Why Are You A Child Of The 80s?

This is one page of many, check out the intro at Child of the 80s where you can add your own memories as well.

This page currently edited by: RetroGuyDK. Past editor: MereBear22, Banasy


I was born in 1978, and was raised in England for the first half of the 80s. I remember "Ghostbusters", and standing in line for "E.T." in below freezing weather in England. Supergirl was to feminize Superman. I had all the He-man and She-ra figures, and even the equivlants in Europe. Oh, and who could forget "Star Wars" R2-D2 and C3PO clock. Rap made its way into cassette with Run-DMC, and Grandmaster Flash. BETAMAX was cool to have before VHS. Sad to say, I still use mine. ROOS were the shoes with the zipper, so the little guy (me) could hide their money. Another shoe had little things you could switch out on the side with viewable windows (not the KAEPA triange). School started after Labor Day in Texas in the mid 1980s. Words like "Radical, Tubular and Gnarley" made their way into the language. I watched "Muppet Babies", "Pee-wee's Playhouse", "Galaxy High", "Garfield", and the ones on USA Express. The drink; the Bubbleicious Bubblegum soda. Those were the days.
From: Gilbert Torres

I was born in 1979. I have the fondest memories of the 1980's. My favourite programmes on Nickelodeon were "Double Dare", "Finders Keepers" and "Mr. Wizard". My favourite car of the 80's was the K.I.T.T. car from Knight Rider. Ever since I was young back then, I was and still am into video games. I still have an Atari 2600, Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Master System & Sega Genesis. To these days, I still play "Super Mario Bros", "Donkey Kong", "Legend of Zelda", "Pac-Man", "Space Invaders", "Galaga", "Xevious", "Contra", "Dig Dug", "Pole Position", "Outrun", "Space Harrier", "Zaxxon", "Afterburner" and "Alien Syndrome". My faovurite pop music acts of the 1980's were Lionel Ritchie, Michael Jackson, Phil Collins, Genesis, Debbie Gibson, but most of all, DeBarge. My Favourite Saturday morning programmes were "The Banana Splits", "The Wuzzles", "Punky Brewster", "The Smurfs", "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles", "Heathcliff", "Inspector Gadget", "Saturday Supercade", "He-Man", "Transformers", "GoBots" and "The New Adventures of Winnie-The-Pooh". My Personal favourite motion pictures of the 1980's was "Flight of the Navigator" and "Back To The Future".
From: Rohan

The 80"s WOW!!! I was born in 1970, I wanted to marry Rick Springfield, and be Molly Ringwalds best friend. Remember the finger nail poilish that looked like a big marker that all u had to do was color it on, how kool was that back in those days. The metal bands were hot and remembering going to see a concert, and it was only 10 to 15 bucks, boy has that one change. Pee Wee herman was awesome, and dressing like a punk rocker and using glad trashbags for a outfit, Mom just screamed. And Thriller!!!
From: Rhea Watkins

LONG LIVE THE 80's. I am so glad I grew up in this decade; the music, the movies, I so wanted a red corvette bed to sleep in at night, and a mongoose chrome bike with pegs to ride during the day. I think I spent more time on my BMX than any place else, I mean how many times can you ride up and down the same fregin street and never really get tired. John Hughes made my teen life so much more adventurous, I owe him big for movies like "Sixteen Candles" , "Weird Science" , "The Breakfast Club" and "Ferris Bueller's Day Off". These movies shaped my world, of-course with a little help from "The Karate Kid" , "Better Off Dead" and "The Sure Thing". Didn't you look forward to Saturday mornings cartoons, oh, and WWF was so cool than. My embarrassing 80's moment: My mom caught me singing to myself, in front of the bathroom mirror at our church, I was singing "Oh, here she comes, watch out for she will chew you up; she's a maneater!". Oh, and maybe this was a neighborhood rumor, but this girl was trying to convince us that the lyrics in Billie JEAN where Michael says "The kid is not my son" she said Michael was actually saying "Chad is not my son", I never knew who Chad was. It's just funny to me, because when your little words to songs are never what you thought they were, and you find out like years later you were singing them wrong the whole time.
From: Tonya M.

