The 70's and 80's were the best for raising kids.

Nikki - posted on 03/10/2011

I grew up in the early 80's. My mum didn't have time, she was an 80's career woman, shoulder pads and all!!! I didn't spend much time with her growing up because she worked longer hours than dad.

I love this age for bringing up my daughter, I am lucky that I don't have to work and I have lots of gadgets to ensure I get the most out of enjoying my days rather than slaving over a washing board and scrubbing floors on my hands and knees. I am very lucky, life is easy, we spend most of our days having fun.

Kelly - posted on 03/09/2011

That is true, JuLeah, maybe "easier" is not the term...."happier" maybe? But then....I'm not even sure about that term....It all depends on what aspects of life you consider "easy" or "difficult" and what makes you happy.

Krista - posted on 03/09/2011

I'd have to say that I'd rather raise kids today than any other decade. I like that my husband and I are equals: we both work and we both share in the cooking, cleaning, and child rearing. I know I would go crazy being a stay at home mom, and I love being able to have a career that I enjoy. I do wish I could work part time rather than full time, because I do feel guilt about how much time I'm away from home, but I hope to be part time when I go back after this maternity leave. Gadgets and technology can be a big problem, but no one says you have to go out and buy your kids all the latest stuff (you just have to listen to them whine that every other kid on the planet has one!) I'm pretty happy raising 2000's babies, but I could definitely change my mind once I have teenagers...teens in today's world scare the crap outta me!

JuLeah - posted on 03/09/2011

Every generation makes this claim ... my grnadmother felt is was easier on her parents, my great grandmother felt the same

Kelly - posted on 03/09/2011

If I had to choose a decade, it would be a very tight race between now and the 50's, but I think ultimately, now would win it.

I liked the family values present in the 50's and the simplicity of life, yet things were still easy--we had vacuums and decent cleaners, and we had TV's but gadgets were not so distracting that they took us away from truly socializing. I have always known my neighbors, I could not imagine not knowing who lies 40ft from me while I sleep, but I have heard that very few people speak to their neighbors anymore, much less know them--not only is that sad, it's kind of scary.

On the down side, there was the lack of civil liberty, and women had little choice in their careers. Of course, it was much easier back then to work "mother's hours" because most places closed in time for everyone to get home for dinner, so even working poor had a better chance at 2 incomes as opposed to 1 than they often do today.

Today, people have more choices, but there are also a lot more demands. Sometimes I find the choices a little overbearing. There is more judgment today than there was then, or maybe it's just that we don't conceal our judgment anymore--we are no longer polite. I miss manners.

Despite all that, I still think I prefer now to then....

Karen - posted on 03/09/2011

While the 70s and 80s (and any other decade/era) may have aspects that seem better than what we have today, I wouldn't want to raise my kids at any time other than this, personally. I love the choices I have as far as working/staying home, sending my kids to school/homeschooling, etc. There are a lot of things I don't like about parenting in today's society yet at least I have the ability to work around those things I find upsetting or wrong.



If we live a fast paced life it's because we choose it. So many things are because of our own choices...it's not society making decisions for us.

Toni - posted on 03/09/2011

I like what we've got now, like Heather said, if we feel pressured to do it all it is on us not society. I grew up in the 80's and it was all about what we had or for us what we didn't have because my parents were not very well off but that was the price they choose so mum could SAH with us.

Desiree - posted on 03/09/2011

It's all relative isn't it, The 80 were also know for the increase in divorce and single parenting. We may think that they had it easier but I am sure my mother would disagree with me on that point.

Louise - posted on 03/09/2011

I grew up in the 70's and I have to say I think I would love to bring my kids up in that era because we all played outside without the thought of stranger danger and weirdos whisking you away. We were all out playing kiss chase and climbing trees not sat vegatating infront of the tv or play station. Kids were alot more sociable and free to do what ever they wanted without somebody breathing down their neck saying that is not politically correct. There are so many restrictions these days it's ridiculous. I think as a whole children spend less time with their parents than ever before. They all have their own rooms with their own tvs and game stations so the family spends the evenings apart instead of playing games all together and chatting. If I had my way I would ban all phones and game stations because they have caused normal family life to be so dysfunctional.

Stifler's - posted on 03/09/2011

I think it had bad points in any era. I couldn't do the whole mangle and copper boiling, cloth nappies, thunderbox, high waisted era. I like my life and I find it easy to raise kids on one income because we have a good income. People who don't might find it hard. In any era those with a good income probably found it easier to raise kids and those who worked all day for peanuts probably didn't like their life and like Laura said... rose coloured glasses to the 70s and 80s.

Nadia - posted on 03/08/2011

I'd love to goback in time hundreds of years... living in a small village and living off the land. the whole community helped raise the children, people weren't concerned with "having it all" and there was not so much rush and stress. People lived off the land. And yes, i know there wasn't the medical care we have today and it's quite possible that i could have died in childbirth and some of my kids might not have survived, but it was a simpler time.

