It's not uncommon for certain products to end up being used for purposes different than their initial intention.
Cotton swabs, or Q-tips, are the prime example, as nearly all who buy them use them to clean earwax from their ears despite the box expressly warning customers not to.
Then there are the products made for specific customers but whose clientele proves to be quite different from their initial target market.
Specifically, things or experiences intended for children but primarily enjoyed by adults, ruining any excitement the young folk may have had about them.
Redditor opposeThem was curious to hear about all the things magic grown-ups stole away from children, leading them to ask:
"What was meant for kids but adult consumers hijacked it and ruined it?"
Who Doesn't Need Something Soft And Cuddly Every Now And Then...
"Squishmallows."
"People trying to resell these literal stuffies 3x the price online."- sighcommagroan
Seems Like They Were Looking For The Wrong Kind Of Bears...
"Build A Bear."
"As a former employee I don't care if you came in and bought some stuff animals."
"Hell, there's some cool ones like Pokémon."
"HOWEVER, just cuz I worked there doesn't mean I have a whole collection myself and watch every show and movie that's partnered with the company."
"Yes I was an adult man working at a stuffed animal store."
"Yes I bought a couple Pokémon for myself."
"'No I don't wanna hear another grown man passionately talk to me about My Little Pony and PLEASE I DON'T WANT TO SEE A CUTIE MARK TATTOO YOU HAVE ON YOUR A** CHEEK EVEN IF THERE'S NO KIDS IN THE STORE CURRENTLY."- That_Guy_Pen
Fun Can't Be Forced
"After school hobbies!"
"Around the age of 47, I decided to pick up guitar again."
"So I went to a local school and enrolled as an adult."
"I would see parents harassing their kids and berating them for not being better."
"I think the majority of them have lost the idea that extracurricular activities are too help your child out of their shell and also to have fun."
"Not to make them a professional of any sort or the best of the best of the best."- BisquickNinja
I Mean, They Are Pretty Cute
"Minions."- aprairiehocompanion
"I remain baffled as to how and why minions, of all things, became the thing of choice for unfunny boomer memes."- moonbunnychan
Collect Them All... To Sell Them Later...
"Every card hobby."
"It’s literally just about prices now."- lol022
"Pokémon Cards."
"Scalpers were so down horrendous they were raiding McDonald's during the pandemic."- Sol-Blackguy
ash ketchum pokemon GIF
Giphy
Silly Rabbit...
"Trix."- Dont-ask-me-ever
"When I was a kid I felt so bad for that rabbit."
"I still don’t understand the idea behind that marketing campaign."
"Was it- being greedy and mean is hilarious."
"Buy our cereal?
"Just give the bunny some cereal you sadistic little sh*ts."
"They ran an ad for a little while that was a campaign that allowed you to vote on whether or not the rabbit would get some Trix."
"I think you had to mail in a box top with your vote or something."
"I voted 'share' with all of my sensitive little heart."
“'Greed' won by a landslide."
"That’s when I first became disillusioned with voting and people in general."- Iamtevya
You Can Keep The House, But You Can't Take My Babies...
"Beanie Baby collectors."- bigredthesnorer
" [A] photo of a divorcing couple dividing their beanie baby collection in court always makes me laugh."
"So ridiculous that people thought they were like stocks."- Delores_Herbig
Beanie Babies GIF by HBO Max
Giphy
Influencer Culture...
"Childhood."
"Parents who film their kid’s lives for likes and subs are sh*tty."- da_predditor
The Edward Vs. Jacob Fued Will Never End...
"YA books."
"I'm an adult that reads them."
"But the characters are TEENAGERS."
"People get upset that teenagers act like teenagers, in books targeted at... you guessed it, teenagers."- PumpkinPieIsGreat
So Much For Love Of The Game...
"Youth sports."
"When I was a kid 30 years ago, you’d have a practice or 2 a week plus a game on Saturday."
"Then if you loved sports, you’d get together with buddies in your ample free time and mess around playing super fun pick up games."
"Now, many kids are having full weekend tournaments like every weekend."
