S/o of the parenting in the 21st century. What did yours do?

amother

Wed, Oct 21 2020, 9:23 pm

Reminds me of the things my parents did (or didn't do) when I was a child (40 something years ago). They would have probably had CPS called on them in today's age. For example:

I fell down a whole flight of stairs in my walker (apparently hardly a scratch on me).

As a non-reading toddler, I forgot to brush my teeth before bed and I got up on my own and brushed my teeth with hemorrhoid cream and had to go to the ER to get stomach contents evacuated.

Cut my finger pretty deep with a straight razor. Didn't feel a thing! Lots of blood. I was probably 7 then. Who left those razors out, I wonder?

Regularly stood up in the front seat of the car so I could see when we were driving around town. No seatbelt necessary!

Off on my bike through the neighborhood and didn't come home for hours. From 2 wheeled bike riding age onward. I'd say 7 and up. I was usually alone.

"Ran away" at the age of 10 with $10 to my name. Came back an hour later after I reached the interstate and decided it wasn't safe.

Went to the lake with my brother when I was 5 and he was 10, to go swimming by ourselves. We got in trouble for that.

Stole my mother's cigarettes when I was 5 so I could smoke. Didn't like the taste one bit!

Both my parents smoked like chimneys. I can't imagine exposing my children to that these days.

And the best. One time my grandparents were visiting from the other side of the universe. somehow I had rummaged through my grandmother's luggage and found some pills. And I took some. Tasted like sugar! I think it was a sinus pill with a red sugar coating. Can't remember what they were called but they don't make them anymore. Anyway, couldn't have been more than 3 or 4 at the time.

Looking back, as I grew up, I've figured out my mother was a bit neglectful but in those days, lots of parents were. Ironically, there was no internet or cell phone back in those days. I can't honestly think of what she was doing other than maybe reading a book or magazine. She didn't cook a lot so not sure what she was doing.

Thankfully I survived and I don't minimize Hashem's involvement at all in keeping me safe! And I learned to be independent. Or maybe I already was.