My kids are the first generation in my family with regular, whole-house air conditioning. I've considered my family pretty much middle class for generations so the lack of AC wasn't a economic thing. AC just wasn't a necessity, I guess.
The recent electric outage experience that saw my family home without electricity for 235 hours (5.2% of our calendar year to date), caused me to realize that my kids probably take AC for granted.
Neither of my grandparent's houses had air conditioning. One set lived in a house in the woods and only got a heat pump in the 1980's to come close to having it. The other set lived in a tree-lined subdivision and got a bedroom air conditioner for the last ten years of their lives.
Thus, my parents, who lived in those same houses, grew up without air conditioning too.
When I was in the fifth grade, I took the opportunity to get my own bedroom and moved into the yet-unfinished attic. It had particle board flooring and absolutely no air conditioning. That was my choice, though, versus sharing a bedroom with carpet and AC.
Thus, I could argue that I didn't really have regular air conditioning either.
Be grateful for what you have, kids!
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