Oh man do I miss the 80's. Where can I start; I just love "Transformers" , "G.I. Joe" ,"He-man" and the "Ninja turtles". I remember me and my friends playing like we were ninja turtles, I used to draw them, I liked leo. I love the 80's, I wish I could go back in time; I was born in 82 and do I remember it. I love "Transformers - The Movie". I remember me and my brother playing the scene of megatron and optimus prime fight scene, ahhh what great memories. I remeber christmas time I got my castle greyskull playset, and my Nintendo. I used to hate when Mario dies his moustach would go up, his hands and legs too, I hated that. We had Atari back then too, you see we were poor back then, my mom was getting welfare, and foodstamps, back when it was like money. My mom rasied 5 kids, me being the youngest, and almost all the stuff I had was brought by my grandparents. Thank God for grandparents. Truly the 80's were a great part of my life, going outside till dark was ok, because no one was going to hurt you. Playing outside with my "Transformers" and "He-man" toys, also my friends playing like we were the "Ghostbusters". The movies I like were the "Goonies" and "Ninja Turtles", all the cartoon movies were cool, Halloween was scary and fast time was a cool movie real genuis, three o clock high stand and deliver. The music was cool too; Metallica, Michael Jackson, Tears For Fears - my fav band - and Men At Work. Collecting garbae pail kids was cool too, I wish the 80's never ended, but the 80's will never die. Oh yeah One more thing I know every word, of every character, word-for-word in "Transformes - The Movie" LOL.
From: Michael

I was born in 1973 so I got the full effect of the 80's. If I could turn back time (hmmm... good 80's song?) it would be back to 1987. The Fat Boy's "Wipeout" pretty much sums up my feelings for the 80s. Party, have fun, no big worries, who kissed who at the school dance, the "bad" kids smoked openly while the "good" kids would try one in secret. My friends and I would take all our action figures (I had Transformers, one brought all his G.I.Joe stuff, another brought Voltron lions, one guy had He-Man and Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors) and line them up, then pick any two at a time and build our armies then have large battles that took place over the whole house. I remember sneaking my older brother's parachute pants and Ferrari sunglasses and wearing them to school. I wove my fat neon shoelaces to make a checkered weave. Who know what this is from, "C-C-C-Catch the Wave, Coke". Showbiz and Godfather's Pizza were the greatest restaraunts EVER, "21 Jumpstreet" and "Booker" were great. Those are some of my memories but not nearly all.
From: Chris

I was born in 1981. I can remember a few things such as my pet monster, my buddy, and some weird ass robot that chased me around the house. I remember when I was six years old playing with a bowling ball set that my Aunt bought me. I also remember the smurf car, it was peddled powered of course, my cousin "who was way to big" rode it and broke it.. I was very angry lol!, hmm wow the 80's. I don't think abou the 80's much but the more I do, I realized how much of an impact it has on me today. That is why I decided to share my 80's experience with you. If you would like to talk about the 80's with me contact me at f.dorrell24@insightbb.com
From: Franklin

I was born in 1973 but I considered the 1980's the decade in which I grew up in, I was only 6 in 1979. To me the 1980's will be always be the best decade; from music, to clothes, to cars and television programs. I remember playing Pac-Man and Space Invaders on my Atari, I liked bands such as A Flock Of Seagulls, Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, Human League, Asia, Tears For Fears and Culture Club just to name a few, most of those bands fall into the "Whatever happen to them?" catagory. My favourite shows were "Gimme A Break", "Diff'rent Strokes", "Family Ties" and "Eight Is Enough", okay Eight Is Enough is really from the 1970's, because it started in 1977 but it ended in 1981. "E.T. - The Extra Terrestrial" hit the theatres in 1982, and I must have gone to see it about 5 times, plus I own it on video. It was just a nicer time in my life but then yet was as a kid then, I was 16 at the end of the 1980's. The early part of the 1990's (from 1990 to 1995) wasn't that bad either, from then on I have just been longing for that time in my life again, I realize that I can't physically go back, but I can always have good memories.
From: Jan

