10 Tiny Freedoms Kids Had In The 1970s That Sound Almost Unreal Today
Roman Nerud | ShutterstockLife in the 1970s was drastically different than what people, especially kids, experience today. While parents today have a firm hold over their children's whereabouts, back then, children were pretty much free to do what they wanted. They had many tiny freedoms that seem a bit unreal and outdated today, but in that time, independence was highly encouraged.
It's not that parents didn't care about their safety, but that they wanted to instill certain lessons and habits in their kids. It's hard for children today to imagine how kids in the 1970s were able to ride around town or go to the mall, all by themselves.
Kids had these small freedoms in the 1970s that sound unreal today
1. Leaving the house without telling anyone where they were going
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Back in the day, parents had a completely different perspective on how to raise children. Believing that true growth was found through independence, parents didn't baby their kids. Instead, they let them roam freely without any supervision.
A few decades later, this became such a huge area of concern that the PSA "It's 10 PM, do you know where your kids are?" became common among households. Kids running around the streets was normal, but today, kids barely even play outside anymore.
2. Playing outside until the streetlights came on
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Kids didn't tell their parents where they were going when they went out to plan. Because parents didn't raise their children with an iron grip, kids didn't come home until the streetlights were on or it was time for dinner. Caught up in their little world, it was a tiny freedom that no longer exists today.
The world didn't suddenly become dangerous in the modern era. As a matter of fact, the 1970s saw a spike in crime. However, as long as their kids didn't cause too much mischief and came home on time, parents let them do what they wanted.
3. Biking to school alone
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Nowadays, walking or biking home to and from school by themselves could be seen as a form of neglectful parenting. Parents don't allow their children a tiny freedom like biking the short distance to school, and either drive them or have them picked up by a school bus.
Thanks to the rise of gentle parenting, some parents are pushed to pay more attention than they ever have before. And while this is good, parents have become much more stressed as a result. In fact, 33% of parents report feeling highly stressed.
4. Going to the corner store without parents
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Parents in the 1970s used their kids to run errands. Whether it was picking up milk or other ingredients for supper, they let their kids go to the corner store alone. Kids were forced to be a lot more self-efficient than what we see today.
Children took care of themselves, too. If they were hungry and there was no food in the house, kids didn't call their parents and demand they bring home McDonald's. Instead, they walked to the store and bought ingredients to make a meal themselves.
5. Babysitting siblings at a young age
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Parents want their kids to just be kids, so they're wary of putting too much unnecessary responsibility on them. But in the 1970s, it was normal for older kids to babysit their siblings or even their other family members and neighbors. It was their way of making their own money.
When parents wanted a night out, they paid their eldest child to take on that responsibility. It's not that they didn't care, they just knew that even a young kid could handle everything that came with childcare.
6. Riding in the back of a pick-up truck
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While parents are scolding their kids and reminding them to put their seatbelts on today, in the 1970s, child safety wasn't that big of a deal. It sounds unreal, but kids would ride in the back of trucks or even the backseat without any protection.
Focused on getting to where they needed to go, riding in the back of a truck wasn't a huge concern. And while the leading cause of death in the U.S. is motor vehicle-related, it was a whole different world back then.
7. Answering the front door
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Parents today are always warning their kids about stranger danger. Overly cautious and terrified, they won't let them go outside by themselves, let alone answer the front door. But in the 1970s, it was completely normal for kids to open the door without a second thought.
If most people were to ask kids growing up in this time what it was like, they'd probably explain how freeing everything felt. They were allowed to speak to strangers and do things that are very uncommon today.
8. Exploring the neighborhood by themselves
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Kids in the 1970s were always up to something. Too wild for their own good, they had the freedom to explore everything. Whether it was the woods and creek behind their house or the railroad tracks in town, they rode their bikes together to check it out.
Today, parents aren't about to let their kids go running freely anywhere they want. They worry about their safety and potential of injuries, rather than prioritizing their kids just having unsupervised fun.
9. Going to the mall or movies without supervision
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Going to the mall today means seeing signs and rules for kids everywhere. From time limits to needing adult supervision, things are much more strict than they were a few decades ago. Because parents let their kids roam, a trip to the mall without an adult was normal.
It may have been dangerous, but things were different. Needing to depend on themselves, kids had fun however they could. Unfortunately, in today's society, unattended children and even teenagers are highly discouraged.
10. Cooking simple meals by themselves
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Despite popular belief, most young adults can heat a simple meal by themselves. However, many 18-to-28-year-olds can't make a basic stir fry or soup. Even cooking an egg is seen as stressful. Instead, they can just DoorDash food without making a mess of the kitchen.
Back then, parents taught their kids how to cook from a very young age, so when the adults were working late and didn't have time to make supper, kids whipped up their own meals.
Marielisa Reyes is a writer with a bachelor's degree in psychology who covers self-help, relationships, career, and family topics.