"And tons of practices.'
"They rarely have the free time to just play with their friends for the fun of it."
'Sure they are better athletes than we were, but are they better off?"- omgphilgalfond
homer simpson pitcher GIF
Giphy
Can You Say "Re-Sale?"...
"Pretty much any kids' toy."
"The scalpers are working harder than ever to f*ck it up."
"Video games?'
"Check."
"Pokémon/whatever is popular cards?"
"Check."
"Lego sets?"
"Check as f*ck."
"Fuzzy egg furby like critters?"
"Check check."
"If scalpers can leech money out of people with it, they'll do it."- chris14020
Car Salespeople Can Be Ruthless...
"Hot wheels."- Snow-Dog2121
"Worst memory I have of comic con."
"An exhibitor gave a kid what must’ve been an exclusive at their booth."
"Grown men rushing and crowding the kid pressuring him to sell his toy."
"His parents moved him away promptly but I imagine he was shaken up by the experience."
"Went from a cool moment of unexpectedly getting a toy to grown weirdos getting in his face."- Dwike2
Where To Even Begin?
"Harry Potter vibrating broomstick."- PursuitTravel
"I have one found at Goodwill about 11 years ago."
"I'm a big HP fan, and I was excited to buy it."
'I realized it turned on, and I was hoping for cool sound effects, I was disappointed it only vibrated."
"I remember looking it up online just to check out info on it and found out why it was discontinued shortly after its release, thought never occurred to me until then."- Necranissa
Harry Potter Halloween GIF
Giphy
One has to wonder how the manufacturers or marketing departments feel about these alternative uses?
Sadly, one can only guess that as long as they are turning a profit, they couldn't care less...
"It’s the small things in life that make you happy, so what small thing makes you happy?"
Starry Starry Night
"Stargazing."
"I was wearing glasses since I was 5."
"Each year I would see less and less stars until I could only see the brightest ones, and even then it was hard for me to see them unless I concentrated really hard."
"This winter I had an eye surgery."
"And when I laid down under a summer sky one night, it was as if someone changed resolution on a video lol."
"I honestly laid there for more than an hour, after 17 years finally being able to see all the constellations."- AbbreviationsNice465
All Comfy And Cozy...
"The sound of rain hitting the roof while I'm all cozy in bed."- D3vilUkn0w
Kids Say The Darndest Things
"When my kids use expressions I wasn't expecting."
"6 yr olds were playing rock paper scissors in the back seat."
"Daughter yells up to me 'Dad, you wanna get in on this?!'"
"Or when their fandom lines up with mine."
"Discussing super heroes fighting each other and who would win for 45 minutes at bed time, and I have the biggest smile on my face the entire time."- DrowZeeMe
Playing Happy Children GIF by MOODMANGiphyHappiness Is All Around
"A good song."
"Seeing someone smile after I give a compliment."
"A deep belly baby laugh always puts a smile on my face too."- angie6921
Feline Companionship
"When my cat makes that little brrpppt sound when she wakes up."- AJTwinky
Best Friends Love GIF by TV LandAppreciation
"I'm a pizza delivery driver."
"It doesn't happen very often now that the pandemic is over, but when people leave me little notes on their door thanking me it makes me so happy."
"I keep all of them in my glove box and look at them sometimes when I'm having a bad day."- Artemis7797
"Being acknowledged."- Mission_Anything_429
Sibling Love
"Seeing my kids get along like I always want them to."
"The other day, my wife was out with the middle daughter, and I was home with the eldest, tween, and the youngest, pre-school, daughters."
"It was the middle of the day, and I was working."
"I heard them saying the same random words, walked out of the home office to see what's up."
Season 3 Hug GIF by The SimpsonsGiphy"My eldest was helping my youngest practice her sight words."
"I sort of hid to just observe them without them seeing I was there."
"My eldest then helped the little one with getting through a simple kid book and thereafter did her hair and put her in a Moana costume."
"Just seeing them bond warms my heart."- Alarming_Topic2306
With the world in a constant state of uncertainty, not to mention being at what is hopefully the end of a global pandemic, it's very easy to get down on ourselves.
