I also grew up with no cable, only 3 channels to watch but I loved watching TV. I started watching soaps with my mom and even resorted to taping them once I was in high school. I still watch them
.
I also find these days that people move around quite a bit (or so it seems). I grew up in a neighborhood where everyone knew everybody and all of the kids played together. Most of my neighbors had lived there for 20-30 years. It seemed no one moved. I felt safe and the parents felt comfortable with us being outside all day with no supervision.
I was very lucky that my mother was a stay at home mom until I was 12 and she was very involved in all of my schools activities. Most of my friend's mothers were also SAH moms, they all hung out together. Now it seems both parents are having to work and moving is quite common making it difficult for people to really get to know each other and their kids.
I also have noticed that the teenagers these days don't want to get their driver's license. I work with a couple of moms with 16-17 year olds who refuse to get their driver's permit. Heck, the day I turned 16 I was taking my driver's test and that very day got my car. I was never at home after that
. Anyone else noticed this? When I asked the moms about it-they thought it was strange too!