What our parents did that we wouldn't dare to...

Walking to school alone, or in my case walking a mile there with the other children from the village, was the norm. My mother only took me there on day 1. All us children would walk the 2 miles or so to the picture house for the Saturday matinee as well, without adult supervision. I once ran home to tell my mother that my little friend was in the beck at the bottom of our street and couldn't get out - when she rushed there in a panic she found he was stuck because the water had filled his wellies. We were 3 or 4 at the time!

At one stage I lived in a workingmen's club, or rather in the house attached with an internal door linking them. While my parents were working in the club of an evening I'd not only be on my own in the house, but I was in charge of the pies and peas! Somebody would knock on the door with the next order and I'd get the pies out of the oven and heat up the peas, dish them up and hand them over at the door. I must have been 8 or 9 at the time!

A friend and I were talking recently about how glamorous our parents' lifestyle was compared to ours when we had young children. They were always getting glammed up (hairpiece with ringlets for my mum, DJ for my dad) and going to exotic sounding places like The Talk of the Town, or fancy dress parties or masonic balls (that was her parents not mine). We used to have a babysitter until I was about 10, but after one introduced my 8 year old sister to cigarettes they decided we would be better off on our own!

We walked to s book alone from an early age. Less traffic in the 50s. p

I also remember walking a couple of miles to school in a thick fog, on my own at 13. Thought nothing of it. My parents were happy to let me go. Different times

As soon as children began to be dropped off at school in cars, and a little boy was killed opposite the school gates by another child's parent, I became more nervous.
Cars rather than predators have always been my fear. I lost my own DF in an accident which has probably affected my feelings.
As children we had much freedom especially in the holidays. As soon as breakfast was cleared away we were out of the house until teatime.
Not all children had the same. I felt quite sorry for the ones with hovering DP or DGP.

I was 11 and older brother was 13, mum put us both on the train to London to stay with our aunt. She had sent details of which underground train to get. And what bus to get to her road. She lived in Ealing. Aunt died 18 months later so we never went there again so don't know how far from Euston station it was.

I've been thinking about things my parents did that we wouldn't have dared: Smoke whilst pregnant and when the children (us) were around.

In contrast, my father did go on the balcony to smoke when he visited us and our children were little. My mother had given it up by then. The world had moved on.

We had an old fashioned Sainsbury's in our town and when my DD was a baby I would leave her outside - with the other prams and babies - and go in to queue at the different marble topped counters for groceries. I could see her from anywhere in the shop, and we would wave. About a year later the shop closed; it was the probably last of its kind. Can you imagine the uproar if you left a baby unattended outside shop now/?

I used to put my DD in the front garden in the pram in November because the health visitor told me it was good for her.
I also walked to school and was allowed to play out until the street lights went on. I also used to go to Saturday morning pictures on my own with friends on the train when I was 11.

KatyK and BabyDoll
Leaving babies in prams outside shops
Taking babies in their prams for a walk at age 10yo

My son was born in 1977 and I had a beautiful coach-built pram. My children wore a harness in their pram; stroller and high chair (I was scared of them falling out).
I used to leave him in his pram outside local shops - everyone did - that’s what parents did then. I’d come out of a shop to find my baby happily chattering with another baby.
Me and my friend Glynis used to knock on doors at the posh end of our road where there was a pram outside the window. We’d have been 14/15yo. The mothers were always delighted when we offered to take their baby to Calderstones Park (4 minute walk). No-one ever said No. the mothers usually gave us money for ice cream. We’d push the pram to the park and show the baby the trees and play areas; buy our ice creams then push the pram & baby back to its Mother.
Yep - things have changed!

We did lots of things at an earlier age than today’s children.
We lived at Southend and my morther worked in Woolworth. She gave us breakfast then took us down to the beach while she did her shift. We were both under school age. If it rained we were told to go into the penny arcade.

My older sister took herself to school by walking about a mile to the tube station, then a couple of stops on the tube, then a walk to school at the other end. This was from about age 7 as my mother had me to look after and there was no-one else to take her. Scary!

I remember riding my fairy cycle four miles, the last bit of the journey was country lane, age seven to visit my favourite uncle and aunt. They were a bit surprised to see me, but didn't fret at the distance or possible danger. At five, I was only shown the way to school two miles away on the first day and that was it. On my own from then on. I think it's sad that children today don't have the same freedom that we had, but the world is a much different place now and no-one seems safe. Sad but true.

