If you are a parent raising a child who was “14 and under” in 1973, congratulations. You are living through one of the most confusing, liberating, and terrifying eras in modern American parenting. The Vietnam War draft has just ended (January 1973), the Supreme Court has just handed down Roe v. Wade , and your local movie theater is playing The Exorcist —which is rated R, but somehow every seventh-grader knows the pea soup scene by heart.
Do not bother hiding the newspaper. Your 14-year-old reads the headlines at the 7-Eleven. Instead, watch the 6:30 news with them. Use the word “allegedly” a lot. When images of the Yom Kippur War flash across the screen, say, “That is why we are lucky to live here,” and change the channel to The Brady Bunch reruns. The Music: Satanic Panic 1.0 Your 14-year-old’s record collection (yes, vinyl—probably scratched) includes albums like The Dark Side of the Moon (Pink Floyd), Houses of the Holy (Led Zeppelin), and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (Elton John). Parents in 1973 are convinced that rock music causes drug use, premarital sex, and long hair that obscures the ears (a major sign of delinquency). 14 and under -1973 parents guide-
Buy your 14-year-old a whistle on a shoelace. Tell them it is a “fashion accessory.” It is not. It is a distress siren. Part III: The Parenting Guide for Media – TV, Movies, and the R-Rating Problem The MPAA rating system was only five years old in 1973 (introduced in 1968). The ratings were: G, M (now PG), R, and X. But here is the catch: Theaters did not enforce them. The Drive-In Theater Problem If your child is 14, they have access to the drive-in theater. You think they are watching The Love Bug behind the screen. In reality, they have climbed a tree and are watching The French Connection (R) on screen four. By 1973, the drive-in is essentially a babysitter that serves popcorn and soft-core horror. Television: The “Family Hour” is a Lie Network TV in 1973 is a minefield. All in the Family (CBS) uses words you have never said in front of your children (e.g., “dago,” “spic,” “hebe”). Maude has an abortion episode (Part 1 and 2). The Waltons is safe. The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour is safe until Cher wears a sequined jumpsuit with a slit to the navel. If you are a parent raising a child
Do not panic. Buy them What’s Happening to Me? by Peter Mayle (published 1975—pre-order it). In the meantime, say this: “If you have questions, ask me. If you don’t want to ask me, ask the librarian at the public library. Do not ask the kid behind the 7-Eleven.” Part VI: The 1973 Parent’s Checklist – Ages 14 and Under Use this quick-reference guide for daily decision-making: Wade , and your local movie theater is
But here is the secret that no parenting guide in 1973 will tell you: Your kids are resilient. The ones who watched The Exorcist at a friend’s house will still become doctors. The ones who rode their Sting-Ray bikes without helmets will grow up to invent bicycle helmets for their own children. The ones who listened to the “satanic” music will play it for their grandkids and laugh.