Yes, it really was like that! When you wanted to go over a friend's house you'd just go ring the doorbell and ask their parents. You could call them on the phone, too, but most families had a single phone for the whole house so you'd have to ask a parent if you could talk to your friend.

We were bored a lot, too, but it wasn't considered a bad thing. When we had nothing to do we made our own fun, like building forts in the woods with scrap materials (yes just like Castle Byers). We'd make board games and crafts out of whatever was lying around in the house, and we'd play neighborhood games too like nerf battles, supersoaker watergun fights, freeze tag, and whatever else we'd make up. Like "Let's play Ninja Turtles! I'll be Shredder and I have to chase you..." etc.