People had extended family around, now days they don't.

Parenting is easier if you have 5 family members in walking distance and they also have similarly ages kids who can all play together.

Neither did they have vaccines, bikes, gymnastics classes, dozens of books, a constant supply of fruit and veggies, family vacations, tractor rides, swing sets, family movie nights, planetarium projectors for a few bucks, zoos, kids museums, and in general a conflict free peaceful and disease free existence

Focusing on such a tiny thing and blowing it up into a huge negative out of context of their rich, busy, and safe lives is really out of hand.