This rings so true - even for me, a child of the '80s. I remember riding in my mother's car, which only had lap belts, even in the front seats. I remember being allowed to play in the street, but not allowed to go around the corner. I remember being the only one in the family who could open the "childproof" lids on medicine bottles. (I used to call them "adult-proof"
) I remember the day my parents got cable, the day they got their microwave, the day they got their first computer. (And I remember teaching them how to use all three!) I remember being invited into a neighbor's house on Halloween, where she had caramel apples, candy corn, etc. - but I also remember being made to go trick-or-treating at 3pm when it was still broad daylight, even though I lived in a pretty safe neighborhood.
And I also know my children will have few of these memories. My kids will never see a car that doesn't have dual airbags. They will never know what it was like to sit on the floor in front of the TV and turn a knob to tune a channel, and they will never know what UHF is. They will not be allowed to eat Halloween candy that isn't pre-wrapped (but they will be allowed to trick-or-treat at a decent hour!).
Now I'm getting misty-eyed for the misspent days of my youth...