<div><p>Anyone who<a href="https://www.shared.com/17-reasons-why-80s-kids-should-not-be-alive-today-2170147451/" target="_blank"> grew up in the '80s</a> feels that warm sense of nostalgia when they thinking about CareBears, Reading Rainbow and The Goonies. </p><p>Whether we put on a Phil Collins or Bangles record, and danced around in our neon spandex or went on long solo bike rides to the creek, thinking back to our childhood is full of fond memories. </p><p>It's not that '80s parents were careless, but parents these days have different feelings about their parenting style. Whether we worry more, or there is increased danger, there are many things that were common in the '80s that we would never let our kids do now. </p><p></p><h2>They Let Their Kids Stay Home Alone</h2><div><amp-iframe sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin" layout="responsive" frameborder="0" height="9" width="16" src="https://giphy.com/embed/WTlH9XMLIAD4I"></amp-iframe></div><p>Now we wouldn't fathom letting our kids walk to the park alone, let alone stay at home after school by themselves. The "latchkey kid" peaked in the '80s along with the divorce rate and working mothers. Plenty of kids came <a href="https://www.shared.com/things-we-did-in-the-80s-at-school-that-todays-kids-wouldnt-get-2013949320/" target="_blank">home from school</a>, did their chores and homework and even got dinner started on their own. </p><p>These days some states set a minimum age for when a child can be left at home alone. </p><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p><h2>They Let Their Kids Ride Bikes Without a Helmet</h2><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/-_1.JPG" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img><figcaption class="op-vertical-center"><cite>Ebay</cite></figcaption></figure></div><p>While helmets did exist in the '80s often the "cool kids" never wore them. Some parents forced the issue of protective headgear, but it was hard to monitor when the child was out of reach. </p><p><a href="http://www.iihs.org/iihs/topics/laws/bicycle-laws">Now in 21 states</a>, young riders are now required to wear helmets. Many cities have their own rules as well. With all the horror stories of bicycle accidents, you better bet kids will be wearing helmets now. </p><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p><h2>They Let Their Kids Skip The Car Seats</h2><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/carseat61.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/carseat61_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img><figcaption class="op-vertical-center"><cite>Babble</cite></figcaption></figure></div><p>Rear-facing or forward-facing? Bucketseat or convertible car seat? There is so much involved in car seat safety that it's hard to believe that our parents went with out. </p><p>Remembering the times of the '80s where babies would ride in the front passenger seat instead of strapped in with a crazy latch system that makes a straight jacket look simple. And you can bet '80s parents didn't leave their kids in there for long. By the time we were 8 we were sitting up front learning how to operate the car. You can bet that my kid will be strapped safely a child restraint system in the back until prom. </p><p></p><p>Whether it's the <a href="https://www.shared.com/the-bestworst-perms-every-80s-kid-had-2009551249/">outrageous hairstyles </a>or the<a href="https://www.shared.com/mcdonalds-is-selling-the-mcpizza-again-heres-how-you-can-get-it-now/"> great fast food</a>, it seems like the rules were also more relaxed decades ago. </p><p>There were no iPhone tracking you by GPS, but kids were also disconnected from technology, which is rare for children of today. </p><p>With social media reminding us that anything can happen at any time and horror stories about babies getting sick or snatched, it just makes me want to hold my little ones close until they are in university. </p><h2>They Let Their Kids Drink Water From The Hose</h2><div><amp-iframe sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin" layout="responsive" frameborder="0" height="9" width="16" src="https://giphy.com/embed/tpUU3q3kzNrI4"></amp-iframe></div><p>I think we can all remember this! Instead of coming inside from playing when you're thirsty, just turn on the garden hose. Sure, it wasn't the safest because often <a href="https://www.thoughtco.com/is-it-safe-to-drink-hose-water-609429">toxic chemicals </a>are sitting in the hose, but it sure quenched your thirst. </p><p>Now most parents don't even want their kids drinking from the tap. It's bottled or filtered water all the way. </p><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p><h2>They Let Their Kids Eat Processed Food</h2><div><amp-iframe sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin" layout="responsive" frameborder="0" height="9" width="16" src="https://giphy.com/embed/NSXbmu8whuTkI"></amp-iframe></div><p>Is it organic? Is it part of the deadly 7? We monitor our kids food intake by checking the nutritional ingredients on every package. </p><p>In the '80s parents frequently served up microwavable Salisbury steak and mashed potatoes. The '80s were all about convenience, they weren't worried about how much nutrition was lost in the preservation process. </p><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p><h2>They Let Their Kids Go Play In The Neighborhood</h2><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/a03be39dbd6777bd3adac645f3d437a1.jpg" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></figure></div><p>Organized sports and playdates weren't really a thing when '80s kids were growing up. We used to head to the creek, or a friends house and <a href="https://www.shared.com/80s-video-games-you-probably-played-2043594206/">play hours of video games</a>. The rules were always to be home before the street lights came on, and if you did that everything was okay.</p><p>Now we won't let our kids go past the bottom of our driveway. </p><p></p><p><strong>What do you think? Are we too protective of our kids this days or has the world changed that much since we were young? </strong></p><p></p></div>
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