JUST READ 'don't call me generation x" It really makes me long for those days, it was really diffrent and wonderful looking back. I never worried about things like someone trying to kidknap and kill me, what gang was around the corner, or is the new person that moved next door a child molester. I know those things we're around then, but now we pound it into our kid's heads to be leary of everything. It's a scary place, I wish my daughter could experience the better things like trick or treating past 7pm.
From: Crystal Graley

My earliest memories include Tab Cola comercials, and the "Price Is Right", which I watched from my play pin. That was of this plastic material and had bright yellow flowers all over it, every baby item I owned was plasic covered with bright flowers or animals. My big sister danced around the house listening to "The Magic of ABBA" on the record player. My dad owned dozens of 8-track tapes, and 8 track player with huge head phones. I was in Kindergarden when the first Stawberry shortcake dolls came out, and every little girl I knew had a bedroom that smelled strongly of the Strawberry Shortcake Scented hair. Everyone competed to see how many Strawberry Shortcake dolls and accessories they could get. Halloween costumes were made of thin plastic, and had a plastic mask with an elastic band to hold it to your face, they came in a box. If your mom made you an E.T. costume or Snoopy, you were cool. I owned a Metal Muppets lunch pail, my brother owned a Metal Dukes of Hazard one. My friends and I would play things like, Cloak and Dagger on big wheels with walkie talkie radios, or Red Dawn, and things like Freeze tag, and ditch em. We would make play forts using 3 way folding lounge chairs and turn them on their sides. Roller Skates were red or white with Metal wheels. I remember Starship Galactica Happy meals at Mc Donalds. Wizzard of Oz was cool, and so was Charlottes web, when it came on T.V. because there wasn't VCRs or DVDs (you had to wait until it aired). T.V. sets stood on the floor with wood casing around them. Scairy movies included: Poltergeist, Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th. Music as a teenager was: New Kids on The Block, Debbie Gibson, Tiffany, Bobby Brown, INXS, Poison, Def Leppard, White Lion, Whitesnake, Baby Face, Mariah Carey, etc...Vanilla Ice.... C&C Music Factory. MC Hammer, remember those Hammer Pants??? Teen Idols were: Corey Haim & Corey Fieldman, John Stamos, Chad Alan,Ethan Hawke, River Phoenix, for the boys it was Alyssa Milano. I owned a pair of Converse high tops, which I wore with Capri pants and a long T-Shirt, with dangle earrinngs, plastic sunglasses, and a high pony tail with a scrunchi, and Poofy bangs, I was 13 years old. My children play with a Brick phone, do you remember what the first Cell phones look like, they were called a brick and they were huge, but I remember just the thought of walking down the street and talking on the phone was amazing, and the thought of talking to others on the computer was unimmaginable. Computers had green screens and very computerized looking fonts, and printers would drag back and forth and sometimes what you printed had lines through it. First came Beta then VHS, my family owned an ATARI and Pac Man was a favorite. You could buy Pac Man Icecream from the icecream truck with Bubble gum eyes. I could go on and on! really...
From: Jennifer

