Parents generally mean well, but sometimes the stuff they lead their kids to believe are more than a bit farfetched.
Whether it's passing on old wives tales they heard from their parents, or convenient lies to get kids to behave a certain way, you shouldn't believe everything your parents told you.
Reddit user i_cant_see_my_ears asked:
"What is something your parents engrained in you as a child that you now realize is ridiculous?"
Not An Allergy
"That I was allergic to sand (5 years old)."
"She just didn't want to clean the sand off of me and my clothes."
-Aperture_Kubi
"This is sad to me. There is so much fun to be had by kids in the sand."
-Electrical-Pie-8192
No Wizardry For You
"Less of a direct rule, but as a kid I wasn't allowed to watch or read Harry Potter because she thought stuff like that was bad... and then when I was 18 I saw her and my nephews watching Harry Potter in her house. She actually apologized to me for not letting me watch it as a kid because she thought it was a lot worse than it was.'
-ItsNinjaBoy
"My mom was similar. She didn't let my brother and I read Harry Potter as kids because she bought into the Satanic Panic surrounding the series. When we were older, she decided to give it another try from the viewpoint of someone who wasn't constantly panicking about everything in an attempt to shield her young children."
"She loves Harry Potter now.'
-BrittB14
"My Mom wouldn't let me watch 'The Addams Family' in school. I hate to sit in the hall. She's a wonderful mother, just got caught up in the 90's "satanic" hysteria..."
-gonzoisgood
Correlation Does Note Equal Causation
"That cracking your knuckles will cause arthritis. Not true at all. I found this out on Reddit last week after 30+ years of thinking it was true."
-1980pzx
"It's a good example of third cause fallacy."
"Cracking knuckles is indeed correlated with arthritis, but it doesn't mean it causes it, what it ends up being is that manual labor that is hard on joints and leads to arthritis also leads to an urge to crack knuckles."
"Basically, people see that B and C are correlated and assume that B causes C, when really what's going on is there's some other thing, A, where A causes B and C"
-bisforbenis
You Really Don't Have To Eat The Crusts
"Bread crust has all the nutrients. 😂"
-kre8ive1
"Well sure, it's like with all fruits and vegetables, the skin is the healthiest part! It's because when the bread is growing on the bread vines out in the bread fields, the crust absorbs all those good nutrients from the sun and the soil. It's just science!"
-Holybartender83
"My mom told me crusts were what helped me grow and I wanted to be tall so I immediately started eating my crusts and my sisters crusts (she was too little to be reasoned with)."
"I'm tall now, and my sister was always shorter than me, so I'm not gonna say my mom was wrong 😆"
-angry_amethyst
Talking About Sex Is Important
"'Sex' was a taboo word in our parents' house."
"We could not ask questions or comment on sex in any way or at any time, no matter what. It was as if sex didn't exist - a subject alien to daily living."
-Back2Bach
"I was afraid to tell my mom I was pregnant, and I had been married for two years."
-Lucinnda
"I'm glad I'm not the only one like this. I've been dating my SO for like... four years now. We live together. We're talking about marriage and possibly having kids. And it gives me so much anxiety just THINKING of having to tell my parents I'm pregnant. I don't think i could handle the shame, even if I was MARRIED. What the f**k does that say about our upbringing lol"
-Langoustina
No, It Doesn't
"Hair grows back faster/thicker after you shave it for the first time."
-debq
"Yep my mom told me that when I was young and believed it back then."
-Tracylyn8787
"My mom legitimately believed it. Presumably she was told the same. When I hit puberty and she gave me a razor etc., she specifically told me not to start shaving my upper leg because my hair there was light/fine enough to not need it. Then one day my contrarian self was like 'oops I forgot' and she was like 'welp I guess you have to shave above the knee for the rest of your life, have fun with that.'"
-debq
Just Suck It Up
"If you hate your job you just have to suck it up and make the best of it. Don't complain because you'll be pegged as a troublemaker, and if you quit you'll be seen as flaky and nobody else will hire you."
"This nugget has caused more damage to my physical and emotional well being than anything else. You really don't want to hear their views on staying in an unhappy, dysfunctional marriage (they're similar)."
-Johhnymaddog316
"I heard this from my Boomer parents, and in my career field, you pretty much have to change employers every few years to get a decent raise. The thing that blows my mind is I've explained this to my mother, and she still clutches her pearls when I tell her I'm looking for work elsewhere. "'What about your BENEFITS?!'"
"'This new employer says they'll match them AND pay me more.'"
-Bobcatluv
This One Is So Widespread
"You have to wait 30 minutes after eating before you go back in the pool, otherwise you'll get cramps and drown."
-primitivedreamer
"We were at someone's house with a pool. as a kid and they would set an alarm. One of those spinning ones that dings. All the kids would gather round and watch it. Tick tick tick. Not a minute too soon or death!!!"
