I’m not saying we should go back to the days when a scraped knee was your biggest worry (it definitely wasn’t). But man, those were some wild times. Kids did stuff that would literally get their parents arrested today, and everyone just… went with it.
Back then, children piled into the backs of pickup trucks for breezy rides to the lake, wandered to school alone with PB&J sandwiches in hand, and perched up front in the family station wagon, untethered by seatbelts. “Childhood was about freedom, curiosity, and a touch of danger,” recalls Dr. Sanam Yeban, child safety advocate. But times have changed.
The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 1974 marked the beginning of a robust child welfare system, triggering mandatory reporting and stricter laws against neglect and abuse. Today, those same childhood escapades would set off sirens—and possibly the local authorities.
Riding in Cars Without Seatbelts (Or Any Safety Gear, Really)
You’re five years old, sitting in the front seat of your family’s station wagon, bouncing around like a ping-pong ball every time Dad hits the brakes. Your baby brother? He’s chilling on Mom’s lap in the passenger seat, totally unbuckled and loving life.
This wasn’t some reckless family—this was literally how everyone rolled in the ’60s. Car seats were flimsy afterthoughts (if they existed at all), and seatbelts were more like decorative accessories. The “safety method” involved Mom or Dad throwing their arm across your chest when they had to stop suddenly. That’s it. That was the plan.
It wasn’t until the 1970s that serious seatbelt regulations kicked in, and airbags didn’t become standard until the ’80s. By then, an entire generation had survived childhood as human projectiles. Car seats now reduce fatal injury by 71% for infants (<1 year) and by 54% for young children (1–4 years), according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)—but back then, nobody even knew those numbers existed.
Walking to School Alone (Yes, Even the Little Kids)
Forget helicopter parenting—’60s parents were more like air traffic controllers. They’d send you off into the world with a “be careful” and maybe a packed lunch if you were lucky.
Kids as young as six would walk miles to school, often through neighborhoods where they didn’t know a single adult. No GPS tracking, no check-ins, no crossing guards at every corner. You learned street smarts by actually being on the street, and your biggest backup plan was hoping an older kid was heading in the same direction.
Today, leaving a young child unsupervised can prompt legal action from child protection agencies. What seemed like building independence back then is now considered potential neglect in many states.
“The AAP recommends that kids are not ready to walk to school alone until about age 10, with parental assessment and safety training as essential steps,” says Dr. Humaira Abid, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine
Buying Cigarettes for Their Parents
It was totally normal for kids to march into the local store and buy a pack of Marlboros for dear old Dad. No age checks, no questions asked, no raised eyebrows. The clerk would just ring you up and send you on your way.
Think about it—children were literally the cigarette delivery service for their parents. They’d get handed some change, walk to the corner store, and come back with a pack of smokes like they were picking up milk. Wild, right?
As of December 20, 2019, it is illegal in the United States for any retailer to sell tobacco products—including cigarettes, cigars, and e-cigarettes—to anyone under 21. And even being caught with cigarettes as a minor can result in fines and legal trouble.
Dr. Stanton Glantz, a leading expert in tobacco control at UCSF, has long warned: “Early exposure to tobacco marketing is a predictor of later use. Laws are designed to reduce this exposure and access.”
Playing With Lawn Darts (Those Metal Death Traps)
Ever heard of Jarts? They were basically heavy, metal-tipped missiles disguised as a backyard game. Kids would throw these things across the yard, aiming for plastic rings on the ground. What could possibly go wrong?
Everything, apparently. These “toys” were responsible for thousands of injuries and several deaths before the U.S. finally banned them in 1988. From 1978 to 1986, over 6,100 lawn dart injuries were treated in hospital emergency rooms.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) officially banned the sale of all traditional, metal-tipped lawn darts on December 19, 1988. This came after highly publicized deaths, including that of a 7-year-old girl, which galvanized nationwide advocacy for stricter safety regulations
But for years, families gathered around to chuck sharp metal objects through the air for fun. Family bonding at its finest!