Making it all the more important to be open with our emotions, and take advantage of those seemingly frivolous things which are guaranteed to put a smile on our face.
Even tiniest bit of happiness can go a very long way...
Redditor Substantial-Young-85 asked:
"What will die with millennials?"
Remember when cars were driven by people?
That's going the way of the horse and buggy.
To Walls
"I once tried to explain the my niece that phones used to be wired to walls. She's ten (she was six at the time) cell phones are all she's ever known. Among the reasons she guessed as to why they were 'tied' to walls: To stop people from stealing them."
N_Who
Phone Call Dancing GIF by Crissy ConnerGiphyWithout WHAT?!
"Memory of life without internet."
RagingDinoZ
"When I was a kid, we didn't have the internet."
Aido_Playdoh
"I remember asking our son one time if he knew how much tablet time I git when I was a kid (he was complaining that he was t getting enough). He guessed 2 hours. I told him 0, because the internet, let alone tablets, weren't really a thing yet. He looks confused and mystified."
TheHrethgir
Looked it Up?
"Remembering someone’s phone number."
Misttertee_27
"Still have my 3 best friends numbers memorized, when I haven't needed to use that info for 15+ years, as well as most of my family. Intentionally memorized my boyfriend's in case there's an emergency and I don't have my phone."
Particular-Payment59
"I know my parents' home number and a few friends from high school's telephone numbers. I do not know my wife's telephone number and when I do need it I always look it up on my phone."
-Handsome-Jim-
Music Tales
"Dubbing cassettes and burning your own mix on CD."
pfc_Frank
"Ahhhh, waiting by the radio for an hour for them to play your favorite song. You push record at just the right moment. Song plays! Only for the DJ to talk over the last 30 seconds. Sigh. Memories."
zenOFiniquity8
"Or somewhere yells into the basement or your room. Followed by “I AM TRYING TO RECORD A TAPE!"
kperalta87
Control+Save
"3.5 inch floppy discs."
Traylor_Swift
"I have a sealed 5 pack box of those in my room, wonder how much they are worth nowadays."
TrueF0xtr0t
GiphyFloppy what? Even I barely remember those. LOL.
Options
"Watching 'whatever was on.' Everything is always on now, you don’t stumble into an interesting (or awful) show because it’s the only thing mildly interesting on TV."
ChefJeff7777777
television fashion GIF by DenyseGiphy"that's not right surely"
"A coworker and I were talking a while ago and we started thinking/ talking about how the general population (not the ones going to school for it or people truly interested) most younger and older people don't understand a lot about computers. If it's not app, most people aren't really sure how to get to it on a computer."
"I thought, 'that's not right surely' but when trying to get a younger coworker (different dept) to add a printer he literally asked me "wheres the app I can't find it to add the printer" and I just like stared into the middle distance for a sec before just doing it for him. It was like navigating a computer wasn't something he'd done in his life."
"And he's only like 4 years younger than me. He's glued to a cell phone too so I was like yeah ok this guy should know. Nope. This is only one example though. However, when I really stop and think about it, the window from late 80s-00s were really the testing phase for home computers and most to all websites. So navigating them, learning basic code (OG, Myspace people)."
"And just figuring out computer language (not code just the terms) for normal people... really ended when cell phones became more popular. But it feels weird to have to explain stuff to someone younger than me while simultaneously doing the same thing when they are older. It's kinda frustrating tbh but mostly just mind boggling."
TheBohoChocobo
Split
"Playing multi-player video games with split screens in one room."
EngineerMinded
"Eeehh split screens will probably be a thing forever I mean if Nintendo is still strong and going in the 2080s then we will still have Mario Party."
Kiro_sage
"We used to do LAN parties. You could hook up to 4 Xboxes to each other any play a couple of people on each one. It was great. Cords running everywhere, but 4 Xboxes running at once mad for some fun times. You'd constantly be yelling back and forth between rooms and mom would lose it."
