The Chronicles of Childhood: Then vs. Now

Being an Indian child born in the 1990s feels magical many a time. Particularly, when I come across this generation of children.

As a child, I used to be quite excited about my school and even more excited to finish my homework as soon as I returned from school. Those afternoon naps, that evening plays with my friends, those Pokemon cards and Beyblade games are still fresh down in my memory lane. I remember I used to talk to myself since childhood. Little did I know that it was called self-talk and that is going to be so important in moulding my personality as well as my character. I’d also look forward to my birthday. These days, birthdays are a constant reminder that my social battery has a one-day limit and needs a full year to recharge! We were flying kites as kids, kids these days are flying drones with smartphones. And to be more precise, I don’t know (till now) how to fly a kite!

Children: Then vs Now

• We used books for research; kids these days have Wikipedia at their fingertips.

• We enjoyed playing with mud and sand; today’s kids sculpt digital art on tablets.

• We were scared of our parents, teachers, and elders considering the discipline parameter, today’s kids are over-pampered, intolerant, and spoiled brats. (not all of them of course!)

• We had to wait for our favorite TV shows; kids these days binge-watch entire series in one sitting.

• We had family picnics. But kids these days have food delivered to their door with a single click.

• We enjoyed watching the stars and moon at night. (My favorites even in adulthood). Today’s kids follow celebrities’ lives on social media.

• We collected stickers and stamps. They collect virtual pets for their avatars now.

• Grade 1 children these days have subjects like ICT (Information and Communication Technology), Art, Music, Swimming, Football etc. I remember I was in grade 7 when I learned how to boot a computer.

A Reflection

The memories of our childhood are indeed priceless. Our world was filled with dreams, hopes, and endless possibilities. The world was our playground, and our imagination was the limit. We had less technology, less pressure, and most importantly, fewer worries. We were content with what we had because all that mattered was having fun.

I pity the kids of today who are lucky enough to be competitive but are losing life lessons that we were able to fetch, as we learned to look at our elders. Parents today are rushing to pamper their kids with all the ‘materials’ to prepare them as ‘competitive products’ in this world.

CONCLUSION

I’m grateful that my childhood was filled with memories that do not require any digital space. And the most favorite part of my childhood was NOT WORKING AND NOT PAYING THE BILLS. I miss that dependency on my parents.

Isn’t it funny how day by day nothing changes, but when you look back on your childhood everything is different?

Even though times have changed, the essence of childhood remains the same. It’s about learning, exploring, and having fun. So, let’s cherish these memories and continue to create new ones for future generations.

What’s your favorite childhood memory? Do let us know in the comments.