Life

13 Little Things All '90s Kids Should Make Sure Their Kids Appreciate

by Meg Kehoe

The '90s were a different world; one where scrunchies and butterfly clips happily coexisted in the same hairdo, where boy bands and girl groups ruled the radio waves, and where playing outside trumped playing games on your iPad. Times were different, childhood was different, and life just happened at a slower pace. Sometimes, at a pace that rivaled molasses. When raising children in today's day and age, there are little things all '90s kids should make sure their kids appreciate. After all, it's important to raise children to be thankful, right? There's plenty they should be thankful for, including all the things they don't have to suffer through that you had to suffer through as a child of the '90s.

The '90s were awesome, yes. Nobody can deny that. But there are certain oh-so '90s things that I don't miss at all. Most of them have become completely moot after years of technological advances, and although they're fun to think about, you couldn't pay me to go back to the ages before email existed. Certain conveniences we have now are things I could never live without, things your kids will never have to live without, and things they should be thankful for.

1

They Don't Have To Rewind Movies

Be kind, rewind. The catchiest saying of the '90s was also the bane of your existence, as you'd have to in front of the VCR and rewind your tapes when you were finished watching them. Or, worse, when your tape wasn't rewound when you went to watch it, and you had to rewind it before you could even press play. Man, the '90s were tough.

2

You Don't Have To Rent Movies

Before the days of Netflix, there was a an empire known as Blockbuster. Now extinct thanks to the ways of streaming, you once had to go into a store and peruse the selection of movies before you could rent one. Sometimes, the movie you wanted to rent was unavailable. The horror.

3

You Don't Have To Buy A CD For One Song

You used to have to purchase an entire album to get to the hit single you wanted to listen to so badly. Tidal doesn't seem so bad now, does it.

4

You Don't Have To Wait In Line For Concert Tickets

Waiting in line for hours for the hottest concert ticket in town was a badge of glory. Now you just click a few buttons on your computer and pray for seats. Somehow, there's less of a thrill.

5

You Don't Have To Deal With The Weather Channel

Oh, The Weather Channel. You'd turn it on, and then you'd wait forever to get to your local forecast so you could tell whether or not you were going to need a coat that day. Such a struggle.

6

You Don't Have To Risk It With Limewire

Limewire — the myth, the legend, the thing that gave your computer a thousand viruses in the name of illegal music downloads.

7

You Can Cancel Plans Last Minute

I know, this isn't something you should teach your kids to rely on — and yet, it is so amazing. With the invention of text messages, the popularity of cell phones, and the incredible relief canceling plans provides, children should be thankful.

8

You Don't Have To Call The Movie Theater

Before the Internet existed and every business ever had a webpage, you'd have to call the movie theater and listen to the listing of shows. Sometimes it took 15 minutes to get through those listings.

9

You Don't Have To Tape Your Favorite Songs

Waiting patiently in front of your boombox with your finger at the ready was a rite of passage in the '90s, so you could tape your favorite songs before the CD even came out. Nowadays, all you have to do is Google it.

10

You Don't Have To Deal With The Phonebook

A real life paper phonebook, with a bazillion phone numbers in it. That's what you used to have to sift through in order to find someone's phone number. Not to mention, you were completely screwed if their last name was Smith.

11

You Don't Have To Wait For The TV Guide Channel To Scroll

Remember the days with the TV Guide Channel was actually a TV Guide, and not just another avenue for interviews and commercials? The shows would tick by at a slow pace while you waited for your channel of choice to show up. And if you missed it, you had to sit through every channel all over again.

12

You Don't Have To Wait Three Days For Your Film To Be Developed

Cameras used to have film, kids. Imagine that.

13

You Don't Have To Watch 'TRL' For Your Favorite Music Videos

Personally, I would love it if MTV brought TRL back to life. But I am thankful that you can now find your favorite music videos on YouTube instead of having to tune in after school to wait for Carson Daly to show six seconds of the new Backstreet Boys video before cutting to someone screaming in the audience.