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

631 replies

newlabelwriter · 03/01/2022 16:47

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!

OP posts:
alienalan · 05/01/2022 08:40

Mum and dad went to a NYE party at a neighbours and and left us kids at home watching tv. We were about 7&9. No mobiles then. They called home a couple times.

I'm guessing they stayed out after midnight

AutumnAlmanack · 05/01/2022 09:04

My mother had a MG Midget (very small 2-seater convertible) which she used to take me to school in. We sometimes gave other girls a lift and it was always me who had to sit in between the seats with one leg either side of the gear stick!

When flying in the 70s/80s, apart from smoking being allowed, they used to let people go onto the flight deck and chat to the pilots. On one trip, I remember they both had their feet up on the ?dashboard thingy and were eating chocolates from a large open box! How I'd love to go onto the flight deck now!

When studying French A Level, a teacher took us to Southampton University in her car to see a play. We all (3 of us) changed into trousers for the afternoon. The Headmistress got wind of this and we were all give a sound telling-off the next day; her words still ring in my ears 'the IDEA of wearing trousers to the Theatre'!!!

When I was very small, my mother used to push me through the hedge at the bottom of our garden so I could play with the children who lived there!

About 9 or 10, my mother sometimes used to send me over to the shops and in particular a haberdashery shop to buy her sanitary towels. I hated it and was so embarrassed, I used to buy ribbons and hairbands before plucking up the courage to ask for the things!

Unihorn · 05/01/2022 09:39

You could still go in to speak to the pilots up until 9/11 I believe, I definitely did in the late 90s.

Peppaismyrolemodel · 05/01/2022 09:40

@Sparklingbrook

Anyway, some seatbelt legislation history from ROSPA in case anyone cares!

You seem to be on some sort of seat belt history and information crusade...

No need to get personal- pp is just making the point that more freedom has negative consequences too- it’s possibly to reminisce without ignoring this!
Sparklingbrook · 05/01/2022 09:45

No need to get personal- pp is just making the point that more freedom has negative consequences too- it’s possibly to reminisce without ignoring this!

Not personal. Just an observation, the seatbelt facts were coming thick and fast at that point in the thread!

A8888 · 05/01/2022 10:39

In the 90s at my birthday party we'd normally have a bouncy castle, we'd chant for my parents to 'LET IT DOWN' then we'd sit inside while they turned it off and it deflated, then we'd drag ourselves out.

workingtheusername · 05/01/2022 11:09

Playing out on local waste ground
Getting mums fags from shop
Getting served in pubs at 15
Laughing at the local flasher???!!!

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 05/01/2022 11:14

Taking a short cut across railway sidings.

specialsauce · 05/01/2022 11:20

Made pretend cigarettes out of paper and sticky tape. My nan would give me an empty B&H box and I'd pretend to smoke them.

This made me laugh @Bumblefuzz. Good ol' nan! Grin

TansySorrel · 05/01/2022 11:23

I remember my mum driving ten children home from a leisure centre birthday party squashed into the car. Kids squashed into footwells etc. It's so strange that people recognised the need for seat belts in the front but didn't see the need for there to be seat belts in the back

TansySorrel · 05/01/2022 11:25

I too was envious of cousins who got to sleep in the back of the car when they went on holiday with the back seats laid flat

TansySorrel · 05/01/2022 11:27

I walked home from school alone from infant school age (5-7) I didn't live that near the school but the roads I had to cross were quiet. I remember getting home once and my mum wasn't in so I sat on the doorstep and a neighbour took me in

Chocaholic9 · 05/01/2022 11:40

I used to walk to school in the 90s age 5. It was about one mile down a busy road with smaller roads to cross. I also used to go into the town on the bus by myself from age 8. I later learned this was considered a bit neglectful and friends and neighbours had called the social services on my parents.

I loved it though, I was so lucky to have freedom. Me and my brothers were free range kids.

LucyLocketLostThePlot · 05/01/2022 12:36

Everyone smoked everywhere.

Sparklingbrook · 05/01/2022 12:44

I remember we used an old Hamlet cigar tin to keep my flashcards in when learning to read at Infant school. Grin

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 05/01/2022 12:56

@specialsauce

Made pretend cigarettes out of paper and sticky tape. My nan would give me an empty B&H box and I'd pretend to smoke them.

This made me laugh @Bumblefuzz. Good ol' nan! Grin

We used to get sweetie cigarettes in a box that was made to look like a cigarette box.
BlackeyedSusan · 05/01/2022 13:12

Walked to school with a friend, both age five. The lollypop lady put us over the road outside school.