Isobel - posted on 03/08/2011

maybe the seventies...but I grew up in the eighties...everything was about money, brand names and gadgets...the walkman, the personal computer, the carphone (yes, we had those before cell phones lol), and the women of that decade, I think had more pressure to work than ever before or since (that was the decade of the power suit with crazy shoulder pads).

I think they're looking back through rose coloured glasses...although...there WAS more money to buy all those things...maybe that's what they mean.

Bonnie - posted on 03/08/2011

I miss those times just for the minimal cares and worries.

Lady Heather - posted on 03/08/2011

I think sometimes we have a tendency to glorify the good things of the past and forget the bad. As much as the world has it's problems today, I kind of like living in a time where women are advancing everyday, racial and sexual orientation prejudices (while still there) are on the decrease. Sure, sometimes I wish life were simpler but that simple time meant I did not have much power in society and didn't get to have an equal partnership with my husband. I don't think I could stand to live that way.

If women feel pressured to do it all, that's really on them. If you care that much about what a few people think about what you do, maybe you need to reflect on that for a while. Does it really matter if some random people at that dinner party think I'm kind of lame for being a stay at home mother? Does it matter that the other mums at the park think you're neglectful because you go to work? Nope. We put that pressure on ourselves I think. Certainly no reason to throw in the towel and go back to a time when we were second in command.

Amy - posted on 03/08/2011

i thought the 80s was the big economic boom where almost all mothers started working? i'm so glad mine stayed home with us even though it was rough. yes, i do miss things not being so disposable.

Deanna - posted on 03/08/2011

If I could go to any time period and raise my kids it would be about the 70's and 80's. Mom's were more easily able to be SAHM's without people judging us. We were also more relaxed and not as worried about the latest gadget, and "having it all". Products were also better made to last. I could go on and on and on but this is the jist of it.

Good Day! - posted on 03/08/2011

I think the gadgets have their own benefits, but ultimately will take time away from the family. Billy's playing on the DS, Mom is on COM, Susy is texting, Dad's watching the 24 hour football channel. Without these things the family would communicate better and be more involved in each others' lives. Not that these things are bad, but because it can be a problem, we need to be conscience of how it affects our family life.

About the pressure to work...I love that women now have the option to work, if they want to. But I also feel that today's world makes it incredibly difficult for women to choose not to work. For those of us fortunate enough to not have to work, we still have to make sacrifices and learn to live more creatively and without certain things.

I'm of the mind that simple is better. So I'd tend to agree that times before the "gadgets" (that supposedly make life easier) were better.

Amy - posted on 03/08/2011

Yep - Little house on the prairie in friendly indian territories would be awesome.

70s/80s -weren't there tons of drugs then? were people watching their kids? I'm not big on TV. I do agree that it's a boob tube and not really good for anyone. It takes our time away from focusing on each other. Now no one really knows their neighbors. I would love to live in times when neighbors get together to can/freeze/etc. The human bonding and what my kids could learn from other adult women. Each time probably has its perks and drawbacks. I'm just glad I have healthy kids and not too much "Stuff". internet is my luxury! We just got regular tv a few months ago. I didn't have any channels at ALL for two years. Didn't miss it.

Sarah - posted on 03/08/2011

I'd quite like to live in a time where my husbands salary would have been enough and I could just stay home and "keep house". In saying that though, I'm a TERRIBLE house keeper!!
I wouldn't like to not have a washing machine and a computer and all that stuff too.......although I guess I wouldn't know any difference, so I wouldn't miss it!!

I think Mum's do have a lot of pressure to "have it all" these days, but I think in every era Mum's probably has pressures of some kind or another.

Maybe being a Mum in the future would be better! All space ships and living on the moon and stuff! hahaha :)

Tara - posted on 03/08/2011

Yes it might be easier now, but I see the easier parts the things like medical science, antibiotics, healthier food, dental care etc. etc.
I don't equate easier with gadgetry. lol
But if I could choose when I wanted to raise kids, not necessarily when it would have been easier, I would go way way back to North America in the 1200s before Europeans had come here.
I would love to live off the land, following the wild game, digging for roots, watching my children play in clean mountain streams, teaching my daughters how to do quill work and dye skins, I would love to snuggle up to my man under a pile of animal skins while a fire crackles away in the dead of winter.
The stuff of dreams. Oh and just so you know, I'm aware not all of my kids would have lived, I'm aware things were really dangerous etc. etc. but still I would have loved to live then.

Jenn - posted on 03/08/2011

I'd like to live in a time where things are not so fast paced, kids don't feel the need to have all the latest gadgets and name brands, parents didn't feel the need to compete with one another, and it was easier to live on one income if you wanted to. I've always kind of wanted to be like Ma Ingalls LOL!