Kids today seem to be constantly glued to their electronics. From middle schoolers on Instagram to 3-year-olds watching iPads, it seems to have gotten out of hand. When I was growing up, the most technologically advanced thing I ever owned was my Nintendo DS. Here are 7 reasons why I'm glad I grew up without the technology of today.

1. Toys R Us was the move.

Taking a trip into the store version of the Promised Land was literally the best thing any kid could ask for. From Nerf guns to Barbies, this store had it all. They always had the latest and greatest toys that were being advertised on TV.

2. Nobody competed to see who could get the most likes/friends/whatever on some pointless social media account.

I watch my 13-year-old sister constantly post and delete pictures on Instagram because they "don't get enough likes." Talk about stupid. You know what I was doing at 13? Running track, practicing to be first chair flute in band (nerdy AF) and baking Unicorn Poop cookies at sleepovers with my best friend.

3. Kids today don't know the magic of imaginative play.

When I was little, I would play with my Barbies, Polly Pockets and Bratz dolls for hours on end. I would have pretend tea parties, play house with my little brother and pretend I was Nancy Drew on the cusp of cracking an unsolvable case. Talk to any random kid on the street and I guarantee that anything coming from their mouth has to do with a TV show, YouTube video or video game.

4. We weren't concerned with who had the latest and greatest iPhone.

I remember being jealous of my friends who had those cool thread thingies from Disney in their hair and hot pink Converse. Yes, I did get jealous of people who had a Nintendo DS before I got one, but I was more concerned about which book or Barbie I was going to spend my birthday money on.

5. We didn't grow up too fast as a result of social media influence.

You look at 11-year-olds today and they look like they're 20. They know how to contour, they tap on their iPhones with perfect acrylic manicures and they wouldn't be caught dead wearing anything from Justice. I'm proud that I grew up with my Lisa Frank stickers and neon hair barrettes, thank you very much.

6. We didn't have access to trash shows that were way too mature for us.

You ask any middle schooler what their favorite TV show is and I can guarantee that it'll be something they shouldn't watch. Our TV today is loaded with sex, profanity and inappropriate innuendoes that children have no business watching. Hannah Montana and The Suite Life of Zach and Cody were more than enough for me.

7. Spending time outside was a blessing, not a punishment.

Rip any Gen Z kid away from their Xbox and you might lose an eye. Back in the day, we used to cry when our parents told us we had to come in for the night. From riding bikes to sidewalk chalk to Ghost in the Graveyard, being outdoors was the highlight of our summers.

Personally, I don't see any advantages to giving your 2-year-old an iPad to get them to shut up, but you do you. My parents raised me without it and my kids will be raised without it. Growing up without technology made my childhood fun and memorable and all kids should have it that way.