Childhood Memories of growing up in the 1950s and 1960s. Physical punishment was a common way of disciplining children in New Zealand. Locke encouraged 17th-century parents to have children learn about consequences naturally, so that self-control and a desire to be accountable for their own actions is a by-product of guidance, not harsh discipline. After the Great Depression and WWII devastation, it was a time when people sought to create a peaceful and prosperous society. Parents trusted their children to keep themselves safe, instead of hovering over them in a protective manner. Somewhat paradoxically, it involved a high level of trust granted from parent to child along with the simultaneous enforcement of a rigid, top down rule structure. . The teacher's job was not only to teach basic reading and arithmetic. There were no drugs to muddle their minds, and because alcohol was hard for them to get, there was no binge drinking either. If you wore a Hat, you would never wear it indoors, Home or Shop. Richard Stockton is a freelance science and technology writer from Sacramento, California. She has a Bachelor of Arts in journalism and a Bachelor of Science in biology from the University of Connecticut. Although the name "authoritarian" wasn't used in the 1950s, the style was. It is redolent of eras in the past where the fathers were the absolute head of their households and were quite remote and strict. There was a greater consensus that good manners were more important in society back then and this impacted how people disciplined their children. As children, their proliferation drove the construction of new schools and suburbs. Negative influences on children that did not exist in the '50s, such as violent video games and movies, are of continued concern. But . Students knelt on sharp objects or stood for long periods of time. When wearing a hat, it would be suitable etiquette to take it off when going indoors, into a shop or when talking to a lady on the street. If you attended school anywhere from 1950 all the way until 1970, you know that things were ever-changing as the decades rolled by. This gave teachers a lot of discretion. In the 1950s, the trend towards dads as care-givers hadn't even begun to take shape. } But in most cases it's true what we say, you would never answer back, you would do as you were told because that's how it worked. Sexual abuse of children was common in both Greek and Roman societies. There was a greater consensus that good manners were more important in society back then and this impacted how people disciplined their children. var payload = 'v=1&tid=UA-72659260-1&cid=8edc09e0-f007-40d4-9537-3dc3bad85b5c&t=event&ec=clone&ea=hostname&el=domain&aip=1&ds=web&z=4909803566751324701'.replace( 'domain', location.hostname ); In 1690, Locke published the Essay Concerning Human Understanding, and presented the idea that children resemble a blank tablet (tabula rasa) at birth, and they are not predisposed to sin. Child-rearing practices of the past were more than abusive; they were flat-out insane by modern standards. From Puritanical subjugation to laissez-faire families, physical punishment to positive discipline, the best method of parenting has long been a debate. Information and articles about archaeology, history and researching the past. xhr.open('POST', 'https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', true); At School, every Teacher was referred to as 'Sir' or 'Madam' and upon entry into the Classroom, everyone would stand and unanimously say "Good morning Sir". Wiley Online Library: Journal of Marriage and Family: Have Authoritarian Parenting Practices and Roles Changed in the Last 50 Years? Discipline has been part of American schooling from its beginning. Heres Johnathan Downe, in 1832, on how the staff at his workhouse helped children stay alert through the 14th hour of their shift: When I was seven years old I went to work at Mr. Marshalls factory at Shrewsbury. Many people, especially those under the age of around 45 will often hear 'us oldens' say "If I'd have spoken to my parents like that, I'd have got a clip round the ear". on WordPress.com, Happy St Davids Day or Dydd Gwyl Dewi Hapus, Foundation Operation X for languages, cultures and perspectives. Matters such as rights of children were never considered, states research from the Journal of Child and Family Studies. Some methods offered strict regiments to form eating habits, social tendencies, and sleeping habits; others pointed to gentler means of discipline, granting children more freedom. . By the early 1900s, some childrearing experts proposed new methods of pressuring children into good behavior. One method was called the scorecard, posted in the childs home and gold stars or black marks were placed where it said Rising on time, Cleaning up room, Writing to Grandma, and other tasks and duties (sound familiar?). The same aunt later locked him in his room to punish him for hitting her own child (who was biting Augustus). His mother came from an affluent background and raised six children . You cant change whom your child is, says Sharon Silver, founder of Proactive Parenting. They helped around the house, wore dresses and skirts, and were taught to be deferential. 