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"Back in my day, we used to walk 5 miles to school in sub-zero temperatures without batting an eyelid. Not like you spoiled little brats these days!" We all have an older relative who says things like this about raising kids. They are despairing the coddled youth with their smartphones, crappy music, and parents that seemingly can't say no to their every demand.

And you know what? They might actually have a point on the parenting styles of today. Although the world might seem like a more dangerous place now with higher safety standards required, kids of previous generations had to make their own entertainment. They had to learn to look after themselves from a younger age and take far more risks while doing so. Parents didn't have things like Mumsnet to help them with parenting tips, alternatively, guilt and stress them out for letting kids go out of the safe environments and learn from their own mistakes.

To celebrate the eccentric approaches of old-school parenting and child safety, we here at Bored Panda have put together a list of parents and their kids doing things that would horrify the mommy and daddy bloggers and Instagrammers of today. What's your opinion on the evolution of parenting over the years? Scroll down below to check out the vintage photos for yourself, and let us know what you think in the comments!

#1

Me Back In 1991 Just Your Typical Aussie Kid Drinking Xxxxlight Beer(I Wasn't Aloud Heavies Back Then) And Holding A Baby Crocodile

Me Back In 1991 Just Your Typical Aussie Kid Drinking Xxxxlight Beer(I Wasn't Aloud Heavies Back Then) And Holding A Baby Crocodile

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#2

My Mother And Grandmother Demonstrating Safety Standards In The 1960s

My Mother And Grandmother Demonstrating Safety Standards In The 1960s

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#3

If Your Mum Didn't Lay On The Ground Making Herself Into A Ramp For Your New BMX, Did She Even Love You? 1980's

If Your Mum Didn't Lay On The Ground Making Herself Into A Ramp For Your New BMX, Did She Even Love You? 1980's

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#4

California Marijuana Initiative Rally 1972. That’s Me In The Box And My Parents In The Picture

California Marijuana Initiative Rally 1972. That’s Me In The Box And My Parents In The Picture

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#5

My Dad And His Veterinarian Mother, With Their Pet Lion Which They Raised For Two Years, 1959

My Dad And His Veterinarian Mother, With Their Pet Lion Which They Raised For Two Years, 1959

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#6

Princess Yvonne And Prince Alexander In Germany, 1955

Princess Yvonne And Prince Alexander In Germany, 1955

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#7

A Couple Ice Skating With Their Baby, 1937

A Couple Ice Skating With Their Baby, 1937

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#8

Infant Me, My Mother & Father At A Bar Because That's How Parents Rolled In The Early '80s

Infant Me, My Mother & Father At A Bar Because That's How Parents Rolled In The Early '80s

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aaronw avatar
Aaron W
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hung in bars too when I was little. Then they wouldn't let me back in until I was 20 - I must have been a rough toddler.

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Max L.
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When you aren't sure your dad is Pablo Escobar or Mario Bros

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glowworm2
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Mom is gorgeous! Also, I'm highly certain that baby has a fake Id.

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Non-New-Toni-An
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This photo needn't make the list. In the UK family pubs are common. There's nothing weird as long as the parents aren't drunk.

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Gracie Mae
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

my mother was a bartender for most of her life; i was brought up in bars because it was allowed & there was no babysitter to pay. i loved to dance & play music on the jukebox. playing shuffleboard was fun too, and eating maraschino cherries!

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Roy Phillips
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Old joke from England. A man, his wife, and their 4 year-old child were out driving, when they were pulled over by the police. The Bobby told the gentleman who was driving that he'd been weaving a bit, and wondered if he'd mind taking a breathalyzer test to prove he was sober. Glad to, sad the gentleman. Strangely, the test showed that he was legally drunk. Got to be something wrong with that machine, the gentleman insisted, Let my wife try; she never drinks. But the machine showed her to be legally drunk as well. The gentleman made one more request, that would, if granted, show that the machine in question was defective. Let's see how the kid does with the machine, he suggested. And, what do you know? The kid also tested legally drunk. The Bobby apologized, and allowed the family to go on their way. As they pulled away, the husband looked at his wife and said "Good thing we gave the kid that double shot of gin before we left the bar, eh wot?!?

