Then & Now
12 Things Every Kid Did on Long Car Rides Before Tablets
Before tablets and smartphones turned every car ride into a mobile entertainment center, kids had to get creative to pass the time on long ... Read…
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Contributor
June Hartwell
June Hartwell is the editorial persona for Then & Now at Should We Watch, exploring familiar objects, old routines, and the ways everyday life has changed. The focus is on specific details and historical context, without treating every generation’s experience as the same.
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Then & Now
Office Supplies We ‘Borrowed’ That Are Worth a Fortune Now
Before digital inventory systems and strict supply tracking, office supply closets were treasure troves of items that often found their way home with employees. ... Read more
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Then & Now
15 Things Every Kid Did at the School Dance Before TikTok
Long before TikTok dances and other social media trends, school dances had their own unique charm. As a rite of passage, they ushered in ... Read more
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Then & Now
13 Things Every Kid Did at the Beach Before Cell Phones
Can you remember the days at the beach before the digital age took over? We had a blast at the beach making our own ... Read more
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Then & Now
13 Things Every Kid Did at Grandma’s House That Are Lost Today
Long before tablets and smartphones became the standard babysitter, visits to Grandma’s houses meant new experiences and discoveries. The activities and traditions fostered during ... Read more
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Then & Now
12 Things You Couldn’t Wait to Buy at the Five-and-Dime
Before shopping malls and e-commerce, the coin store on the corner of the street was our favorite place to spend money. Magic aisles full ... Read more
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Then & Now
What Every Kid Saved Up For — and Why It Felt Worth It
Back in the days before instant gratification and credit cards, saving up for something special was a rite of passage. We’d carefully count our ... Read more
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Then & Now
13 Things You Had to Memorize in School That Are Now Obsolete
Do you remember all of the things you had to memorize back in school? It’s fascinating that technology has developed so rapidly that it ... Read more
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Then & Now
16 School Supplies That Cost Pennies Then but Are Worth Hundreds Now
Who would have thought that the simple classroom supplies from the 1960s and 1970s would become trendy? Once classroom supplies that sat in every ... Read more
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Then & Now
17 Breakfast Foods from Your Childhood That Kids Today Will Never Try
Before the rise of smoothie bowls and avocado toast, an interesting array of culinary options could be found in breakfast offerings. The breakfast foods ... Read more
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