! 😂❤😂

[@flattop223]

11:46 I would have been seven when Jaws came out, and I remember laughing at it because my brother pointed out how the rubber teeth would bounce back and forth as it chewed on people! Most Gen X kids have at least one little black dots somewhere on an arm on a leg on a hand somewhere that is from being stabbed with a pencil by usually their best friend, in school. It was just a normal thing everybody got in little pencil fights now and then and if you were mad you maybe stabbed the person. Then before they can call for the teacher or start crying too hard or anything you would apologize and apologize and try to get them not to get you in trouble, and they were your best friend so of course they didn't want to get you in trouble.

[@Michellefeltzer-hd4mq]

If you're bleeding don't you dare come inside the house! Yes, I've let a dog lick my severely scraped up knees because it will heal faster! 😂

[@byMidnyt]

I remember my sister yelling at me to get the peroxide from the bathroom and throw it down to her (our bedrooms were upstairs). She was out riding a motorcycle when she wasn't supposed to be and ended up with gravel in knee. I forget what she told my mom happened when she could barely walk the next few days. We laughed about it like 20 years later when she pointed out she still had gravel in her knee.

[@Michellefeltzer-hd4mq]

😂😂

[@farvelade4719]

we trusted eachothers ability to be compent enough to help those around you without anything but the honor

[@AmyLarson]

It’s all true. And we didn’t think of it as trauma. There was no one around to tell us that it was. But because we were ignorant of that fact, we thought we could do anything… and now we are psychologically and emotionally indestructible. We are STILL fucking sneaky, resourceful little bastards.😂🤣

[@mariacurtis9247]

Couldn't agree more

[@KirkDavidson-lb8qv]

Still got the mark on the back of my leg from my big cousin sniping me with an air arms camarge. Can hear him now. “ I’ll hide and you try find me”😂

[@karenmandeville7116]

my folks didn't smoke, but my friend's parents did. and yes, we would occasionally walk to the store and buy her cigarettes.

[@apriljohnson7447]

With a note😂used to be a dollar and a dime😂

[@mariannastahl4174]

Oh hell, there used to be vending machines for cigarettes.

[@rhusd2215]

I remember when Marlboro Reds were a quarter, and my Dad talking about quitting when it went to $1 a pack.

[@raifordhodges8457]

yes at my public school you could get some sniffs from the mimeograph paper - there were smoking areas for the teachers and their lounge to smoke until the late 80's -

[@kathiek4239]

It is all 💯 true. Re the “smelling paper” thing, before Xerox copy machines were invented, there were only a couple ways to get “copies” of things: 1) use a piece of carbon as you typed up your whatever to make ONE copy of whatever you typed; 2) mimeograph- this was the paper that smelled good, or so we thought.

[@shkacatou]

It wasn't the paper, it was the solvent used to transfer the ink onto each copy. Methanol and isopropanol. Learning and mild brain damage in one fragrant purple package.

[@bruja496]

We Had this in Germany too, i was addicted😂

[@grayhatjen5924]

That paper smelled so good.

[@latsnojokelee6434]

I literally threw out my last package of carbon paper the other week. I was carrying it around with me for nostalgia sake, but I realize that my nieces and nephews have no idea what it is and probably would care less.

[@cameronliddell9533]

@@latsnojokelee6434 shouldve told then its magical sheets that will copy what you drwa ontop of it.

[@jomc6734]

Obviously, our parents cared about us, but they raised us to be somewhat independent. My mom used to send us out on a Saturday morning so she could do housework. We were allowed to go in the house to go to the washroom and for lunch. Also, we lived in a rural area and every kid in a 3 kilometre area were at our house all day. One of the neighbour ladies asked mom how she could stand having all those kids at our house. My mom replied 'well, I know where my kids are and what they're doing.'

[@sarahkelly4026]

And why was Jaws rated PG? Because it had no sxul content. Just violence, lots and lots of blood and violence. Welcome to the USA!

[@ShineOnBenevolentSun]

I saw Gremlins at age 5 with my cousins who were just 5 years older.

[@ShineOnBenevolentSun]

@@koschmx it was pretty gory with gremlins eating people and the gremlins themselves getting eviscerated in various ways including being microwaved and exploded, put in a blender ...

[@zuWangToo]

There used to be announcement on the TV. "It's 10 pm. Do you know where your children are?" That was everyone's reminder--make sure the kids came home.

[@darrenmerritt2243]

The original Willy Wonka was a lot different than the remake with Johnny Depp.

[@mariacurtis9247]

Our primary school playground equipment had a massive metal climbing frame with normal concete and tarmc base underneath.

[@lilbit623]

Can't forget the lawn darts! Aaah, the good ole days!

[@mike02454]

I have 3 scars from cuts 1/4" deep... never went to the hospital for stitches, just used gauze and tape and picked the scabs. Also, we cut our own wood by hand to heat the house. As early as5th grade, I'd go outside at night in the winter and chop wood for an hour... it was kind of nice being outside in the crisp weather and working up a sweat.

[@jbj1836]

First difference is my family didn't have shag carpet, others are, BB gun was only shot at tourists (Grew up in Orlando), all the shows she's talking about weren't ones I watched, and I knew how stupid sea monkeys were so never bought them...got the warning about not shooting or hitting people in the eyes with anything, I always aimed for asses, legs or arms...bleeding over the sink, yes, rub dirt on it, yes, didn't have a dog...walking it off, yes, often....most of what she says is accurate though diff people had diff lives....so not all but all similar.

