Probably when we were kids our devices weren't connected to a low latency world wide network. I did have access to a BBS but the funny thing was that most of them were single line, if I didn't get off the phone, I couldn't get a response to a message I sent.
I know my mental productivity was much higher with an air-gapped computer. Once the network leaks onto every device, we start blovating on forum boards instead of thinking deeply. ;)
But granted, computers were not consumers-only devices. I wouldnt give my kids consumer-grade devices anyway, because they only see one side of computing, which is really sad.