Boomers grew up doing a bunch of things that, sure, seemed normal at the time, but they’d leave many people feeling shocked today.
A different kind of line
A friend’s parent could correct you back then. Not like a gentle or ‘let’s make better choices’ kind of way, but like an actual correction. They’d have no issue sending you outside and scolding you, maybe even calling your mom before you got home. No permission needed.
But you definitely couldn’t do that today. No way. Kids expect their parents, and only their parents, to discipline them. Teachers, too, at a stretch. You wouldn’t allow someone else’s mom to tell you what to do because that’s not how things work anymore.
The little deal
Younger boomers dealt with bad bosses like the rest of us. The difference? They didn’t call it a toxic workplace. No, it was a Tuesday. They respected their managers, even the rude ones, and they put up with nasty comments because there was no point in complaining.Â
The paycheck’s what really mattered to them. No more, no less. But it’s a different story these days because every young worker gets told they have rights. Workplaces have to be safe. There’s no way bosses would be allowed to tell young workers to suck it up anymore.
No soft start
Grown-up skills were something you learned firsthand. At least, if you were a boomer. You got the mower and got told to watch your brother, no excuses. No messing up, either. It’s not like parents were trying to be cruel or anything, that was just how stuff worked.
A thirty-second instruction was all you got. Adults were busy, after all, and kids were available. They’d need to learn this stuff someday. Nowadays, though, you’ll get a lecture on age rules and safety rules before you even give a kid an instruction.
The magic number
Turning 18’s still a huge milestone. But not in the same way. In the past, turning 18 was when you’d finally step out into the world, literally. You weren’t living at home anymore. Anyone who continued living with their parents got judged a lot for it, which is pretty different from today.
Rent’s high. College is expensive. Don’t even get started on the job market. For modern eighteen-year-olds, financial independence is only a dream, and not one they’re ready to move toward yet. They’re not moving out yet. No way.
Down the street
Boomer kids remember this one pretty well. Their parents would send them to the store alone, armed only with a few coins and a paper bill. They’d go there and come back. No tracking, no refreshing a phone map every few seconds.Â
Imagine doing that today. We’re all way more aware of the dangers of letting kids go around by themselves. It’s not worth it. Being watchful isn’t that hard to do anymore.
A quick lift
You needed a ride? Then you got in the car with your neighbor, or maybe someone from church who was already heading that way. You didn’t ask who else was in the car. You didn’t send an arrival text either because, well, you couldn’t do that.Â
People meant well, back then. Modern parents get that. They also understand how risky it is to let their kid get into someone’s vehicle without vetting them before. They want details. Honestly, they’re not wrong for that.
The ride home
It’s weird. But it’s true. Drunk driving didn’t always get treated like it does now, and for boomers, it was only a problem at one time. That was when you were driving badly. Or when you caused a crash. You weren’t swerving or slurring badly? It wasn’t that big of a risk, then. How awful.
Public campaigns and laws changed that. They made us realize that, actually, drunk driving has no excuse, and it’s absolutely not something to brush off. Saying you’re ‘fine to drive’ doesn’t come across the same way. Thank goodness for that.
Toughing it out
Boomer boys heard one thing when they were hurt. ‘Walk it off.’ Nobody checked what happened, and they didn’t dare to cry about it because that’s not how boys behaved. Pain was a test. You ignored it, you passed, simple as that.
We don’t treat young boys the same way anymore, and we don’t tell them to ignore their pain. Rigid masculinity rules hurt, for both men and for boys. So, we’re not as strict with talking about their pain anymore.
Taking up less room
Boomer girls didn’t get it any easier, though. They had their fair share of lessons. They had to sit properly and not be loud while also making sure to smile. Oh, and to let the guy talk. Girls, above all, had to shrink themselves more than what’s actually fair.
That’s not to say those pressures don’t exist today. They absolutely do. However, the difference is that women are more likely to name those pressures and reject them. It’s not an expectation to follow them. That’s a good thing.
In front of everyone
Boomer classrooms were weird. Anytime someone made a mistake, it’d become entertainment for the whole class, and the teacher made sure everyone noticed the issue. You spelled something wrong? Everyone found out. You forgot homework? Time for class judgment.
Sometimes it involved a joke, sometimes it involved punishment, but either way, it was the same idea. Public shaming in the classroom was okay. But not anymore. It’s way harder selling that idea in a modern classroom because we know how much harm it does to kids.
The group mattered
There was nothing more important than fitting in as a boomer kid. They did whatever they could to achieve that. Wearing what other kids wore, not acting too strange, all of it. Being different was a bad thing. Your own sense of self? What’s that?
Kids still care about what their peers think, of course, but there’s more room for explanation today. You’ve got more labels. You’ve got more language. Uniqueness is something to be celebrated, not shy away from.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