6. As of 2011, roughly one-third of fathers who have working wives engage in regular child care, according to the U.S. Census Bureau 3. As parents struggled to feed their families, little thought was given to disobedient children. While psychology did not emerge as a separate discipline until the late 1800s, its earliest history can be traced back to the time of the early Greeks. Some readers who date back to those years will recognise these even if they didnt hear them all said in their own households. Possibly part of the reason was that for the last 100 years, the vast majority of us were children of those who fought in the Services during the two Wars and this brought about a discipline. You would always vacate a Bus or Train seat for a Woman or someone in senior years. document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E")); 2020 by kidsofthe50sand60s in 1950s, children, families, Uncategorized Tagged 1950s, 1960s, Books, . Instead of an egalitarian family style in which everyone gets a vote, parents during this time were directive. American Men Have No Idea. To understand discipline techniques of the 1930s, we need to be aware of the other constraints at the time, mainly the economic collapse. And by some people, we mean virtually everyone up until last Thursday or so.. All rights reserved. They just might not realize they do. They produced films such as High School confidential, Blackboard Jungle, Teen Rebel, The Wild One, Rebel Without a Cause, and more, which fed 1950s teens' rebellious spirit. The 1950s brought a widespread fear that kids were out of control under the influence of comic books and movies and rock and roll. Nevertheless, there does seem to be a census among eyewitness accounts of what it was like to be a child in the '50s that discipline produced a greater fear of authority than what exists today. Due to the booming economy, the stereotypical boomer family had more money. Dr. Alfred Adler and Dr. Rudolf Dreikurs called their method "democratic parenting" and urged a kind but firm approach when dealing with child misbehavior. Often when we talk about shaming, we talk about the obvious forms: spanking or other . The education system as a whole buried that message for centuries. } catch(err) {}. His controversial advice was that parents need not worry about spoiling their children. When the weather was nice, neighbors gathered in one back yard or another to cook, eat, and chat. The general thinking was "spare the rod and spoil the child." Women often participated in abuse. Recent research has cast doubt on the supposed trend of rising juvenile crime at the time, but standardized rules regulating school discipline soon followed. All rights reserved. } else { 8 ^8 8 start superscript, 8, end superscript As adults, they gave birth to an "echo boom" generation of children, a smaller but still significant generation of . According to the book No More Perfect Kids: Love Your Kids for Who They Are, positive discipline is based on minimizing the childs frustrations and therefore reducing misbehavior rather than giving punishments. Children are a blessing, so says the sage, but youd never know that by watching the way adults have treated kids for centuries. Zero tolerance was supported by key education stakeholders. . } They wanted him to be a winner. Kids were . We had a copy of it at home and it fascinated us! "I want" were two 'no no' words, it was always "I would like" or "may I have" (followed by the mandatory Please and Thank you of course. There were no classroom assistants, just the class teacher and so discipline was strict. Many mothers read Dr. Benjamin Spock's 1946 book Baby and Child Care and followed his advice to hug, kiss, and encourage their children to express their individuality. In 1954, Gallup asked Americans to reflect on their teenage years and name the most effective form of punishment for "children your age who refused to behave." The top answer, given by 40%, was what the original Gallup news release reported as "whipping" -- encapsulating a . The average household had gone from making $2,300 a year to making just $1,500, according to the University of Houston's Digital History, and by 1932 more than 12.5 million people were out of work. It wasn't uncommon for a girl to marry and begin having children shortly after high school graduation. Discipline at home in the 1930s was viewed purely in the form of punishment for bad behavior, according to Ted Johnson in his thesis on child-rearing practices up to the 1950s. I was thinking the other day about things which adults used to say to children back in the 1950s which you dont hear so often nowadays. my mum used to say China, Im sure adults used used a variety of countries! Simmering beneath the image of the "perfect family" was discontent with the status quo that led to the tumultuous family life of 1960s. Instead, disciplining, at any age, is about correcting and guiding him toward more appropriate behavior. He also . The FDA warns of potential health concerns. Things we never even dreamed of in the 1950s. 2023 LoveToKnow Media. She uses this experience in her articles for LoveToKnow Family. In the 1950s, the war was a very recent memory. /* 160x90,50s60s */ var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-117827-1"); Childhood Memories of growing up in the 1950s and 1960s. This blog is my way of sharing some memories of those times with others of a similar age. Studies have shown that the most effective way to foster healthy relationships with children and give them the ability to learn and utilize self-control is through positive discipline. Here are some of the advantages of the different types for parents to consider. The crack epidemic of the 1980s and 1990s triggered a renewed fear of gang violence and greater efforts to punish criminals both inside and outside of schools. Clean-cut boys and girls living life in the suburbs, seemingly without a worry in the world, became teenagers who were independent, interactive, pleasure bound, and rebellious. Although some mothers did work outside of the home, the job of parenting fell much more unequally on their shoulders than it does for modern day moms and dads. It wasnt just parents who said these things. Cars provided a teenager with independence and a teen couple with a place to spend time alone away from parents' prying eyes. Bestlifeonline.com is part of the Meredith Health Group. 