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Kathy Baylis
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In the early 1970s, my parents and I spent our summers traveling the US. In 1972, we went out West. When we got to Las Vegas, we went to see the casinos. When my parents went on to the casino floor to check out the people who were gambling, security told them it was illegal for me to go with them. So Security told me to sit at the BAR (!!!) where the Bartender gave me free Coca-Colas and kept an eye on me until they were done.

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GFSTaylor
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Still quite normal in the UK. The kids don't drink alcohol. The parents get to chat and hang out with friends. Kids get to play with other kids, maybe in a children's area outside if the weather's good, and socialize with their parent's friends, learning how adults interact. Kids under 16 have to leave by 9.00pm. You wouldn't take kids to some pubs, but there are plenty of family-friendly ones around. The mere sight and smell of alocohol isn't going to damage kids.

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Mary Rose Kent
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Do people smoke in pubs or is it like much of the U.S. where it’s no longer legal to smoke indoors?

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Michelle
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh noooo, they are going to give their baby alcohol. I'm sure they STILL do this in EU where it's NORMAL.

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Valerie Lessard
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

cute family. Second hand smoke is a worry, but I don't think baby is drinking

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LFSchind
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My infant's first outing at two weeks old was to our local brewery.

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Full Name
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It was probably products from that brewery that helped create that child in the first place so it's only fitting to go full circle and pay homage.

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KarmaQueen
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And a mixed couple as well. It was becoming more the norm in the 80's but still not as common as now.

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Bill
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The good ole days of the smoky bar where your eyes burn a little. I smoke but certainly don't miss the days of smoking in bars and restaurants.

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Amy Zwick
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I still remember selling pet rocks to patrons in the bar my mom worked at.

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Lilyan
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Can confirm, one of my early memories is my Great-Gran falling off the bar she was dancing on....

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Laly Lynch
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yup! My mother took me & my younger brother to several bars (all in a 24-hour period) while we were yet toddlers. Very rough childhood.

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Mike B
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Bonus points for the cigarette vending machine in the background.

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Jeff Tolliver
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Del Griffith, American Light and Fixture.... shower curtain ring division. I sell shower curtain rings. Best in the world!

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Misterscooter
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Teach that kid to use the cigarette machine and they never need get up.

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Ann Abdelzaher
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

LOL Some times after school when I had activities I was to walk to the "Elm street Grill and Bar" and wait for my grandpa to pick me up or later my dad. The owner of the bar would give me snacks and things while I waited :D

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Beckita Moore
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Took my bairns to the pub all the time! It's still normal in Yorkshire tbf. Better now since thecsmoking ban of course!

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Laura Perkinson
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not really , in Texas you could take your kids in bars an even give them beer! Made for a lot of early alcoholics!

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Shauna Mañana
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My mother was hanging out in bars with her parents in the 50’s, eating maraschino cherries. She also used to ride in the car with both of them smoking with the windows fully rolled up.

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Rosali LC
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well, would you rather they left the baby alone at home? :p

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okpkpkp
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I brought my son into a few bars during the early '80s.

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Viki Banaszak
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ah, the smell of stale beer and cigs. I do miss my childhood ;p

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Crouching_Penn_Hidden_Teller@yahoo.com
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was in a bar and some people tried to bring their baby in there four years ago so obviously this hasn't died out yet.

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Valerie Wagner
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Many bars in the south would allow babies to be with their parents. Great entertainment for the kids;)

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Annamay
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I remember going to bars with my father. He'd have a few beers and I would have a ginger ale. All the old drunks knew me!

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Diane Phillips-Herman
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I spent a lot of time in the bar in the 70's when I was 9 to 11. I learned to shoot pool early.

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Steve Cruz
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I ran around the NCO club at an Air Force site, playing the jukebox and making grids of used cigarette butts. Looks like your folks had you in the non-smoking section.

