Previous times were much simpler. Dating had only two categories: going steady and single. There were no gray areas of endless confusion. Televisions had less than one hundred channels, rather than thousands. And childhoods consisted of memories of ice cream cones with rainbow sprinkles and the bright lights of summer carnivals, rather than from hover boards and iPhones. With all of the advances technology has been making, are children missing out on what is supposed to be the most simple times of their lives?

For those who grew up in the '90s, many will remember Sunday morning cartoons, light-up sneakers, all-denim everything, and chomping down on Flavor Ice popsicles. Summers days were spent at the pool listening to Smash Mouth, and evenings were spent playing night games like Ghost in the Graveyard and Fugitive. Children let their creative juices flow with sidewalk chalk in their neighborhoods instead of doodling over Snapchat. Some of the best memories made took place outside with friends.

Perspectives on what makes a childhood one to smile when reminiscing has changed greatly over the years. The luckiest kids were considered those who lived in neighborhoods or cul-de-sacs with plenty of friends their ages instead of whoever had the newest version of the iPhone. When looking at how children experience growing up in comparison to how we did, it can be almost sad to see the things they give up in return for the technology they are given. While they will never know what they are missing out on, childhood now is completely different and offers different opportunities than it did in past years.

For many, childhood was a time where life was simple. Being young did not come with a set of instructions or how-to guide, and was all about letting imagination roam free. While it may be too late, or maybe even impossible, to reverse how technology has changed life, it is not too late to learn how to put our phones down to better enjoy adolescence and adulthood.