1960s

It can be pretty mindblowing to think back on how relaxed safety regulations were in the 1960s and 1970s. These days, there are so many new safety features, products, and simple rules. You may hear people saying, "It is amazing we even survived back then!" If you were a child in the '60s or '70s, what kinds of things do you remember doing that would horrify your kids now? Here is a list of some of the craziest things people did with their kids back in the day. See how many you remember doing or remember seeing in those days. 1. Pregnant women smoked and drank Your mother may have smoked or drank when you were in the womb. Hey, it wasn't her fault. She wasn't trying to harm you because no one really knew how dangerous these things were. These days, women know to stop drinking and smoking when they start trying for a baby. 2. The "Mom" seat belt Do you remember Mom or Dad flinging their arm in front of you if they had to stop suddenly while you were in the car? This also happened on other moving things like chairlifts! Often, kids were sitting in the passenger seat with no seat belt or even in someone's lap. There were no fancy car seats or regulations like there are today. The 1970s and 1980s saw better car seats and seat belt regulations though. 3. Everyone smoked around kids No one really knew the dangers of smoking cigarettes then like we do today. Cigarettes were everywhere. Do you remember going to the store to buy cigarettes for your parents? Or did they have you pose with an unlit cigarette or cigar in your mouth? It seems so crazy to think about today! 4. Dangerous cribs and sleeping habits for babies In the 1960s, pediatricians told parents to have their babies sleep on their stomachs. We now know this isn't encouraged. Cribs were also pretty dangerous, with choking hazards, places to get fingers or toes caught in, and other safety concerns. 5. Unsafe Trampolines Do you remember jumping on a trampoline without a net? Without a net, there are so many different risks. Kids can hurt themselves very easily. Parks often had things to play on that weren't really that safe either. It truly was a different time. Read on to the next page for even more things kids would never be able to do now! 6. Parents didn't childproof their homes There were no childproof medicine bottles, latches to keep drawers and doors shut, or electrical outlet plug covers. Parents weren't encouraged to childproof their home. Many kids just ran around without a care in the world and played with things they probably shouldn't have. 7. Playing outside or walking around alone Little kids were sent off to walk to school alone or with friends. Kids often played outside together all day long without adult supervision. They would also play games in the streets, like street hockey or stickball. These days, kids can't really go anywhere alone and many times, for good reasons. 8. Kids got smacked at school In the '60s and '70s, it was common practice to get smacked on the butt for your birthday. You could also get smacked by a ruler if you got in trouble. You might also get pulled into the principal's office by your ear. That would never fly these days! 9. Going to the candy store after school Kids often hung out at candy stores where they could buy penny candy, ice cream soda, an egg cream, or another sugary beverage or dessert. Parents didn't really seem to care unless you spoiled your appetite for dinner! What was your favorite thing to get at the candy store? 10. Riding around on bikes without helmets We now know the dangers of riding bikes without helmets, but in those days no one thought about wearing a helmet. Now, you would never dream of letting your child or grandchild out on their bike without one! 11. Going to the beach alone with no sunscreen Well, you probably went with your family but your parents didn't really fret so much about you in the water. They figured the lifeguards would save you if needed. Also, there was rarely sunscreen found nearby. The 1960s were especially all about the tan. People would slather on baby oil instead of sunscreen, in hopes of gaining that darker complexion. Read on to the last page for more crazy things you did as a kid in the 1960s and 1970s! 12. Drinking from the garden hose Drinking from a garden hose doesn't seem that dangerous, but back in the day water that came from a hose was not as regulated as tap water. Often, the water and the hose nozzle contained unsafe levels of lead. Do you remember drinking from the garden hose on a hot day? Do you also remember playing in the water from a fire hydrant? It was not only wasteful, but the force of a fire hydrant water pressure could knock down a kid. 13. Blood Brothers and Sisters Becoming blood brothers or sisters meant making a small cut on your finger and pressing it on someone else's cut. It meant loyalty or friendship and was considered to be really cool in the 1960s and '70s. No one knew how gross it was and how they could exchange bacteria and disease from it. Yuck. 14. Sleeping in the car While sleeping in the car isn't really bad, sleeping in the back window probably is. Kids often were able to fit in the back window of the car and slept there on long road trips. 15. Spanking Spanking and hitting for disciplinary reasons was considered normal. If your dad got out the belt, you knew you were really in trouble! This kind of treatment is now considered abuse and isn't really tolerated in our society anymore. 16. Using Mercurochrome Mercurochrome was a dark pink antiseptic. It was pretty gross, but then the FDA realized that it was not only gross but dangerous. It contained mercury, which we now know shouldn't be put on or in our bodies. 17. Playing with unsafe toys There were plenty of toys made with unsafe chemicals, but there were also toys that could hurt you. Do you remember Jarts? They were darts with a hook attached that was pretty painful if you got hit with one. Not to mention BB guns, cap guns, and much more. Check out some more crazy photos of kids in cars back in these days! How many of these things do you remember? If you found this article interesting, please SHARE with your friends and family who grew up in the '60s or '70s too! Check out this awesome video where someone asked kids in the 1960s what the 2000s will be like. Do you think they were right about anything?

Things People Did In The ’60s And ’70s With Their Kids They Could Never Get Away With Today

Check Out This Incredible Mural Dedicated To Andy Griffith

An Abandoned JFK Terminal From The 1960s Is Being Transformed Into A Hotel

13 Vintage Photos From The ’60s And ’70s That Will Make You Miss The Old Days

Here’s How Much A House Cost The Year You Were Born

This Is What Happened To The Cast of ‘The Cast Of Hawaii Five-O’

5 Things You May Not Know About Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s ‘I Have A Dream’ Speech

The Popular 1960s Ford Bronco Is Being Restored By An Illinois Company

You Can Rent Frank Sinatra’s Former Palm Springs Home Complete With 1960s Interiors

Color TVs Became All The Rage In The ’60s – But They Were Radioactive

Bon Jovi And The Who Are Rumored To Be In Lineup For 50th Anniversary Woodstock Festival

This Frank Lloyd Wright House Hasn’t Changed Since The ’60s But The Inside Is Stunning