During our childhood, we’d believe practically everything we heard. The moon was a face? Of course it was. Eating watermelon seeds makes them grow inside of you? You had better be careful about what you eat. Sadly, not all the good advice that people gave us was actually real. Here are eleven childhood myths that are completely wrong. You’ll be surprised at how many of those tall tales ended up being just that—tales!
Featured Image Credit: NinaMalyna /Depositphotos.com.
Swallowing Watermelon Seeds Will Make One Grow Inside You
As kids, we were genuinely worried about swallowing watermelon seeds. The thought that watermelon could sprout & grow inside our stomachs was fascinating—and a bit terrifying! We’d carefully pick out every seed before taking a bite just to be safe. But our digestive system doesn’t provide the conditions needed for seeds to germinate. It’s likely this myth was just meant to stop us from choking on the seeds. Really, it was a story meant to protect us.
Step on a Crack, Break Your Mother’s Back
Even walking down the sidewalk was hard as we tried not to step on any cracks. We truly believed that we’d somehow hurt our mothers’ backs and this little rhyme made us watch our steps carefully. We’d hop over lines & gaps in the pavement. Of course, there was no real connection and it was mere superstition—but that still doesn’t stop us from avoiding the cracks to this day.
Like our content? Be sure to follow us.
Making Funny Faces Could Get Them Stuck Permanently
Our parents often warned us not to make silly faces because they might get stuck that way forever. However, they just told us this to keep us from making faces at inappropriate times. Thankfully, our facial muscles are quite resilient & no matter how ridiculous the face we made, they’d always go back to normal. We’re so grateful for that!
There’s a Man in the Moon Watching Over Us
At night, we’d look up at the moon and see a face, believing there was a man living up there. Really, it felt nice sometimes thinking that someone was watching over us from the sky but other times, it was a little concerning. The so-called “man in the moon” is actually just the patterns formed by the shadows & craters on the moon’s surface. It’s thanks to pareidolia that we see a face. That’s the same reason we see shapes in clouds or in random objects.
Sucking Your Thumb Will Give You Buck Teeth
Many adults told us that if we didn’t stop sucking our thumbs, we’d end up with buck teeth & this warning was meant to help us break the habit. Of course, it’s true that prolonged thumb-sucking does affect your teeth’s alignment yet it doesn’t happen overnight—and it’s not a guaranteed outcome. The myth was trying to scare us into stopping. In most cases, kids outgrow the habit before any lasting dental issues occur. But anyone with kids might want to still tell this lie because it’s a good way to get your children to stop sucking their thumbs.
Eating Pop Rocks and Soda Makes Your Stomach Explode
There was a time when we believed that mixing Pop Rocks candy with soda would make our stomachs explode. We’d all heard those horror stories about kids who had supposedly tried it. However, the tale wasn’t true at all. Pop Rocks & soda might cause a lot of bubbles and fizz in your mouth but they’re completely safe to consume together.
If You Tell a Lie, a Black Mark Appears on Your Tongue
To make us more honest, adults told us that if we lied, a black spot would show up on our tongues. They’d even ask us to stick out our tongues to check if we were telling the truth! As you might expect, there’s no truth to it. Yet the fear of being caught red-handed (or black-tongued) made us think twice before fibbing.
If You Dig Deep Enough, You’ll Reach China
Lots of us tried digging holes in the backyard with the hope of reaching China & the idea that we could tunnel through the Earth to pop up on the other side was exciting. In reality, digging straight through the planet isn’t possible. One reason is the extreme heat—the intense pressure in the Earth’s core is the other! Plus, if you started digging in most parts of the United States, you’d actually end up somewhere in the Indian Ocean.
Sneezing with Your Eyes Open Will Make Your Eyes Pop Out
We remember being told that if we sneezed with our eyes open, our eyeballs might pop out of their sockets. As such, we’d squeeze our eyes shut whenever we felt a sneeze coming on. Thankfully, it’s almost impossible to sneeze with your eyes open since it’s a natural reflex to close them. Even if you manage to keep them open, muscles & tissues keep your eyes securely held in place and there’s no risk of them popping out.
You Can’t Swim Right After Eating
After you eat, you should wait at least an hour before jumping back into the pool—at least that’s what we were told. We thought that swimming on a full stomach could cause severe cramps. But while you might feel a bit sluggish after a big meal, there’s no evidence that swimming after eating is dangerous. The risk of serious cramps is minimal & so is the risk of death. Swim whenever you feel comfortable!
Peeing in the Pool Will Turn the Water a Different Color
Most of us feared being caught peeing in the pool because of the myth that a special chemical would react to create a colored cloud around us. Just imagining the embarrassment of everyone knowing what we’d done was enough to make us stop. However, no such chemical exists in standard pool treatments. The story was just meant to stop kids from using the pool as a bathroom. And rightly so!
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
Like our content? Be sure to follow us.
Read More:
