15 Photos of What Parenting Looked Like in the ’70s

Written by Rachel Schneider on
Split image: On the left, an adult and two children in winter clothes and sunglasses walk in snow. On the right, a woman with light hair kneels beside a baby lying on a pillow indoors near a TV.

Parenting today is a far cry from what moms and dads experienced in the ’70s. These days, kids are distracted with iPads, Netflix, social media, and all kinds of technology and social trends that didn’t exist during the seventies. In decades past, the Christmas gifts were simpler, safety was more relaxed, and white bread wasn’t vilified. Take a look at these throwback photos for a glimpse into parenting in the 1970s.

1. The Magic of Christmas 

A young girl in a green-trimmed dress smiles while holding TYCO toy train boxes, sitting on the floor next to a woman. Wrapped gifts and a Christmas tree are visible in the background.
flodnak / Reddit.com

2. Keeping the Kiddos Bundled Up 

A woman in a dark coat and boots walks with two young children in red winter outfits and sunglasses across a snowy landscape. The children wear matching hats and scarves, and one has a colorful poncho.
UserDeleted / Reddit.com

3. Grilling Dinner in the Most ’70s Outfit

A woman in a floral dress and red platform sandals grills food on a small barbecue in a backyard patio, surrounded by greenery and a wooden fence. Smoke rises from the grill as she tends to the food.
morganmonroe81 / Reddit.com

4. Attempting To Relax Among Chaos

Three children play outdoors with a rope near an adult sitting in a lawn chair. Laundry hangs on lines in the background, and outdoor items are scattered around the yard. The scene appears relaxed and casual.
Heirloom-Cloud / Reddit.com

5. Helping the Kids Make Memories … Without Technology

Three children and a man sit at a picnic table beside a camper tent, smiling and holding bowls of food. Camping gear is visible around them, and they appear to be enjoying a meal outdoors.
Heirloom-Cloud / Reddit.com

6. Taking One for the Team (the Kid)

A man, woman, and young girl sit together on a ski lift or amusement park ride, wearing sunglasses and casual 1970s clothing, against a clear blue sky. The girl sits between the adults, partially hidden.
UserDeleted / Reddit.com

7. Kmart Christmas Shopping 

A person stands in a store aisle next to a display of stacked Simon electronic game boxes, with a shopping cart filled with items and shelves of clothes in the background.
UrbanAchievers6371 / Reddit.com

8. Girl Feeding Her Baby at a School for Teen Mothers in Azusa, California 

A woman sits in a classroom feeding a baby from a bottle in a bassinet while listening to a teacher who stands at the front; other students sit at desks facing the teacher.
weekendbimbo / Reddit.com

9. Always Making PB&Js (With White Bread, of Course)

A person in a striped shirt stands at a kitchen counter, preparing food. Sliced bread, jars, and other ingredients are spread out on the green counter under a sloped white ceiling.
mks113 / Reddit.com

10. Endless Grocery Shopping, no Instacart Required 

A woman in a blue shirt stands in a grocery store aisle, holding a carton of milk and shopping with a cart filled with groceries. Shelves are lined with various milk and dairy products.
j3434 / Reddit.com

11. Keeping the Baby Comfortable 

A smiling woman with platinum blonde hair in a red plaid jumpsuit sits on green carpet next to a baby lying on a pink pillow, with a TV and blanket in the background.
ecobot / Reddit.com

12. Mom Cutting the Cake at a Burger King Birthday Party 

A woman serves cake to a smiling young girl wearing a colorful party hat at a table set with plates and drinks during a birthday party. Other children are visible in the background. The photo has a vintage tone.
karmicnegotiations / Reddit.com

13. Enjoying Some Time Outside

14thCenturyHood / Reddit.com

14. Clinging to Mom

A woman stands outdoors with her arms around a young girl in a pink dress and a young boy in red pants. They are smiling near a chain-link fence with a brick building and trees in the background.
oldsoul8789 / Reddit.com

15. If You Know, You Know …

A young girl in a red plaid shirt sits on green carpet, watching a vintage box television in a room with orange curtains and wood-paneled walls.
NorthvilleCoeur / Reddit.com

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A black-and-white photo of a crowd, including a child on an adult’s shoulders holding a “Yankees World Series 1978 Champions” pennant, during a parade or celebration in a city street.
Walter Leporati/Getty Images