13 Things You Have to Explain to Kids Born After 2000

Anyone born after 2000 grew up with smartphones, streaming, and constant internet access. For the rest of us, everyday life worked differently. You could not pause live TV. You had to buy a full album to hear one song. If someone called your house, everyone in it knew. Getting directions meant printing them out or unfolding a paper map. Photos were limited, long distance calls were expensive, and the family computer sat in a shared room. None of this is ancient history, but it already sounds that way. Here are 15 things that now require a careful explanation.

Rewinding a VHS Tape

Watching a movie on VHS meant physically rewinding the tape when it ended. If you rented it from Blockbuster and forgot to rewind, you risked a fee. There was no “resume playback” button.

Burning CDs

If you wanted a custom playlist, you used blank CD-R discs and burned songs from your computer. One mistake could ruin the disc. Storage space was limited, so every track had to count.

The TV Guide Channel

To find out what was on television, you scrolled through listings on the TV Guide Channel. If you missed your slot, you waited for it to cycle back around. There was no instant search.

Disposable Cameras

With a Fujifilm QuickSnap, you had a fixed number of shots. You could not preview anything. You dropped it off for development and waited days to see if your photos turned out.

AIM Away Messages

On AIM, your away message was a status update before social media. Song lyrics and vague quotes were common. It was how you signaled mood without saying it directly.

Recording Songs Off the Radio

If you liked a song, you waited for it to play on a station like MTV or your local radio. You hit record on a cassette deck and hoped the DJ did not talk over the intro.

Encyclopedias for Homework

Research meant opening a physical set of Encyclopedia Britannica. If your family did not own one, you went to the library. There were no quick hyperlinks.

Paying Per Text Message

Early cell phone plans charged per text. On networks like Verizon Wireless, going over your monthly limit meant extra fees. Unlimited messaging was not standard.

Carrying a Discman

Before phones handled music, people carried portable CD players like the Sony Discman. If you moved too fast, the CD skipped. Anti skip protection helped, but it was never perfect.

Using a Phone Book

If you needed a number, you flipped through the Yellow Pages. Businesses were listed in tiny print under categories. If someone was unlisted, you were out of luck.

T9 Texting

Early phones required predictive typing known as T9. Each number key represented multiple letters, so writing a sentence meant tapping the same button several times and hoping autocorrect guessed right.

Waiting for Netflix by Mail

Before streaming, Netflix mailed DVDs in red envelopes. You added movies to a queue online, then waited days for delivery. Watching something new required planning ahead.

Cheat Codes Written on Paper

To unlock characters in games like Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, you memorized or wrote down button combinations from magazines or friends. There were no instant tutorials on demand.