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How did we ever survive as kids?

admin

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How did we survive!!!

If you lived and grew up as a child in the 40's, 50's, 60's or 70's

Looking back, it's hard to believe that we have lived as long as we
have...

As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags.
Riding in the back of a pickup truck on a warm day was always a
special treat.

Our baby cribs were covered with bright colored lead-based paint. We
had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors, or cabinets.

When we rode our bikes, we had no helmets. (Not to mention hitchhiking
to town as a young kid!)

We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle. Horrors!

We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then rode
down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running
into the bushes a few times we learned to solve the problem.

We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we
were back when the streetlights came on. No one was able to reach us
all day. Our parents knew that all the neighbors would watch out for
all the kids. No cell phones. Unthinkable!

We played dodge ball and sometimes the ball would really hurt.

We got cut and broke bones and broke teeth, and there were no lawsuits
from these accidents. They were accidents. No one was to blame, but
us. Remember accidents?

We had fights and punched each other and got black and blue and
learned to get over it.

We ate cupcakes, bread and butter, and drank sugar soda, but we were
never overweight... we were always outside playing. We shared one
grape soda with four friends, from one bottle and no one died from
this.

We did not have Playstations, Nintendo 64, X-Boxes, video games at
all, 99 channels on cable, video tape movies, surround sound, personal
cell phones, Personal Computers, Internet chat rooms ... we had
friends. We went outside and found them.

We rode bikes or walked to a friend's home and knocked on the door, or
rung the bell or just walked in and talked to them. Imagine such a
thing. Without asking a parent! By ourselves! Out there in the cold
cruel world! Without a guardian.

How did we do it?!

We made up games with sticks and tennis balls and ate worms and
although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many
eyes, nor did the worms live inside us forever.

Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who
didn't, had to learn to deal with disappointment.... The teams
actually kept score and the winning team was allowed to be excited and
the losing team learned to be good sports about it and learned that,
in life - sometimes you win and sometimes you lose.

Some students weren't as smart as others so they failed a grade and
were held back to repeat the same grade..... Horrors. Tests were not
adjusted for any reason.

Almost no one went to "pre-school" and when we graduated high school
we all knew how to read, use proper grammar and do basic math. We all
learned how to count out change without a calculator to tell us the
amount.

The worst problems in school were tardiness and chewing gum in class.
Our actions were our own. Consequences were expected. No one to hide
behind. The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke a law was
unheard of. They actually sided with the law ... imagine that!

If you misbehaved - your parents spanked you and no one arrested them
for doing that! We also learned that when a parent said "No" - they
actually meant that and our lives would not be ruined forever by being
denied every little thing we wanted at any given moment.

New toys were received on birthdays and holidays..... not on every
trip to the store. Parents gave us gifts out of love.... not out of
guilt.

This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers and problem
solvers and inventors, ever. The past 50 years has been an explosion
of innovation and new ideas. We had freedom, failure, success and
responsibility, and we learned how to deal with it all.

And you're one of them.

Congratulations!
 

GizmosMommy

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I'm was born in 82 and that's how it was for me except the hitch hiking lol. I have 3 kids - 13,10 &5...I refuse to buy them cell phones and I encourage them to drink out of the hose lol. I also tell them no coming to me ratting eachother out unless someone is bleeding or on fire LOL
 

Cleopatra Beers

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When I teach, I have to remind my high school kids that phones used to be connected to the wall in the kitchen, and everybody heard your side of the conversation. Today's high school students have never seen cassette or 8-track tapes, and they have no clue what a floppy disk is. I wonder how long it will be before kids will have no idea what a book looks like...
 

Gesundheit

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Plenty of children have NOT survived bouncing around in the back seat without a seatbelt, and many people have died as a result of not wearing a seatbelt behind the wheel. I'm sorry, but personal experience places a heavy chip on my shoulder as far as that little bit of high-and-mightiness is concerned. And helmets? Yes, those save lives, too. I don't condone helicopter parenting (it's done a number on me, so don't get me started), but lets not knock innovation where it legitimately improves the world.
 

Hairless Blessing

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Wish things were like that now. It would be a much better world.
I remember my grandparents and older people now, telling about
never even had locks on their doors.
How great would that be? Just shows us even more how bad of shape the
world is in. They did research and the statistics say the baby generation
coming up now won't even be able to have a face to face conversation
and likely some not even a phone conversation. Because of texting.
Technology can be good and it can be very damaging. Makes you wonder?
 

Yoda mom

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Yes, I remember those days- :) funny thing now , as a grown up I ride a motorcycle and my mom now made me promise to always where my helmet and not drink and ride - :) I would not have it any other way ..