[@sarahlana3837]

GenX here and Lawn Dart queen. 2 1st place ribbons and only 1 trip to the kitchen sink to wash off my bloody foot. No emergency room visits for us. Those were the days. Lol

[@michaelpapp5518]

15:52 she’s not wrong. The Challenger exploded. A school teacher had won the privilege of earning a spot on the shuttle crew. She was gonna be the student liaison for NASA during a highly publicized sojourn in space. She was lauded nationally as a hero. We all had been following her progress and training for months. The teachers all brought in TVs for us to watch the launch. Turned it off after the explosion. Swallowed sadness and shock. Then told us to turn to page whatever. Said we’d follow up “later” on what happened. That we should “talk to our parents.” Who were baby boomers. The only counseling we collectively received was a very special episode of Punky Brewster.

[@Jtr_ceral_killer]

Within hours of that tragedy the dark humor was spread.

[@etherealceleste]

I was so mad! How could they miss that the O rings would expand and contract in changing temperatures and at a different rate than the other materials around them!!! (at 14, I was thoroughly invested in Aerospace Engineering)

[@w1975b]

My class also watched it on tv. I remember my science teacher crying after it blew up. I was 10.

[@Kim-mv3gn]

When dad got home that night he said "Shit happens and people die, if you're upset about it go to the wood pile and split some wood, it'll help"

[@MarleneMeier]

😂😂😂

[@joegallentine8155]

Who remembers the TV commercial "it's 10pm, do you know where your kids are"

[@allibrown8960]

The playground? Hang on tight!

[@Jasmine-tl6yr]

We had a metal slide that was huge. And in AZ burning in the summer. When the 3rd kid fell and broke their arm, they tore it down.

[@CosmicVagabondPixie]

Ahahaha OH YES it is ALL 100 % FACTS Ha we even went beyond throwing rocks & solid ice hidden in snowballs in the summer we would take a switchblade & play "Chicken" where the two of you stand facing each other & take turns whipping that blade at the other kids feet Ahahaha smh yea we did a LOT of CrAzYYY sh*t jumping from rooftop to rooftop scaling up buildings that were close together see who could go the highest & on & on man definitely THE Best time to be a kid & teenager cuz yep NOBODY cared & we were FREE to do pretty much as we pleased with our time

[@shericarriero6240]

Yes and we definitely drank from a hose..we had our father make nunchucks for neighborhood drama and he had no clue he was supplying the children of neighborhood with weapons

[@jolenewitzel7919]

Everything she said is true,and we have the best scars to prove it. 😂❤😂❤😂❤😂❤😂❤

[@joe6913111111]

the emergency room nurse knew my mother by her first name LOL

[@fmfdocbotl4358]

I still have lead in my body parts from being stabbed by pencils in school

[@dfghjdefrgthxcv]

One of my most early, haziest childhood memories was wrecking on my bike in the middle of the street, skinning the hell out of my knees and bawling my eyes out, and my mother standing on the sidewalk telling me to get up and get the hell out of the middle of the road before more cars come.

[@madyooper8231]

I remember having epic apple fights in my hometown, recruiting the younger kids to get apples off the ground from under the trees, loading them into wagons. Apple whippers, thorn apples, (apples with thorns sticking out of them), blowguns, BB guns, pellet guns...yeah, we did all that shit, LOL!

[@pharaoh2537]

Oh yes, the little green ones, In Chicago hurt like hell😂😂😂😂😂

[@remlecat8511]

For us in AZ it was oranges. We did all stuff.

[@frankfroggatt8593]

Rubber band wars were awesome fun too. We'd each have a big bag of them. Goggles optional.

[@MovingTarget3]

Potato cannon.

[@nonenone6884]

and there was always this one kid that loved to kill things. bugs birds and small animals .

[@PamelaGibb-m7l]

Being on the swings..standing up on the seat...swinging full circle!!! Ahhh the memories haha😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@allytrudie864]

I broke my arm and hip doing this at 8 years old. Totally worth it.

[@mariacurtis9247]

At 5 years old i was playing chase with my 6 year old sister over the road from our house and some other local kids, our safeguarding spot was the wall at the bottom of a little slope I couldn't climb the wall as I was too small so I ran up the inclined path and down the little mud slope onto the wall just as the catcher got to me. I was pushed head first of the wall onto the pavement below, skidded on my head on the pavement into the gutter of the road. Ended up with a trip to the hospital by ambulance and x-ray taken. My siblings were left with neighbours while we were gone.

[@tammydavis770]

Yeah, that was pretty much what Gen X parents did. My family would say "Do it again Stupid, maybe that way you will learn."

[@DaemonWulf7]

or if they were feeling real empathic.. "won't do that shit again, huh?"

[@NunyabeezwaxKT1]

Much the same over here in the UK, I'm 45yrs now and still have the scars to show for it 😂

[@kerriniemi9525]

Ohhh don't forget about the big wheel tire swings we also had in the school yard... Major danger zone #purplecrush🤮🤕🤢

[@w1975b]

Wasn't even a tire swing, but I gave myself a black eye by running into the back of someone else's head chasing a ball lol. I remember laying my head down on my desk because I was tired, don't know if I had a concussion.

[@HC_Productions_UK]

Teachers and dinner ladies smoked in the playground when I was at school (UK)

[@laughingaardvark3128]

The toilet paper with dots is candy buttons. It was a strip of paper with little different colors of sugar on it. You could not get one off without some paper attached. I would lick the back of the paper until it was wet through and then I could get the candy off without paper. My mother didn't lock us out. She just ignored us when she was home. When she wasn't, that's what we had a key for. And after the first time you forgot your key you learned how to break into your house. I didn't participate in rock fights but no Gen X person doesn't have scars. Mostly from bikes though roller skates and roller blades offered their share.

[@w1975b]

I was a latchkey kid. Staying home by myself after school when I was 8 or 9. But often played with other kids in the neighborhood, so not 100% of that time was by myself.

[@LoriCrabtree31]

All true, my mom said, "you'll heal, the carpet won't!"