-MorePieForEveryone
It's Okay To Ask Him
"That as a girl, I should never be the one to reach out to the guy first, he must be the one to make the effort first. (Ex: if I want to hangout with a boy I like or even simply text him, I need to wait for him to text me or reach out to me first) it really messed up how I talk to guys I'm attracted too, because I'm 23 years old so I can do what I want when it comes to guys but I sometimes still have this mindset."
"The crazy thing is now my parents wonder why we don't even reach out to any guys we are interested in lol"
-hitagiss
"I told a guy 'You're really cute, do you want to come on a date with me?' We're still married."
-Alohomora95
"I was already 'seeing' this boy (we were teens, hadn't even kissed yet) and I rang him one afternoon for a chat. Mum found out and said with a gasp 'you can't be chasing boys!'"
"Maybe in her generation where they went to Friday night dances and were courted by multiple men until they picked the most gentlemanly and career-minded suitor to make babies with. That doesn't happen any more Mum! We aren't lined up along the wall in our best dresses like a row of prizes."
-Lucifang
That's Not How It Works
"You catch colds simply by being exposed to cold. For some reason I just never questioned the idea that temperature itself caused viruses, but it's such a ridiculous notion once you think about it!"
-SendMeNudesThough
Sometimes parents just repeat the things their parents told them without questioning, but that can lead to everyone being misinformed. A healthy dose of skepticism can do a lot of good.
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Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again.
Even when J.K. Rowling isn't making random additions to the canon of the wizarding world––and the moments when she isn't, at least these days, seem few and far between––there are a slew of problematic things about Hogwarts, and today's burning question from Redditor MagicNoodle ("What's the sh*ttiest part about attending Hogwarts?") is an indication that attending the place would probably not all it's cracked up to be.
It's always a fun idea when we look at our favorite worlds of entertainment fantasy and wonder.... what if all of our favorite characters could somehow interact. How cool would that be? Or maybe at the very least the beloved scribes fashioning the stories could take a strike in a different make believe world. One writer I believe anyone would let run amok in any world, reality or fantasy would be literary Queen, Ms. J.K. Rowling. Can you imagine?
Redditor u/bogblocker wanted to discuss a possibility that many Potterheads would need Xanax to discuss by asking.... If Marvel's superheroes were made by J.K. Rowling, what unnecessary characteristic would she had given them?
J.K. Rowling Crushes Troll Who Criticizes Her After She Gives Writing Advice To Her Fans 🔥
It should be common sense to not pick a fight of words with an author, right? They practice with those weapons for a living. An anonymous troll learned the hard way not to try and spew hate at J.K. Rowling.
Earlier this week, Rowling posted a tweet about writing advice. Like many famous authors, Rowling is often asked about how to write and what rules she uses.
While she's not a big fan of rules, she does have some advice.
I’m often asked questions about writing, so here are some answers too long for Twitter! https://t.co/atmzlUy2Cj— J.K. Rowling (@J.K. Rowling) 1546931418.0
The response was very appreciated among her fans.
@jk_rowling The thing I like the most is that it's not, 'THIS IS THE GOLDEN RULE' but it's very 'you will find your own way, keep going'.— Bohdi Byles 🌈✨💛 (@Bohdi Byles 🌈✨💛) 1546931488.0
@jk_rowling This is just what I needed as I feel like I’ve let my own fear of bad writing stop me from actually get… https://t.co/rkWoVXAH8O— Monse Ramirez (@Monse Ramirez) 1546933150.0
@jk_rowling Thank you so much for rejecting those "10 Golden Rules" posts... I always felt like they would create t… https://t.co/GVdV5KlVeb— DeinTerrorpeut (@DeinTerrorpeut) 1546934030.0
@jk_rowling "Forget the 'must do's' and concentrate on the 'you probably won't get far withouts'"=My new, life-mantra— Angel Chaparro (@Angel Chaparro) 1546987591.0
Rowling even took some time out to respond to tweets directly.
Thank you! From talking to other writers I know that we all have very different processes. The only thing that work… https://t.co/Ig5nuSLDt1— J.K. Rowling (@J.K. Rowling) 1546932107.0
I’ve always loved Steve Martin’s line: ‘Be so good they can’t ignore you.’ https://t.co/Ty8xhdhp1Y— J.K. Rowling (@J.K. Rowling) 1546932883.0
However, here's where things take a turn. A Twitter user thought he could get away with questioning her writing and political views in a very rude way.
Spoiler Alert: He couldn't.
Question 1: I do the best I can with the talent I’ve got, but I know my writing isn’t to everyone’s taste. Question… https://t.co/P694ntBKvG— J.K. Rowling (@J.K. Rowling) 1546934321.0
The troll tries accusing Rowling's writing of being "shit" and the writer herself of being "politically delusional". Rowling is not having any of it.
Despite the questions being very uncivil, Rowling responded very politely, taking each question at its word. That is until you get to the "implied" third question where she calls out the troll for what he is.
