The Good Old Days? 28 Tweets Prove Gen X Childhoods Were Wild (and Slightly Terrifying)

Roy

1 year ago

Remember when "stranger danger" wasn't a constant worry, and playing outside until the streetlights came on was practically a right of passage? Those were the days of Gen X childhoods, a time capsule of experiences that would probably raise eyebrows (and safety concerns) today. This collection of 28 tweets takes a humorous trip down memory lane, highlighting the bizarre norms and questionable practices that defined growing up Gen X.

Get ready for a dose of nostalgia (and maybe a touch of disbelief) as you scroll through these tweets. From the freedom of roaming unsupervised to the questionable fashion choices (acid wash, anyone?), these posts offer a glimpse into a bygone era where seatbelts were optional, snacks were plentiful (and not always healthy), and a little danger was considered part of the fun (or maybe that was just our parents' perspective).

My high school had a smoking area. For the kids. What's something you experienced as a kid that would blow your children's minds?
Car seats that just hung over the front seat. Hang on, kid!
When my first daughter was born in 1983 | heard her crying during the night in the hosp. nursery. So.. I ventured out of the room to check on her. Not there. I walked down to the nurses station where they were trying to calm her on their break.. their smoke break.
We could smoke in hospitals when I was a kid, if pt was on 02, they just disconnected it and walked down the hall to the "smoking" lounge!! I think the only place one couldn't smoke was inside a church. Grocery stores too, pretty much everywhere.
Grew up in upstate NY where winters are long/very cold. Yet, girls could wear only dresses/skirts never pants to school. Winter of 67/68 a group of us made a pact to wear pants. We were all pulled from class, threatened w/ expulsion but after a couple weeks the dress code changed.
At primary school we had to do indoor PE class in just our underwear
My high school principal had problems with some belligerent students. One morning, one of them called him out. The vice-principal locked him and the student in a room and they went fisticuffs. Principal won. 6 Student was never a problem again. THAT would NEVER happen now.
Same - plus, they had a dental van that would collect us & take us to the dental school, where we had fillings, etc, no parent presence or even consent, they just did what they thought needed doing. I'd sit there in class, praying my name wouldn't be read out for the dental van.
Having to look in the "TV Guide" to see what was on the 3 channels you had, CBC, CTV and Global!
We had a smoking lounge for juniors and seniors and a senior lounge w TVs, couches, fridge, showers, etc. where you could go a watch your favorite soap opera during the day. And a patio for sunbathing. This was an all girls Catholic school run by nuns.
The 80s version. We bought them at JC Penneys and if you forgot yours the teacher had a big box of extras that might not have been washed in a while for you to borrow.
This was required for gym class. Our school had a puke green version.

You've just unearthed a goldmine of Gen X memories, each tweet a hilarious reminder of a time when life moved at a slower pace (or maybe it just felt that way because you were a kid?). You've chuckled at the sheer audacity of letting kids roam free, cringed (but secretly envied) the freedom to indulge in sugary snacks without parental judgment, and maybe even questioned your own childhood safety standards (don't worry, hindsight is 20/20).

Want to see how the other half lives? Dive into our collection of hilarious "millennial problems" memes. Feeling nostalgic for simpler times? Check out our gallery of classic 90s cartoons. Or, for a good dose of relatable content, our collection of "adulting is hard" memes might be your cup of tea (or should we say, box of wine?).

Roy

Roy R., Chief Meme Curator Roy founded Thunder Dungeon in 2012 and has since guided its growth into a 2.5 million‑strong community of meme enthusiasts. With over a decade of digital‑media experience and a nose for viral humor, Roy oversees content strategy, ensuring every post is both hilarious and high‑quality

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