I AM THE LOST GENERATION When I got home from school, I daydreamed of owning a Atari 2600, but mother was certain video games made you stupid, so I spent hours wishing someone would invite me over to play Pitfall or Combat or Breakout or Dodge'em Cars or Frogger. I never did play Asteroids more than twice in my life, watched "Scooby Doo", once, when mom wasn't home, Daphne was character in a Scooby Doo storybook she let us buy, and I thought smoking was something only shaggy people did. My mom's oven was the Mystery Machine, you never knew what nutritioneered mutation would pop out of it - WHO THE !@#$ IS SCRAPPY? - I had no friends. When we played army, Luke Skywalker would defend the Fisher Price Castle from Darth Vader because we didn't have enough action figures of any genre to make a sensical story with. G.I. Joe figures weren't allowed because they might inspire us to be soldiers who killed people, we had 2 Autobots and 1 Decepticon, and they soon ran out of ways to duel each other. We weren't allowed to stay up at night, and marshmallows and Velveeta weren't allowed in the house because they weren't nutritious, I slept in Saturday mornings until 11 a.m, why get up early if you're not allowed to watch cartoons? I saw Space Ghost once, when I was 4 years old, what is School House Rock? "Conjunction junction, what's your function?!" is something my fraternity brothers sang, but it was months before I got the guts to ask what it meant. On Friday night we watched Doctor Who because it was the coolest thing we were allowed to watch, Daisy Duke was on that show we weren't allowed to watch because it taught dangerous driving and disrespect for the law, I had a General Lee matchbox car but when I played with it mother made sure to warn me that real cars can't jump over beanbag mountains without killing their drivers. Our dad was such a mild-mannered Bill Bixby he wouldn't stick up for our mom when our grandmother tormented her for adopting a child, where was "The Incredible Hulk" then, at the movies I saw a poster for Revenge of the Nerds but never saw it, never realized it was those movies that made people suddenly hate me more than before, I read a storybook about Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom but I was only 13 years old so I wasn't allowed to see the movie. Gorbachev built a McDonalds in Moscow, and as far as I was concerned it might as well have always been in a foreign country, because we weren't allowed to pick that restaurant for Grade Card Treat because it promoted toys we might whine for, for years, we only went to Wendy's. My family took summer vacations to nice places but we never did the really fun things because they were too action-packed and dangerous, we camped in a tent, I never set foot in a hotel until I was 28. If we'd found creative uses for Connect Four pieces like throwing them into an air conditioning unit we'd be forced to walk to the maintenance department, confess our crime and help retrieve them. Who is John Cougar Mellencamp? What does Boy George look like? What does Duran Duran sound like? I saw my first music video when I was 14, this was 10 years after MTV was born, Nickelodeon is a word other kids talked about, it was years before I learned it was a TV channel. I drank orange juice and apple juice and grape fruit juice and all of it abjectly failed to taste like Dr. Pepper, my mom bought me some health-food soda and sat and watched me drink it and afterward proclaimed I enjoyed it too much, she diagnosed me as an addict on the spot. Shasta I only saw on TV. TAB I only saw on TV. Capri Sun I only saw on TV. Orange Juice WAS just for breakfast, drinking it between meals got your face slapped. Bacon? Are you kidding me? "Something leaner" took the form of unprocessed turkey cutlets so full of blood vessels they got stuck between my teeth. My mom inspected our lunch box for crumbs of Little Debbie Snack Cakes so she could punish us for eating them behind her back, for a long time Charlie Brown was the most hip lunch box I was allowed to have, our world was the backyard ... or else. What's a portable tape player?. They weren't allowed in school, and I never saw other kids outside of school, so I didn't see one in real life until I was a teenager, Debbie Gibson was safe to listen to, but Material Girl was Satan and one day when I was too lazy to tie my shoes my mom accused me of trying to be Michael Jackson, at that time Michael Jackson hadn't been cool for at least 2 years, today, I know the lyrics to exactly 0 songs, and I know exactly why. Ghostbusters was an obnoxious movie so I wasn't allowed to watch it, Goonies was a great adventure, but the only reason we didn't get dragged out of the theatre when they glued David's slingshot back on was my dad was the one who took us. Today I flip through T.V. stations and stop at the A-Team wonder what it would have been like to watch that show when I was young enough to think it was cool. I laugh with The Cosby Show because it was one of the few shows wholesome enough to be allowed to watch, but Family Ties and Punky Brewster were off-limits, and any sitcom with sarcastic dialogue like "What you talkin bout Willis?" was definitely off limits. I hold strong affections for The Muppets, but what are Gummy Bears? I hate the Smurfs precisely because they were the only cartoons we were allowed to watch, and even those were eventually forbidden. After School Specials were a rumor, something watched in households where TV was allowed to be watched before supper. Cigarettes were evil. Step-families were things only the cool kids had. What's the Polka Dot Door? I read a Voltron storybook once, in the department store. Friendship bracelets were for fags and hightop velcro Reeboks were for cool kids, jeans were for delinquents, unit belts and layered socks and jean jackets and any form of fashion made mommy angry. Our town was so redneck poor, braces were a status symbol. Kool-aid wasn't allowed and you NEVER drank soda except at grandma's christmas dinner. Our treehouse was a square wood box on the ground, we had no neighborhood, we were 3 miles out in the country. When we were little kids we played "guns", but when I was 11 mommy stole our toy guns, all the things that would have let us grow up were kept at bay. I never heard of flashlight tag, and had no-one to play it with anyway, we couldn't trick-or-treat because candy was junk food. Our cap guns were useless because we weren't allowed to buy caps. Orange race tracks? Racecars weren't educational enough to be christmas gifts. We were the kids that weren't allowed to buy Garbage Pail Kids because they were too disgusting. WWF was a rumor. He-man and Skeletor were fun for a year, but then that was taken away, too. Going to get a Happy Meal on Saturday was pipe dream; hamburgers were strictly for Grade Card Treat. I am the lost generation. Arcades on Saturday? HA! Fruit roll-ups? Forbidden! Birthday parties aren't well attended when the cake is made by a health-nut. Was Green Lantern the Coolest Super Hero or Aquaman, how the hell am I supposed to know the answer to that, I wasn't allowed to buy comic books. Halloween candy? Star Crunches? Whippy Dip? Twinkies? Ho-ho's? Junk Food! Forbidden! This is what I remember about the 80's. So when I read "We Are Not The Lost Generation" I wondered what would have been like to grow up with a heritage or a generation. Can you find even one person who can relate? Serial killers don't count. I'm not one. ... yet.
From: Keith Tanner