You don't get to be the queen of writing for nothing.
@jk_rowling 1. Thank you for the gift of advice. 2. Thank you for having the courage to express you views in an ope… https://t.co/UbkrpnJSmk— Adrienne Matheson (@Adrienne Matheson) 1546935313.0
@jk_rowling That's why J. K. Rowling was, is and stays the queen.— Hannah (@Hannah) 1546934378.0
@jk_rowling Clearly not everyone is going to enjoy another work and success, but the simple FACT is you bloody well… https://t.co/1x9g1xhG9j— Dustin Waltz (@Dustin Waltz) 1546934621.0
@jk_rowling Madam, you are flawless. A truly classy lady. Thanks for all you've given and continue to give. You're a blessing.— Lugubrious (@Lugubrious) 1546938464.0
@tayl3r_k @jk_rowling Totally agree, like they aren’t citizens !— Laurie (@Laurie) 1546942963.0
The author of the Harry Potter series, Rowling is known for her sly wit when responding to trolls. She had an extended feud with Piers Morgan where she got him to unknowingly insult his own former glowing review of her success. And she's taken particular aim at President Donald Trump when he goes on his twitter rampages.
Jealous Boyfriend Sours GF's Experience At Comic Con, And She Seeks Advice
Having a romantic relationship with someone who has a very different style of communication can be a challenge. Making it work requires effort and compromise, it requires fearlessly facing your own feelings and insecurities - ok most relationships require that, but you get the point. It's not easy. But what do you do when those different communication styles start to eat away at something you used to love doing together?
One heartbroken Reddit user is asking that question now. Every couple has their "thing" and hers with her partner used to be comic conventions. The two would spend days immersed in comics and fantasy together, making friends, talking about the stories they loved and generally bonding. Her more outgoing personality meant that she made friends faster and was more immediately personable with celebrities and creatives that they meet. It took him a little longer to warm up, but in the end they both made great connections.
As time passed, her outgoing personality has become a point of contention. Her boyfriend has gotten jealous of her ability to quickly connect and has kind of started to hold it against her. He's begun accusing her of ruining his encounters, so she's stopped talking during them. He's told her that creatives are only nice to her because they must be attracted to her. He's told her that his multiple awkward silences were her fault. Overall, it seems like he's turned a thing they loved into a sort of competition and reason to feel bad for himself. Here's her initial post:
My partner and I have been together four years, and we're really into comic book conventions.
In the last couple years, we've particularly gone out of our way to meet a lot of creators and voice actors we like, and have prints and stuff signed. It's been a lot of fun!
Or, I guess it was for a little bit.
Lately I've noticed a pattern where the moment we walk away, he gets mopey about feeling like the moment was wasted for some reason or another. He puts too much stock into having such an immediate rapport with a cool stranger, and then feels bad when it isn't some magical experience. There are celebrities he can't stand now because he felt like they weren't immediately warm and friendly. To make matters worse, he gets too shy and nervous to really say much, so he's always kicking himself later.
I, on the other hand, don't put too stock in all this. I try to assume the best of people and not define them by the two minutes I interacted with them - honestly, when you're talking to people non-stop I'm sure it all blurs together, so I take everything with a grain of salt. I just try not to take it too seriously. I'm decent at small talk and don't have any problems interacting with people I don't know, so I keep it light and breezy.
There were a couple points where later, my boyfriend said that it felt like I'd dominated the conversation and wasn't letting him say anything. I felt really bad, so I made a point to scale back, especially if this was a person he was more invested in than I was.
I feel like people treat us like we're a unit, and not like it reflects badly on him if I break the ice first, but I didn't want to stress him out when this is something that already makes him flustered.
So, now there's just more awkward silences, and it feels like if I say anything at all, he acts like it was a disaster.
Lately he's been saying everyone just likes me better, or it's all just because I'm a girl. It's starting to really hurt my feelings. I keep saying I really think he should just get in line for this stuff alone from now on, since he keeps feeling bad and then making me feel bad. He acts like I'm overreacting, and that this is a fun thing we like to do together.
It's not anymore.
I think I'd be fine just doing other stuff at cons, but I also kind of want to actually address this. I feel like if it was the reverse, and he had like, a funny moment with a famous person or whatever, I'd just be happy for him. He's never happy for me about things like that, he just treats me like competition and gets way too wrapped up in the whole thing. I feel like his negative reaction to me is just an extension of how nervous he gets, but I really don't like that if I have a decent moment with a creator I enjoy, it's instantly ruined by my boyfriend either turning this into self-pity or acting like they must have been attracted to me (ew?).
Is there anyone else who gets like this, and knows what needs to happen for him to chill the hell out?
She turned to Reddit for help - and Reddit had no problem stepping in with suggestions. They're not always kind, but they're certainly honest and most are pretty insightful! Here are some of the responses that stuck out to us; edited for language or clarity when needed.
H/T: Reddit