I had what I believe was my first migraine when I was around eight. We were shopping in town (about ten miles away) and Mum put me on the bus as she hadn't finished her shopping and trusted me to get off at the right stop and let myself in the house (key in the coal house). During the journey I was scared of getting off at the wrong stop as I was a terrible worrier.
I'd never leave a key in a so-called secret place or leave a child to go home by themselves.

Like others I can remember the walk from school on my own. Google maps says it was a 20 minutes walk. Used to go home for lunch which was our main meal so I assume we had a reasonably long lunch break. Dad who also went home for lunch would take me back to school after lunch on his bicycle.

I started school after Easter and I was five in the May, mother took me to school on the first day and after that I walked on my own. It was only about a mile to the school but it was across a very busy road to next city and a smaller but still busy road.
From the age of seven mother allowed me to take a bus into town for Saturday morning cinema and a browse around Woolworths which was next door.

Yes, walked to school at 6. Did go with two friends of similar age. Crossed a main road. Not as much traffic then. Although I do remember vividly a child being run over outside school. She was killed outright. I had nightmares about it after. Her family moved away soon after.

I walked to and from school at the age of five, twice a day as I went home for lunch. My cousin was killed by a van walking home from school when she was five, but my mother still let my younger sister walk alone twice a day so she could go back for lunch.

I can remember walking home from school on my own before i was seven even on the dark nights and we lived a fair way away from the school and when we moved i used to get a bus on a friday night to go to my nans house, walk from the bus to her house which was at least two miles though apparently the first time i did the journey my uncle followed me to make sure i was ok. also something thats definitely not done nowadays is being sent to the shops to buy cigarettes. The freedom i had as a child certainly wasnt there when mine were growing up and definitely isnt there now for my grandchildren

Mum took me to school on my very first day at the age of 6 and thereafter I went on my own, even when I went to 2 different junior schools and a different high school. Earliest my sister and I went anywhere on our own was at the ages of 3 and 4 we travelled from London to Hull, dad put us on the train at Kings Cross and asked the guard to see we changed to the right train at Doncaster and our aunts met us in Hull. Mum was in hospital and dad had to work so we had to go and stay at our nan's for 3 months.

I have friends living in Zurich. Small children always go to school on their own. Their 6yr old daughter picks up the 4yr old from nursery and walks her home. It is the norm.

I never went anywhere on my own.
My mum walked me to school almost until I was in seniors school, and I was longing to be allowed some independence.

We had so much FREEDOM! I think the increase in traffic has put a stop to that, but I also blame Brady and Hindley for ruining childhood.

I was a latch key kid and went to school around the age of 7 by bus with my friends. I came home early evening, my dad popped in from work to light the gas mantle and I stayed at home until he was finished work around 5pm.

I was around 13 or 14, my mother did all of the organising then put me on a plane at Edinburgh to Dublin- I took a taxi to a small hotel where we had stayed before. I had my evening meal there then walked the streets of Dublin. Next day a taxi to the station and my aunt met me at the other end. I was staying there for all of the holidays. My parents came for their holiday and I went back in the car with them. That would not happen today!

In the late 60s I left my children, daughter aged 5 looking after my 2 year old son in his pram, outside a London shop while I went in to do some more shopping. I had left a bag of shopping on the shelf under the pram. Having finished shopping I went out of the shop and could not see the pram or my children. In a panic I flew about asking everybody if they had seen them. Somebody finally said "Are you sure you left them here, because there's another door the other side of the shop?"
I ran through the shop to the other door, and sure enough my children were out there. I had been a long time. My daughter said "I knew you would come back Mummy, because you left your shopping with us."

Only yesterday I commented to DH when we were going out the door that helicopter parenting doesnt't cone into what happens here. We live in a very small estate (120 houses) slit into 4 small roads all leading to the "village green". Only one way in a d out. As there is now footpath to schools buses come in for primary and secondary school pupils. Parents /carers stand at a couple of points with children in the morning to see the primary ones off and then are there again to collect on return. All of the children have no more than 100 yds to walk home yet they are escorted. So much for the 1.5 miles I walked aged 5. Even my children all walked unescorted from 5 years in the 70s. They were out playing in woods, walking to and from brownies/cubs, out on bikes all day during holidays. Then we lived in a large estate with quite a bit of traffic and buses. Would I change that, no! I see my GS who lives on the south coast and how insular his life is. Everything has to be organised for play and I am sure he suffers from that, he at times seems so frustrated and I am sure it is due to needing a outlet for his energy and need for socialisation other than at others' behest.