I too am a child of the 80's. I was born in '73, so by the time the 80's hit I was old enough to enjoy the music, and the tv programmes and kids cartoons. I was a huge fan of cop show "C.h.i.p.S", "He-man", "Starsky and Hutch", "The A-Team" and many more. My most favorite cartoon of the 80's would have to be Count Duckula, and lucky for me I have also married a man who also is a child of the 80's. We love the 80's so much that we have decided to have a 80's themed party in the new year to celebrate what will probably be the best years of our lives.
From: sammi

I was born in 1972, so remember all of the commercials, tv shows amd movies from the 80s. Hey i even remember the 70s lol, but loved "Strawberry Shortcake", "Rainbow Brite", "Cabbage Patchs" etc, I still have them and collect them on ebay.
From: lisa

The 80's were so cool, I loved the 80s because some of my favorite shows were on, I used watch them all time. The 80s were also the birth of Nickelodeon, it was also the birth of the famous horror villians. I also liked those hit films of the 80s.
From: David Wilt

You know, I remember alot of the same things as everyone else on this site. The few I haven't come across yet are some of my favorites: Teddy Ruxpin, spending 3 days entering machine language into my Commodore 64 so I could see a giant orange circle fill up the screen. ROBOTECH, Jason and the Wheeled Warriors, The Great Space Coaster, Mattel's Intellivision with the Intellivoice cartridge; 286, 386, and 486 computers which at the time were blazing fast, Manimal, Automan, and Knight Rider (three of my favorite shows). Never forget Max Headroom. I'm sure there is more, but I can't remember them right now. I am a child of the 80's and always will be.
From: Jason Hipple

I'm not afraid to admit I watched the Pee Wee Herman show. I lived and died by the GI Joe cartoon and the action figures, and the fact that my cousin had a Storm Shadow (the original in all white) is something that I will be jealous of forever. Ninja turtles, battle beasts, night rider, E.T., He Man, Thundercats, Transformers... The list of classics from the eighties is endless. The wonder Years, did saved by the bell start in the eighties, I'm not sure. My brother and I would go at it for hours in all of our atari games with their incredibly simple graphics, followed up nicely by Super Mario. Those first six years of my life were the best, me and my friends reminisce often of those days. It can't be a coincidence that just about everything from the eigties is considered classic, it was such a simpler time, and much more enjoyable, sepecially for kids. I would have to say kids are missing out the most, thinking they have to grow up so fast, its kind of sad if you think about it.
From: Darin Skoczylas

