18 Things ’70s Teens Did Without Their Parents Knowing

In the 70s, teenage years were spent trying to balance out restrictive family regulations with an increasing need for personal freedom. Beneath the veneer of mundane school activities and family meals, there was a secret world that few parents knew existed. Teenagers snuck out through bedroom windows, made clandestine phone calls, attended illegal concerts, and indulged in fashion choices that ran counter to family traditions. Payphones, cassettes, roller rinks, and drive-ins were the standard locations of these teenage antics. However, not all secrets required breaking the law. Most were just about having fun, being curious, socializing, dating, and making independent decisions.

1. Sneaking Out Through Bedroom Windows

The silent home provided an ideal opportunity for these daring teenagers to run away. In the 1970s, some teenagers took advantage of the silence in their homes when their parents fell asleep and opened their bedroom windows cautiously and ran out. At times, a tree close to the window, porch roof, or even drainpipe could become an escape passage for these kids. However, the difficult part would come when they wanted to go back inside the house again. There was the threat of squeaking floorboards, barking dogs, and hall lights. Some would hide in their beds using pillows, while others would leave windows open for easy access inside.

2. Calling Secret Crushes From Pay Phones

Before the advent of smartphones and personal messaging platforms, teenagers used to make use of public pay phones to make sure that their romantic conversations remained confidential. For the cost of a few coins, teenagers could spend priceless moments with someone who was perhaps not approved by their parents. Teenagers would use phone booths located outside pharmacies, fuel stations, or shopping malls to make calls. Some teenagers would commit phone numbers to memory instead of writing them down, in case their parents were to get suspicious. The conversations would be mainly about school talk, weekend plans, or shy attempts to flirt. At the approach of someone, the caller would lower their voice or abruptly end the call.

3. Smoking Cigarettes Behind School Buildings

The area behind the school building was secretly used by some teenagers as their meeting place. Smoking cigarettes was common practice in America in the 1970s, and some of the curious teenagers tried smoking behind the backs of their parents. Teenagers would meet behind dumpsters, behind the gymnasium, and behind fences where teachers never walked. The cigarette box would be passed around, someone would produce a match, and all eyes would be fixed on anyone who might approach them. Before going home, they would brush up with gum or wash their hands or spray perfume to get rid of the smell. However, most of the time, their plans did not work. The smell of cigarettes on the coat might make some parents ask questions at dinner.

4. Watching Movies Their Parents Had Forbidden

Going to a Saturday matinee provided a simple excuse for teenagers to watch movies that their parents would despise. A teenager could pretend that he would watch a nice comedy movie, but instead he could buy a ticket for a horror or an outrageous movie. In the local cinemas, the ticket office and the dark auditorium helped to make switching movies very easy. Teenagers would whisper during scary parts of the movies, munch on popcorn, and enjoy the thrill of possibly getting caught. Teenagers would meet outside the movie hall and compare the best parts of the movie. When they got back home, the parents would inquire whether the movie was good, and the teenagers would give a modified answer about the film.

5. Leaving School Dances Without Permission

The one major problem with the school dance was the fact that the parents expected their teenagers to be there. However, what happened was that some of these students would check in and then disappear to somewhere else, whether it was a local diner, a parking lot or even someone’s home. While the music from the disco was booming inside the gymnasium, the missing dancers got to enjoy a night with no adults around. It could involve a group walking off to get burgers at a local spot or just standing around the neighborhood, always mindful of the time, as coming too early or too late could prompt inquiries. They could even come back for the closing song in order to have their presence at the dance verified by their classmates.

6. Taking the Family Car on Unauthorized Joyrides

The family car symbolized independence, especially for teenagers who just got their driver’s license. One borrowed the car on a legitimate errand but took a far longer trip in addition to that. What was meant to be a short run to purchase milk turned into a trip past the usual hangout place, a stop for fries, or a ride down the main street. Gasoline was not always inexpensive in those days, so cautious drivers paid attention to the gauge of their car. Other drivers tried to return the car back to the way they had found it with the same radio station and seating arrangement. All unusual noises coming from the engine made one jump in fright. When parents inquired about the long time spent on the errand, traffic was the answer given.

7. Attending Rock Concerts Without Permission

When the popular rock band came into town, some rebellious teenagers resorted to drastic measures to go without permission. They lied to their parents about being at their friend’s place or doing their studies. In reality, they crowded into cars and headed off to concert venues where rock bands like Led Zeppelin and Kiss played. At concerts, there was always loud guitar music and many people. The adrenaline rush and excitement were all worth the effort of keeping a secret from their parents. The tickets to the concert were prized possessions, but concealing them was not an easy task. The tour shirt had to be carefully hidden inside the other clothes until it was safe to take it out.

8. Going Roller Skating to Meet Secret Crushes

Roller-skating rinks turned into social places in the 1970s, particularly when the popularity of disco increased. Some kids would tell their parents that they were going to spend time with friends, and go directly to the roller-skating rink instead. Colorful lights shone on the smooth surface of the floor, while songs of the Bee Gees and KC and the Sunshine Band were playing through the speakers. Sometimes couples would even hold hands during slow songs, when they did not want to draw attention from their families. Some money for renting the skates and entering the place had to be collected beforehand. Later on, teenagers would hurry home with sore feet and well-prepared stories.

