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!

lived near the beach went for the whole day with friends when I was about 12 suncream was unheard of we just got burnt I remember having sunstroke a couple of times very pale skin with freckles
Also remember stirring in back of estate car careycot with sister in not strapped in. Also coming home from hospital with her and the nurse put her in my arms and I held her all the way home no seatbelt I was eight years old

Prudential man coming round on his bike to collect insurance that your parents saved for you until you were 21

@Stiffcondomhat

Doing PE in your vest and pants because you forgot your pe kit. 21 year old dd is horrified by this!

This was entirely normal at the infant school I attended in the early-mid 90's. We didn't have PE kit until junior school.

@foxgoosefinch i also think people aren't referring to the seatbelts as more fun/ simpler
But playing out and things like that
We were more resilient as kids then and the it really was it takes a village to raise a child , people looked out for each other
Waling to the shops at a young age and generally being safer as there was a lot less cars for one

I did not sit any exams at all until I got to my senior school. The primary (or infant and middle school I was at) didn't really have structured lessons - everything was done by topic- I don't remember doing any history or geography

Walking to school alone from a very young age.

Travelling in the boot of mum and dad's estate car on the motorway. No seatbelts in the back either. Dh remembers how his dad once bought his mum a mini van to transport herself and her four children around in. Apparently she just laid out a mattress in the back!

People smoking at the back of buses and planes.

ice cream man parked up outside secondary school so spending all your dinner money on sweets crisps pop etc it sold and that was your dinner!!!

@orangetriangle

Prudential man coming round on his bike to collect insurance that your parents saved for you until you were 21

Yes I remember this!

Copious E numbers as standard in pretty much everything. My brother would go hyperactive after consuming anything E102 and E110 in it.

SMP Maths cards in different coloured boxes, there was an English version called SRA. Peter, Jane and Pat the dog

@SmallElephant

We also wore a T shirt and knickers for PE, and once had to go and stand outside school in them when there was a fire alarm!

Oh gawd, bri nylon gym knickers! I think I'd blocked those out. Our legs used to be mottled purple with the cold out playing hockey.

I grew up in the 90s but had many similar experiences. We would roam all day from about 8 and go home when it was dark, mostly through dodgy looking woods that I wouldn't even dream of walking through now as an adult. I recall finding an old mattress, magazines cans, needles etc once and us all trying to figure out why you'd keep that in the woods!

Also as a family of 6 the two youngest always shared the middle seat belt in our 5 seater. Drove to Europe and back like it in the early 90s, no-one batted an eyelid. The later it got in the 90s the more I remember having to lay down on the floor or duck when a police car came past though.

it all sounds idyllic but actually the majority of it was quite dangerous my own childrens childhoods were nothing like this and I'm glad really. Another one black board rubber thrown at us. In primary school exams every year and teacher reading out where we came in the class great if you were first not so great if you were last At senior school split in colours according to ability taught to recite by teachers brilliant blues grotty greens and rubbishy reds shocking but sadly true

my grandparents car had one long bench seat in the front so I just sat in the middle in the front every time we drove 4 hours on holiday no seatbelt

went to school with a girl who went to the Olympics when she came back she stood on the roof of the sports hall with concrete all around it to show us her medals!!

penny for the guy standing outside shop at 6 years old laying in back of car sleeping no seatbelt

Building a go cart with my brothers out of pram wheels, a plank of wood and some rope! Finding the steepest hill to go down and hoping you didn’t crack your head open!

Playing in the train tracks. We use to walk past the massive electricity generators under the bridge along side the river. Through the woods past the gun shed that was built in the war full of needles and porn and put coins on the track. My mother had no idea where we were. I feel sick thinking about it.

Playing in the village church. Trying the church wine! Climbing up the inside of the tower, hanging out on the rafters by the bell. Also climbing in derelict farm buildings, grain stores and on old farm machinery.

Lighting fires in drainage gulleys and under bridges. 'Cooking' sausages bought from home and eating them half-raw.

Running under the stomach of large horses for a dare!

Being ferried around in the boot of a car! Distinctly remember a friend called Lisa had a McDonalds party (much revered) and her Mum took 8 of us in her estate car.

Drinking loads of fizzy drinks at the local 'Club' aged about 7 (eg working man's club) when my parents went. Never be allowed that much pop now!

Going to the local pub about age 13/14 and ordering a Baileys and a chocolate bar to share with a friend- and getting served!

Going to nightclubs aged 16.

Getting the bus to school at 9 years old. It cost 10p return

We used to play in the straw barns in the farm. If you ended up down the bottom surround by 4/5 round bales high stacked tight all around it was bloody hard and scary trying to get out. I remember being at my friends and one of the barns there catching fire. Only a couple of years ago her big brothers admitted they'd been down on the ground in the middle of the stack and decided to light a bonfire. God knows how they'd got out in time and no one realised 🙈

Wearing a terry towelling nappy with a massive pin that held it together.

To be honest a lot of this just sounds like shit parenting. Yes times were different but neglect was still neglect. My dad tells some awful stories of his childhood, his father in the pub all day and his mother smoking in the kitchen not feeding them so they shoplifted. My mam had a very different experience, very normal by today's standards, loving, caring. They only grew up streets apart so not a location thing.

These are great. I’ve also just been thinking about how we used to play in the allotments when we were about 9 or 10 until it was dark. Also remember getting my mum’s cigs from the off license in the pub.

Just thought of another.

In my small village primary our art lessons often consisted of being told to take paper snd pencils and leave the school premises and find something to draw. We’d all split up, no teacher went with is. There were only 5 of us in my year.

Also we were a 2 class primary, infant class and junior class. We had mixed tables. So in year 6 I was “table prefect” and had younger kids to look after. Every afternoon we either had maths or English workbooks to work through at our own pace. The two teachers went in the staff room and left us. If the younger kids on my table were stuck they were expected to ask me to explain the maths to them!