What kind of relationship do you think they had when Gloria was growing up and before Mike came into the picture? Gloria could be so disrespectful to both Archie and Edith when she was an adult. Do you think they allowed her to be this way when she was a kid? Archie and Edith seem like great parents, not perfect by any means, but still great. What do you think the Bunker household was like when Gloria was growing up? I think it would have been similar to how it was when we see them when the series began. Archie worked and supported the family, and Edith stayed home and tended the house and took care of Gloria. I think Gloria was very much loved by her parents, especially being their only child.

I see Gloria's childhood as being, for the most part, happy and carefree. She probably went lots of places with Archie and had lots of fun and was probably spoiled in many ways. And we know she was a brat sometimes. For instance, she licked the cherries from her ice cream before Archie ate them. I see her as being a daddy's girl and maybe a mama's girl too. In some ways she may have been overprotected. How strict do you think Archie and Edith were? I would say relatively strict because this would be the 1950s. I bet they both believed in some spanking, even Edith if the occasion called for it. Edith was calm and solemn most of the time, but when she had enough of something, she could really let loose. I don't see either of them spanking Gloria that often, but I bet they both did it. Yet simultaneously, they spoiled her rotten too.

As an adult, Gloria really disrespected them badly at times. Was this because of Mike's influence? Was it the times? The generation gap? I noticed that Stephanie was way more respectful to them than Gloria was. Of course Stephanie was grateful to them for taking her in after she had been abandoned by everyone else. But still, especially after Edith died, it was very evident that Stephanie respected Archie a lot.

Again, I think Archie and Edith were great parents. I think they would have supported Gloria in whatever she wanted to do in life. Sure, Archie may have initially been against it, but he would have come around. And whatever Gloria did, they still loved her. When she cheated on Mike, they were both highly disappointed in her, and Archie was furious. But after he finished ranting and raving and insulting her, he hugged her and told her he loved her. They loved her unconditionally.

Seems Mike's influence on Gloria kind of gave her an attitude with her parents, especially her Dad, plus the Women's Lib movement seemed to have made her a bit more on edge then she otherwise might have been.

A perfect example of Mike's influence was the time she asked "What God?". I do know Mike said that Gloria was more like Archie than she was like Edith. I tended to see that too. She seemed to be a bit more of a Daddy's girl. She called Archie "Daddy" all the time, but Edith was "Ma", not "Mommy".

Edith recalled a time when Archie would play "Peek A Boo" with Gloria, and Mike getting a real charge out of that anecdote.

Edith seemed much more nurturing and caring and considerate. Archie seemed too tired and fed up to care about others quite as much. To that end, Gloria didn't seem quite as nurturing a mother with Joey to me.

Archie & Edith perhaps shielded their "little girl" from the world at large. Don't know that they had a whole whole lot to spoil her per se, but then my folks didn't either, and I, also being an only child, although I'm a guy, was spoiled quite a bit. My parents were born in 1935 and 1936. They have both since passed but were huge fans of "All in the Family". I love it too, and have all 9 seasons on DVD. I know when Edith talks about Archie being jealous of Mike because Archie had to drop out of school to support his family, that really hits home for me. BOTH my parents had to do the same thing growing up. I think because Archie & Edith both went through the Depression, they wanted Gloria to have it much better, so perhaps to that end she was in fact spoiled by them. I believe the Depression was a very big catalyst in my parents spoiling me the way they did too, and they tried to shield me from all the craziness and ugliness of this world. With my son, who is 14 now, we share with him about the world. We aren't total Debbie Downers, but we're more realistic with him about how this world is at times is all, and he seems much more well adjusted to life at 14 than I was when I was his age.

I think the Bunkers as depicted on the show were probably more permissive parents than not--although the millions of real life "Bunkers" (post-world war II lower middle-class urbanites) were probably quite different.

I could imagine Archie administering a spanking once in a blue moon, but I doubt it would've been terribly common. He was more bluster than anything.

The Greatest Generation were hard workers and saved the free world during World War 2. Unfortunately they spoiled their children, whom grew up to be selfish Baby Boomers that consumed much and saved little, whom then proceeded to ruin the economy for their children, us Millennials. Archie and Gloria are prime representatives of what probably happened often at the time. Members of the WW2 generation were just happy to be alive and gave their kids whatever they wanted, which resulted in the rotten attitude of Baby Boomers.

The Greatest Generation were hard workers and saved the free world during World War 2. Unfortunately they spoiled their children, whom grew up to be selfish Baby Boomers that consumed much and saved little, whom then proceeded to ruin the economy for their children, us Millennials. Archie and Gloria are prime representatives of what probably happened often at the time. Members of the WW2 generation were just happy to be alive and gave their kids whatever they wanted, which resulted in the rotten attitude of Baby Boomers.


I think Millennials are the ones who are spoiled. Baby Boomers worked for what they have. Millennials are the ones that expect things handed to them. Urban schools are disasters today. There are no standards yet everyone is 'entitled' to be promoted and graduate.

I think Millennials are the ones who are spoiled. Baby Boomers worked for what they have. Millennials are the ones that expect things handed to them. Urban schools are disasters today. There are no standards yet everyone is 'entitled' to be promoted and graduate.
The Baby Boomers outsourced all the jobs so Millennials don't have the opportunity to work.

Plus, once Baby Boomers graduated from high school they didn't have to go to college to get a good job back in the 60s and 70s. More opportunities for them to work, and more opportunities to move out of the house at 18 back then so they didn't have to live in mom and dad's basement until they were 30 like Millennials have to today. Now you have to at least get a Bachelor's Degree.

Next are you going to say, Women working in the 1960 and on, took away jobs that the men would normally have?? Every generation probably takes a little away from the world. Refrigerators took away ice men. I think of the depression of the 1930's and todays economy. Back then 33 percent of the country was out of work. Today 10 %. Sad to say but a lot of people today are homeless, some with mental illness. One thing I wonder will boarding houses become popular again. People are struggling today but no one lives with a familys home. I think the country is some ways is worse than it was in 1933.

The Baby Boomers outsourced all the jobs so Millennials don't have the opportunity to work.

Plus, once Baby Boomers graduated from high school they didn't have to go to college to get a good job back in the 60s and 70s. More opportunities for them to work, and more opportunities to move out of the house at 18 back then so they didn't have to live in mom and dad's basement until they were 30 like Millennials have to today. Now you have to at least get a Bachelor's Degree.


Yep my Aunt is a Baby Boomer. She didn't go to college to get where she is now, in fact she didn't start going to college until recently. She knew people in the trade she was in. So she has the experience and the contacts, but certainly doesn't have any two or four year degree. Now she semi retired, but still making eighty thousand a year. The same goes for my two Uncles who are also Baby Boomers as well they got good paying jobs with training but no college degree. I heard that years ago a state toll collector on a bridge could get a pension after working twenty to twenty five years. I don't know if that true anymore.