All the Things Boomer Kids Thought Were Normal

Long before the chickenpox vaccine became standard, a peculiar tradition emerged among Baby Boomer parents: chickenpox parties. If one child in the neighborhood broke out in itchy red spots, others were swiftly invited over for a playdate, minus the play.

The goal wasn’t fun, but intentional exposure. Parents believed that catching the virus at a young age was safer than contracting it in adulthood. It was a gamble dressed as parenting wisdom. While most kids recovered quickly, the virus remained dormant in their bodies, potentially resurfacing as shingles decades later.