As I monitored my daughter’s whereabouts using a tracking app while simultaneously texting my son on his way home from school, I couldn’t help but reflect on how drastically parenting has evolved since my own childhood. From advanced technology alerting us to our teen drivers’ speeding habits to car seats that boast safety features reminiscent of space travel, today’s parenting landscape is far safer than it once was.
It’s amusing to think we made it through our formative years unscathed, especially considering some of the risky practices we encountered. Practices such as drinking from a garden hose or being unsupervised for hours were just the tip of the iceberg. Let’s take a look at nine parenting norms from previous generations that are now viewed as reckless.
1. Smoking and Drinking During Pregnancy
Back in the day, it was commonplace for pregnant women to smoke and consume alcohol without a second thought. I vividly remember my friend’s mother—very much pregnant—urging us to play outside while she took a drag from her cigarette. Fast forward to today, and it’s hard to fathom the acceptance of these behaviors. I once ordered a drink just days before giving birth, and my server was quick to lecture me, as if my mother’s choices somehow justified mine.
2. Riding in the Wayback of Station Wagons
My siblings and I cherished the freedom of the wayback seat in our family’s station wagon, where we would goof around and entertain drivers behind us. In contrast, my SUV today is equipped with airbags and specialized seatbelts, making me grateful for our luck in avoiding accidents back then.
3. Lack of Safety Restraints
Children often sat unrestrained in the back seat, and infants were held in their mothers’ laps without a second thought. The idea of a child covering a parent’s eyes while driving seems absurd now. It’s hard to imagine anyone allowing that today.
4. Secondhand Smoke Ignorance
My father’s heavy smoking in our home was a norm I accepted. He would entertain us with smoke rings while puffing away in the living room. However, today’s understanding of secondhand smoke highlights the serious risks that were previously overlooked.
5. Consuming Raw Cookie Dough
Many of us still sneak a spoonful of cookie dough now and then, despite knowing the potential for salmonella. Some habits die hard, and this is one of them!
6. Home Alone with Sharp Objects
Many of us were latchkey kids, returning to empty homes and often left unsupervised with items like scissors and knives. We roamed free, with little oversight on our activities, yet somehow, we survived to tell the tale—mostly unscathed.
7. Riding in Moving Pickup Trucks
It’s a mystery how parents thought it was safe to let kids ride in the back of moving pickup trucks. I often wonder what they were thinking back then.
8. Helmetless Adventures
Whether on bicycles or sledding down snowy hills, helmets were nonexistent in our childhood escapades. I often fell and hit my head without any protection. Although the past may have seemed more carefree, I’m thankful for today’s emphasis on safety gear.
9. Dangerous Crib Practices
My younger siblings often climbed in and out of cribs, and I recall my brother getting stuck between the slats once. Our cribs were filled with blankets and pillows, considered comforting but now recognized as potential hazards for infants. We were essentially sleeping in unsafe environments.
While many parents today may argue that we are raising overly protected children who can’t navigate real-life challenges, surviving our childhoods—complete with laps in the front seat and unmonitored bike rides—doesn’t equate to being “just fine.” I fully anticipate my kids will call me out for my parenting missteps two decades from now. Perhaps by then, we’ll have figured out how to make cookie dough safe for everyone.
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Summary
This article explores outdated parenting practices that are now deemed hazardous, such as smoking during pregnancy, unrestrained riding in vehicles, and dangerous crib setups. It highlights how much safer parenting has become and acknowledges the generational shifts in attitudes toward child safety.