Child of the 80's - Teen of the 90's... I had the priveledge of spending my fundamental growing years in one of the most incredible countries in the world - the good old R S of A! As a child of the 80's I can recall sipping OROS out of squiggly straws while I hummed the feature tune to 'Gummy Bears bouncing here and there and everywhere!' Alf was a cute fuzzy guy - not an Alien - and the big brother in the Living Years was 'seriously cute'!!! In bright green spandex and a purple wig, I was THE material girl, and after school I took pride in makeovers and bright blue eyeshadow, before racing down the road on my 'racer bike' with my hair whipping in the wind and the sun chasing my back! Plastic bag and autumn leaf pillows, birthday cakes made of sand and siringa berries, my mom's high heels and a hot number made from my little brother's nappie! Green grass and merrigorounds and those little square toffies from the corner cafe at 10c a piece! Our parents still took us to the drive in ...and the ice-rink...and the movies...and being seen with your mom was NOT a problem!!Imagination and freedom, my little pony and care bears, and the entire world at the tips of my fingers... Fast forward to the 90's...we were the kids who saw Nelson walk out of his cell and the nation defy every expectation in its march towards freedom and forgiveness... we were the first new generation to vote democratically, learn a new anthem and accept a changed future! Our children will be the first to truly grow up as people and not as a race... We can remember the past without longing and look forward to a future without fear...Castle Lager and Peter Styvesant, sunday morning hot rolls and ham from spar...The Back Street Boys have been replced by Robbie and Madonna by Brittney...Some of us have traveled the globe... others the country, and some still only our own neighborhood! We sing along to johnny clegg and feel our hearts beat to the rhythm of Ladysmith Black Mombaza...And for the rest of our lives - wherever we are in the world, we will probably still get goosebumps as soon as we hear the earth sing and 'the rains down in Africa'......
From: Kirsten Brockmann

Hello, my name is Nichelle and I'm a Child of the 80's. I remeber all that stuff...lol lol. WOW, I can also remember hanging out at the malls all day and only buying cookies. Then going to the theater at 6pm (with all the kids from the mall) watching Beat Streat or Breakin', then having mom pick us up around 8pm. I remember as long as you had a bus pass, about $10 and got home BEFORE the street lights came on during summer, everything was okay. No cell phones, maybe a pager (only if you were cool)....but parents still got a hold of you. I remember playing hopscotch, 4-square, dodge ball, double dutch, jacks (if you were real good you played Chinese Jacks). Those were the "good" days.........
From: Nichelle

AWWW, the 80's! Those were the best years of my life! Was born in '79, so everything left such a big impression. I remember not being able to wake up early for school but HAD to wake up at 6AM sharp every weekend to watch the Smurfs, Snorks, Gummy Bears, and Care Bears. The best snack after school were those peanut butter boppers and trying to crunch through those Big Mouth lollipops. Wearing my hair in a side pony tail, with big bangs hardened with too much hair spray. Dressing up in neon t-shirts with spandex pants and leg warmers. Receiving my first Cabbage Patch Kid and filling out the birth certificate. Sneaking to watch scary movies like Nightmare On Elm Street, Dolls, The Gate, and all of Stephen King's movies (the Boogeyman scarred me for life)! I really wish I could go back and live in that era, everything was just easy and carefree! Will definitely savor the memories!
From: Arsam

well, i was born 1979, so i am well and truley 80s child, lived through it all... of course i loved the classic which i wont reapeat as its boring to read everyting 10 times, but no-one ive seen as mentioned dungeons and dragons - the cartoon, kids like stuck in a strage world with cool weapons, and super-ted with his pal spotty... the was fraggles, which was god damn awesome, i had a commodore vic-20 which was out before the commodore 64... its been mentioned but shirt-tales and gummi bears were awesome, oh yeah and black cauldron - i saw that at the movies, and i saw rainbow bright that was soo cool.... ah and herbie, man i could go on , ill stop...
From: max

This is one page of many, check out the intro at Child of the 80s where you can add your own memories as well.