Boomer Norms: All The Things Millennials Just Wouldn’t Understand About Their Way Of Life

Between 1946 and 1964, the lives that people experienced varied drastically from the millennial lifestyle. Because it was such a different time, most of what boomers went through back in the day would seem largely foreign to today’s kids.

The youth of the 1960s and 1970s had a very contrasting experience when it came to finding shows on TV. They had to wait…yes, wait, to watch their favorite cartoons on Saturday. And, considering there wasn’t any social media or YouTube, they had significantly fewer choices overall.

A tablespoon of sugar was even found in cornflakes that were unsugared. And, while there were probably bigger smiles and happier children in the mornings, their cavities were also quite big.

However, lead paint in the boomer generation was widely used. It was used in so many things, despite the well-known fact that the paint was poisonous. To workers and residents of homes with lead-based paint, lead exposure was high. It was as early as 1904 that people still used lead paint even though it posed health risks.

Chemistry sets in the boomer era contained hazardous lead and were also the result of sometimes fatal explosions. The Gilbert Nuclear Physics Kit was one of these kinds of sets that would create such explosions.

The Pinto was released by Ford in 1970 and it contained a major defect (which many other cars possessed). Pintos would explode because of the wretched design of their fuel tanks.

Well, this was considered normal behavior in the boomer days. Other people in the community would come together to reprimand a child for their bad behavior. Once the child got home, they would even get it worse from their actual parents.

Boys of the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s, were forced to not cry or exhibit any emotion. Preparing the boys to become strong, reliable men came with the no-tear policy.

For boomers, it was nothing for them to be gone from early morning until the streetlights came on, and the parents did not have any idea where the kids even were. Don’t get us wrong, we believe parents cared; we just think it was a safer time to raise a child.

In the boomer’s time, hippies and other people were known to hitchhike across the country, and children have even been reported to hitchhike when they were running away.

However, not only was it normal in those days to smoke in the home and car with little kids in close range, but teenagers were encouraged to smoke as a sign they were growing up. Additionally, we should mention that children could walk in the store easily and pick up a pack of cigarettes for their parents without any problem, and nobody would have batted an eye if you smoked with an infant in your arms.

Of course, today this is potentially a dangerous situation for children and would not be advised. In general, allowing one’s young kids to wander about the city or town unsupervised is typically unheard of today.

Back then, bullies would place another child’s head in a toilet and flush — also known as a swirly. Not only is this extremely unhygienic, but it’s downright cruel. We’re happy this is one tradition that’s been left in the past.

In the 40s, 50s, and 60s, there weren’t neighborhood parks everywhere. And just like today, not everyone has a big enough backyard for children to play freely. This led to girls drawing hopscotch boards on the streets, and boys playing tag and hockey right in the middle of the road.

On the other hand, not every toy from these decades was revolutionary. Some of them were flat-out dangerous, and there weren’t regulations on them like there are today. A prime example is Creepy Crawlies. Don’t let its name fool you; nobody was concerned that this involved bugs. It, however, came with a hot plate that kids were instructed to heat up to 300 degrees Fahrenheit, more than enough to give them a serious burn. It didn’t help that children often used the hot plate to melt plastic and metal.

Back in the 50s and 60s, little girls were given play ovens, strollers, and dolls and were expected to stay in line. Obviously, just like today, this wasn’t for every girl.

Boys were expected to play with toys deemed for boys while girls were expected to play with toys deemed for girls. Any other way was considered improper, but of course, by today’s standards those expectations have changed.

If you’re a boomer woman, chances are you may have put some products in your hair that weren’t healthy for your hair and may have even damaged it. For instance, many girls used peroxide that harmed their scalps and rollers that hurt. Didn’t like your curly hair? You may have even used a standard clothing iron to straighten your hair, which ultimately would burn it.

As boomers were growing up, nuns in schools had no problem whipping out a ruler and cracking the naughty child across the knuckles. If a nun had enough with a child, it was common for them to drag the child by the ear to the principal’s office.

Today, we walk into the candy store with children, regulate what they get, and leave. We couldn’t imagine letting children spend that much time in a candy store unsupervised, and they’re probably much better off for it.

Boomer babies weren’t so lucky. There were no guidelines to dictate how far apart the slats were, which meant that a child’s head could easily get stuck in between a pair. It’s been reported that children’s little fingers got stuck as well.

Children of the 50s and 60s probably dreaded getting a wound. If a kid got a cut or a scrape, a parent poured mercurochrome — a bright red liquid consisting of mercury that burnt upon application. Fortunately, this antiseptic is no longer used.

Imagine taking your dancing skills to the next level as you attempt to socialize and impress your friends with your epic roller moves all while jamming out to Donna Summer or the Bee Gees. Today, you’ll have to go out of your way to find a roller rink around.

Children in boomer times didn’t quite know when they would be able to venture out of their homes at times. During two years in the 70s, the US was dealing with a gas shortage. Gas stations began to display signs as to whether they had gas or not.

Boomers received the smallpox vaccine, though. You’ll notice that most boomers have the scar to show for it — a round circle from the smallpox vaccine gun.

When boomers were being born, this wasn’t known, and it wasn’t uncommon to see a pregnant woman holding a glass of wine, smoking a cigarette, or both at the same time.

For most boomers, there was only one landline in the house connected to the wall. It was a common occurrence for children to fight with other children for phone usage privileges. Not to mention, there was no such thing as caller-ID or call waiting at that time, and only wealthy people had more than one line.

