Was 1950 the best time to raise children in the US?

Answer 1

Yes! In the U.S. and Canada it was the last decade of innocence. The war was over and the living was free as the wind. Modernization came to both countries and there were more products to buy. The stress of war was over and families knew how important they were to each other. Families were closer than ever during these times and most families took full advantage of it by doing things together as a family. Usually the wife stayed home and looked after the children and the home (possibly elderly parents) and Sundays were a day of rest. It was time to mow the lawn (I can still smell that sweet grass as I mowed the lawn and hardly done and the robins were after the worms) to go on picnics, the beach, Sunday drives and having fun with friends. Teens didn't have a care in the world with the exception of finding out what girl or guy liked them or if they would have a date for Saturday night or the school prom or golly gee, a girl had a huge zit on her nose or chin just before she was going out on a date with the love her life (and usually that zit was the size of the end of a pencil). Taxes were lower as were housing costs so less stress on the parents. Jobs were more available. I worked during the end of the 1950s and I could work at a job 6 months to a year and if I didn't like it go out on my lunch hour and have a new job before the hour was up. Sock hops for the kids; chopped, beefed up old cars that were painted metallic colors and the guys would hang out at the drive-in restaurants and peeled rubber to get attention or drag race; many went to drive-in theaters and many snuck in hidden in the trunk of the car. If you mentioned an brand new car back then it was "not cool" or "square." Church was a big factor in families and one of my favorite artists is Norman Rockwell because he captured all decades extremely well. Children were allowed to be children and mother wasn't going around with bacterial sprays or soaps before you touched anything. Kids were allowed to get dirty from simply playing outside. Many people who grew up in the 50s remember coming home to the smell of fresh baking. Friends were really your friends and even if hanging out in gangs the pranks teenagers pulled off were very minor in comparison today. The crime rate was lower. School education was better (as far as I'm concerned) and teachers had 42 - 45 students in their class and didn't whine about it. Kids went to school to learn and were expected to get good grades. If a student was slower in one subject teachers actually stayed after school to help them and your parents help out with homework. Coke was a soft drink; "that mother" WAS your mother; grass was your lawn that you mowed on Sundays and if you ever entertained the idea of saying the "F" word or swore it was out with the old bar of soap or a good smack! Kids were taught to respect their elders and you called them Mr. or Mrs. You gave up your seat on the bus to someone older or someone pregnant. You were seen and not heard! If you were asked to do something you did it without mom explaining every detail of why you were suppose to do it. You went to Sunday School whether you liked it or not and then church and had the opportunity to decide at the age of 21 (in Canada) if you wanted to continue on with that religion. Children (teens) DID NOT live with their boyfriends! When teen girls dated the guy better come up and meet the parents and not stay outside and yell out the girl's name or honk the horn (parents back then thought this was very ill-mannered and not respectful.) The old saying our parents would tell us "you lay down with dogs you get up with fleas" which simply meant "choose your friends carefully because they are a reflection on who you are.) Our parents put the fear of God (he sees everything) into our heads regarding sex and single pregnant mothers were a much lower percentage (but some young women did get pregnant and were either wisked off to a relatives or put into a home for unwed mothers.) Children were respectful of rules in the house and knew what would happen if you broke one of those rules. Pets were able to stay inside or even sleep with the kids. Kids had chores, got a small allowance and if you didn't do the chores you didn't get "da money!" Kids mowed lawns and they shoveled snow without getting paid for it! Most parents instilled wise rules for their children, but did so with love and one knew they could always go home and find either mom or dad there to talk out any problems. Most kids although fascinated with the TV wanted to be outside with their friends and were much more energetic. Therefore the kids during this time were unaware of media coverage and could care less so there was less stress for them. In the 50s kids laughed more, had more fun and things were much less expensive. Parents didn't always have a lot of money for toys for their kids and what the kids did receive they were happy with. Kids used their imagination more to make fun then they do today. They didn't gawk at TV all day, didn't sit in front of a computer, didn't eat a lot of junk food and so they didn't have to worry about being over-weight. Teens hung around their favorite cafe and pooled their money for a coke, possibly a hamburger or chips if lucky. They fell in and out of love, but recovered quickly and didn't take life as seriously as they do today. They were taught to not blame others for their own mistakes. Movies were great! Instead of all young actors we looked up to older actors and kids in the 50s had many mentors. Today, there are few. There were musicals, Classic Movies, movies without all the blood and guts, murder and mayhem. Horror movies were a hit, but nothing like today's horror movies. "The Blob" was popular with the kids and had Steve McQueen in it. Then came "Rebel Without A Cause" with James Dean (my idol back then) and it was the very end of the 50s and I knew then that things were starting to change and would never be as innocent as the early to mid-50s. "Rebel Without A Cause" was refreshing to teenagers and made them realize that they could have a voice in their future. This movie showed for the first time the frustrations and pressures that the mid-50s to the late 50's put upon kids. We weren't aware of them, but now we were ... and the change came! Having grown up in the 1940's to the present time I have to say that the 1950s were the best. My 20 year old nephew told me last year he sure wished he'd been brought up in the 50s. That says a lot to me. Progress doesn't change who parents or kids are, but it's the values in life. If the parents want good values then the kids of today could have things a lot easier and I don't mean money, the latest clothes or buying a son or daughter a new car (there is nothing like working for what you want and you are more likely to be proud enough to look after it.) I mean "being there" for your kids. Although I found the 60s exciting with the hippy movement and more say in what the world was up too it had it's downside. While free-love seemed like a great thing at the time and "back to mother earth" it had it's downside. Innocence was gone.