Cars with no seatbelts in the back. Standing up chewing on the top of the front seat. Seatbelts in the front weren't retractable, you adjusted them to fit. No head rests.

Playing out as a preschooler, in the dark with one preschooler friend.

Roaming to the next village age 10 crossing a 70mph dual carriageway. Playing in the stream, wandering round the woods and the dump (waste ground with lumps and hollows) playing in the building foundations of the new builds, wandering around building sites of houses being built.

Going to playgroup in the back of the leaders car. We ran off and got lost for quite a while as building work meant they were meeting in a different room.

Outside toilets at my mum's school where I accompanied her until I started school. Used to go and play in there with the big girls. (Top infants)

Going to school with my mum when I was poorly and being put on a cushion in the book corner to lie down. From age 7 I was left alone at home poorly. Mum popped in at her lunchtime, then dad popped in a couple of hours later at his lunchtime.

Had my own key at age 7. Latch key kid. Wandered round the neighbouring kids houses. Mum used to stand in the back garden and yell up the street so I would come home.

Being poorly in school and being driven home in the front seat of the heads car. Being allowed to let myself in even if no-one was home. I lay on the floor of the living room as I felt grim and was very sick later.

Lay down to sleep on the back seat of the car going on holiday

Pe in vest and navy knickers.

The big radio being wheeled into the school classroom on a trolley and plugged into the wall both aerial and electricity.

School climbing frame over the concrete.
Witches hat and slides with a cage at the top over concrete. Roundabouts with injury inducing gaps underneath.

Ineverpromisedyouarosegarden · 05/01/2022 13:34

Lots of these but also learning to swim in a river!

bendmeoverbackwards · 05/01/2022 13:37

@Cuck00soup

Going more than an hour without a drink of water.
I remember being very thirsty at primary school. We had a jug of water on a table for 6 children but when it was gone it was gone! It didn’t occur to anyone to ask for more. And doing PE when it was hot - no water bottles! The best you had was a quick drink from the water fountain while the queuing children would count loudly up to 10, then your turn was over!
RoyalFamilyFan · 05/01/2022 13:44

We just asked the dinner ladies to refill the water jugs. I never remember being thirsty. I do remember drinking a lot of water at dinner time.

Sparklingbrook · 05/01/2022 13:52

These were what our water was served in at lunchtime at infant school. With beakers to match.

If you grew up in 70s/80s what things did you do which would be unimaginable these days.
valerianroot · 05/01/2022 14:11

@Sparklingbrook

These were what our water was served in at lunchtime at infant school. With beakers to match.
Oh yes! And I remember the total excitement when they were full of coffee instead of water, this was also at infants / primary (this has lead to a lifelong hatred of coffee as it was so disgusting but for some reason I still found it amazing when it was being served Grin
Butteryflakycrust83 · 05/01/2022 14:12

Gosh - so many things!

Holding my mums cigarette to the in car lighter to light it for her!

What car seat?

Being able to cycle off with my friends and my mum would have to drive around looking for me if she needed me. Age 8.

Walking to school alone in the dark age 11 onwards.

SilenceOfThePrams · 05/01/2022 15:18

@Sparklingbrook

These were what our water was served in at lunchtime at infant school. With beakers to match.
Ah looking at that picture I can taste the metallic water so strongly! Happy days!

One beaker per jug too, shared between the class.

Girls at the top of juniors got to take it in turns being in charge of the dining room and sitting with a slop bucket. We had the responsibility of checking a reasonable amount had been eaten before allowing children to scrape plates and stack them. Such power!

A girls’ playground and a boys’ playground. The dinner ladies made French elastics out of old frayed tights for the girls, or tied a long rope to the drainpipe and turned it for us to skip in and out of. They made marble bags for the boys using old clothes, with more old tights cut up for the drawstring. Hopscotch and jacks and endless complicated clapping games.

School trips, squeezing 3 to every 2 seats on the coach. Or taking the minibus with wooden benches down each side. Safer with the whole class rammed in and nowhere to move than if you only had half a dozen and would slide around helplessly.

Trips in my uncle’s white van. No seats at all; perch on the tool box/paint tins/petrol drum and hold on tight.

bendmeoverbackwards · 05/01/2022 15:19

@Sparklingbrook

These were what our water was served in at lunchtime at infant school. With beakers to match.
Yes to the metal jugs! But our beakers were plastic in various shades of green and blue.
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