Oh , and a younger family member will Never answer the phone! We had a death in the family and he told me I should have texted! Yikes!
 

Maddie

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Very interesting read. I feel like I grew up in the middle of the transition. I had the playing outside all day, but not where ever I wanted around the neighbourhood. The transition in school was interesting too: it went from the kid being at fault to the teacher being the problem if a kid failed. I was taught to talk out problems but fights still happened at school and the problem was usually solved and they walked away as friends. I grew up with the winning and losing but that changed too while I was participating in sports. I'm glad I grew up in the mix of innovation and still being thrown outside to play imaginary games lol. (I was born in 98 for perspective lol)
But what I find interesting is where the change comes from. It comes from the adults who grew up in that 50 year span. It's not the kids suddenly being programmed to be electronic zombies. Society definitely made did a 180 in many aspects. I find the "kids these days" talks interesting because it's not really the kids, it's the adults letting it happen. I'm curious what changed society so drastically.
 

Anita Eccleston

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How did we survive!!!

If you lived and grew up as a child in the 40's, 50's, 60's or 70's

Looking back, it's hard to believe that we have lived as long as we
have...

As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags.
Riding in the back of a pickup truck on a warm day was always a
special treat.

Our baby cribs were covered with bright colored lead-based paint. We
had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors, or cabinets.

When we rode our bikes, we had no helmets. (Not to mention hitchhiking
to town as a young kid!)

We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle. Horrors!

We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then rode
down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running
into the bushes a few times we learned to solve the problem.

We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we
were back when the streetlights came on. No one was able to reach us
all day. Our parents knew that all the neighbors would watch out for
all the kids. No cell phones. Unthinkable!

We played dodge ball and sometimes the ball would really hurt.

We got cut and broke bones and broke teeth, and there were no lawsuits
from these accidents. They were accidents. No one was to blame, but
us. Remember accidents?

We had fights and punched each other and got black and blue and
learned to get over it.

We ate cupcakes, bread and butter, and drank sugar soda, but we were
never overweight... we were always outside playing. We shared one
grape soda with four friends, from one bottle and no one died from
this.

We did not have Playstations, Nintendo 64, X-Boxes, video games at
all, 99 channels on cable, video tape movies, surround sound, personal
cell phones, Personal Computers, Internet chat rooms ... we had
friends. We went outside and found them.

We rode bikes or walked to a friend's home and knocked on the door, or
rung the bell or just walked in and talked to them. Imagine such a
thing. Without asking a parent! By ourselves! Out there in the cold
cruel world! Without a guardian.

How did we do it?!

We made up games with sticks and tennis balls and ate worms and
although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many
eyes, nor did the worms live inside us forever.

Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who
didn't, had to learn to deal with disappointment.... The teams
actually kept score and the winning team was allowed to be excited and
the losing team learned to be good sports about it and learned that,
in life - sometimes you win and sometimes you lose.

Some students weren't as smart as others so they failed a grade and
were held back to repeat the same grade..... Horrors. Tests were not
adjusted for any reason.

Almost no one went to "pre-school" and when we graduated high school
we all knew how to read, use proper grammar and do basic math. We all
learned how to count out change without a calculator to tell us the
amount.

The worst problems in school were tardiness and chewing gum in class.
Our actions were our own. Consequences were expected. No one to hide
behind. The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke a law was
unheard of. They actually sided with the law ... imagine that!

If you misbehaved - your parents spanked you and no one arrested them
for doing that! We also learned that when a parent said "No" - they
actually meant that and our lives would not be ruined forever by being
denied every little thing we wanted at any given moment.

New toys were received on birthdays and holidays..... not on every
trip to the store. Parents gave us gifts out of love.... not out of
guilt.

This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers and problem
solvers and inventors, ever. The past 50 years has been an explosion
of innovation and new ideas. We had freedom, failure, success and
responsibility, and we learned how to deal with it all.

And you're one of them.

