18 Things Your Grandkids Will Never Understand

I handed the floppy disk to a third-grader and asked him what he thought it was. “A bottle opener?” he wondered. Somewhere, the ghosts of the 1980s were smiling. But I get it. To a kid for whom floppy disks are as unfamiliar as buggy whips, “bottle opener” was a darn good guess. I’ve co-written two books on the lost toys, tastes and trends of past generations: Writing those books has brought home to me how quickly things I took for granted growing up have been transformed into museum pieces. I’m a firm believer that kids should learn about what the world was like when their parents and grandparents were growing up. Record players and in-car ashtrays can be lessons in how a previous generation was raised, reminding us of what was important, creating connections and sparking conversations. See if the following relics stir up memories and conversations for you. It’s not the usual blah, blah, blah. Click here to sign up for our free newsletter. Sponsored: Find the right financial adviser Finding a financial adviser you can trust doesn’t have to be hard. A great place to start is with SmartAsset’s free financial adviser matching tool, which connects you with up to three qualified financial advisers in five minutes. Each adviser is vetted by SmartAsset and is legally required to act in your best interests. If you’re ready to be matched with local advisers who will help you reach your financial goals, get started now. Disclosure: The information you read here is always objective. However, we sometimes receive compensation when you click links within our stories.