Did your parents ever tell you a lie that, as an adult, you understand isn’t true, but it still influences your adult behavior? You’re not alone. A recent online discussion in a popular forum delivered this list of little white lies that leave an impression.
1. The Ice Cream Truck
Haha, I didn’t grow up hearing this one, but I could see it being told. A woman explains that her mother told her that a music truck drove around playing music to entertain the neighborhood. She admits to being “Embarrassingly old” before realizing the truck sold ice cream. “To this day, my first thought when I hear the music in the summer is, “‘It’s the music truck!'”
2. Urine in the Pool
We all grew up hearing there was a urine-detecting chemical in pools and water slide parks so that if you peed in the pool, the water around you would turn another color. It’s one of the biggest myths ever, reinforced in the Adam Sandler film Grown Ups.
3. Illegal Dome Light
Driving with the dome light on at night was a lie that many of our parents told us. I was an adult before realizing it wasn’t true. A mother admits it affects her life today because she tells her kids when they are on the highway that they need to roll up the windows “Because it’s illegal to have them down when we’re going that fast. I can’t stand the sound, but I know they will always think that as adults now.”
4. Egg Nog
Ok. This story is unique to one user who shares, “I got over this one recently (I’m 28 for reference), but when I was about seven, my brother saw me sneaking another glass of eggnog before bed because it was my absolute favorite holiday drink and he said, “You know that’s made of cow urine, right?” And he sounded dead serious and shrugged and left the kitchen.
And then I gagged and never had another glass until… err… not sure. I think it was two years ago. Although, honestly, I’d sneak sips of it throughout the years, feeling incredibly disgusted with myself for giving into drinking cow urine. It didn’t dawn on me that no grocery store would stock shelves with cow urine and sell out every holiday season. I don’t know why I’m so gullible.”
5. Brainwashing
On a more serious note, one woman shares that she was raised in a religious cult. She confesses she escaped from the headquarters at age 26. “I’m nearly 40, and I’ll still ask myself constantly, ‘Do I really think this, or was I brainwashed to believe it?’ When you’re three and get told you should behave a certain way, or God will be mad at you, and that continues into your adult life, you end up with a lifetime of unpacking to do.”
6. Frozen Ducks
A forum member shares, “Granny told me ducks swam to the bottom of the lake and froze for the winter. Still, think about it from time to time, even though it’s preposterous.”
7. Buckle Up
Did your parents ever tell you this one: “A vehicle won’t start until everyone is buckled?” Countless individuals admit to hearing this one before suggesting it would be a good safety feature for vehicles to implement. Yeah, until it breaks, and the car won’t start despite being buckled in.
8. Mail Trucks
“I used to think the mailman who drove white trucks delivered regular milk and the brown trucks delivered chocolate milk,” a respondent admits. “It’s obliviously silly, but I think about it whenever I see one.” A second person confesses, “I used to think black and white cows made regular white milk and brown cows made chocolate milk.”
9. Swallowing Gum
Did you grow up hearing that if you swallow gum, it stays in your stomach for seven years? I did. On another note, someone states, “My grandma told me not to swallow gum because if I farted, I would blow a bubble out of my bum and have to walk around like that. It was effective.”
But another woman takes the cake when she says that after telling her kids that, they started swallowing their gum on purpose. Needless to say, none of the adults in the thread swallow their gum.
10. Watermelon Seeds
Oh yes, the infamous “If you swallow a watermelon seed, a watermelon will grow in your stomach” lie was wildly spread. Several people admit they always buy seedless watermelons today. Somebody adds, “I believed this and that pregnant women had swallowed watermelon seeds and had watermelons in their stomachs.”
11. Digging to China
Numerous people admit to hearing that you could dig a hole to China. Several admit to digging deep holes that never made their way to China. I heard this one, too; however, my sister believed if you dug too deep of a hole, you would end up in hell. Talk about a much scarier belief, and I forgot all about the China myth.
12. Pink Eye Dog Poo
This one made me laugh out loud, and I have to share it with you. “I don’t feel inclined to look at dogs pooping,” starts one. “But I recall being told if I did look, I’d get pink eye?! When I’m out in public, and I see a doggy about to go, I immediately look away.”
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Source: Reddit.
Elizabeth Ervin is the owner of Sober Healing. She is a freelance writer passionate about opioid recovery and has celebrated breaking free since 09-27-2013. She advocates for mental health awareness and encourages others to embrace healing, recovery, and Jesus.