How Is Life Different Today Compared to When You Were a Child?
“There is nothing permanent in the world except change.”
– Heraclitus
I’ve working this month to make final edits on the answers for my Storyworth memoir that I began last year.
Here is question #28 from it. I wonder how you would answer it:
How is life different today compared to when you were a child?
This is my answer:
One of the biggest differences I see between life today compared to when I was a child is this: Instead of having to go out to interact with the world, the world now comes to us.
- We can see and talk to people in our homes while they are physically present in their own homes instead of having to literally put our bodies in the same location.
- We can shop at stores from home and have the items arrive on our front porch instead of driving to the mall.
- We can look up any information from home (or wherever we happen to be) by pulling out our tiny phones instead of having to go to the library to look it up.
Now that AI is easy to access on everyone’s computers, it’s said that things are going to continue changing even more. I am just now learning how to use AI and am amazed at what it can do.
Is the world better with its digital connections and information? In many ways, definitely yes. In other ways, maybe not so much. We’re already seeing both positive and negative effects from technology. It’s still too soon to tell the long-term effects that it will have on humanity.
Nevertheless, pending a major disaster, there’s likely no turning back from the massive changes that have already occurred because of computers and the internet.
And I can’t even imagine the ones still yet to come.
How is life different for you from when you were a child? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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Great prompt and answer, Lisa. Your answer resonated deeply with me. And since you mentioned AI, I asked it your question (based on a childhood 60 years ago). Here is its reply:
“The biggest difference between childhood today and 60 years ago (1965) is the role of technology and digital connectivity.
Then (1965):
Outdoor Play & Independence – Kids spent most of their free time outdoors, playing unsupervised with neighborhood friends, riding bikes, climbing trees, and making up games.
Limited Screen Time – Television was the main form of entertainment, but it had only a few channels and specific viewing times. No internet, video games, or smartphones.
Hands-on Learning & Imagination – More books, board games, and creative play like building forts, crafting, and storytelling.
Stronger Community Ties – Families knew their neighbors, and kids were more likely to roam freely within a trusted community.
Simpler Toys & Fewer Commercials – Toys were basic (blocks, dolls, toy soldiers), and advertising targeted parents more than children.
Now (2025):
Digital Childhood & Screen Time – Kids spend a lot of time on smartphones, tablets, video games, and streaming services. Social media influences childhood experiences.
Less Unstructured Outdoor Play – Safety concerns and structured activities (sports, lessons) mean fewer kids roam freely outside.
Instant Access to Information – The internet provides knowledge instantly, but also introduces new challenges like misinformation and cyber risks.
More Parental Supervision – “Helicopter parenting” is more common, with parents closely monitoring activities, friendships, and schoolwork.
Different Socialization – Online gaming, messaging apps, and video calls shape friendships, reducing in-person social skills for some kids.
More Educational & Entertainment Choices – Kids have a vast selection of learning apps, YouTube, and interactive media, unlike the limited options of the past.
While today’s childhood offers more technology and global access, childhood 60 years ago was more hands-on, independent, and locally focused.”
Much food for thought. And as you say, there is likely no going back.
Thanks for this, Donna! I love that you used technology itself to give the reply; so appropriate! I wonder if there has ever been a 60-year time frame with as many changes as this past 60 years (maybe I should ask AI? ha). I know my childhood and my grandparents’ childhoods were also very different, but likely not as different as my childhood compared to my grandchildren’s childhood. And who knows what THEIR grandchildren’s childhood will look like. I can’t even imagine because I couldn’t have imagined the technology we are using as I type this out right now!
<3
The biggest change I see when comparing present day with when I was a child (apart from the internet) is there seems to no longer sense the closeness of “community” like when I grew up. People are all busy with their individual lives and too busy (even though there are way more time saving devices now) to be interested in our neighbors. We, as the “old folks” in our neighborhood of mostly 30 somethings young families, are beginning to see a bit of a difference as we reach out.
I see that huge change too, Dianna. I feel like our communities no longer consist of whose bodies live nearby, but more who we can travel to see and/or reach via technology. I do like the latter–don’t get me wrong–because otherwise I wouldn’t know you and others here that I consider genuine friends! 🙂 But we don’t need to give up the former because true face-to-face contact is still how we best move through this world.
I hope the younger folks in your neighborhood will see more and more what a treasure it is to live beside someone like you with such wisdom and maturity and love. Since I began walking more in my neighborhood this past year, I’ve grown a stronger kinship with people I see here, even if it’s just a casual wave good morning or a quick comment about the weather. It all adds up.
Yes, there have been so many changes! I can only imagine what the people think who are in their 90s and older!
Donna’s answers above cover the ones that came to my mind–the freedom we had as kids to ride our bikes all over the place–to the community pool, the library, the school playground, friends’ homes, and more. Also, I don’t remember our moms feeling obligated to keep us entertained; that was our job. And we spent much more time outdoors–even in winter (in northern Illinois)–sledding, skating, building forts, and playing chase-the-fox.
When I was a child (I’m 62 for reference), people had time for friends, relaxation, hobbies, etc. Now many formerly middle class household are in a financial crunch, due to wages failing to keep up with inflation. People are working two jobs to make ends meet, struggling with anxiety and depression, because the people at the top are squeezing everyone. None of this is a good recipe for maintaining a sense of community or face to face friendships.
Technology, a blessing & a curse, IMO. So many more ways NOT to communicate IRL. A big difference from 60 yrs ago is the disconnect with nature. There’s a lot of attention to environmentalism yet many people think their food comes from the store.