What do you remember of your childhood that would be unacceptable now?

[Happyspendingthedayinthegarden]

I'm thinking smoking

We had sweet cigarettes.

Doctors smoking in their surgeries whilst examining you.

I remember when I first started working for the (then) DHSS we used to be allowed to smoke. Managers had glass ashtrays (with 'property of DHSS' & the HMSO (Her Majesty's Stationery Office) mark on - now they would be worth something on eBay now, I wish I'd kept a few) Clerical Officers & Assistants had foil ashtrays & there were large column ashtrays fixed to the floor in the public areas for them use. In the afternoon there would be a fog of smoke hanging a few feet from the floor on the floors where the benefit processors worked & the public area. 😨

This is another thread, but we never took showers at my schools, primary or secondary. It just wasn't a thing. We just put a hole in the ozone layer with aerosol deodorant and Impulse.

@Happyspendingthedayinthegarden yep my mum used to send me with cash to the corner shop about 5 minutes walk away on errands - I must have been about 5 - also walking to school on my own at 6

Being put on the school bus aged 4 to go to primary 6/7 miles away. No seatbealts, no supervisors, just the bloke who had a bus licence and a rickety old thing to take us back and forth. This was the early to late-ish 90s, no chance in hell would that happen these days.

c197-78Our school bus was provided by a private taxi firm. The owner (& person who used to drive us) was the father of a friend of mine from Guides - he used to pick me up (with daughter) to take to Guides & my mother trusted him. He was subsequently imprisoned for paedophilia as had been 'buying' sex with underage children. He make me sit in the front right behind him on the bus & I used to make comments about how I was growing up into a nice looking young lady😨

Memory unlocked!! I’d totally forgotten about this

Being smacked (very hard) by a teacher because I couldn’t spell a particular word. Toxic shame plus physical assault just normal and OK.

sliding from side to side of the back seat as the driver went fast round corners because, no seatbelts

Oh and doing PE in my underwear (pants and vest) coz I’d forgotten or lost my kit

@AnAlpacaForChristmasPleaseSantaI met him, the REAL Mr Blobby. My cousin was crying his eyes out as he was scared shitless but I was starstruck. Mr Blobby World is all derelict now, google the pictures it’s so creepy!!

There is a huge, recent thread here.
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5312209-things-you-remember-from-your-childhood-that-would-not-be-ok-today?page=6&reply=143450888

Sitting in the front seat of the car on mums knee all the way to Wales!

Later, aged about 7, sharing the passenger seat with mt friend on a day trip.

My brother and I in the back of the car literally hanging out of the windows to touch hands across the roof! Mind you that wasn't really allowed even then! My poor mum and dad were somehow oblivious 😂until a pc pulled us over and said "Sir are you aware of what your children are doing in the back of the car?!" No seat belts in those days.

I remember doing this too. It was very sweet and the older people loved it.

Wow, all of this, especially going to the shop with a note for the cigarettes, thought we were the only ones made to do this

My parents lighting a coal fire in the living room using a hose connected to a gas tap behind the cooker with a gas poker on the other end which shot jets of gas into the fire grate and set alight. Rolled up newspaper was put on the fire as well as coal and a large sheet of newspaper in front of the fire to draw it. The was a fire guard on incase the sheet of newspaper caught fire. As small children we you to sit in front of it to keep warm

I never 'got' Mr Blobby - thought he was creepy. I also never liked Rod Hull & Emu just thought it was silly. As an adult I just think was an excuse for Rod Hull to grope people via the Emu puppet. I mean would've been totally unacceptable if he'd just grabbed Michael Parkinson with his bare hands.

My mother used to try to persuade my brother & me to write into Jim'll Fix it - I'd say no 'he's creepy'. When I had a serious car accident (aged early 20's & well before anyone knew about what he'd done) with serious spinal injury they talked about sending me to Stoke Mandeville. Apparently (my mother says) I said 'please don't send me to Stoke Mandeville, I don't want Jimmy Saville getting into bed with me'. I obviously had an 'nose' for pervs. 🤔

Orange flavoured aspirin.

I wish there was an OMG emoji - this is so dangerous.!!!

My kids school choir go and sing at local old folks home. They used to give out chocolate bars but now you get a bit of fruit. The children lament that change and reminisce about the Christmas where they all got selection boxes.

My sisters best friends parents had a lotus sports car with only two seats. But would regularly fit 3/4 kids in the car

Open fires downstairs no heating upstairs. Often in the winter we'd wake up to thick ice on the inside of bedroom windows & could see our breath. Cold lino on the floor, only a rug by the bed. You'd make a dash to grope for your dressing gown-put on the end of your bed in the evening, now somewhere on the floor.

It certainly made sure children spent more time downstairs in the warm with parents rather than retreating to bedrooms. Anyway, only one TV in the house in the living room.

I am imagining you as one of these girl guides now @BasilParsley ! This clip always makes me laugh.

No car seats.
No seat belts.
Smoking in cars, houses, staff rooms.
Remember my Maths teachers, shouting, swearing, throwing things at people and then huge amounts of smoke in the staff room.

Having to talk to your friends on the phone in a freezing cold hall as that was where the phone was - with father calling out how much this call was costing him & asking how much longer you were going to be.

No seat belts in back seats. We would spend the car journeys on our knees looking out the back window and waving to people/pointing out number plates.

I had a Barbie type doll with pins for earrings, which you could pull out and play with!

Smoking everywhere, no seatbelts and I sat in front seat from an early age. I was a good map reader, having to flick madly to a different page in the A-Z.