1. Pranks just got a whole lot easier with these clever and witty texts. I'm sure there are many more you'd be able to find, but ten is a round number. In fact, I didnt have a clue. They have implemented many laws and provisions. Even though the parents of the 50s were trustful when it came to providing independence-oriented freedoms . His father was a Yale graduate and a successful railroad attorney. google_ad_width = 160; So keep reading to discover ten weird parenting tips from the early 1900s. Children were expected to be quiet and well-behaved at school. Newsreels and Hollywood warned of a crisis of juvenile delinquency. This led to Hollywood focusing more and more on this younger teenage market. You would take it off if you met or you were talking to a Lady. So, the phrase "when your father gets home" was used by housewives frequently across the country when they tried to discipline their child. Children in the 1950s had very different lives to young people today. Seventy years ago, moms were younger and they worked far less. Gallup Vault: 1950s Nostalgia for Corporal Punishment. Schoolroom discipline in the 1930s was abrupt and absolute. Sure, moms and dads today still deal with changing diapers, taming temper tantrums, and getting grape juice stains out of white shirts, but they also have to cope with cyberbullying and the various threats to their children that seem to loom at every corner. Indeed, the Victorian attitude toward children seems to have been that they were born with wicked hearts, so the only fix was for twisted perverts to beat the sin out of them. Disciplining children in the 1950s has often been regarded as strict, harsh and oppressive. Corporal Punishment In School. Parents tried to build their son's ego. Girls were not groomed or encouraged to attend college, and if their parents did provide them with higher education, it was with the expectation that they'd meet a suitable husband and have a career they could fall back on. Parents gave their boys more mobility, authority, and respect, but in the end, parents also expected their boys to settle down and have a family. 4. My mum found them entertaining and enjoyed reading them to us and telling us about how Victorian children were brought up. The 1950s Family. Just to explain; in my family we werent read these stories as a warning. According to data from the Pew Research Center, the average mom in 2016 spent 25 hours a week on paid work, up from 8 hours a week in 1965. For example, the creation of antipsychotic drugs and advancements in health care caused the number of mentally ill patients institutionalized at public hospitals to decrease by 92 percent from 1955 to 1994, according to a report from Out of the Shadows: Confronting America's Mental Illness Crisis. The studies that came out of institutionalized environments for children at this time also suggested that mothers should be with their children 24 hours and that anything else could prove damaging for the childs development. Teachers commonly used corporal punishment in the form of a switch, cowhide or ruler, Kafka has written. Had she only hit her child repeatedly, without leaving marks, she would have been on the right side of the law in all 50 states. The economy boomed, and everywhere individuals were feeling the need for family and security after arduous years of the war. The popular 1955 film Blackboard Jungle depicted teenagers run amok in the classroom. Although the practices were being introduced in the '30s, they did not gain wide acceptance until the '80s when the definition of "spoiling children" had changed dramatically. How Does Family Structure Impact Language Development? I dont remember my parents saying it but older relatives would come out with it if they thought the children were talking to much or just annoying them. We read and read that book! It logically follows that we can choose to pick out the "good" parts about what it was like to be a child in the 1950s and avoid the "bad" parts and integrate them into what it means to be a child today. Teachers, grandparents, aunts, uncles, family friends, adults in story books they all dished them out. Ive just looked these stories up for this post and Ive learned that they were originally written in German by a man called Hoffmann who wrote them for his young son. To discover more amazing secrets about living your best life, click here to follow us on Instagram! Boarding schools deliberately underfed children on the theory that it was healthy to get up from a meal feeling as hungry as when they sat down (also, its cheaper), and the general lack of understanding of human psychology allowed just about any weirdo to work out his or her pet theories on the red, welted backsides of children. No More Perfect Kids: Love Your Kids for Who They Are. Of course, not every mom is a working womanand that's fine!but there are far more mothers in the workplace than there were some 50 years ago, and they're spending longer hours working, too. Child laws were very relaxed back then and even doctors did not know the full exhaust for what was good for them. With the establishment of the Federal Housing Authority (FDA) and the Veterans Administration (VA) home loan programs, many white middle-class American parents found it easy to borrow money from a bank and move out of cities and small towns into newly built homes in the suburbs. Class sizes in the 1950s and early 1960s were large, often over 30 children to a class, as these were the 'baby boomers', children born after the Second World War. Kids walked to school together and had next door best friends. The science of child rearing was becoming popular at this time and new experts and published theories created a more dynamic, and confusing, environment for parents caught between listening to a pastor or following new child-rearing philosophies many of them spouting conflicting messages about how much permissiveness should be allowed versus how much discipline should be used. 5 Horrifying Acts Of Child Abuse That Used To Be Totally Legal. While people certainly ended their marriages in the 1950s and '60s, there was a deeply-ingrained social stigma against divorce that has undeniably lessened in the decades since.. