13. Fast Food Was An Actual TREAT
Going to McDonald’s, Burger King, or Taco Bell wasn’t an everyday occurrence—it was a special event that kids got excited about.
How it was different:
- Fast food was relatively expensive compared to cooking at home
- Going out to eat was for special occasions (birthdays, report card rewards, road trips)
- Fast food portions were MUCH smaller
- Kids would genuinely get excited about getting a Happy Meal
- Drive-thrus were new and exciting
The experience:
- You actually went INSIDE to eat (drive-thrus existed but weren’t the default)
- Plastic trays with paper place mats
- Booths with hard plastic seats
- Simple menus with maybe 10 items
Today’s reality: Now, fast food is everywhere and cheap. Many families eat it multiple times a week. Portion sizes have doubled or tripled. The “treat” aspect is gone.
What changed: Fast food became a convenience rather than an occasional indulgence, contributing to different eating habits and health outcomes.
14. Corporal Punishment Was Standard In Schools
This one is controversial, but it’s historical fact: in the 1970s, teachers and principals could physically discipline students, and most parents supported it.
How it worked:
- Teachers could paddle students or send them to the principal for paddling
- Parents had to give permission at the start of the year
- Most parents gave that permission without hesitation
- The paddle was often displayed in the principal’s office as a deterrent
- “Getting licks” was something you definitely wanted to avoid
At home:
- Spanking was considered normal discipline
- “Wait until your father gets home” was a real threat
- Most parents saw physical discipline as necessary and appropriate
Today’s reality: Corporal punishment is banned in most schools. Physical discipline is controversial, and many parenting experts argue against it entirely. The conversation around discipline has completely shifted.
What’s debatable: Whether this form of discipline was effective or harmful—opinions vary greatly depending on personal experience.
15. “Participation Trophies” Didn’t Exist
In the 1970s, if your team lost, you lost. There were winners and losers, and everyone knew the difference.
How it was:
- Only the winning team got trophies
- Sometimes only first, second, and third place got recognition
- If you came in last, you got nothing except the motivation to do better next time
- Nobody worried about “building self-esteem” through false praise
- Losing taught you how to handle disappointment
Sports culture:
- Less focus on everybody playing equally
- The best kids played more; struggling kids played less
- Coaches were allowed to criticize openly
- Parents didn’t complain about playing time
Today’s reality: Now, every kid on the team gets a trophy, medal, or ribbon just for participating. The idea is to build confidence and make everyone feel included.
The debate: Did the “everyone gets a trophy” culture help or hurt? People who grew up in the ’70s often feel that losing taught valuable lessons about resilience and effort.
16. Encyclopedia Salesmen Came To Your Door
Before the internet, if you wanted information at home, you bought a set of encyclopedias—usually from a door-to-door salesman.
How it worked:
- Salesmen would knock on your door and demonstrate the encyclopedias
- Parents would buy the full set (like 20-30 volumes) on a payment plan
- These books cost hundreds or thousands of dollars
- They sat on special shelves in your living room or den
- When you needed information for a school project, you looked it up in the encyclopedia
- The books became outdated quickly but families kept them for decades
Other things sold door-to-door:
- Vacuum cleaners
- Cleaning products
- Makeup (Avon ladies!)
- Tupperware (at Tupperware parties)
Today’s reality: We have Google. Information is free, instant, and constantly updated. Door-to-door sales are rare and usually viewed with suspicion.
17. Kids Walked Or Biked To School Alone (Even In Kindergarten)
In the 1970s, elementary school kids walked or biked to school independently, often starting in kindergarten or first grade.
How it was:
- Groups of neighborhood kids would walk together
- Crossing guards helped at major intersections
- Nobody called the police on parents for this
- It was seen as teaching independence and responsibility
- Kids as young as 5 or 6 walked several blocks alone
The “walking school bus”: Older kids would pick up younger neighborhood kids along the way, creating informal supervision.
Today’s reality: Now, most kids are driven to school or take the bus. Walking alone is rare and raises concerns about safety. Some parents have been investigated for letting kids walk home from school.
What changed: Statistically, child abduction rates haven’t increased, but 24/7 news coverage of crimes made parents more fearful.
18. Aspirin Was The Cure For Everything
In the 1970s, when you were sick or hurt, the solution was almost always the same: take an aspirin.
Common uses:
- Headache? Aspirin
- Fever? Aspirin
- Sore muscles? Aspirin
- Sprained ankle? Aspirin
- Broken heart? Aspirin (probably)
Other questionable remedies:
- Mercurochrome (literally had mercury in it!) on cuts
- Rubbing alcohol on everything
- Cod liver oil (disgusting but supposedly healthy)
- Butter on burns (which is actually terrible advice)
- Vicks VapoRub cured everything else
Today’s reality: Now we know aspirin shouldn’t be given to children (Reye’s syndrome risk). We have specialized medications for different conditions. We actually understand how medicine works instead of just guessing.