I’m raising my kids on ’90s and retro-style tech. From VHS tapes to a typewriter, here’s how it’s helping us slow down and connect.

As told to

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Janie George spoke with Business Insider about how she’s participating in the nostalgic economy. Elizabeth Jackson

2026-01-23T10:11:01.272Z

• Janie George and her husband are introducing analog and retro items to their three children.
• From Blockbuster-style movie nights to a VHS tape collection, George is keeping the ’90s alive.
• George says items like the Tin Can "landline" phone are building her kid’s independence.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Janie George, 31, a mother and senior art director*** ***based in Utah. It has been edited for length and clarity.

I grew up in the ’90s and 2000s with the sound of dial-up and the feeling of figuring out how to use a computer for the first time. When the first iPhone came out, I was in junior high school, and I learned more digital things as time went on.

As parents to our 3, 6, and 9-year-olds, my husband and I are trying to raise our kids with a nice balance between modern and analog. Our goal is to keep the ’90s alive in our household.

We live in a really busy time, and I don’t want to pretend we don’t have modern conveniences in my house. We have TVs and other things that are definitely not from the ’90s and back further, but living a more analog lifestyle has allowed my family to connect, slow down, and have more fun moments together. We use everything from a film camera** **to a typewriter, a Tin Can phone, VHS tapes, and more.

It has brought me a lot of joy, and it’s been fun to share with my kids what both my husband and I experienced growing up.

We have an entertainment system with a VHS and a DVD machine

George’s kids are playing a video game. Janie George

It’s been two or three years of trying to be more selective and more specific about the media that my kids consume as it relates to their development and attention span. A few months ago, we bought a VHS and DVD machine from Facebook Marketplace for $80.

My husband and I have been showing our kids classic movies, and my son loves to watch "Jaws" and "Indiana Jones." I know my parents loved showing me "Gilligan’s Island," "Bewitched," "It’s a Wonderful Life," and "Hogan’s Heroes," and I had a lot of joy experiencing their joy with them. It’s been fun to connect on that and share with my kids.

We also have a Nintendo Classic Mini: Super Nintendo Entertainment System and Nintendo Classic Mini: Nintendo Entertainment System, which include classic games. They plug in with an HDMI and are preloaded with games, making them super easy to set up.

Our entertainment system is all about letting my kids be independent

The family has several VHS tapes to choose from. Janie George

By setting up this little entertainment system downstairs while keeping our regular TV upstairs, I can let my kids do their own thing, knowing all the content they choose is age-appropriate.

They can turn on what they want, rewind it, and be fully independent. When they want to play the Nintendo Switch or watch a more modern movie or something on YouTube TV, it’s upstairs with mom and dad, and we’re helping facilitate that.

We mimic the "Blockbuster" experience by picking out movies on VHS at our local thrift store

George is trying to create "Blockbuster"-like experiences. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

We have a thrift store just down the road, and my kids are welcome to use the money from chores to purchase any movie they’re hoping to get. We’ve also been looking for certain movies on eBay to add to our collection, which is really fun.

Something we’ve implemented and plan to do more often is creating the feeling of going to the movie rental store and picking out a movie. We’ve done it a couple of times: we go to Savers, a local thrift store, pick out a movie, get a pizza, pick out a treat, and have that same feeling I had, but letting them lead the way.

Taking photos on film helps us stay in the moment

George has put the photos in family books over the years. Janie George

I’ve taken our family photos on film for several years, and I’m trying to teach my kids that we don’t need an instant photo. We can take our time, be in the moment, and feel excited about the process.

It’s fun for me to pick the photos and turn them into a family book every year. A huge part of it is made up of the photos I take with that camera. You just can’t capture that type of moment with an iPhone or other digital camera.

I don’t know if my children really care about it yet, but they love getting the chance to take the photo and hear the noises, along with the tactile feeling. I’ve spent a lot of money on film and developing it, but it’s worth it.

They’ve gotten into trading cards

George’s children enjoy trading cards. Janie George

One time, we found a really cool box of trading cards at Savers, and my son curated a pack of them for his friends for Christmas. One of his friends really likes the Packers, so we found all the Packers cards that were in that box and gave them to him. It just offers another activity and form of connection for my kids and their friends.

They like to take their binder of cards in the basket of their bike to their friend’s home to trade cards — stuff that I watched my brothers do. I didn’t offer it to them; it was just a natural thing they wanted to do.

A Tin Can phone allows them to schedule their own playdates

One of George’s children holds a Tin Can phone. Janie George

When one of my kids wants to have a playdate, they have to ask me to call their friend’s mom to schedule it. I work full time, so it can be difficult to manage my kids’ schedules in their entirety.

The Tin Can phone idea was really exciting to me because we can decide who they can call and when it’s available to use, using its quiet time feature.

The Tin Can phone costs $75 plus shipping, but there’s a $9.99 monthly fee to call any phone on any network. It’s been 100% worth it. Sometimes on FaceTime, they want to hit all of the buttons and see all the faces. While that’s fun, I don’t know that they’re actually communicating with the other person.

Besides being able to schedule play dates, my son is having fun coming home from school and calling a friend. It’s such a great way to gain skills like speaking on the phone, speaking politely, and managing their schedules. It also delays the need for a cellphone. I just want them to be present with where they are.

My kids write letters to Santa on their typewriter

The family got the typewriter through Facebook Marketplace. Janie George

A few years ago, one of my sons asked for a typewriter for Christmas. He had one in one of his preschool classes. It was analog and fun, and he was really excited about it. I spent $35 on a vintage typewriter on Facebook Marketplace.

My kids say they love writing letters to friends and Santa on the typewriter. They show their friends how it works, and they use it every couple of days. One of their favorite activities is when I type up a design "brief," and they draw or design a logo based on that brief.

We showed them how to use a Rolodex

The family keeps contacts for the Tin Can phone in a Rolodex. Janie George

When we bought the Tin Can phone, we thought a Rolodex would be a really fun way for them to keep track of their friends’ and other phone numbers. Plus, it looks kind of cute on the table. We picked one out on eBay, typed out all of the cards with the typewriter, and decorated them with stickers.

• as told to
• Parenting

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