Boy oh boy, times sure have changed since we were kids back in the 1960s. Looking back at how our parents raised us, it’s incredible we survived some of those common practices that were just part of everyday life. While we turned out just fine, these parenting approaches from our childhood would raise some eyebrows (and possibly get Child Protective Services involved!) in today’s world.
Table of Contents
- 1 1. Riding in the Back of Pickup Trucks
- 2 2. Staying Home Alone at Young Ages
- 3 3. No Car Seats or Seat Belts
- 4 4. Unsupervised Neighborhood Roaming
- 5 5. Smoking Around Children
- 6 6. Physical Discipline in Public
- 7 7. Dangerous Playgrounds
- 8 8. Babies Sleeping on Their Stomachs
- 9 9. Lead Paint and Asbestos Everywhere
- 10 10. Sending Kids to Buy Cigarettes
- 11 11. Drinking from the Garden Hose
- 12 12. Homemade Baby Formula
- 13 13. No Helmets or Safety Gear
1. Riding in the Back of Pickup Trucks
Nothing beat the thrill of piling into the back of Dad’s pickup truck with the neighborhood kids, wind whipping through our hair as we cruised down country roads. We’d bounce around on the metal bed, sometimes sitting on the wheel wells, without a care in the world. These days, such a practice is illegal in many states, but back then, it was just another way to get from point A to point B.
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2. Staying Home Alone at Young Ages
By age seven or eight, many of us were “latchkey kids,” coming home to an empty house after school while our parents were still at work. We’d let ourselves in with the key hidden under the mat, fix our snacks, and watch TV or play outside until Mom got home. Some states today have specific laws about leaving children home alone, but the age varies.
3. No Car Seats or Seat Belts
Babies on laps, kids sprawled out in the back window, and the whole family packed into station wagons without a seat belt in sight—that was just how we rolled in the 1960s. The U.S.’s first federal seat belt law wasn’t enacted until 1968, making car safety an utterly different ballgame.
4. Unsupervised Neighborhood Roaming
Our parents’ only rule was “be home when the street lights come on.” We’d spend entire days exploring the neighborhood, riding bikes miles from home, and playing in construction sites or empty lots. The idea of constant adult supervision or scheduled playdates would have seemed bizarre to us kids who had the freedom to roam and create our own adventures.
5. Smoking Around Children
Parents smoked everywhere – in the car with the windows up, at the dinner table, and even in hospital waiting rooms. The health risks of secondhand smoke weren’t widely acknowledged until much later, with the first major reports emerging in the 1980s. Back then, ashtrays were as common as TV trays in every home.
6. Physical Discipline in Public
Spanking wasn’t just accepted – it was expected. Parents would discipline their children in the grocery store, and other adults would nod in approval. The wooden spoon or belt was a common threat, and corporal punishment was legal in schools in many states, a practice that continues in some areas even today.
7. Dangerous Playgrounds
Our playgrounds were like something out of an obstacle course – sky-high metal slides that burned in the summer sun, merry-go-rounds that spun fast enough to create G-force, and jungle gyms over concrete surfaces. The first public playground safety guidelines weren’t introduced until the 1980s, so falls and injuries were seen as character-building experiences.
8. Babies Sleeping on Their Stomachs
Every baby was put to sleep on their stomach, often with blankets, pillows, and stuffed animals in the crib. It wasn’t until the 1990s, with campaigns like “Back to Sleep,” that the risks of this practice were widely publicized, making it a serious hazard by today’s safe sleep guidelines.
9. Lead Paint and Asbestos Everywhere
Our homes were filled with lead paint and asbestos insulation, and nobody thought twice about it. The dangers of these materials weren’t widely known at the time, and regulations to ban their use in homes only began in the late 1970s and 1980s.
10. Sending Kids to Buy Cigarettes
It was perfectly normal for parents to send their kids to the corner store with a note and some change to buy cigarettes. The shopkeeper would read the note, hand over a pack of Camels or Lucky Strikes, and nobody batted an eye. Federal laws prohibiting the sale of tobacco to minors weren’t enacted until the 1990s.
11. Drinking from the Garden Hose
When we played outside and got thirsty, we’d grab a drink from the nearest garden hose. Concerns about lead, bacteria, or other contaminants in hoses weren’t commonly discussed, making this a typical childhood experience. Today, such water sources are often avoided due to health concerns.
12. Homemade Baby Formula
Many mothers made their own baby formula using evaporated milk, water, and Karo syrup, following recipes passed down from their own mothers or recommended by their doctors. While using beer in formulas wasn’t a widespread medical practice, the idea of homemade infant nutrition without regulation would alarm modern pediatricians.
13. No Helmets or Safety Gear
Protective gear was virtually non-existent whether we were riding bikes, skateboarding, or roller skating. Knee pads, elbow pads, and helmets were rarely used, and scraped knees were just considered part of growing up. Modern parents wouldn’t dream of letting their kids ride without proper safety equipment.