Hitchhiking Like It Was No Big Deal
Kids used to hitchhike. Not just teenagers—actual children would stick out their thumbs and hop into strangers’ cars to get to school, friends’ houses, or wherever they needed to go.
Small towns and rural areas were especially notorious for this. People trusted strangers more back then, and there was this unspoken belief that most drivers were just good folks trying to help out. The concept of “stranger danger” existed, but it wasn’t plastered on every street corner like it is today.
Most states now prohibit hitchhiking, especially for minors, due to well-documented risks including abduction and assault. In 1973, up to 9% of Americans reported hitchhiking at least once in a year. By 2019, the number was less than 1% (Pew Research, 2019).
“Hitchhiking exposes young people to elevated risk of violence and exploitation by strangers. Laws restricting this practice reflect evidence-driven concern for child safety.”—Dr. David Finkelhor, Director, Crimes Against Children Research Center, University of New Hampshire.
Riding Bikes Without Helmets (And Loving Every Bruise)
Bikes were freedom machines, and helmets were… well, they basically didn’t exist in most kids’ worlds. You’d race down hills, pop wheelies, and chase friends through neighborhoods with your hair flying in the wind and zero protection for your precious brain.
A scraped knee was a badge of honor, not a medical emergency. Parents expected you to fall, dust yourself off, and get back on that bike without whining about it. The phrase “walk it off” was basically the official medical advice for everything short of a broken bone.
The CDC now says helmets reduce head injury risk by 50%–85% for all ages. Many cities actually fine parents if their kids ride without helmets. Parents may face fines if their children ride without required helmets—ranging from $25 in California to as much as $100 in some other municipalities for repeat offenses.
But back then? You were more likely to get teased for wearing one than for not having it.
Playing on Playgrounds That Were Basically Obstacle Courses of Death
Forget about cushioned surfaces and carefully calculated fall zones. ’60s playgrounds were metal jungles of terror rising from concrete and asphalt. We’re talking towering monkey bars, spinning merry-go-rounds that could launch you into orbit, and slides so hot in summer they could literally burn your legs.
Kids played on equipment that would never pass today’s safety standards, and injuries were just part of the experience. You learned to be tough because the playground wasn’t going to baby you.
U.S. playgrounds are guided by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Public Playground Safety Handbook and ASTM F1292 standards for impact-attenuating surfaces.
“Each year, hospital emergency rooms treat more than 200,000 children ages 14 and younger for playground-related injuries…45% are considered severe,” notes the US Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Getting Paddled at School (Legally)
Teachers had some serious authority back in the day. If you acted up in class, you might find yourself bent over the principal’s desk getting smacked with a wooden paddle. This wasn’t abuse—it was just Tuesday.
Corporal punishment was widely accepted as an effective way to keep kids in line. Parents often supported it, and teachers used it regularly. The idea that hitting children might cause long-term psychological harm wasn’t really part of the conversation yet.
Corporal punishment is now banned in public schools in 34 states and the District of Columbia. However, as of July 2025, it remains legal in 16 states, almost all in the South, with some (such as Texas, Mississippi, and Alabama) still allowing or practicing it. The most recent ban was enacted by Florida in July 2025.
Over 135 countries have now banned corporal punishment in schools, including all EU member states, Canada, Japan, and many others. However, it remains legal or is still practiced in parts of Africa, the Middle East, South and Southeast Asia, and some US states.
Riding in the Back of Pickup Trucks
Nothing said “weekend adventure” like piling into the bed of someone’s pickup truck with five of your friends and cruising down country roads. No seatbelts, no safety barriers, just kids hanging out in an open truck bed at highway speeds.
This was considered perfectly normal family transportation. Heck, it was fun! The wind in your hair, the scenery rushing by, the constant fear of becoming road pizza if you hit a bump wrong… good times.
States such as California, Florida, North Carolina, Texas, Pennsylvania, and many others have laws specifically prohibiting children (typically under 16–18) from riding in open pickup beds, with exceptions only for specific activities (e.g., farm work, parades, emergencies, or when the vehicle has special restraints).
