Growing up in the 1950s

 I want to continue to explore the differences children experienced based on the decade they were born into.  Today, we explore the 1950s and compare their life with those of the children in the 1940s.  The blog post about growing up in the 1940s can be found here.

Since I was born in this decade, I was interested to research how other children may have experienced this decade.  I found that my experience was quite different from my peers because my family was an Air Force family and we lived overseas most of my childhood.  That said, let's look at what history says was the norm for children growing up in the 1950s.

The Experience:

Growing up on the 50s was characterized by many traditional values, such as respect for authority, hard work, and discipline. The experience varied across differing socioeconomic status and cultural background, but still there were commonalities.

Children in the 50s spent most of their free time playing outside in yards, streets, and public areas.  These children were very physically active and liked to ride bikes, roller skate, or play ball of some kind.   They played chase, tag, jumped rope, did hopscotch, played marbles just as the children of the 40s did. When inside, they might play cards, board games, work puzzles, play with dolls or toy cars. 

Since television was still in its infancy, not all families had a television set.  Those who did would watch programs such as "The Lone Ranger", "The Mickey Mouse Club", or "I Love Lucy". Viewing these programs was very much a family activity with the whole family sitting together in the living room.

Theaters were popular and on weekends the children and their families might go see the newest film out, but this was a special occasion due to the cost of tickets, and food at the theater. Sometimes, families would have to wait to see these films until they had saved the money for the entire family to attend.

The children of the 50s were readers.  Trips to the library were fun outings for the family. They enjoyed many books about adventure, mysteries and animals; they had favorite authors like Dr. Seuss, Beverly Cleary and others. Reading was encouraged as an activity for times when physical actions were not possible. 

Over all, this was a time of great emphasis on family and community. Family life centered around a nuclear family that consisted of a father, mother and children.  Gender roles were well defined and everyone knew what was expected from them. Children were expected to obey their parents and show respect for authority figures like their teachers.

The Differences Between the 1940s and 1950s:

The children of the 40s had lives dominated by the presence of war. The were, very early on, exposed to the realities of war and knew rationing and air-raid drills. Because of their unique situation, they may have experienced anxiety and the uncertainty brought by wartime.

Their family life was different in that the extended family was included more.  The grandparents, aunts and uncles, and family friends all took part in helping to raise children and help make ends meet.  People in the 40s had to rely on each other to get through the war years when things were scarce or hard to find.

Children were expected to do their part to aid with the war effort and they collected old tires, metal, and money to help with our war effort overseas. They were very aware of the cost of war in both money, things, and people as many had family or friends serving overseas; many had lost important people to the war.

Due to wartime shortages, toys and entertainment options were more limited in the 40s. Children often made do with homemade toys or played outside with friends under the watchful eyes of the neighborhood. Instead of watching television, although it had been invented in the 40s, they would listen to the radio for news and for entertainment.  Shows like "The Green Hornet", "Fibber McGee and Molly", "Jack Benny Show",  "The Fred Allen Show" were family favorites and the whole family sat in the room together to listen to them.

Books read by the youth of the 40s usually had a thread in them about the war.  They helped to promote patriotism and the virtues of sacrifice and hard work. Children read books like "The Boxcar Children" and "Little House on the Prairie" when they had spare time.

Conclusion:

Although children are always children no matter the decade, there are some differences between each decade's youth.  In this case, the 40s children were responsible, respectful, dependable, and worked hard to help their families. While the 50s children were able to be more relaxed and act more like children. They were allowed to play like children do and they were encouraged to be strong and independent.  They also were respectful, dependable and resilient, but they were not expected to work to support their families.

Each decade comes with it's own set of problems.  At the end of the 50s there was the Cold War.  During this time, children did experience anxiety and practice drills, but not to the extent of the 40s.  Families were mainly intact since there was no active war activity ongoing, so children in the 50s experienced a different type of family life.

Both decades produced strong, dependable, patriotic, and respectful children who would grow up to be good citizens and to work hard to support the countries economy.  

Growing up in the 1940s

I am a child of the 50s and 60s, so I am no expert about what it was like to be a child growing up in the 40s.  That said, I have had conversations with plenty of people who did grow up in the 40s and they have all pretty much given me the same type of results about their youth.

The 1940s were a period in history marked by war, technological advancement, and cultural change.  All of this presented a real challenge for the children trying to get to adulthood. 

The War Years: 

The Second World War waged across Europe, Africa, and Asia for six years. For children of the 40s, the war was a constant presence in their lives.  There was rationing of food and goods, so there was a very real possibility that they might go hungry. Schools often held air raid drills to teach children to be prepared.

But despite this, there was a sense of community and solidarity because everyone was experiencing the same things.  Children helped with the war effort by collecting scrap metal, helping to grow vegetables for the family, and they made things to send to the soldiers abroad.

For quite a lot of families, the male (husband, oldest son, uncles, etc.) were absent because they were overseas fighting the war.  Mothers and daughters stepped in to fill the vacancies left by the men, so children were taught to be resourceful and to be helpful and to do what they could to help the war effort.

The Technological Advancements:

Technology was rapidly growing.  There was the development of the jet engine, radar, and most importantly, the atomic bomb.  These represented a sense of hope and possibility for the future.

The biggest technological advancement was the television.  It technically was invented in the 30s, but did not become widely available until the 40s. For the first time, families could gather around the television to watch news broadcasts about the war, to watch sports and entertainment which helped to alleviate some of their anxiety about the war and their loved ones.

The Cultural Changes:

The war brought women into the workforce in large numbers which lead to a sense of empowerment and independence for them.  They were able to discover their abilities and strengths. For most women, they saw their lives only in view of being a housewife and caring for home and children.  During the war, they were able to see that life held more for them and they were able to succeed at various jobs once only held by men.  The men returning from war had a time adjusting to the changes that this war brought to them and their families.

The war also renewed the sense of patriotism and pride in America, and that was reflected in popular culture like movies, music, and literature.  Many of these popular items remain favorites even today.

The Home Life:

For children in the 40s, home life was centered around family and community. They played outside or read books or even listened to the radio for fun.  Mealtimes were spent with their families; they would share stories and tell tales about the day. Often, extended family members came to share the meal and catch up on the family news.

Children went to school as education was highly valued. Usually they attended only through the 8th grade, and for those who wanted to continue there were very limited options.  Many would choose vocational training instead because of the cost of continuing educations.

Looking Back:

The 40s were a time of hardship and challenge, but also hope and resilience.  This era created vivid and meaningful memories for all.  As we look back, we need to appreciate the sacrifices and achievements of those who lived then.  There are lessons to be learned so that their sacrifices will not be forgotten.

Despite the challenges faced in the 40s, those who lived through the war years found ways to persevere and thrive.  They proved that even in the darkest time in our history, it was possible to find hope and strength.

The sense of community and coming together in a time of crisis helped many to brave this period of history.  During this time, everyone looked out for each other, sometimes even pooling resources to support each other.  Their sense of solidarity helped build a stronger and more resilient society.

In the 40s, education was highly valued as was investing in the future. Education seemed to be the way to a better life by ensuring that their children had the skills and knowledge they would need to succeed in a rapidly changing world.

In conclusion, being a growing child in the 40s was a unique and challenging experience marked by war, shortages, community support, technological advancements, and cultural change.  Even knowing all this, we cannot fully understand what those experiences were like; but we can honor their legacy and try to continue to build an better future for generations to come.