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Updated March 28, 2025
The 1960s were a time of poodle skirts, rock 'n' roll, and a whole lot of parenting advice that would make today's moms and dads wince. Back then, doctors, magazines, and even grandparents all sang from the same hymn sheet: babies should cry themselves to sleep, kids didn't need seatbelts, and a little sugar in baby food was just fine. It wasn't that parents were careless—they were following the best science of the day. But as we now know, that "best science" was often built on thin evidence, tradition, or outright harm. Here's a look at seven rules from the 1960s that have been thoroughly debunked by modern research, along with what we've learned since.
Dr. Luther Emmett Holt's "cry-it-out" method, popularized in the early 1900s, was still gospel in the 1960s. Parents were told to put babies to bed, close the door, and ignore the cries until morning. The idea was to teach independence and avoid "spoiling." Today, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends responsive parenting—attending to a baby's cries, especially in the first six months. Studies show that prolonged crying raises cortisol levels, and consistent responsiveness supports secure attachment. Modern sleep training methods, like the "Ferber method," allow for graduated check-ins, not total abandonment.
In the 1960s, car seats were virtually nonexistent. Kids sprawled across the backseat bench, stood up behind the front seats, or even sat in the front passenger's lap. Seatbelt use was not mandatory, and the first federal law requiring lap belts in cars didn't pass until 1968. Today, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that car crashes are a leading cause of death for children, and proper car seat use reduces the risk of injury by 71–82%. All 50 states now have child restraint laws, and rear-facing seats are recommended until age 2 or beyond.
Thalidomide was widely prescribed in the late 1950s and early 1960s to help pregnant women combat nausea. It was effective—and tragically, it caused severe birth defects in thousands of children worldwide, including phocomelia (malformed limbs). The US was spared the worst because Dr. Frances Kelsey, an FDA reviewer, refused to approve the drug without better safety data. The disaster led to the 1962 Kefauver-Harris Amendments, which required drug manufacturers to prove efficacy before marketing and strengthened post-market surveillance. Today, thalidomide is used for certain conditions (like leprosy) under strict risk-management programs, but its legacy reshaped pharmaceutical regulation.
Cigarette ads ran freely on TV, and smoking was portrayed as cool, sophisticated, even healthy. In 1964, the US Surgeon General released the first report linking smoking to lung cancer, but it took years for the message to sink in. By the 1970s, TV ads were banned, and warning labels became mandatory. Today, the Youth Risk Behavior Survey shows that only about 1.7% of high school students smoke daily—a dramatic drop from 28% in 1991. But vaping has emerged as a new challenge, reminding us that the fight against nicotine addiction is never fully won.
In the 1960s, lead was used in interior paint, water pipes, and even gasoline. Asbestos was a common insulator in schools and homes. Neither was considered dangerous. It wasn't until the 1970s that the link between lead exposure and cognitive impairment became undeniable, and the US banned lead-based paint for residential use in 1978. Asbestos is still not fully banned, but its use is heavily regulated. The CDC now estimates that 4 million households have children exposed to lead. The legacy of these materials is a reminder that "safe" is a moving target.
Commercial baby food was a symbol of modern convenience in the 1960s. Parents fed their babies an average of 72 jars in the first year, according to NYU research. Manufacturers added sugar and artificial flavors to make the food taste better, but nutrition was secondary. Today, the AAP recommends avoiding added sugar for children under 2, and many brands have reformulated to remove sugar and artificial ingredients. The rise of homemade baby food—and organic brands—reflects a shift toward whole-food, minimally processed options.
In 1968, a survey found that 94% of American parents approved of corporal punishment. Spanking with a hand or belt was standard—not debated, not controversial. Today, the AAP strongly advises against spanking, citing research that links it to increased aggression, antisocial behavior, and mental health issues. More than 60 countries have banned corporal punishment in all settings, including in the home. Positive discipline strategies—time-outs, natural consequences, and communication—are now the evidence-backed alternatives.
Every rule on this list reflected the best available knowledge of its time—or in some cases, no real knowledge at all, just tradition wearing certainty like a costume. What's changed isn't just attitude. It's the sheer volume of research that's finally caught up to correct nearly all of it. From the FDA's drug approval process to car seat regulations to our understanding of child development, the 1960s were a period of learning the hard way. Today's parents benefit from data, transparency, and a willingness to question old norms. But the lesson remains: today's science could be tomorrow's outdated rule. Stay curious
