A dad made a video to show his son what the 80s looked like and it is all kinds of nostalgic

Editor's note: This article was originally published on March 17, 2023. It has since been updated.

Those who grew up in the 80s and 90s had a very different life than the children today. It was mostly about going out and playing with friends than being stuck in front of computers and PlayStations at home. A father named Justin on TikTok (@shadyraro), made a video to show his young son what the 80s really looked like and it is all kinds of nostalgic. The video starts with the caption, "My 8-year-old asked me what it was like growing up when I was his age in the 80s."

He first shows swings and then VHS tapes with the text overlay, "This was our Netflix." He goes on to show TVs with no remotes and contact lists that had letters from A to Z to choose from. Then, phones with cords and cassettes. The video also featured a photo of bicycles in a driveway with the text: "This is how we knew where our friends are."

A couple of other things he included are "riding in the back of a car was the norm" and "bright colors were the fashion." The video ends with video games and a picture of "A Team," which reads, "These guys were our idols."

The video gained over 14 million views and is captioned, "The 80s was the best decade." Many on TikTok could relate to what Justin shared. @dale_mc1 commented, "I miss them days, technology has taken away so much." @remzipara joked, "Of course, we got a remote. The remote was the youngest in the family."

@jp4689 wrote, "We didn't have much but those were the best times!! I remember recording the top 40 and trying to stop tape [before the] DJ spoke!!" @_ _ _gi_gi_ _ _ commented, "The 80s cannot be explained... it was an experience... a complete vibe all it's own... and if you missed it, I'm so sorry for you!"

@suzyb1977 fondly recalled, "The days when you would go out as a group on your bikes and leave them outside the shop with no worries about them being stolen." @doreenmaui332 commented, "Thanks for taking me down memory lane ohh bring back the 80s."

Justin made a second part to the video in which he showed how the 80s kids played outside, how there were no helmets with bikes and that the libraries used to be their internet. He also highlighted the use of phonebooths, MTV channel, walkmans and their favorite bands.

The video garnered more than 1.8 million views. @stanfordvanbochoe76 commented, "And McDonald's, Burger King and Pizza Hut were actually really good! Not like it is now." 01paul5 wrote, "A touch of nostalgia and sadness these days have gone forever, how times have changed. Technology was supposed to help us not do what it has done." @user4179153729955 noted, "These were the best years of our lives!!! I wish our kids could have seen this!! The world would be in a better place." @athanasia.malkotsi commented, "Totally agree. And I feel sorry for our kids never being able to find out what real freedom communication and happiness is."