Time Waster
Veteran
Only wrong in how they are used, which seemed to a distraction tool by the parents rather than educating their kids on life beyond the palms of their hands. In the 1970s I'd imagine you'd have different tools for the same job, but the point being if they weren't available there would be something else- you weren't reliant on a device they way some modern kids are. Kids that have a meltdown if their device stops seem to have no life or social skills beyond staring at the device and having it tell them what to do next.
You're not wrong about older couples mind, I don't get why someone would spend money going out only to sit in silence staring down.
Oh we had meltdowns back then too. Whilst adults seem to enjoy drinking alcohol and chatting shoot about nothing important it was never fun for us, at least for very long. Oh we might be given a pack of cards or top trumps but rummy is boring after the tenth game and that's probably when the augments and meltdowns happened. Two options for the adults back then, smack em to get them to behave or take then home as "overtired"!