breaking the ice

As already discussed in a previous post on Sunday, September 18, 2005, I am really interested in other people’s childhood myths. A myth is an explanation of the world that helps us grow. Childhood myths help us explain the world, and help us adapt to it. Sometimes we came up with them on our own, or we did hear them from our parents or even other kids. Here are some I collected.

“My boyfriend’s mother use to tell him that if he didn't take off his socks at bed time that his feet would shrivel up!! He still won't wear his socks to bed even if his toes are frozen!”

“If you swallow your bubble gum, your body can’t digest it and it sticks to your ribs and the proof was that it showed up in your x-rays. I don’t think I felt comfortable swallowing gum until I was in my 20’s.”

“I recently found out that there is no such thing as a dye in pools that makes the water turn bright red if you pee in it. Without hyperbolizing, I can honestly say that to my knowledge, this is the one thing in my life that I've believed the longest that has turned out to be a complete lie.”

“If you swallowed a seed, a plant would grow inside you.”

“All TV shows were live. (I was particularly perplexed when a season of re-runs of the Brady Bunch would end and start from the beginning again — I wondered how the kids got young again.)”

I would be really happy if you share some of your childhood myths with me.