People Raised In The 60s & 70s Have Strong Character Because Of These 11 Tough Childhood Experiences
VH-studio | Shutterstock Amid sociopolitical movements and significant cultural transformations, adults living through the 1960s and 1970s were forced to build resilience unique to their generation. Kids did too. From managing their own boredom to figuring out their sense of self amid a very different cultural landscape than the one we have today, people raised in the 60s and 70s have strong character because of these tough childhood experiences.
Of course, even in times of difficulty and adversity, their parents didn't hold their hands. They managed all of these things on top of being socialized into independence and maturity, much easier than most kids today.
People raised in the 60s and 70s have strong character because of these 11 tough childhood experiences:
1. Facing boredom on their own
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Boredom was a natural part of life for kids growing up during this time period, according to therapist Dr. Gloria Brame. Without screens, cell phones, and parents constantly filling their time, kids in the 60s and 70s had to manage boredom themselves, even if it wasn't always convenient or comfortable.
Of course, kids reap many benefits from learning on their own by spending time alone and sitting with boredom, but when adversity pops up, they also have to figure it out on their own.
2. Being expected to make their own choices
Kids from the 60s and 70s are independent by practice, but not just on a daily basis. When it came ot making big decisions and figuring out what they wanted to do with their time, parents often adopted a very "it's your life, go live it" approach.
That's part of the reason kids from this era have a strong sense of self-esteem: they weren't coddled by parents who couldn't let go of control or offer space for independence in their kids' lives. Compared to parents today who often have a lot of stock in setting their kids up for success through a very rigid, organized path, they're far more self-assured.
3. Wanting things but having to wait for them
With more frugal money situations and fewer gentle parenting styles in the home, it's not entirely surprising that kids from the 60s and 70s had to want and wait. They didn't have the same desire for convenience or instant gratification as today's kids, because they didn't get it through their phones, parents, or technology.
They were patient adults and have become more internally self-assured because they had to wait. They didn't have the resources to buy everything they wanted or to follow trends at the expense of overspending; instead, they had to wait, regulate their feelings, or save enough to get what they wanted.
4. Facing stricter consequences for their behavior
Whether it was punishment from a teacher in a completely different educational environment than today or facing the consequences of misbehavior with their parents at home, discipline for kids looked much different a few decades ago. While facing these moments of discomfort and hardship at home as kids was rarely easy, they probably have better resilience and emotional regulation skills today because of it.
They couldn't get away with disrespect, laziness, or entitlement, so they were forced to figure out how to cope with them. As adults, compared to modern kids whose bad behavior is often reassured and secured, they're more well-rounded.
5. Spending long stretches of time unsupervised
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Kids raised in the 60s and 70s spent most of their time alone, experiencing one of the first waves of both parents working outside of the home. They had endless free time, but also a range of obligations and responsibilities at home, from chores to babysitting siblings, that kids today usually don't have.
They had to learn things like time management, integrity, emotional regulation, and general maturity because when they faced issues alone at home, they had nobody to turn to but themselves. The expectation of independence was an obligation, not a choice.
6. Learning to motivate themselves
Compared to kids today who are often coddled, validated, guided, and reassured by their parents in every endeavor, parenting styles a few decades ago were far different. While they might've felt loved by their parents, actually experiencing warmth and assurance was few and far between.
They had to motivate themselves to complete tasks. They had to learn who they were and what they wanted, because they weren't going to be coddled or guided through life by their parents. They had to reassure themselves through discomfort, so they could grow as a person, instead of growing codependent.
7. Practicing social skills in the real world
While kids today, who spend most of their time isolated at home or behind a phone screen, struggle with social skills due to a lack of practice, kids from the 60s and 70s were forced to practice. They had to run errands, walk to school, and handle interactions at family gatherings without their parents looming to save the day.
While it was rarely comfortable or easy for them, connecting with people, interacting with strangers, and even assessing risk became second-nature skills for this generation.
8. Developing emotional resilience early
In a world largely tailored for adults, rather than coddling and centering kids and their feelings, it’s not surprising that kids from this period have stronger regulation skills and "grit" than others. They weren't the center of attention or even constantly supervised, and that time and space to look inward offered them all kinds of powerful traits.
Even later in life, that sense of independence they had as a kid, literally and emotionally, is hard to replace. Even if it was discomfort and hardship that built resilience, they're better people today because of their childhood experiences.
9. Taking responsibility at a young age
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While kids today have all kinds of convenient shortcuts to responsibilities and parents who solve all their problems for them, the 60s and 70s childhoods focused on independence and maturity. These kids had to be independent, even if it meant taking on big responsibilities like watching their younger siblings alone or walking into the world on their own from a very young age.
Even if there are certainly modern concerns about many of these obligations, the truth is that these “tough” childhood experiences are irreplaceable for the adult traits they left behind.
10. Figuring out their emotions without constant guidance
Without the kind of mental health support and resources modern kids have access to on their phones, kids a few decades ago were forced to figure things out on their own. Even their parents might've urged them to suppress feelings. Of course, there's a delicate balance great parents find between the coddling of the modern world and the complete dismissal of mental health struggles from a few decades ago.
However, considering many kids can develop mental health disorders incredibly early in their lives, chances are that having to find space to figure that out for themselves and manage emotions around people who shut down regulation and expression has innately built a stronger sense of self in these kids.
11. Dealing with everyday inconvenience
While kids today live in a world of constant convenience and comfort, often with their parents' support, those raised a few decades ago had to face daily inconveniences. Whether it was waiting and saving for something they wanted or filling their time without phone screens, emotional regulation came second nature after a childhood of inconvenience.
Not everything was easy, and their parents made sure to give the kids space to handle difficulties on their own, in many cases.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor's degree in social relations & policy and gender studies, focusing on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human-interest stories.
