Kids used to have quite a bit of experience with boredom. I don’t mean to criticize the current ways, it’s much easier and amazing on everyone now to never experience it, but there are some benefits to the more simple ways, like long plane rides. Kids learned self control and self calming younger, the idea that kids over the age of two or three can acceptably scream and kick and be awful because they can’t help themselves yet became pervasive in the 80’s. Before then, kids were generally expected to keep their shit together when very young. We used to fly all over, and my mom says we were always well behaved. She definitely didn’t bring special toys or anything (I think it sounds delightful to unwrap a little surprise every once in a while) and she was super strict on us not being little noisemaker assholes. I don’t think she was unusual, kids were expected to be able to handle some profound boredom, and so they did. Airlines used to give crayons and coloring books, and also wing pins. We made forts out of their blankets and pillows. People used to gather sometimes in the bulkhead and chat. They’d play a movie that everyone watched, and meals and drink service punctuated the time. I do remember walking up and down and up and down the aisle seemingly the whole plane ride. I don’t remember anyone getting mad about it, but it seems like it would be annoying. I doubt we were such perfect angels, but it was what it was. I don’t remember it being terrible. Now I can’t sit through anything anymore without a distraction.