Normal Life in the ’60s That Seems Unthinkable Now

Boy, how times have changed! As someone who lived through the fabulous ’60s, it’s amazing to look back at what we considered perfectly normal back then. From how we raised our kids to what we put in our cars, some of these everyday practices from the 1960s would make modern folks’ jaws drop. Let’s take a stroll down memory lane and examine some things that were completely routine back then but seem downright wild today.

1. Kids Riding in Cars Without Seat Belts

Back in the ’60s, kids would bounce around in the back seat like popcorn kernels, and nobody batted an eye. We’d lie in the rear window deck of our parents’ Chevrolet, wave at passing motorists, or pile six kids into the back of a station wagon without a safety restraint in sight. Car seats? Those were just for tiny babies, and even then, they were more like plastic baskets than safety devices. It’s mind-boggling to think about it now, but that was just how everyone traveled.

2. Lead Paint and Leaded Gasoline

We painted our houses, schools, and even children’s toys with lead-based paint, completely unaware of its dangers. Cars ran on leaded gasoline, which we thought was perfectly fine – better for the engine, even! The sweet smell of exhaust fumes was just part of daily life, and nobody gave it a second thought. It wasn’t until years later that we learned about the serious health impacts of all that lead exposure.

3. Unsupervised Kids Roaming the Neighborhood

From sunrise to sunset, kids would disappear into the neighborhood, only coming home when the street lights came on. We’d ride our bikes miles from home, play in construction sites, and organize our own games without any adult supervision. Parents’ only rule was “be home for dinner!” The idea of scheduling playdates or constantly monitoring children’s whereabouts would have seemed absurd to our parents.

4. Pregnant Women Drinking and Smoking

Doctors actually recommended that pregnant women have a cocktail to “calm their nerves,” and smoking was considered perfectly fine during pregnancy. Many believed that smoking would help keep the baby’s birth weight down, making delivery easier. It wasn’t until the late ’60s that people began to understand the risks these behaviors posed to unborn children.

5. Hitchhiking as Normal Transportation

Thumbing a ride was a completely acceptable way to get around in the ’60s. College students would hitchhike across the country during summer breaks, and locals would hitch rides into town without a second thought. Picking up hitchhikers was considered a common courtesy, and many people saw it as a way to meet interesting folks and hear their stories.

6. No Helmets for Bike Riding

Bicycle helmets? We’d never heard of them! Kids would zoom down steep hills, pop wheelies, and create makeshift ramps for jumping, all without any head protection. If you fell and got scraped up, mom would just clean you up with some Mercurochrome (which, by the way, contained mercury) and send you back out to play.

7. Dangerous Playground Equipment

Playgrounds in the ’60s were like training grounds for young daredevils. We had tall metal slides that would scorch your legs in summer, merry-go-rounds that spun at dangerous speeds, and jungle gyms set over concrete. The see-saws could launch you into orbit if your partner jumped off, and nobody worried about “safety surfaces” under the equipment.

8. DIY Pest Control with DDT

DDT was considered a miracle pesticide, and people would spray it liberally around their homes and gardens. Kids would even run behind the DDT fog trucks in summer, playing in the mist. Some public pools even added DDT to their water to keep mosquitoes away, not realizing the severe environmental and health consequences.

9. Drinking Water from Garden Hoses

On hot summer days, kids would drink straight from the garden hose without a thought about what might be in that rubber tubing or where the water came from. The water was usually scalding hot at first, but once it cooled down, it was our go-to refreshment during outdoor play. Today’s parents would be horrified at the thought of all the chemicals we probably consume.

10. Candy Cigarettes and Toy Guns in Every Store

Every corner store had displays of candy cigarettes, complete with packaging that perfectly mimicked real cigarette brands. Kids would pretend to smoke them, and nobody thought twice about it. Realistic toy guns were everywhere – from cap guns to plastic rifles that looked just like the real thing. We’d play cowboys and Indians or cops and robbers right out on the street, toy guns in hand.

11. Door-to-Door Salesmen and Unlocked Houses

Strangers would regularly come to your door, selling everything from vacuum cleaners to encyclopedias, and we would invite them in for demonstrations and coffee. Most people didn’t even lock their doors during the day, and many left their keys in the car’s ignition overnight. The idea of having security systems or being suspicious of door-to-door salespeople would have seemed paranoid to most people.

12. Smoking Everywhere – Even in Hospitals!

Cigarettes were as common as coffee cups in the ’60s. Doctors smoked during consultations, patients lit up in their hospital beds, and every desk in every office had an ashtray. Airlines handed out complimentary cigarettes with meals, and even teachers had ashtrays on their desks in the break room. The idea of designating “smoking areas” would have seemed laughably restrictive to us back then.