Some Of The Funniest ‘Back In My Day’ Lines Our Parents Have Used On Us
This one is for everyone who grew up with their parents constantly reminding them what snowflakes we are now and how tough they had to be when they were young.
It doesn't matter if these stories were true or even possible. What matters is that now you know you have no right to complain about anything. Here are what some parents have said to their kids about what life was like 'back in their day.'
This Dad Who Knew How To Climb The Corporate Ladder
This dad has been watching the motivation speaker circuit for far longer than any of us. He's got a great can-do, anything's possible attitude, but lacks a little realism on the follow-through. This may be a case of watching too many 80s rags to riches movies on repeat.
What's unclear is if this is something that the dad himself used to do or if he even knew anyone who did this. It's a great goal for any bagger at the grocery store. Too bad there are about 20 cashiers employed at any time and only one manager.
This 'Uphill Both Ways' Story Turned Out False
Reddit user WackyNephews writes that their father used to tell them that "he and his sisters had to walk 6 miles to school each way in blinding blizzards, eight feet of snow, and with only plastic bags to keep their feet warm."
They quickly found out this was false when they were visiting their grandfather and found an old sleigh that the grandfather told them he used to "pull your dad to school on with horses." Hmm... sounds like the dad didn't remember this too correctly.
These Parents Who Clearly Just Didn't Want To Help The Son Buy A Car
'Back in my day' expressions are sometimes lies with the hidden intent of making you a stronger person. But this one is a little different. These parents didn't want a tougher kid, they wanted a kid not hounding them for gas money. Well played parents, well played.
Maybe this advice actually made this kid cool - maybe he turned into a public transit aficionado. He rides that bus, train, or subway with his headphones on and the calm and practiced composure of someone who's been there and done that thanks to his high school training. Now stare out that window moodily.
They're Stunned To Find Out You Could Buy Stuff With Quarters
Reddit user LoveAndDynamite was recently provided a lesson in inflation by their parents. They write, "apparently, there was actual stuff you could buy for a quarter. Like great. There's not anymore. What significance does this have to me?"
Sounds like there's a back story to this post. Their parents must've sent them on their merry way to buy bread with just a quarter. We can't tell if this poster is frustrated, confused, or embarrassed that the cashier at Wegmans had to explain that their quarter won't buy their items.
This Dad Who Believed His Son Was Too Lazy To Apply At A Prison
Reddit user ohmygod_my_tinnitus had a bit of a generational dispute with their father over hiring practices. They write that "my dad was telling me about some prison job, and he kept telling me to go by the prison and pick up an application."
They explained multiple times to their father that they can't just walk in and pick one up and that they need to go through the proper online channels. He responded by telling the mom they were too lazy to even go apply for the job. Touché, but also prison is scary so maybe he should relax.
Step-Dad Thinks Child Labor Laws Were For The Weak
Fourteen isn't that young for most people to start working a paper route. What's interesting though is that this step-dad thinks that you can start doing anything when you're 14. It sounds like the step-dad is asking him to slip a resume at the local McDonald's for a managerial position. Kid, you may be Mc-unqualified.
Maybe it's good this guy couldn't get a job until he was 16 because the minimum working age is 14 for most jobs. Give him the two extra years to brush up on his child labor trivia.
Grandma Made Them Write Their College Essays In Cursive Like She Did
Reddit user @MattsyKun writes that their "grandma hated computers and insisted that I continue practicing my cursive. This sucked because I would have to write all of my high school/college essays in cursive like she did."
Imagine writing a 20-page paper all in cursive. This is one of those moments when maybe 'back in my day' can disguise a vengeful grandma with a sore hand. You would need all the balms and stretches to make your wrist feel somewhat close to normal after this.
These Different Definitions Of Lazy
This mother and her child might have different definitions of the word lazy. If you define it as the absence of the energy to go out and drink all night then the mom is right, the kids are lazy. We're just not sure this is the definition you should be living your life by.
At least these kids know they have the fun' mom of the friend group who will let them party in her basement and eat all her pizza rolls. The only problem is she might be joining them on their midnight fun.
Today's Mindfulness Coloring Is Just...Regular Coloring
We've all heard the hype surrounding the latest health and wellness trends sweeping the internet and the corporate world these days. We've all bought a salt lamp too just to try it out as well. It didn't do what it said it would but it sure tasted good.
Twitter user @MicroMira rings true when she tweets that "#backinmyday they just called it coloring." This is a 'back in my day' without the parent, but something we can all imagine ourselves saying. Now pass me the 'Wellness Watercolor' paint set.
He Remembers When You Could Use A Quarter
This is a parent coming from the other side of the quarter issue - they remember the good ol' days when the quarter was useful for more than just parking meters and the bus.
