Like many, I have a great reverence for my childhood.  I often harken back on the joyous times I had as a kid, when life was simpler and I was carefree!   Whether it was the music I was listening to or stories that were passed down to me when I was a kid. I look back on all (most) of them with greater admiration than I certainly had at that time. 

On the other hand, I also see some of the things my kids have and tell them that they “do not know how good they have it!”  Todays kids have technology enhancements and more comforts than their parents could have ever imagined as kids. It is not necessarily the Jetsons, but not too far off. I am sure this is true of every generation. As time passes technologies get enhanced and the world evolves. Even though I know this, it does not stop me from using “when I was your age statements” to try to convey my points.

“I know…When You Were Our Age“

Just the other day, I was struck with how often I must be doing this, when my oldest daughter said; “we know Dad.  When you were our age, you had to get up to change the channel” in reference to me complaining about them pausing shows so frequently. 

So now I am getting called out by my kids for in essence turning into my Dad… err better yet maybe my Grandpa.  My kids do live rather charmed lives, but in reality I did too.  Growing up in the 80’s and 90’s was great.  We were social media free, we could destroy the ozone layer with wild abandonment and we only had one feer in life…. kidnapper vans (Interesting to read what happened with the Ozone Layer for you 90’s kids out there).

As parents reminisce about their childhood, “when I was your age” statements inevitably creep into conversations with our kids.   We use “when I was your age” to compare our past with our children’s present. These statements are intended to provide insights, share wisdom, be funny and sometimes even offer cautionary tales.

Common “When I Was Your Age” Phrases

Common usage of “when I was your age” phrases include:

1. “When I was your age, we didn’t have smartphones/tablets/computers.”

This statement highlights how technology has rapidly evolved and emphasizes the importance of appreciating the simpler things in life.

2. “Back in my day, we had to walk/bike to school.”

This phrase emphasizes the value of physical activity and independence while highlighting how transportation methods have changed over time.  Or the version my Grandpa told me; “Back in my day we had to walk to school uphill both ways.”

3. “When I was your age, we didn’t have all these fancy gadgets.”

Here, parents may express a desire for their children to be less reliant on technology and more engaged in real-life experiences.  This is where my daughter is teasing me about having to get out of my seat to change the channel on the tv.

4. “In my time, we had to do chores without any help.”

This statement aims to instill a sense of responsibility and work ethic by comparing the current ease of household tasks with how they were done in the past.

5. “We didn’t have all these fast-food options when I was growing up.” 

6. “When I was your age, we could not leave the table until we ate all the food on our plate.”

Parents may use these phrases as a reminder of healthier eating habits from their own childhoods while encouraging their children to make mindful food choices.  If you are a parent and you still make your kids eat all the food on their plate, I commend you!

6. “When I was your age, we played outside until the streetlights came on.”

Using this with kids to encourage them to find more physically active activities and to move play time with friends outside rather than on a tv or a devise.

By sharing these examples of “when I was your age” statements, parents hope to impart valuable lessons based on their own experiences. While it is important for parents and children alike to appreciate generational differences, it is also crucial for parents to adapt their guidance according to the realities of today’s world. If you are not getting anywhere with “when I was your age” statements consider teaching lessons using the J Walter Weatherman method.

“When I Was Your Age” Over the Ages

I have always found “when I was your age” statements funny.  Kids push our buttons and “when I was your age” just comes out of our mouths. We use it to try to impart lessons but it is from an era our kids cannot imagine (nor is it often relevant any more). We all appreciate our own experiences and I am sure that “when I was your age” statements have been going on since the beginning of time.  I can only imagine Mary telling her older children that when she was their age, you didn’t even have to have relations with a man to conceive a child. 

“Weird Al” Yankovic even wrote a song to commemorate the “when I was your age” mindset.  It was aptly titled “When I Was Your Age” and I think the first verse is an appropriate glimpse in the humor found in many of these statements:

“Well, nobody ever drove me to school when it was ninety degrees below
We had to walk buck naked through forty miles of snow
Worked in the coal mines twenty two hours a day for just half a cent
Had to sell me internal organs just to pay the rent”

When I Was Your Age · “Weird Al” Yankovic Off The Deep End ℗ 1992 Volcano Entertainment, III, L.L.C. Released on: 1992-01-01 Composer, Lyricist, Producer: Al Yankovic