9. Recording Forbidden Songs From the Radio

Before there were playlists on the internet, teens used to record their favorite songs by playing them from the AM or FM stations. Some of them did that in secret, as they did not like the idea of their parents listening to such noisy rock music and songs with provocative lyrics, or the rising trend of disco music. The tape recorder was placed next to the radio, always ready for when a familiar intro started. The main challenge was starting the recording process fast enough in order not to catch any words of the announcer. Homemade cassettes usually had sudden ends, background noises, and sometimes even advertisements. The cassettes were named with invented names and kept under the study things.

10. Hiding Money From Part-Time Jobs

Some teenagers with part-time jobs were known to hoard some of their pay out of sight of their parents. An amount of money received from working in a grocery store, a restaurant, or delivering newspapers provided cash for spending without having to give any explanation about it. Some would keep money under their mattress, in shoe boxes, or rolled up in socks kept in their drawers. This money would go toward buying concert tickets, trendy clothes, or weekend activities that parents might refuse to pay for. It was important for teenagers to know where to hide their money since there was always a chance that one’s parent would clean their room and discover the result of weeks of saving.

11. Buying Records Their Parents Disapproved Of

The record shop provided much more than just music. It was a venue where teenagers could look for albums their conservative families would disapprove of. Adolescents would peruse shelves full of vinyl, analyze pictures on the covers, and receive recommendations from experienced shop assistants. They would buy albums from Alice Cooper, Black Sabbath, and other artists that would make the family worry about their behavior at home. However, at home, the albums would disappear under less controversial ones or under regular plastic covers. The friends would sometimes gather around the turntable and listen to an entire album uninterrupted. Every car that approached or door that opened would create a threat to the process.

12. Passing Secret Notes During Class

The hallways were full of gossip, but handwritten notes gave teenagers the ability to whisper more secretly. In class, bits of notebook paper were folded and exchanged at tables while the teacher had his or her back turned to the blackboard. Notes set up dates, talked about crushes, and ridiculed draconian school policies. Other notes included jokes which would not have been appreciated by anyone older. When the note was meant for someone sitting far away, one good friend was entrusted with delivering it. Back home, the most crucial notes got tucked away in diaries, pencil boxes, or even drawers in bedrooms. Just uncovering one note could show the whole story of a social scandal parents never knew existed.

13. Changing Into Trendy Clothes at School

Two different narratives were possible on one day depending on the teen’s clothing choices. Some teens would leave home in clothing that their parents thought proper but would change their outfits at school. Bell-bottom pants, halter tops, platform shoes, and mini skirts provided many chances for conflict. The teens could borrow clothes from a friend or have a set of clothing in their backpacks. This all required that there be no surprise visits from either the parent or any neighbors. Photos taken at school events would reveal this deception weeks later. In the meantime, a well-packed backpack allowed teenagers to play around with fashion while minimizing family conflicts.

14. Talking to Strangers on CB Radios

The craze for Citizens Band radio that occurred during the 1970s provided teenagers with an unexpected means to communicate with strangers. Citizens Band radios were common among truckers and enthusiasts, and some teenage boys would occasionally take their family’s unit without permission. Teenagers familiarized themselves with interesting handle names, listened to the discussion, and tried communicating themselves on the air. Some discussions remained innocent, with people discussing the weather or traffic while others continued long after bedtime. When parents realized the device was relocated or its power was reduced, it raised suspicion. Otherwise, the secret broadcasts continued unnoticed through the evening.

15. Turning Sleepovers Into Secret House Parties

It was not uncommon for teens to use regular sleepovers as an opportunity to go to parties without permission. A parent took a kid to the house of a good friend, thinking that the kid would spend his time eating snacks, watching TV, and chatting. When all the adults went to bed, they snuck off to a party where older kids played records and hung out in living rooms. There were also parties that were associated with drinking alcohol, creating certain dangers that teenagers did not realize. At other times, they were just noisy gatherings that would never get the green light from their parents. The kids always kept an eye on the time, hoping to get back before any calls came from the bedrooms.

16. Spending Lunch Money on Arcade Games

The first arcades started emerging in the late 1970s, with games like Space Invaders appealing to teenage boys who enjoyed testing their reflexes. Teenage kids would use their lunch money or keep aside some spare change just to indulge themselves in playing the games rather than buying the things their parents wanted. In the early part of the decade, pinball machines proved very popular among bowling alleys, pizzerias, and entertainment centers. Friends would watch them play from a distance and give them advice, while they lost the coins in the machine. Time flew as quickly as the coins did. A hungry teenager coming back from somewhere would blame it on the terrible cafeteria food.

17. Meeting Secret Dates at Drive-In Theaters

For teens who grew up around a drive-in theater, a movie date could be used as an opportunity to sneak away and spend some time alone. The bunch came in one car, purchased tickets, and settled into one spot under the huge outdoor screen. With the start of the movie, some would go to the snack bar or visit another car where they had a crush waiting for them. Some couples discussed more than watched the movie; others hung out with friends and relished the excitement of going somewhere their parents had forbidden. After the final credits, everybody gathered to make their way back home. When asked what happened in the movie, the forgetful teenager could not give a plausible answer.

18. Pretending to Study While Visiting Shopping Malls

The library of the school was not always as tranquil a place that parents thought it to be. Teenagers argued that they needed the afternoon to do some research but went to shopping complexes or met their friends after that. With a book placed under one’s arm, it seemed like they had the right reasons to be there during the exam period. After getting away from their parents, they shopped for clothes or tried the snacks that were available at the shopping complex. They did not spend too much money since carrying the bags would reveal everything. One could open the notebook and write down some information before going back. The lesson that they had learned that day was quite different.