This would horrify parents today, The Danger and Fun of Growing Up - Life in America

[Music] if you told the kids of this generation some of the stories about being a kid decades ago they would either not believe it or think it was a miracle you survived but the reality is that the experiences that we had growing up built character work ethic and fortitude with the helicopter style of parenting that exists today most of these things would be considered dangerous or but back in the day they were completely normal walking to school was common for many students attending a neighborhood school but years ago kids that lived on the edges would have to walk some pretty long distances just to get to school and for some this was done alone there were fewer buses and less carpooling so kids as young as five would be on their own to walk to and from school this was complicated more by rain heat and snow have you ever walked a mile in a foot of snow carrying books today schools would be canceled but not so long ago kids everywhere were used to that trek [Music] during the 1960s 70s and even 80s kids would often have to fend for themselves and that meant many of them were latch key kids they would leave for school after their parents left for work and they would let themselves back in the house after school it was only on special occasions you had a babysitter and most of the time when your parents would leave they would just tell you to lock the door and don't open it [Music] how many people today sleep with the windows open in small towns everywhere windows and doors were commonly left unlocked and windows were often opened to let in the night breezes i'm sure there are many people who still sleep with windows open but it has become much less prevalent ever since the 24-hour news cycle that reminds you of all the evil out there during those sweltering summer months playing at the local playground was much different than it is today first off there wasn't soft mulch or bouncy padding lining the ground you were lucky if there was a little bit of sand at the bottom of the slide but mostly the hard ground was the only thing to break your fall and who could forget the playground equipment that was made of metal and would become scalding hot in the afternoon sun sliding down a 120 degree slide would definitely leave a mark [Music] back then it also wasn't uncommon for swing sets to not be anchored into the ground so as you swung higher and higher the legs of the swing set frame would rise up off the ground and that's when you knew it was time to slow down a bit [Music] on snowy days kids could still be found outside sledding down hills was one of the best ways to have fun and occasionally dad would even tie a rope to the bumper of the car and pull you around the block the fun and also obvious danger were the other cars on the road but mainly it was going around corners at high speeds and dodging fire hydrants and trees that were the real danger there is no doubt that seat belt laws have saved countless lives but there was a time when they were not mandated by law back then you were free to move around without the constraint of a seat belt most cars didn't even have them and the ones that did were just lap belts kids could be found laying down in the back of a station wagon or even riding up front with mom or dad the only thing that might have prevented you from hitting the dashboard during a hard stop was mom or dad's arm reaching over to hold you back in the seat [Music] this was also a time before many cars had air conditioning but what they did have were small windows you could turn outward to vent the air into the car for many this along with rolled down windows was the only thing that kept you cool while driving while we're on the topic of riding in cars every car was equipped with trays everywhere they flipped down in the back seat and the front seat had a larger slide-out ashtray to catch all the ashes and cigarette butts from smokers as they cruise down the road for kids in the car second-hand smoke was just something you were used to it was acceptable to smoke pretty much anywhere in stores on planes in cars and around the kitchen table and the pervasiveness of the time led many teens to pick up the bad habit too [Music] getting your first two-wheeled bike meant everything to a kid the freedom to write off with your friends and spend the day exploring was the epitome of any childhood at the time there were no bike helmets to protect you from a fall plus the bikes came with metal spiked petals that would dig into your shins if you weren't careful some of us may still have scars from them slamming into our shins and if not maybe you have some from falling off makeshift ramps that you tried to jump in an effort to be like evil knievel [Music] skin cancer was not the first thing that parents thought about when the kids went outside on a sunny saturday morning kids out playing would find shady spots to rest and cool off if they were hot if you were lucky enough to have a friend with a pool or even a community pool close by it wasn't uncommon for the scent of baby oil to be in the air as people lathered up in the glistening oil to get a darker suntan tanning lotions were much more popular before the rise of sunscreen and the dangers of skin cancer before bottled water became a huge money maker for soft drink companies the garden hose was how kids stayed hydrated while playing outside this was also a time when hoses were not regulated the same way that drinking water was inside the house but that didn't stop generations of kids from cooling off with gulps of water and splashes from the water hose during those hot summer months [Music] how many of you remember playing sports in the street stickball street hockey and even football were played in between the cars that would pass on occasion everyone just moved out of the way and when the car drove off the game would resume the skinned knees the bumps and the bruises were just proof you had fun while playing your hardest another outdoor activity that had the potential to injure or leave a good scar was strapping on a pair of metal skates to race down the block you would try your best to dodge all the cracks and bumps but it was almost impossible to not hit one we would also jump on trampolines without pads around the springs or a safety net to keep us from falling off the side not only that but sometimes you would even add dish soap and water to the trampoline to make it even more fun but horribly dangerous we all know someone who broke a bone or two on one of these [Music] there were even questionable toys that were advertised for kids that had the potential to burn you stab you or even poison you remember creepy crawlers lawn darts clackers bottle rockets bb guns and the potent smell of modeling glue all of these things listed in this video are for most great memories despite being a bit dangerous by today's standards they added to the fun and excitement of being a kid decades ago but they no doubt would horrify both kids and parents today if you enjoyed this video click on this playlist to watch even more and as always thank you so much for watching

Channel: Recollection Road

Views: 1,186,264

Keywords: Recollection Road, nostalgia, memories, photos, history, closed, forgotten, business, past, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, memory, yesteryear, golden age, photo album, oldies, fifties, sixties, abandoned, 20th century, retro, vintage, school, snow, sledding, playground, no seatbelts, station wagons, smoking, toys, water hose, trampolines, skates, street ball, latch key kid, baby oil

Id: C_2JQSIh4bA

Length: 8min 36sec (516 seconds)

Published: Fri Sep 09 2022