Odd_Description1
Travel Finndings
"Knowledge of pre-digital life. An appreciation for sending and receiving letters in the mail. As Arcade Fire put it, we used to wait. Memory of the USA pre 9/11. Using maps and Thomas Guides for road trips. Guys, I’m so old I remember the first time my dad used MapQuest to print out directions for a cross country trip, and how novel it seemed at the time."
MovieGuyMike
Manuals
"Apparently using a Haynes or a Chilton’s manual to work on your car. I hate using YouTube videos for car maintenance, but it looks like that’s all I have left."
RandomGovtEmployee
confused season 2 GIF by Blunt TalkGiphyI'm feeling a bit nostalgic. Oh the memories...
Redditor DecentIllustrator439 wanted to know what things we all crave to be accomplished at.
"What do you wish you were really good at?"
Sports. Even a simple sport would be nice to be decent at.
Say Hello
Valentines Day Love GIF by Super SimpleGiphy"Making friends."
rocky_iwata
"Damn I feel you. Realized a few years ago that I haven't made a friend in years and also had trouble keeping the ones I had due to neglecting. Worst feeling."
JoinAThang
$$$$
"Making money."
Jalo141
"Saving money!"
me0tch
"My answer was simplifying, articulating, and solving complex problems or ideas. I think it’s the most incredible thing listening to people at work or in life that confidently frame up complex ideas and just 'get it' and the money usually follows. I’m with you."
slugvegas
Play On
"Playing the piano or a guitar. I am 56 there is no reason for me not to try but instead I waste an hour on Reddit."
PlantationCane
"I've been playing guitar for about 25 years and still not very good at it. But I enjoy it, even if nobody else enjoys hearing it. Would have been nice to have been good though."
TLMoss
"Guitar teacher here. I have students ranging in age from 7 to 73. It's never too late."
ApollosBrassNuggets
"I started playing piano for 10 months now am 29 and i always keep reminding people that it's never too late just go for it we live one life so don't have any regrets!"
Lothric_21
quality of life...
"Finding work that both satisfies my soul and pays handsomely. The quality of life is just so poor when you hate your work. And life sucks so bad when you are just scraping by money-wise. I've been seeking this holy grail my whole life. Still haven't found it."
mom_with_an_attitude
"May I suggest manufacturing, I just got into this field after working in food/retail my whole life and I love it. I assemble medical devices, and mainly I cut the tubing. I love it, no customers I just sit and listen to music and chill."
f0rg0tmypassword420
Speak On
Episode 17 Language GIF by The SimpsonsGiphy"Languages."
Effective_Mention_29
"People don’t realize how helpful it is to know more than one language. It does nothing but benefit you."
twiride
Language is essential. Like why do we even have PE? More languages.
Success
Meme Reaction GIF by Robert E BlackmonGiphy"Stop procrastinating. 🙃"
BeamR265
"To be honest, I wouldn’t mind being really good at procrastination. I feel like it would make me a genius level multi-tasking person capable of completing any assignment the day its due."
CheekclappinSSJ
Louder
"Singing. Love to do it, but sound like a dying cat."
GeezerEbaneezer
"I’ll second that. I started dating an avid karaoke fan a few years ago. Between lots of repetition and her coaching, I improved from abjectly miserable to almost mediocre. I think I’ve hit my ceiling though, LoL. Basically, I still suck."
DWright_5
"I’m an avid karaoke person (though not your avid karaoke person) and I just wanna make sure this message has made it to you. Karaoke is 90% about having fun, and 10% about vocals. If you’re having fun, you’re doing karaoke right."
Battle_Me_1v1_IRL
No Cares
"Not caring what others think."
Smooth-History1916
"I think it will come with age, when you realize not many really actually care about you, you stop caring too!"
Sepined
"Once you master this life gets a LOT more fun. I love being the middle aged man at the light with the windows down singing along to Brittney. And once you can own it, most actually stop judging."