The Child Safety Network reports that about 50 people under age 21 die each year from truck bed incidents, with hundreds more injured. Turns out physics doesn’t care how much fun you’re having.
Being Left Home Alone or in Cars for Hours
Parents thought nothing of leaving young kids alone at home for hours while they ran errands or went out for the evening. A six-year-old babysitting their toddler sibling? Totally normal. Leaving kids in a hot car while you shopped? Just another Tuesday.
The concept of “appropriate supervision” was a lot looser back then. Kids were expected to be self-sufficient and responsible, even at ages that would seem shocking today.
From 1998 to July 2025, 1,026 children in the U.S. died of pediatric vehicular heatstroke, with an average of 37 deaths per year. A child’s body temperature rises 3–5 times faster than an adult’s, and interior car temperatures can climb by 40°F in under an hour—even on mild days.
The general consensus is that no child under 12 should be left home alone. Some states do have enforceable legal minimums (for example, 14 years old in Illinois, 12 in Delaware/Colorado, 8 in Maryland/North Carolina/Georgia), while others assess readiness and circumstances case by case.
Living in a Cloud of Secondhand Smoke
Smoking was everywhere—restaurants, cars, airplanes, doctor’s offices, your living room. Kids breathed secondhand smoke like it was oxygen, because honestly, it practically was. Cigarette ads featured babies and happy families, making smoking look like the healthiest thing you could do.
Nobody questioned whether this might be harmful to developing lungs. Smoking was sophisticated, cool, and basically unavoidable if you wanted to participate in society.
Since the 1960s, exposure to secondhand smoke among children has dropped from nearly universal to less than 20%, according to the CDC. As of 2025, at least seven US states and numerous countries (including the UK, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand) prohibit smoking in vehicles carrying minors (anyone under 18). Penalties can include fines of up to $100 or more for violations.
The Wild Days Are Behind Us (Thank Goodness)
Those wild days of the ’60s are artifacts of the past, and honestly? That’s probably for the best. Sure, kids today might not have the same raw freedom we did, but they’re also a lot less likely to end up in the emergency room (or worse) because of it.
The stories are fun to tell, and the nostalgia hits hard sometimes, but when you really think about it, most of us are pretty grateful that our own kids live in a world with car seats, bike helmets, and toys that won’t accidentally poison them.
What do you think? Do you miss those dangerous days of childhood freedom, or are you relieved that today’s kids are safer? Either way, we definitely lived through some interesting times!
Disclaimer – This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information. It is not intended to be professional advice.
Don’t Swipe Until You Read This: The 7 Best Credit Cards for 2025 Ranked by Rewards
The 7 Best Credit Cards for 2025 Ranked by Rewards
There’s this moment that sticks with me—standing at a checkout line, swiping my old card like I always did, and thinking, “Wait… why am I not getting anything back for this?” I wasn’t traveling on points. I wasn’t getting cash back. I was just spending. Sound familiar?
Look, the truth is, credit cards can work for you—if you choose the right one. And in 2025, you’ve got some seriously rewarding options that can actually boost your bank account. From travel lovers to grocery haulers, there’s something for everyone.
Let’s break down the best credit cards out there this year—the ones that actually give back.
16 Grocery Staples to Stock Up On Before Prices Spike Again
16 Grocery Staples to Stock Up On Before Prices Spike Again
I was in the grocery store the other day, and it hit me—I’m buying the exact same things I always do, but my bill just keeps getting higher. Like, I swear I just blinked, and suddenly eggs are a luxury item. What’s going on?
Inflation, supply-chain delays, and erratic weather conditions have modestly (or, let’s face it, dramatically) pushed the prices of staples ever higher. The USDA reports that food prices climbed an additional 2.9% year over year in May 2025—and that’s after the inflation storm of 2022–2023.
So, if you’ve got room in a pantry, freezer, or even a couple of extra shelves, now might be a good moment to stock up on these staple groceries—before the prices rise later.
