1) RESPONSIBILITIES OF A NEW DAD

 

Clearing his schedule for the delivery date.

Negotiating the doctor's fee.

Buying himself a new 'sophisticated, fatherly wardrobe.'

Breaking his wife of unhealthy habits, like smoking, sun tanning, and watching too much television.

2) READ THE BIB, BUB

 

Some hospitals dressed babies in bibs with an unfriendly message to parents. What did it say, and what belief caused the hostility?

Do not stare at me. (Too much eye contact with baby makes him or her restless.)

Do not touch me. (Baby skin develops a rash very easily, even at the slightest non-gloved touch.)

Do not kiss me. (Smooching the kid spreads germs!)

Do not talk to me. (Baby ears are too sensitive to the adult voice. Save your coo-coos for someone who can handle it.)

3) CHOKE ON IT

 

A baby can be at his or her crankiest before the appearance of new teeth. To sooth a teething child, Moms were advised to rub their gums with which of the following choking hazards?

A copper penny

A silver thimble

A gold ring

A glass marble

4) HANDS OFF

Experts warned against excessive handling of your new baby. They were not to be played with, bounced, or even held for long periods of time. What belief led to this warning?

Parents require 'alone time' and shouldn't be beholden to their child, no matter how young and needy.

The baby 'smell' that gets into your clothing can be difficult to wash out, even with the best detergents.

Babies' bones are extremely soft and such handling could cause irreparable damage.

Babies will fail to develop their independence, and as adults will still need their parents for even the most basic tasks.

5) SUCKER!

Which of the following was actually recommended to prevent a child from sucking his or her thumb?

Tying both thumbs together with string.

Wrapping the thumb with adhesive plaster.

Affixing diapers to the child’s hands.

A small 'baby muzzle' that prevented a child from putting anything in his mouth, including his thumb.

6) SHOW-OFF

Parents were instructed to keep public displays of young children to a minimum, for a number of reasons. What did experts warn would happen if Mom and Dad repeatedly showed-off the kid to others?

The toddler would get overly confident in his or her own importance, which may result in insanity.

Increased awareness of the child's existence would greatly increase the chances of kidnapping.

Bragging parents would force other parents to brag, launching a never-ending 'Cycle of Pride.'

Head-patting that typically follow such displays would stunt healthy hair growth.

7) MILK: THE SILENT KILLER

Experts believed that when properly cared for, milk would provide growing children with enough nutrients to topple a cow. When misused, however, milk could become a threat of epic proportions. According to experts, which of the following destroyed milk's power to do good?

Covering milk, not allowing it to 'breathe'

Excessive sawdust

The milkman's unclean hands

Chocolate syrup

8) BAD TASTE?

Giving bad-tasting medicine to a youngster can be as about easy as spoon-feeding soup to an alligator. Super Anahist -- a cough syrup of yesteryear -- promoted a taste so delicious that children would ...

Drink it by the bottle

Prefer it in taste tests against leading soda pops

Fake a cough just to get more

Want to put it on ice cream

9) WHEN YOU CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE ...

When parenting became too overwhelming, some adults sought the aid of Habitutors, which were ...

Objects designed to make everyday tasks fun. Tumbo the Clown, for example, held your toothbrush and toothpaste, encouraging dental hygiene.

Bitter but otherwise harmless pills given to break a child of a bad habit. If caught biting her nails, Mary's mom gave her a couple of Habitutors, resulting in a brief bout with nausea.

Games that also taught important life-lessons. These self-proclaimed 'babysitters in a box' promised to 'distract children for hours' while teaching manners, social skills, and resect for elders.

An actual group of professionals who visited your home to 'whip the kids into shape.' Today we rely on reality television's super nannies to perform a similar function.

10) FINANCIAL EDUCATION – THE EARLY YEARS

Before there was Googolplex, parents depended on Wonderland Toys to provide young people with “peaceful play habits that encourage thrift.” The result? A series of odd playthings that were animals, vehicles, and banks all rolled into one. Which of the following was NOT part of these self-described ‘adorable animal-character’ toy sets?

Myrtle the Convertible Turtle

Caw Caw the Crow Taxi

Snaily the Chu-Chu Train

Bungles the Monkey Motorbike