Lazerith22
100,000% a muscle
"Remembering things about other people. I always forget birthdays or anniversaries and stuff so when it comes to doing anything meaningful for the people I love it’s often too late or half-a**ed."
stoned_kitty
"There are stories of famous people who would write down anything they learned about a person and keep a rolladex of cards with the info on it. When they go to see them again, they pull their cards out… it’s kinda creepy but it works."
descendency
"As someone who never once memorized a thing in his life until he got to college, memory is 100,000% a muscle. The more that you intentionally remember things, the easier it becomes."
LoftySmalls
All of it...
life GIFGiphy"Life. I'm bad at life."
moreoddermatt
"No one's good at it.🤷 We are all trying to figure it out while being a decent human being."
fluffycumulusclouds
The pursuit of knowledge is an admirable one, even if it's something really specific or something just for fun.
What would you add to this list? Let us know in the comments below.
"What is something most people think only men do, but actually women do as well?"
Get ready for some misconceptions to be turned completely upside down.
Time For Tootin'
"For years I thought ladies didn’t fart. My mom told me that so it had to be true. It didn’t matter that I was a girl and farted. I thought there was just this magical age where girls turned into ladies and stopped farting."
"Apparently even when my mom did fart, I’d whip my head around and go 'ewwww dad!' Mom found it hilarious, dad not so much. Then one day I was in the bathroom with my mom (cause who trusts a four year old for longer the two minutes by themselves?) and I heard it: The quiet mythical fart from a lady."
"Oh Lordy, I told everyone! Everyone needed to know that ladies do fart, even my mom and she’s a lady! Dad found it hilarious, mom not so much."
– huskeya4
Cheeky Adjustment
"The weird side step."
"Sometimes when I wear really short shorts, my butt cheeks start 'eating' my shorts and I have to try my best to make a discreet weird side step to adjust it..."
– 5cm-persecond
Assuming The Position
"Keep hand in pants in a non sexual way when just chilling."
– Clafoutie
It's A Pleasure
"I grew up thinking women couldn’t masturbate only men could. In middle school I searched up women masturbating and bro my jaw dropped."
– Empty_DrPepperCan
Redditors share their thoughts about men and women keeping up with appearances.
Keep It Smooth
"Shave their face."
– Jewz1986
"I feel like women even keep this a secret from each other until you find out someone else does too or how common it is. Even still most women will rename it as “dermaplaning”. Such stigma around it."
– South-Housing-748
Checking The Fitness Progress
"Flex in the mirror."
– happy-sam1
Just Gross
"Be dirty and lazy."
– ThinkIGotHacked
"I've worked in customer service most of my life, and can easily say that women's restrooms are an absolute nightmare compared men's restrooms 95% of the time. Like seriously, just throw your tampons in the trash, and wipe up your blood please; you've got a whole roll of tp 6 inches from your elbow."
– GenericThomas
Cruising
"Check out women."
– winnisp
"Even straight women check out women. Source: am a straight woman… I think."
– Solid_Explanation769
Just a thought, or may two or three.
Chivalry Is Non-Binary
"I just said this on another thread but, having fantasies about saving people or sacrificing yourself for them."
– Seyorin
Revved Up Without Warning
"Get horny over nothing or randomly."
– False-Stage-3826
Zoning Out
"Seem to be in deep thought but is actually just gaping at a wall with zero thoughts. Alternately, may be thinking of somethings completely random. That meme about the wife thinking the husband is probably thinking if another woman, when in reality he's thinking of something random ? Ya, as a woman, I relate with that husband."
– abookishhuman
Locker Room Talk
"Talk and joke about sex. I can’t speak for everyone, but I find girls talking about it more than guys."
"Heck, at one point we were having a little bonfire, and one couple got up to leave. My friend’s wife asked if they wanted to play Among Us when they got home, and the other girl just turned around and casually said 'Nah, this is usually about the time we have sex.' To which my friend’s wife responds 'Oh yeah, we just did that this morning.'”
– Oldspice0493
The point is, all genders are capable of similar behavior that people have been socialized to exclusively associate with men.
And there's nothing wrong with that.
We are all equally guilty of being a little naughty, regardless of gender. So get over it.