Entertainment
Sometimes, I find myself wondering if we’d all still have so much love for the '90s if the Internet didn’t exist to remind us of all the kitschy glory that used to be part of our everyday lives. But then, after I’ve been consumed by thoughts of slap bracelets and Skip-Its and brightly packaged food with a bunch of preservatives and artificial coloring, and I think, yes, yes we would. The ingredients may have been complicated and confusing and impossible to pronounce, but life itself was simpler back then. My biggest nineties problems were getting home in time for Beverly Hills: 90210 (obvi, there was no DVR, remember), and deciding between Backstreet Boys and N'Sync. (Just kidding, that one’s easy: BSB 4 lyfe.)
That said, I’ve been pleasantly surprised with how much my '90s past comes out in my parenting. I think it’s normal to be nostalgic for our youth, but seriously, you guys, this goes a little beyond nostalgia. We had it pretty good back then, and I think it’s worth celebrating. Of course, awesome parents can come from any era, though I think those of us who love the '90s are pretty lucky with what we have to work with — and our kids are lucky too. For example:
We Appreciate The Classics
I don't think we need to rewrite history, guys. We recognize true art for what it is.
We’re Going To Be Mindful Of What We Feed Our Kids, But We’re Also Not Going To Freak Out If Something With Extra Sugar Or Preservatives Sneaks Onto Their Plate
Because, in the '90s, you could eat an entire "well-balanced" meal out of a box.
'Full House' And 'Jerry Springer' Pretty Much Covered The Spectrum Of Life Lessons That We Needed Covered
The Tanners were the best thing about television, period. But "Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!" was the best thing about daytime television. Between the two, I can't think of any parenting lesson I didn't learn.
We've Never Underestimate Overalls
They've been in our lives since the beginning. We're never going to let go, denim wonderclothes.
We're Not Phased If Our Kid Comes Home Dirty, Because Grunge
I grew up in the Seattle area, so I think I'm legally obligated to make sure my son always has access to flannel and clouds and sad feelings. But even those who aren't lucky enough to call the Pacific Northwest home got to see plenty of mainstream grunge making waves that they can draw inspiration from.
We Are Always Down To Talk About Dinosaurs
And Chris Pratt, but that's neither here nor there. The point is, when my toddler son points at one of his dinosaur books and roars, I'm all over it. Having Jurassic Park waiting in the wings to show your child for the first time is a tremendous parenting strength that no other decade affords.
Our Heartthrobs Inspired Us To Never Settle For Less Than Perfection In Relationships
And thus, an entire generation of women demanding that things go their way was born. How did parents ever teach their kids how to properly love and be loved before they had boy bands to teach them?
We Understand Responsibility
Could it be a coincidence that both digital alien creatures and newborns require regular feeding? I suppose it's possible.
We're Good With Cell Phones
And now that we're seeing cell phones getting larger again, it's all coming full circle in beautiful symbiosis, like when the alarm gives out a warning and you don't think you'll ever make it on time...but you do.
Huge Coffee Mugs Have Always Made Sense To Us
I mean, they make even more sense to me now that I understand how much adults actually do drink coffee, but still. I never questioned it.
