As you grow up, your media exposure is usually controlled by your parents. That may mean you were allowed to watch Disney or Nickelodeon, but it might mean you watched “The Andy Griffith Show” or “Beat the Clock” from the '50s. If the second one applied to you, it was hard to connect with children in school. However, you always enjoyed the media your parents showed you and you wouldn’t trade it for anything.
1. Children’s shows
“Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood” may have been one of your only common kids show growing up. Your parents enjoyed “The Flintstones,” "Loony Toons," "Popeye" and “The Jetsons,” so they played it for you. Everyone else may have watched “Sesame Street,” but you also watched the “Muppet Show.” You got different morals based on older values. Some say TV isn’t as wholesome as it used to be, but that didn’t seem to be an issue for you.
2. Family Shows
When your parents got home, the family shows came on. If they enjoyed “MASH,” “The Waltons,” “Star Trek,” or “The Adams Family,” that's what you watched. While some families watched “The Simpsons” or “The Office,” you enjoyed watching black and white game shows like “What’s My Line,” “Name’s the Same” or “To Tell the Truth.” However, you probably got a lecture on how “WKRP in Cincinnati” would never be the same since they can’t pay for the music that played when it first aired.
3. Movies
From Marx Brothers to Jimmy Stewart, from Alfred Hitchcock to Steven Spielberg. You enjoyed everything from black and white to color. “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” “Sound of Music,” "Indiana Jones," “To Kill a Mockingbird” and “My Fair Lady” were just some of the few you may see. You probably tried to do a Groucho Marx impression at some point too.
4. Radio Shows
Yes, you heard me right. There may not be many people this applies to, but you couldn’t wait to hear what happened next week to your favorite characters. You probably didn’t all crowd around the family radio since it may have been your father’s computer. From “Superman” to “Bergen and McCarthy,” you sat and listened. You never knew if “The Green Hornet” or “Batman“vwould make it until next week. It allowed your imagination to create the picture, which was always fun.
5. Music
There were no Brittney Spears or Backstreet Boys in your house. The car radio was always set to the oldies station and you knew every song. It was strange to not find other people listening to The Beatles, Frank Sinatra, Billy Joel, Elvis or Queen. You may have had a Walkman cassette player as well.
Although you may not connect with everyone in your generation, you did have a great childhood. Plus, when you meet someone who knows these shows, you already have an instant connection. You learned life lessons from Batman and Robin, family in "Little House on the Prairie" and how to laugh with the Marx Brothers. Don’t be ashamed of your background; it’s made you who you are. Plus, you probably heard how important it is to drink your milk!