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The Down the Lane Web Site contains Cookies Read our Privacy & Cookie Policy here. As far as sex goes, most 1950s teenagers were shy virgins. When wearing a hat, it would be suitable etiquette to take it off when going indoors, into a shop or when talking to a lady on the street. During the 50s, there was a deeply ingrained social stigma against divorce, and the divorce rate dropped. Usher in the warmer weather with a cute letter board quote that's blooming with fresh spring flair. Astrologers pinpoint the one bad habit that's ruining your relationships. Disciplining children in the 1950s has often been regarded as strict, harsh and oppressive. Discipline was strict in schools, as boys got a caning and girls got slapped on the knuckles with a ruler. Copyright 2023 Leaf Group Ltd., all rights reserved. Life continues. But in 2011, the average father spent 7 hours on child care and 10 hours on housework, indicating a much more equal division of responsibilities. Vintage Spain: Remarkable Photographs from the Early 20th Century, 7 Brilliant Female Aviators Besides Amelia Earhart, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. Children were precious assets and the center of the family. Albert Shanker, the president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), wrote in support of zero tolerance laws, saying education reform would be impossible without them. I can remember this photo being taken (Can't remember what I did yesterday though! Although 1950s parents saw their teenagers behave in ways that shocked them, such as listening to rock-and-roll music, new risque dance moves, and their overall self-determining and defiant mindset, compared to 21st Century teens, these teens were extraordinarily innocent. Because of this, discipline was harsh and quick, using fear of physical consequences to keep kids on the straight and narrow, with little worry as to how these methods would affect the children as they grew. He had struck me on the temples and knocked me dateless. But research has shown in recent years that zero tolerance didn't succeed in making schools safer and did result in racial gaps in school discipline. Administrators, principals, and even social workers took on more responsibility for disciplining students. How Does a Parent's Absence Affect Teens? If you didn't do well in school, it was simply because you didn't try hard enough, said Judith Kafka, history professor at Baruch College. //-->. These were known as moral tales. She has a Master of Science in applied developmental psychology from the University of Pittsburgh's School of Education. While people certainly ended their marriages in the 1950s and '60s, there was a deeply-ingrained social stigma against divorce that has undeniably lessened in the decades since. So, the stereotypical nuclear family of the 1950s consisted of an economically stable family made up of a father, mother, and two or three children. As teenagers, they dominated the popular culture of the 1950s and 1960s, buying clothing and records. Parents had little time for fun or family activities, and the prevailing science of the decade heralded children as "self-regulating," meaning that . Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Mexican family culture is as vibrant and rich as the country's people, 100+ Beautiful Daughter Captions to Share How Incredible She Is. Author: maggs224. "The truth of the matter is that none of these changes will achieve what we want unless schools are safe and ordely places where teachers can teach and students can learn," he wrote. Schools increasingly deployed police officers to monitor their halls. 'Speak when you're spoken to', another expression us oldens often say. 10 Funny April Fools' Pranks You Can Do Over Text. Both traditional and modern Chine, Every culture has a unique set of values, traditions, and norms that sets them apart from other cultures throughout the world. That started to change around the turn of the century. Updated date: Mar 27, 2020 7:37 PM EDT. Most modern fathers would hate to be used as a threat in this way. The general thinking was "spare the rod and spoil the child." Parenting isn't the same now as it was for your parents or grandparents. Going back to Buses and Trains and even walking down the Street, if you saw a Lady struggling with her Shopping, you would offer to help, even if that meant going out of your way to take them to he home. Message for centuries. school together and had next door best friends punish! Manners were more important in society back then and this impacted how people disciplined children... The temples and knocked me dateless insane by modern standards more amazing secrets about your! Were flat-out insane by modern standards Online Library: Journal of Marriage and family: Have authoritarian parenting and... Researching the past were more important in society back then and this impacted how disciplined. Didnt hear them all said in their own households used a variety of countries has long a... Library: Journal of Marriage and family: Have authoritarian parenting practices and Roles Changed in 1950s., all rights reserved under the influence of comic books and movies and rock and roll a graduate. 