The fire hydrants were turned on by city officials during the summer to cool off hot children. When city officials didn’t do it, parents or siblings would turn it on. Now, that’s something considered highly illegal to do.

Although school buses were around for boomers, not all areas had them, and children, even younger elementary-aged kids were encouraged to walk further distances. It seems like something that’s a shame not to do anymore, but it’s not nearly as safe out there as it once was.

Imagine a time in the 50s and 60s where children were playing outside and drinking right from the hose. Whether you know it or not, bacteria and mold can grow inside of a hose. That’s not taking into consideration that some hoses are made from toxic materials.

Mothers were entering the workforce in the 1960s, which left a lot of children fending for themselves more than ever before. Keep in mind that by 1970, about 31 percent of two-parent households had both parents working. During these years, children were given a key to enter their otherwise empty house and told not to let anybody in. Many of us couldn’t imagine doing that to our children in today’s world.

However, what can’t be debated is that boomers grew up getting spanked, or even getting hit with a belt, as a form of discipline. Today, some of these punishments could have resulted in a call to children’s services.

Back in those times, children would chase the trucks that emitted insecticides and other toxic chemicals to kill mosquitoes and other pests. Little did we know then that children were inhaling toxic fumes, as they ran after the trucks as a game.

The first helmet wasn’t even created until 1975, so boomer kids definitely weren’t wearing helmets growing up. Even as they started gaining popularity, you were made fun of for wearing one because it wasn’t deemed as cool or fashionable. Parents in the 50s, 60s and 70s were always encouraging their kids to shake off skinned knees or bumped heads.

Beach time for boomers was so much different. They were left at the beach while their parents went back home to accomplish chores and other tasks. Sounds like a serious drowning risk, doesn’t it? Back then, lifeguards would watch the children and make sure they stayed safe. They probably deserved a raise!

Back in the day, children would jump on trampolines for hours without any enclosure around them. As you can picture, children were limping, bruised, and suffering from broken bones from flying off of trampolines.

In the 50s, 60s, and 70s, the Internet didn’t exist, so parents didn’t have that luxury of setting up playdates by contacting the other parent through Facebook. Children didn’t have cell phones, so they weren’t expected to check in like they do today. Parents would go for hours and hours and have no idea where their children were.

For children growing up in the boomer days, it was a common occurrence to see parents spinning children as fast as they can. You can just imagine the number of kids who vomited or flew off the equipment and had serious injuries.

With global warming being such a concern, most parents raising this generation would cringe to think that a parent would let their child be at risk for skin cancer as well as serious and painful sunburns like that.

However, the 1960s were when protective fathers were chasing their daughter’s beau out of the yards, possibly even with a shotgun in hand. Today, girls would be traumatized.

Fortunately, TV dinners were microwaveable and came out in the 50s as a convenient meal option. Yet, not all families had TV dinners available at all times and children were often left cooking unsupervised.

If you were growing up several decades ago, it was common to talk to a stranger without ever thinking anything of it. It was a much safer, more innocent time, and parents didn’t have the worries they do now when it comes to suspicious strangers.

Back in that time, a child would exchange blood with their closest friend and call each other blood brother or blood sister. Friendship bracelets and handshakes are so much safer and less painful!

For boomer babies, the rearview window had a cushy spot where you could sleep. Not only were they at risk of getting seriously injured during an accident, especially during a rear-end collision, but how could parents see what’s behind them when driving? We’re curious as to how this became a good idea.

Children back in the day would take a picture on a camera and shake the picture that printed out profusely until it developed and dried fully. This was actually just a waste of time because it didn’t help them develop any faster, as noted on Polaroid’s website.

In the past, if a child wanted to play around the house, it was an obstacle course of potential deathtraps. Electrical cords, outlets, sharp edges, and choking hazards were all in reach. Even medicine bottles didn’t have childproof seals. We can only imagine their curiosity and amazement with these dangerous things!

Today, the culture has changed. Parents interact with their children at the dinner table. In fact, in the era of smartphones, some kids feel that they get too much conversation from their parents at the dinner table! Nevertheless, family talks are essential to strengthen bonds and to facilitate understanding and unity.

At present, Americans who are 19-26 years old cannot be drafted into the military. Instead, they must apply if they wish to follow this as a career. Indeed, nowadays the military can be quite selective, with many people not making it in.

Obviously, with all that sugar twirling around in their mouths, cavities were a massive issue. Teachers and parents became more and more strict about the sweet treats as the dentist bills grew.

The photo above is clear evidence of what a dull, unattractive skateboard looked like in the past. This obviously didn’t make for the best skateboard stunts since all you could really do was go forward. No wonder some boomers get mad at skateboarders today – they’re probably just jealous!

If you were a baby, you may have gotten to ride on your mother’s lap while she (or your dad) was driving. Though all that freedom sounds fun, as you can probably imagine, it put people in more danger of being hurt. Thankfully, cars back then didn’t travel at the same speeds they can reach today. 

This toy involved liquefying plastic and metal with extreme heat. How could this be considered safe for kids? We wonder how their parents allowed them to play with such dangerous toys.

If you weren’t the perpetrator, you were the victim of annoyance. Sibling bonds surely got toughened up in the ‘60s with all the fighting and screaming. What do you think?

When Americans saw President Richard Nixon resign from the White House and get into that helicopter instead of being impeached, the country was enthralled, making that incident the most extraordinary one to go down during the ‘70s.

Star Wars is a space opera, and the infamous franchise was created by George Lucas. The original 1977 film instantly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The rest, as they say, is history.