17 Reasons Why 80s Kids Should Not Be Alive Today

Everything was different for kids in the 80s - there was no such thing as helicopter parenting and we pretty much ran wild until the street lights came on.

Sure, that meant we often learned things the hard way, but isn't that what growing up is all about - surviving childhood? Kids these days have got it so easy. They may be living in a safer world, but we had way more fun!

If you came sliding into adulthood by the skin of your teeth, then you know you're a proud 80s kid. Here are 17 reasons why we shouldn't be alive today:

Dad let us drive.

Sometimes we didn't even wear seat belts!

Parents didn't always supervise us

Our parents had better things to do than hover around us 24/7 and we had better things to do - like kickflips on our skateboards.

We literally cooked our skin with oil to get that perfect summer glow

Sure, we were at risk of skin cancer, but we didn't know that.

We didn't wear helmets, elbow pads or knee pads

We knew how to use our brakes and to aim for the bushes if we couldn't stop. Besides, cars didn't drive as fast down residential streets as they do now.

Everyone smoked everywhere

Even if your parents weren't smokers, chances are plenty of people in your life were. Restaurants, taxi cabs, schools and the city bus were just a few public places that still allowed smoking.

We cooked our own meals before we were tall enough to reach the stove

Some of us might have suffered a few burns, but we were self-sufficient enough to make our own lunches and sometimes dinners.

We were latchkey kids

School ended before our parents got home, so we entertained ourselves. Really, it was no big deal.

We ran in packs between neighborhoods

We didn't have to call home every hour or text every ten minutes to tell or parents where we were. They knew that we ran in herds and there was always safety in numbers.

We played with lawn darts

Some of our toys had sharp objects and for the most part, we didn't lose an eye playing with them.

We could buy fireworks

Not only did we buy them, but aimed them at each other and we set them off in our back yards

Sure, we had a few bumps and bruises along the way - maybe even a few broken arms - but we survived the 80s and we're stronger because of it!

If you think that 80's kids are tougher than kids today, Like & Share!