Older Gen X here. Was definitely a latch key kid, and figured out how to break into the house when I forgot my key.
I was also the remote control for my dad (and the antenna adjuster!), the answering machine/call screener for my mom, and the snooze alarm for my older sister. I remember phones before answering machines or call waiting, back when local dialing meant only seven digits, and long distance calls were expensive. Oh, and the phones were attached to the wall, and every so often you just let the handset dangle from the cord to let it untwist. Computers were not household items when I was growing up so I’m actually a little too old for Oregon Trail (discovered that gem in my 30’s.) But, we did have Pong! And suffered through the impossible to finish ET game on my friend’s Atari.
When my parents divorced it was shocking to all my friends, and then a few years later it was more common.
I was 30 before I had my own email address. Unlike my silent generation mom and barely boomer older sister, I was super slow to adopt cell phones (and later smart phones.) I really resented the idea that people would think they could reach me any time or any place, and I didn’t want to cuss out people if they had the unmitigated gall to berate me if I didn’t answer. (I still let calls go to voicemail if I don’t feel like talking.)
These days I find myself eye-rolling at all of the self-diagnosis being done by some people in the younger generations. On my watch, that means you should be MORE culpable for your behavior, not less. And once you’re in your 30’s , maybe you should cultivate some life skills beyond blaming your parents and everyone else for your life choices. Some days it’s a struggle not to say , “Suck it up, buttercup.”!