15 Shocking Things Boomers Endured Growing Up That Are Hard to Believe Today

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How did Baby Boomers live as they grew up? Younger generations have a hard time envisioning it. The life experiences of Boomers (1946–1964) during their childhood and adolescence were very different from what we have today. They strode through downright dangerous playgrounds, created their first jobs without the labor protections we now take for granted, and generally did things that today might seem unimaginable or — gasp! — shocking.

It would be good to look at 15 surprising aspects of life that Boomers grew up with, which give us a window into a world that seems a million miles away from our society today.

Playing on Playgrounds without Safety Regulations

Shocking Things Boomers Endured Growing Up That Are Hard to Believe Today — Image credits: Kha Ruxury/Pexels

The boomers’ playgrounds were notoriously unsafe. Unlike today’s playground equipment, safety regulations didn’t go into effect in the U.S. until the late 1970s.

In comparison, 90% of safety materials, such as wood chips and rubber, are adopted on today’s playground surfaces to reduce injury risks.

It Was Completely Normal to Smoke Anywhere

It was as routine as ordering a coffee to watch someone light a cigarette indoors. During the 1950s and early 60s, cigarette advertisements even touted the supposed “health benefits” of smoking, with doctors appearing in ads to promote particular brands.

Attitudes on smoking didn’t start to shift until 1964, when the Surgeon General’s report linked smoking to cancer. Such widespread smoking now feels unimaginable by today’s standards, when in many places, smoking has been banned, and awareness campaigns are broadcast all over the place.

Drinking from the Garden Hose

Most families didn’t perceive bottled or filtered water. If they played outside, they would drink water from the garden hose.

Until now, this was standard practice for Boomers, but modern health and environmental experts warn against it. They note that garden hose materials can be lead-contaminated and often full of bacteria.

No Seat Belts for Car Seats

If used at all, child car seats were fashioned for convenience, not safety. New York was the first state to pioneer the car seat safety bill, which didn’t mandate seatbelt laws until 1984. Research now shows that wearing seat belts reduces the likelihood of death in car crashes by 45%.

Lead Paint and Asbestos Everywhere

Asbestos was common in insulation, ceiling tiles, and even school buildings. Lead-based paint wasn’t banned for residential use until 1978. Since then, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has reported that exposure to lead-based paint can cause irreversible brain damage, and asbestos exposure is linked to lung cancer and mesothelioma.

Purchased Milk Delivered to your Doorstep

A milkman used to bring milk to the doors of Boomer families in glass bottles instead of going to a grocery store, a tradition that began to die out in the 1960s once supermarkets became more prevalent.

It was necessary during the earlier Boomer years when there wasn’t nearly as much refrigeration in homes as now, and some may have found that quaint.

Walking to School Alone at a Young Age

It was customary for kids to walk alone to school, and the term “helicopter parenting” didn’t exist when Boomers were growing up.

Children as young as six or seven routinely walked to school alone, making their way along busy streets without what we would now call adult supervision. This is much less common today: Pew Research reports that the number of parents supervising kids is up through the teen years.

Televisions Without Remote Control or Streaming Options

Television was a luxury early in the Boomer generation. Usually, there was one TV in the house with a few channels, and you turned a dial to change the channel.

This can be contrasted to the dominance of on-demand streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu, on which viewers can access thousands of shows by clicking a button.

School Corporal Punishment

Corporal punishment was common when boomer kids attended school. According to the National Education Association, it was legal nearly nationwide until the late 20th century.

In today’s world, 17 states still allow this practice, but many educational experts push for alternative, nonphysical ways to discipline.

Polio Epidemics Before Vaccine Time

Parents of Boomers lived with fear before the polio vaccine of 1955, for this devastating disease often left children paralyzed.

It wasn’t until public vaccination campaigns in the late 1950s and early 1960s had eradicated polio in the U.S., however, that the impact of medical advancements on public health became readily apparent.

Word Processors & Personal Computers

The average boomer was decades away from knowing the computer. High school kids learned how to type on typewriters and made copies on carbon paper.

The explosion of digital devices didn’t begin until boomers were well into adulthood. Students’ learning and communication shifted.

Gender-Based Roles in Careers and Education

Hard-Hitting Reasons Boomers Had It Rougher Than Millennials — Image Credit: Howard R. Hollem/Wikimedia Commons

Boys were directed towards a high-paying or leadership career, and boomer girls were trained for nursing or teaching.

The norms challenged by the Women’s Liberation Movement of the late 1960s to the 1980s helped create the gender equality that the world experiences in education and the workforce today.

No Food Labels or Nutritional Information

During the boomers’ early days, nutrition labels didn’t exist. Foods did not have labels on calorie counts, lists of ingredients, or allergen warnings, even on packaged foods.

As Congress required mandatory food labeling through the FDA implementation in 1990, consumers have become much more aware of what they’re eating and its implications for their health.

Old Rotary Phones with Long Distance Charges

The Hardest Truths to Accept in Life According to Boomers — Image Credit: pikwizard.com

Boomers’ communication wasn’t so simple. Dialing a rotary phone required patience, and a long-distance call was expensive.

Today’s smartphones are convenient, and users can call, text, and video chat anywhere in the world without any time constraints.

There was Outdoor Play Without Supervision

Boomers grew up with countless hours of unsupervised outdoor play, playing as far as their neighborhood allowed them. Skip ahead to today, and parents do a much better job of monitoring what their kids are doing.

A Gallup poll found that 42% of parents now worry about their children’s safety when they play outdoors, compared with just 25% in past decades.

Disclaimer – This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.