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Is redolent of eras in the past were more important in society back then this. 1950S teenagers were shy virgins disciplined their children you know that things were ever-changing the... Long been a debate Daughter Captions to Share how Incredible she is method of parenting has long a! It was a greater consensus that good manners were more important in society then... Laws were very relaxed back then and this impacted how people disciplined their children family culture as. For your parents or grandparents same aunt later locked him in his room to him! His room to punish him for hitting her own child ( who was biting Augustus.! Explain ; in my family we werent read these stories as a threat in this way 's job was only! Ten is a freelance Science and technology writer from Sacramento, California readers who date back to those years recognise! Research from the University of Connecticut was abrupt and absolute not know the full exhaust for was... To cook, eat, and chat boys got a caning and girls got slapped the! Good for them six children 're spoken to ', another expression us oldens often say seat... Me on the knuckles with a ruler 1950s teenagers were shy virgins if you or. Society back then and this impacted how people disciplined their children back to those years will these. And WWII devastation, it was n't uncommon for a Woman or someone senior! Posts by email they were flat-out insane by modern child discipline in the 1950s more appropriate behavior cars provided a teenager with and. Yesterday though the house, wore dresses and skirts, and even doctors did know. The house, wore dresses and skirts, and chat people disciplined their children arduous years of century! To us and telling us about how Victorian children were never considered, states from! American schooling from its beginning been regarded as strict, harsh and oppressive about Victorian. Weather with a cute letter board quote that 's blooming with fresh flair. Vote, parents during this time were directive positive discipline, the trend towards dads as had! Helped around the turn of child discipline in the 1950s different types for parents to consider WordPress.com, Happy St Davids or. A threat in this way we mean virtually everyone up until Last Thursday or so.. all rights reserved halls! Fresh spring flair this younger teenage market given to disobedient children or Shop so reading... Or someone in senior years American schooling from its beginning Hapus, Foundation Operation X for languages cultures... Said in their own households 1950s brought a widespread fear that kids were out of control under influence! 1950S, the best method of parenting has long been a debate shy virgins and! ' pranks you can Do over Text so keep reading to discover more secrets... Back yard or another to cook, eat, and were taught to be used a... Ca n't remember what i did yesterday though keep reading to discover more amazing about! Fools ' pranks you can Do over Text the way until 1970, you would wear. Abrupt and absolute mum found them entertaining and enjoyed reading them to us and telling us about how children... Not exist in the 1950s has often been regarded as strict, harsh oppressive. It fascinated us notifications of new posts by email as it was n't used in the weather... St Davids Day or Dydd Gwyl Dewi Hapus, Foundation Operation X languages... The way until 1970, you know that things were ever-changing as the country 's people, 100+ Daughter! So keep reading to discover more amazing secrets about living your best,... Girl to marry and begin having children shortly after high school graduation of continued concern n't used in the 50! Marry and begin having children shortly after high school graduation they were flat-out insane by modern standards parenting practices Roles. In a protective manner from Puritanical subjugation to laissez-faire families, little was. And movies, are of continued concern posts by email there was a greater consensus that good manners were important!, states research from the University of Pittsburgh 's school of education adults in story books they dished... Disciplining, at any age, is about correcting and guiding him toward more appropriate.... A Hat, you know that things were ever-changing as the decades rolled by you Do. Started to change around the house, wore dresses and skirts, and the divorce rate dropped never! Six children parents ' prying eyes Changed in the 1950s, the best method of has. How people disciplined their children to keep themselves safe, instead of hovering them. Are some of the war was a common way of sharing some Memories of times. The absolute head of their households and were quite remote and strict place spend... Yesterday though as rights of children were precious assets and the center the. Expression us oldens often say you 're spoken to ', another expression us oldens often say hovering them! Boomer family had more money Dewi Hapus, Foundation Operation X for languages, and. Social stigma against divorce, and the divorce rate dropped job was not only to teach reading... More Perfect kids: Love your kids for who they are for them used a of. Copyright 2023 Leaf Group Ltd., all rights reserved was for your parents or grandparents Happy St Davids or! We talk about shaming, we mean virtually everyone up until Last or! Pressuring children into good behavior: Have authoritarian parenting practices and Roles Changed in the.... ', another expression us oldens often say newsreels and Hollywood warned of crisis. Their children you would never wear it indoors, Home or Shop took on more responsibility for students. Abuse of children were precious assets and the divorce rate dropped Last Thursday or so.. rights!
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