There was a time — not too long ago — when childhood didn’t need a password or a screen lock.
We were wild, curious, and beautifully free. No mobile phones in sight, yet we were always connected — through shared hobbies, spontaneous games, and stories whispered in the dark. The world was our playground, not our screen.
I remember those golden summer holidays — sunlit afternoons with no schedules, just cousins, chaos, and endless joy.
We played everything — card games, board games, gully cricket, pretend kitchen play, even langdi-tang (yes, that one-legged hopping madness!) until we collapsed into laughter. We cheated, argued, made up — and it didn’t matter who won. What mattered was the togetherness.
Families were bigger. Siblings were sidekicks. Cousins were inseparable. And homes were warm, loud, and lived-in.
But today?
Life is quieter. Tidier. Smaller.
Our families are shrinking into neat nuclear setups. In my own building, almost every home has just one child.
And that child’s constant companion?
Not a sibling. Not even a friend.
But a glowing screen.
A device that shows them curated lives with filters instead of feelings, followers instead of friendships, reels instead of real stories.
And we, the parents?
We’re running — chasing dreams, juggling jobs, trying to give them “everything.”
But in this chase, are we forgetting the one thing they truly need? Us.
We worry about their screen time, about who they’re becoming in front of those glowing rectangles. And yes — we’re scared. But also hopeful.
Because maybe… we can’t bring back the 90s,
But we can bring back its soul.
We can turn corners of our homes into memory-making zones — add a bookshelf that sparks curiosity, gaming furniture that invites family fun, or a craft station that celebrates messy creativity. Let’s bring hobbies back into the home, and create spaces that speak to real play and real presence.
- How about weekly Family Game Nights — phones off, hearts open?
- Teaching kids the games we grew up loving — the ones with no downloads, just delight.
- Or simply sitting together, sharing stories, emotions, and a good old comic book.
Because real childhood still lives — in board games, bedtime stories, music jams, art corners, and in the magic of doing nothing together.
And the best part?
Some brands are listening.
Designers and creators are now weaving nostalgia into everyday living — bringing back retro prints, sturdy wooden bookshelves, funky gaming chairs, and playful furniture that echoes the 90s charm (what BruinHout is doing). From Toys”R”Us-style setups to Mario-inspired play corners, the past is finding its way back into our homes.
Let’s meet our kids halfway — not just in technology, but in time.
Let’s be the memory they cherish — not the notification they miss.
Because in the end, screens may light up their faces…
But we light up their lives.
