If you grew up in 70s/80s what things did you do which would be unimaginable these days.

[newlabelwriter]

Just thinking about this. When I was about 9 my friend and I used to go around knocking on our neighbours doors to see if we could pick dandelions (or something similar) for her pet rabbits. Seems such a random thing to do and obviously v v young to knocking on doors to go into their gardens!

All of the things everyone has mentioned ....

What I loved was just being out all day in London!!

Perverts in the park always! They were everywhere 😱😱 looking back

Being left at home all day if you were sick

No seatbelts lost both my front teeth from slamming into the dashboard

Broke several bones falling onto concrete from a climbing frame, 6 weeks in hospital

Mum giving me kaolin and morphine to sooth any ailment 😱😱😱

I wouldn't do any of this to my kids it was a harsh environment for children tbf

We had those metal bars in the playground and used to swing round and round/upside down on them above the concrete. People would say 'you'll crack your head open' but nobody at our school ever did.

70s. Played out all day in holidays until Mum got home and I could go in (8 onwards).

Playing out all day and coming home at dark with parents only having a rough idea where you were
All cramming in a car 2 families in one at times
Front door left unlocked and i lived on a london council estate
Walking through the subway to see my nan on my own when visiting my other nan
We were much more street smart than my own kids are today I would say
Great times though , no mobiles etc so life was simpler

Doing handstands and cartwheels all the time with no thought to showing underwear

Another one in last year of primary school some of us would be sent to the staff room to do teachers washing up we would put sweeteners hidden in the sugar bowl or some of us would be sent to the local shops at lunchtime with a list and money to so the teachers shopping 10 years old!!

@orangetriangle we did that too ! Was such an honour !!

Headrests in cars being optional

Oh yes! ITV was really frowned upon in our house!

Brownies trips out to swimming etc- cramming as many kids into a car as humanly possible so boot of hatchback, sitting in front footwell etc.

My brother regularly used to travel lying on the passenger shelf in car

Our science teacher at secondary distilled whiskey and made into pure alcohol then passed it round in a science Beamer and everyone dipped in their finger and had a taste.

When I first started school before we got reading books we had a tobacco tin full of words

Our school girls and boys did metal work, woodwork , needle work and home economics you did a term of each then picked one to do the second year , tbf we were allowed to pick football etc as well only rugby that we couldn't do , otherwise sports were open to all to pick as per games lessons , we must of been ahead of the times

Walking to Brownies in the dark (a mile) aged about 8/9, about 6pm. I was collected though. Later on aged about 12 walking similar route to go to other hobbies, and being allowed to return around 9pm by myself as well. Under strict instructions what to do if being followed or had a problem, where to cross the road, and not to go the alleyway route which was a bit shorter. No mobiles of course. One phone box on the way IIRC. And it was along residential streets, not a business park or woodland or anything like that.

Having to bump start a car because it is too cold - using the "choke"

The test card - TV shutting down in the middle of the day

Going into the bookies to put on my dad's bets on the horses- aged 8 onwards. They were quite complex bets and I had to write out the betting slips and pay at the counter. Collected any winnings too.

Hiding behind the sofa aged about 6, when the leccyman came to read the meter (It was sometimes rigged because we couldn't afford the bills).

@Chunkymenrock

Oh yes! ITV was really frowned upon in our house!

We were not allowed ITV. We had the Radio Times in the leather binder. I was not able to discuss TISWAS at all on a Monday morning.

I wasn't allowed itv I thought I was the only one. I wasn't allowed to watch Grange Hill either because it was for common children.

We used to phone up Busby from pay phones.

@Pistou we did care about the boys seeing our knickers, we just wouldn't have thought to complain about it.
We still still handstands etc, we just waited until they were playing football well away from us.

[quote ISpyCobraKai]@Pistou we did care about the boys seeing our knickers, we just wouldn't have thought to complain about it.
We still still handstands etc, we just waited until they were playing football well away from us.[/quote]
I agree

Not thinking to complain about school dinners if you had them.
You ate it or went hungry, I didn't mind them, still now I'll eat pretty much anything!

If you had a packed lunch, it was fine to have white bread, processed meat, crisps, squash and a chocolate biscuit.

Riding in the milkman's van around the local streets on his round. He was/ is a lovely family man and there was nothing dodgy in the slightest. He was just friendly.

Playing out in the suburban roads of London with neighbours kids with little worry about traffic.

1980s childhood.

Back to the handstands/playground games, girls would not have been welcome to join in the football

@foxgoosefinch do you have stats to show more accidents happened ? I brought a d reg car in 90's it never had seatbelts , i paid to have them put in as i took my younger cousins out and seatbelts were becoming more of a thing so they were not in all cars at all

Midwife visiting in a uniform with a navy hat

@ISpyCobraKai - 'Not thinking to complain about school dinners if you had them. You ate it or went hungry'

Brings back memories of unpitted prunes with cold custard for pudding!