Congratulations!
Sorry I know this is an old post but I love to read back over the older post and I found this to be so funny but oh so true our children laugh at us when we say we played 6 bricks and Kirby and tick your it
So again sorry for reviving this older post but I think it makes for a great conversation piece lol
Hugs
Anita & Cleo xxx❤️❤️❤️
 

CuryC

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Very interesting read. I feel like I grew up in the middle of the transition. I had the playing outside all day, but not where ever I wanted around the neighbourhood. The transition in school was interesting too: it went from the kid being at fault to the teacher being the problem if a kid failed. I was taught to talk out problems but fights still happened at school and the problem was usually solved and they walked away as friends. I grew up with the winning and losing but that changed too while I was participating in sports. I'm glad I grew up in the mix of innovation and still being thrown outside to play imaginary games lol. (I was born in 98 for perspective lol)
But what I find interesting is where the change comes from. It comes from the adults who grew up in that 50 year span. It's not the kids suddenly being programmed to be electronic zombies. Society definitely made did a 180 in many aspects. I find the "kids these days" talks interesting because it's not really the kids, it's the adults letting it happen. I'm curious what changed society so drastically.
I'm '87 and I agree with this.
I was allowed to play outside, and did so many afternoons....but I wasn't allowed free run of the neighborhood.
I also rode a bike without a helmet, but I didn't live in the "concrete jungle"..I had grass, and a dirt driveway off of a dirt road.
I wasn't in the era of a car seat, but you wouldn't catch my kids riding without being in theirs...even my daughter who is 10 rides in a booster.
I don't think blame should be placed on the children growing up in this society. Its up to the parents to tell these kids "NO". I can't as a mother, keep technology away from them...but I can limit the time they spend on it. They are instructed to use a device for school, so I bought them each a tablet...but it's very limited, and they are only allowed school work. They spend time riding bikes (no helmets, but again we live in a grassy area), playing legos, barbies, and generally making up games outside. They are able to facetime with my mom (who is in California), and make calls to their friends...but electronics are off and in my room by 9pm.
 

Anita Eccleston

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@CuryC I’m laughing my socks off here until I read your post through I thought you were 87 oh good lord I’m laughing at my self so much but then realised your a child from 1987 .. anno anno I am quite dim at times you would never guess I was brunette ah I was having a maltesser moment ( dark outside light in side like the chocolate maltesser ah ha )
Oh well we need get our giggles where we can these days lol
Massive hugs
Anita & Cleo xxx❤️❤️❤️
But I agree with the children and games etc
 

Gesundheit

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...I remember my grandparents and older people now, telling about
never even had locks on their doors...
I've had several conversations recently about locking doors. I live in high-density housing, and while we might be targeted for petty theft, I've found that the main reason most of us lock our doors is for the over-worked coming home at 2am. It's so easy to step out onto the wrong floor and try the door of 101 when you're in apartment 201. When your key doesn't work, you look at the number and thank the heavens that you didn't stumble into someone else's domicile. :ROFLMAO:
 

Silke

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I don't usually lock my door. But then, I don't live where I have neighbors. :)
I grew up without internet, tablets, mobile phones, mp3 players, sat nav etc.
I know how to read a map, and often still do, because the GPS is not very helpful for the bigger picture.
We used to be out from dawn to dusk and no one worried.
At 16, my friend and I rode our horses to the North Sea and back, in Germany. A distance of around 1000 miles, there and back. We checked in once a week from a phone box.
I don't even know where there is a phone box now...
Come to think of it... I didn't hear about a hairless cat until after 2000.
However... I did know Paso Fino horses existed in 1976 -- because Disney made a movie called "Cristobalito, the Calypso Colt" and I remember I was fascinated by the champagne test they had in it. But it was a horse breed no one had ever heard of, let alone seen anywhere. (Germany)
Now I own one.
I walked to school every day, and came home at lunchtime to eat, and if there were afternoon classes... you went back to school after lunch.
When I went to school in another town... I took the bus. My parents would have told me where to go, if I'd demanded they drive me.
I have to say tho... here in France the kids still walk to school. There's no "School Run" like we had in the UK, where the roads turn into utter mayhem, because mums cart their precious darling to school in the 4x4. (School run time in the UK is murder.)
And they are driven to school even if they live close enough to walk.
ADHD and all that didn't exist. No one I know ever needed "Gluten free". And omg, no one I knew was allergic to anything. The odd one with hayfever, but that was all. Scraped knees got a plaster and a "next time be more careful" -- not a run to the ER.
Nothing was scrubbed within an inch of being sterile. (Which is probably why everyone is allergic to this that and the other.) My dad used to say "Every human needs 3lbs of dirt a week to be healthy" (and he used to say I had used up my brother's allowance of dirt when I came in caked in mud... lol)
We played in mud. We spent hours building dams and catching newt.
Now?
Glued to tablets, dirt is bad, outside is bad, allergic, diagnosed with everything under the sun.
I haven't seen a kid with a book in years. I had an attic full of them. I got books for Christmas, and actually put books on my Christmas list...
Oh, and I remember when the first walkmans came out... not MP3 players, but cassette tape walkmans. And how you were camped out in front of the radio, finger poised over the stop/pause button of the tape recorder, trying to tape a song without the DJ talking over it... lol.
Now THAT was a challenge!
 