It's really wild to think that there was a time when the quarter could get you lunch and a milk. Nowadays, single-serve milk alone is around $3.00 from a store or cafeteria. Guess we can all agree that the quarter had its heyday and we sorrily miss it.
Dad Has Heart Attacks Every Time He Drives By The Gas Station
Reddit user Harveywahl's father isn't quite used to the inflation rate being the way it is. Every time they drive by a gas station he exclaims "$1.25/L?! When I was a kid you could fill up for five dollars and the guy would pump your gas and wash your windows."
This is one of those rare cases where we actually believe something was the way our parents said it was when they were younger. The 'gas is too expensive' feeling is mutual, angry dad.
Mom Who Made That $1 Last
Wherever this mom grew up, it sounds like the promised land. Just oodles and oodles of cheaply priced goods for her to go and buy with the couch cushion change. Or maybe she just stole all of this stuff. We'll never know.
$5 won't even last you 10 minutes these days. You basically have to pay to breathe, and when you think you're not spending money, you look at your bank account and there's a fee for a subscription to a magazine you've never read. When did you even subscribe to 'Animals Eating Oranges Digest Weekly?'
He Was Allergic To Seafood But It's Probably Just Because He's A Picky Kid
If he didn't actually die then how allergic can he be? He must just be dramatic. Those red welts, labored breathing, dry heaving, and tears are all the result of an actor at work. If his parents thought this then they should've considered investing in his talent and enrolling him in acting school.
This situation is equal parts sad, frustrating, and inspiring. Inspiring because clearly, these parents loved seafood so much they were willing to overlook a food allergy to continue to eat and cook seafood in the house. What passionate people.
Those Dang Phones...Dial Phones?
It's the phones, man, it's always the phones. Every generation has a vendetta against phones. Before the dial phone it was the candlestick phone, and before the candle-stick phone it was the telegraph, and before that, it was yelling at your friend down the street through your window. Kids these days don't know how hard it was when you lost your voice after inviting your neighbor to dinner.
Maybe we should bring back the dial phones just to prove that we can still do it. Actually, nevermind. The feel of plastic instead of a black touchscreen feels weird now.
Carseats Are A Shocking One
This dad prioritized having wiggle room over safety and if that doesn't scream 'I-grew-up-in-an-era-where-seatbelts-weren't-required' then we don't know what does. Your baby isn't Matthew McConaughey from Dazed and Confused driving around picking up high school girls. It's a baby.
But hey, maybe this Dad is onto something. His daughter clearly turned out alright if she's old enough to have kids. Or maybe he just drove slowly over speed bumps when she was in the car. Either way, viva la safe driving practices!
This Grandmother Who Was Incredibly Tough
Twitter user @HarleySeed tweets that "My great grandma had a 15lbs baby, the last of her 13 kids. She was back working on the farm after 2 days." This lady was tough... mad respect goes out to her and her drive to provide.
People probably use her case to argue about maternity leave. Too bad we're not all made of literal iron and stone and can't breathe our way out of post-partum pain. Hopefully, the cows didn't give her too much trouble while she was milking them so soon after.
There Are Two Sides To Every Story
Oh how the times have changed. Before TV's, internet, and air conditioning, kids used to be outside all of the time! Now it seems like all we do is sit inside... but is that really our faults?
Parents seem to forget that they were actually allowed to run around outside until the sun went down. Now, every helicopter parent in the world wants to know where you are at all times. Sure, they say it's for our safety, but you can't have it both ways.
Grandpa Actually Did Go Uphill Both Ways
He's the one person it happened to. The only one who can complain about it too. Maybe he's the person we've been referencing all this time and his story has transcended himself to become a cultural keystone.
That would be an awful trek every day though. I hope he didn't lord it over his kids whenever they caught the bus or walked on a level surface. This legendary uphill both ways grandpa may be too powerful for this world.
Back In The Day, We Had A Family Chauffeur
Reddit user KattaJM writes that their dad used to complain all the time about "how we relied too heavily on him to get us to school and that he had to walk or catch public transport."
One day they were looking through old family photos when they saw a man in the frame they didn't recognize. When they asked their Aunt she said, "that was the family’s chauffeur, he was probably taking us to school." Well, well, well. This dad probably didn't complain too much after his kids brought this up.
This Rural Dad's 'Back In My Day' Sounds A Lot Like The Present
Nothing better than a 'back in my day' that sounds exactly like the bad present. Hey, maybe this is a bonding experience for these two guys where they can mutually complain about their situations.
This is funny because wifi, internet, and social media are the biggest topics that the generations that didn't have them as kids like to lampoon. Except it doesn't always work. Thanks, rural telephone lines and bad connections for leaving this salty dad hanging.
