What did parents find so threatening about their teen's lives in the suburban 1950s?

Answer 1

Anything to do with sex : suggestive dancing, suggestive lyrics, suggestive singing, suggestive movies, free love.

And Communism, of course. Because it promoted free love and interracial dating.

Answer 2

Most of what is given so far applies only to the very late 50's and I don't think anything was "so threatening". You have to remember that teenagers in the 1950's (up to 1955) were born during WWII, as I was, were rather few in number, etc. Most of the children in the 50's were part of the Baby Boom that grew after WWII and were thus not teens. Most of the tension of the 50's was things that would disturb the "perfect life" of the suburbs - momma, papa, two kids in elementary or junior high school. I graduated from high school in 1960 in the Midwest and the Senior Prom was disturbed by the band playing a rock tune for the dance of the king and queen who stood there looking at each other. At a freshman college dance in the fall, rock rhythms resulted in people doing line dances on the tradition of ethnic polkas, not shake your toottie.

Answer 3

Because back then it was a whole different era. People were more strict about their children, and the parents probably were worried that their kids were having sex and maybe their daughters would get pregnant or earn a bad reputation. Back then, the family was more important than anything. The woman stayed at home, and the man brought home the bacon. The kids were overprotected because 1. they were afraid their kids would get involved with unprotected sex or sex in general, 2. they didn't want their kids to hang out with the *bad* kids and earn a bad reputation. Socially things were much more restricted than they are now. That's all I can think of.

Answer 4

Rebellion

Answer 5

I can't imagined why they would have felt threatened back then because there was hardly no drugs, sex offenders, kidnappings like now.

Answer 6

No idea, and I was there. Elvis on tv?