MaoSphynx

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Very interesting read. I feel like I grew up in the middle of the transition. I had the playing outside all day, but not where ever I wanted around the neighbourhood. The transition in school was interesting too: it went from the kid being at fault to the teacher being the problem if a kid failed. I was taught to talk out problems but fights still happened at school and the problem was usually solved and they walked away as friends. I grew up with the winning and losing but that changed too while I was participating in sports. I'm glad I grew up in the mix of innovation and still being thrown outside to play imaginary games lol. (I was born in 98 for perspective lol)
But what I find interesting is where the change comes from. It comes from the adults who grew up in that 50 year span. It's not the kids suddenly being programmed to be electronic zombies. Society definitely made did a 180 in many aspects. I find the "kids these days" talks interesting because it's not really the kids, it's the adults letting it happen. I'm curious what changed society so drastically.
I'm from '98 too. I was allowed to play almost all day outside and rode my bike without a helmet. The only setback was that I had to walk it home when the gears got messed up and I couldn't pedal normally. Wish I had a bike now......
 

CathyO

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‘88 gal here. In the 3rd world, my childhood was a totally diff story. There are car seatbelts but used only when traffic patrollers are in sight. Bike helmets were never strictly enforced either. We play with our neighbours in the garage but not outside. When my parents weren’t home and our helpers were busy cooking or doing chores, we would climb up the gates to get to the flat roof of single story houses in our small gated complex. We were allowed to shower in the rain but only if it was pouring hard. Swimming in the flood behind our house was absolutely not allowed but my bro and I did anyway and while I was doing my backstroke I saw a dead cockroach. Ewww! I remember going to school one time with my white socks turning grayish black from my black leather shoes because the flood was all the way up to our knees.

We didn’t have a set sleeping schedule but we manage to sleep before 11pm for sure. We were told the scariest ghost stories for fun. At age 5, I copied a scene from Robocop where they were removing his helmet and I ended up drilling an earbud into my brother’s ear as I pretended to do the same. Not sure if movies were rated PG during this time. At age 7, I accidentally saw a live chicken being beheaded, which was the “pet” chicken I just named.

We were fed mostly cereals, rice, and a bit of meat (pork usually or seafoods). Vegetables barely showed up in our house menu. My first game was family computer then Nintendo and very later on Sega. My brother usually played and I never got into games. There was a time when there was a choice between Betamax and VHS. The computer screen I first encountered had a black background and green text. It had 3 installed pixel games and it’s floppy disk is the very first version - XL! It’s still common there for pets to be fed left over foods. It’s uncommon to have pet insurance and vaccines are usually done as puppies; the rest really depends on the owner. Cats are usually outdoor stray cats.

12 yrs old is around the time I can commute on my own to school. Vehicles there don’t stop for pedestrians. U have to time it properly and run to cross the street. Stoplights are sometimes followed and there is no such thing as lanes. All windows have iron bars as even public sewer lids are stolen. If u have a bag, u have to literally hold on to it for dear life and if u bring cash u have to spread it in different pockets and other places like your socks and even your under garments!

I’m on my fourth life already ‘coz as a kid I almost fell off a cliff, almost got clipped by a vehicle, and survived dengue at age 12.

So far I am healthy, no allergies, and the last time I got sick or have had any colds was 4 or 5 yrs ago.

While my immune system is strong and I think I turned out fine and quite alive, I prefer the more stringent guidelines that we have now surrounding safety.
 

LadyAred

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Oh, and I remember when the first walkmans came out... not MP3 players, but cassette tape walkmans. And how you were camped out in front of the radio, finger poised over the stop/pause button of the tape recorder, trying to tape a song without the DJ talking over it... lol.
Now THAT was a challenge!
The Walkman! I bought my first Walkman, after they had been out a while, in, I’m going to date myself here, 1984 while I was in basic training! Yes, I was in basic training back then for the USAF. Oh dear. I feel old now!
 

Yoda mom

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@LadyAred , yes, walkman memories here too! lol and pong on the tv game, changing tv channels manually
thank you for your service.. I always say age is just a number. hugs n head smooches
 

LadyAred

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@LadyAred , yes, walkman memories here too! lol and pong on the tv game, changing tv channels manually
thank you for your service.. I always say age is just a number. hugs n head smooches
Pong! Yes! Changing tv channels, those darned tv antennas… today’s technology does have its advantages. My husband is retired AF. We both have a family history of military service. Than you so very much.
 
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