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Katie Smith
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I remember going to bars when I was kid in the 90's with my dad. Lol

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debrina blackmoon
Community Member
4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

my mother took us to a bar/grill where my father's gf worked-they became friends anyway and we got free Shirley Temples

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Lu
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I felt like Wings...so I went to Wings with my 5 year old. They told me no kids were allowed. I didn't get any Wings that day, or beer.

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Kate Collins
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I took my children (born between 1977 -1996) to dance halls where they ran around til they often fell asleep under the tables while mamma and daddy, danced, drank, and interacted with other adults whose children did the same thing. Amazing that they've all grown up to be successful in their own right.

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Cheryl Stott Hafferty
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Still happens only now they put their baby in the front holding back pack. Trust me no one in the bar wants to see your baby

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#9

The Pinnacle Of Parenting: 1930s Swimming Lesson

The Pinnacle Of Parenting: 1930s Swimming Lesson

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Bobby's Girl
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My father threw me into Tampa Bay. I was about 3 years old. I learned to swim in a hurry, because there were scary things swimming around in that water! Google "Horseshoe Crab" and you'll understand.

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#10

Car Seat Safety In 1958. Not Strapped In To Anything, These Seats Relied On The Mother To Put Her Arm Out And Stop The Baby From Falling Forward

Car Seat Safety In 1958. Not Strapped In To Anything, These Seats Relied On The Mother To Put Her Arm Out And Stop The Baby From Falling Forward

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#11

My Hilarious Father (With The Magazine) And My Grandfather, Grandmother, And Uncle At His Bar Mitzvah In 1972

My Hilarious Father (With The Magazine) And My Grandfather, Grandmother, And Uncle At His Bar Mitzvah In 1972

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#12

My Mother-In-Law Riding A Bear At 2 Years Old

My Mother-In-Law Riding A Bear At 2 Years Old

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#13

Harley With A Baby Seat, 1962

Harley With A Baby Seat, 1962

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Monika Soffronow
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Safety first! Remember to properly attach the baby seat with the convenient succion cups to the gas tank before putting your baby in it.

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#14

A Photo Of Me Dressed Up As My Dad, With My Dad (1982)

A Photo Of Me Dressed Up As My Dad, With My Dad (1982)

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#15

My Dad Showing Off His Parenting Skills 1985

My Dad Showing Off His Parenting Skills 1985

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karen snyder
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And his Awesome fashion choices. Cut off tummy top, micro running shorts and Sears Roebuck velcro kicks was my go to in '85 too! but he tops it off with that cherry Tom Selleck stash. Your dad is a legend.

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#16

My Mom In The Hospital After Giving Birth To My Sister. Canada 1978. Smokes And Roasted Chicken

My Mom In The Hospital After Giving Birth To My Sister. Canada 1978. Smokes And Roasted Chicken

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#17

Back In The Day. 1950s To Be Exact. Checkout That Car Seat

Back In The Day. 1950s To Be Exact. Checkout That Car Seat

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#18

My Mom Showing Off Her Parenting Skills 1978

My Mom Showing Off Her Parenting Skills 1978

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#19

Me, 1958, Relaxing After My Bath With Toby, I Was Never Again This Cool

Me, 1958, Relaxing After My Bath With Toby, I Was Never Again This Cool

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#20

13 Y/O Dad Having A Taste While The Grownups Are Busy Playing Cards; Upstate New York, August 1954

13 Y/O Dad Having A Taste While The Grownups Are Busy Playing Cards; Upstate New York, August 1954

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#21

My Father And His Pet Lion Priscilla, California 1970's

My Father And His Pet Lion Priscilla, California 1970's

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#22

My Adorable (4 Year Old) Mother At A Zoo In Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, 1970

My Adorable (4 Year Old) Mother At A Zoo In Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, 1970

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#23

Just A Photo Of Yours Truly (At 11 Years) Petting A Full Grown Tiger. My Mom Calls It Her "Bad Parenting Moment"

Just A Photo Of Yours Truly (At 11 Years) Petting A Full Grown Tiger. My Mom Calls It Her "Bad Parenting Moment"

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Monika Soffronow
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

From the infamous Thai temple tiger farm. https://www.traffic.org/news/thai-seizure-of-a-dozen-captive-tigers-resurrects-farming-threat/

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