A 1970s/80s AIBU?

[Scarletohello]

Just been reading the brilliant and nostalgic threads about all the things parents did then that would be massively judged now so thought it would be fun to start a 70s/80s AIBU

Want to join me..?

Here goes,

AIBU to not want to have the whole of the street come and watch a football match on our new black and white TV?

AIBU to let my two DC walk to school together? They only need to cross two roads (one of which has a lollipop lady) and I'm sure the 6yo will look after the 4yo.

AIBU to think that a warm bath with TCP in is the cure for most ills ie midge bites, sunburn, headaches etc? And it smells so lovely.

All you need then is some Germolene for grazes etc and some plasters and that's all you need (or whiskey, hot water and sugar).

Also hospitals are only for very serious injuries like head wounds which won't stop bleeding. It's ok to just put some padding and a bandage around dd's knee. It doesn't matter that she will end up with a huge scar right across the middle due to the wound stretching as she walks. I wouldn't want to waste the doctors time. I'm sure they have more important medical matters to attend to.

And dd doesn't have to eat any fruit or veg if she doesn't like any (apart from frozen peas). So what if she has huge sores in her mouth from lack of vitamin c and is prescribed the biggest vit c tablets in the world!

CornChips. My parents did it more than once too. We had to leave Orca: killer whale when DB couldn't hack it after his Jaws trauma. I used to come down in the night and watch horror films with my Dad (The Omen, Salems Lot, various Hammer House...). Then they accidentally took us to Excalibur at 10 and 8 thinking it would be a nice film about the Knights of the Round Table. The rape scene stands out as a particular gem of that one. We didn't leave though. Oh no.

AIBU to let DSs hang out DD's nappies on the washing line? He's 11yrs old and asked if he could. My now XDH came back from work and saw him doing it and was pretty annoyed with me as 'it's not the thing for a boy to do'.

Also a few years later WIBU to allow 5yr old DD to cycle the mile to school on her own? I worked a 12 hour night shift and needed to sleep so I would see her across the road and she did cycle on the path; just had a narrow passage between houses to negotiate at the end of her journey and then the school crossing lady saw her across to the school.

She's grown up very independent and my stepson made a lovely dad

AIBU to buy DD2 a second hand Silver Cross pram because she dented the one we'd bought when DD1 was born with a rattle. I spent hours every week cleaning the wheels and now it's ruined.

It happened. I'm the good DD1 though.

AIBU (or rather, is my DH), to regularly send 9y/o DD (or any of her siblings) to the corner shop for my 10 No. 6?

Are we BU to go to the pub leaving DD (11) in charge of three siblings aged 10 down to 2? They have crisps and lemonade!

AIBU to think that orange and purple nylon bedsheets look lovely and are cosy and warm?

AIBU to let same DCs watch Play for Today, or whatever dodgy film or Dennis Potter series happens to be on telly?
< still scarred from Pennies From Heaven >

Oh, and is my DH bu to smoke 70+ ciggies a day from the day our DCs were born?

Aibu to chain smoke on long car journeys and get really angry with dd for being car sick every time we travel.

ToniWol you might be able to pick up a splendid second hand Silver Cross pram for about 4, as I did, especially if the previous owner took as much loving care as you over the wheels and coachwork. Just make sure you teach DD2 to hand over any spangle wrappers for disposal, and if her mouth gets sticky she can dunk her face in the puddle formed on the waterproof cover. She'll have great fun doing this, a clean face, and learn that dropping litter is anathema!

AIBU to play hide and seek in the house with the kids and then sneak out to the corner shop while they're hiding?

AIBU to not vet what DD is bringing home from the library? I'm sure 'IT' and 'The Shining' are okay for 10 year olds, how bad can stories about a clown and a naice hotel be?

AIBU to leave my 4yo and my 9yo in the care of my 11yo DD while DH and I go to the social club? It's a treat, isn't it? She gets to stay up until midnight watching whatever she likes on TV and we share our takeaway with her when we get home.

AIBU to think this is a perfectly acceptable meal plan for the DCs?
Monday: Turkey Twizzlers, waffles and beans
Tuesday: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle foot shaped pizza (choice of ham and apple or pepperoni and marshmallow)
Wednesday: Chinese BBQ flavour rib burger with chips and garden peas
Thursday: crispy pancakes, mashed potato and beans
Friday: chippy tea
Saturday: microchips (choice of smokey bacon or cheese and onion flavour) with mini kievs and peas
Sunday: roast dinner and then later on a picky tea of Pek sandwiches, snowballs, crisps, and biscuits
Lunches during the week will be packed lunch (sandwich, bag of crisps and a Penguin) and in Saturday I'm at work so DH will make them banana sandwiches and rice pudding with tinned peaches.

Ainu to send my 9 year old daughter up to bed with a candle when the power cuts kick in at 9pm? (1973....)

^"she can dunk her face in the puddle formed " assuming it's raining, of course!

AIBU to run away? My mother keeps giving me this hideous bowl cut and I want to look like Farrah Fawcett?

Although, she does let me keep the 10p when I take back the empty bottle of Corona cherryade...

To think that the local restaurant which has "A small fruit juice" listed as a starter is the height of sophistication?

And to give my DGD 7 a snowball (advocaat and lemonade) on a Saturday night?

AIBU or was the health visitor when I asked if it was ok for DH to smoke over our new baby and she said 'You mustn't deny him his pleasures dear!'

WIBU to wear flares?

Yes, yes I would.

YABU Fifo ... it's Babycham or nowt. Can't be bad for kids, it has BABY in the name. (True story: my aunt said this).

AIBU to leave my 3 dc and go to my friends house for a chat, my dh is out at the casino and they are all sleeping anyway!

(I wasn't and wondered WTF they were aged 5 yrs old in 1978)

AIBU to keep an envelope of DDs hair for proof if I ever phone the police, she gets dragged home from school daily by the same bully.

(I have no idea why I wasn't met after school although I do remember staying behind at school for a while)

Only if it is in one of those wide champagne glasses with a fawn on squizita we have standards you know

AIBU to go to the pub, go inside to see my mates, leave the kids in the car with a packet of crisps for an hour, drink 5 pints and drive home again while smoking? (my uncle).

Of course Fifo, and if it's a high day or holiday a lethally sharp cocktail stick with a lurid glace cherry is the ideal garnish for a small child.

AIBU to put sugar in my DD's bottles? Despite no medical training whatsoever I don't think she's gaining enough weight, she needs fattening up. Yes, here's looking at you, mother... It's a miracle I ever had any teeth

Aibu to let my DD (8) go to her ballet class on her own in a town 5 miles away on the bus on a Sat morning?

And WIBU to let her decide whether to come straight home (after a bit of shopping) or go to stay at her Gran's for the weekend?

Gran has spare clothes for her and always pleased to see her ...and it is only a couple of miles out of the town...
Of course Gran doesn't have a phone but I guess if DD isn't home by 6 or 7 on Sunday evening I can call the police then - after all 36 hrs is nothing really...

Lol at the wee girl being sent to the fancy dress contest as a tart!

I entered a fancy dress competition in the 70s (might've been the 60s! ) and the winner was a Cigarette Girl - her entire outfit made from fag packets stitched together.

AIBU to laugh when my young daughter picks up a threatening phone call from one of my mates trying to be funny?

Oh! AIBU to put sugar in the DCs' lemonade "to take away the gas" ...?