Childhood Myths You Probably Still Believe
Have you ever caught yourself repeating something your parents told you as a kid—and then wondered… wait, is that actually true?
From “your face will freeze like that” to “don’t swallow gum,” so many of us grew up hearing the same warnings. Some stuck with us, others made us laugh later—but a few might still have you second-guessing things today.
In this post, I’m breaking down some of the most common things parents told us growing up—and whether they’re actually true or just childhood myths.
“If You Make That Face, It’ll Stay That Way”
One if the earliest forms of making fun of your classmates was using your facial expressions. Flashing a tongue, crossing our eyes, pushing our nose up – all of these things either made some unsuspecting friend cry to mommy. That is, until mom caught on and let us know that those crazy faces could end up becoming permanent.
Mom completely lied when she told you that your face could freeze just because you were sticking your tongue out at others. Usually a child with complications or loss of control of facial muscles has these symptoms from conditions they are born with, sadly. Other diseases, such as Parkinson and Huntington’s disease can affect these muscles, but are not developed until later in life.
❌ Myth
Your face will NOT freeze permanently just because you crossed your eyes or made a weird expression. Your facial muscles are constantly moving and relaxing. There’s no mechanism that would lock your face in place like that.
“Swallowing Gum Stays in Your Stomach for 7 Years”
This one scared so many of us. When it came time for us to be allowed to chew gum, mother only did so with the strict knowledge that swallowing that gum would “stay in your stomach for 7 years”. Then came the day when you simply forgot about the Juicy Juice that you were chomping down on one minute and before you know it, down the hatch it went.
❌ Myth
Your body can’t digest gum, but it still passes through your system like anything else—usually within a few days. The only concern is if someone swallows a LOT of gum at once (especially kids), which could cause a blockage—but that’s rare.
“Cracking Your Knuckles Will Give You Arthritis”
When I was growing up it seems that young boys love to cracking their knuckles. I’m not sure if they just feel relieved after or if it’s the sound of the crack. My mom use to say if those boys keep doing this, it will cause arthritis.
❌✔️ Mostly a Myth
The truth is the “cracking” noise you hear when you crack a knuckle is just a release of gases in the joint. Studies have not found any evidence that cracking your knuckles leads to arthritis. HOWEVER: It can cause irritation and it might weaken grip strength over time. So… annoying? Yes. Dangerous? Not really.
“Don’t Go Outside With Wet Hair or You’ll Get Sick”
When was the last time you saw an adult who was happy that it was cold and snowing outside? The upside of cold weather included snowball fights, Christmas, and missing days from school. The downside? Catching a cold, supposedly. Mom always had us put on multiple layers of clothing. Was mom just being too over protective of her freezing young ones or just a little crazy?
❌ Myth
You don’t get sick from being cold or having wet hair. Illness comes from viruses and bacteria, not temperature. That said, being cold can slightly weaken your immune response, which is probably where this myth came from.
“If You Shave Your Facial Hair, It Will Come Back Thicker”
This one felt HUGE growing up—especially for boys hitting that awkward in-between stage. For a lot of us, shaving felt like some kind of point of no return, like once you started, everything would suddenly get darker, thicker, and harder to manage. Parents typically weren’t trying to spread misinformation, they were trying to keep their kids from growing up too fast
❌ Myth
Shaving does not make hair grow back thicker, darker, or faster. Hair growth happens at the follicle level, deep in the skin—not at the surface where shaving happens. When you shave you’re only cutting the hair at the surface, you’re not affecting the root or growth cycle at all.
👉 So why does it seem thicker?
New hair has a blunt edge (instead of a naturally tapered tip). That blunt edge can feel coarser as it grows out so it may also look darker at first.
“If You Sit Too Close to the TV, You’ll Ruin Your Eyes”
❌✔️ Mostly a Myth (with a tiny bit of truth)
Sitting close to the TV won’t permanently damage your eyes but it can cause eye strain and give you headaches. Kids sit closer because their eyes can focus better up close, not because something is wrong.
“Stop Playing With That Toad – You’ll Get Warts!”
If you grew up spending time outside, you probably remember the excitement of spotting a frog or toad hopping through the yard. While we had a dog or cat growing up, what was even cooler was getting to play with animals that you didn’t see on a regular basis. And when it came to animals in the backyard, finding a frog or toad jumping around was a rare occasion, resulting in chasing it down and giving it the mason jar treatment. Until we learned about the warts.
❌ Myth
You cannot get warts from touching a toad or frog. Warts are actually caused by a virus, not animals. They come from the human papillomavirus (HPV), which spreads through direct skin-to-skin contact or touching contaminated surfaces. It’s not from frogs or toads.
“You’re Too Young to Drink Coffee – It Will Stunt Your Growth”
When you are a kid, the notion of being grown up seems so cool, which just proves how innocence and stupidity go hand and hand. Every parent started their day off with a nice fresh cup of joe. As you wanted something that made you feel more grown up, mom was there to mention coffee would stunt your growth. Back to coco we went, because being short was like being a kid forever!
❌ Myth
Drinking coffee does not stunt your growth. There’s no scientific evidence linking caffeine or coffee to reduced height or slowed growth. Your height is primarily determined by genetics, nutrition and overall health. Not whether you drank coffee as a teenager.
“Wait an Hour After Eating Before Swimming or You’ll Cramp and Drown!”
Splashing around in the pool was all day affair. Once the hot dogs and hamburgers were gone, it was back to the pool for any unfinished water business. Then mom warned that if we jumped in the water too soon, it might be our last time. All of a sudden that pool of refreshing water turned into a pool of fire.
❌✔️ Myth (Mostly)
You do not need to wait an hour after eating before swimming, and eating won’t suddenly cause you to drown. Your body does send more blood to your digestive system after eating—but not enough to completely shut down your muscles. 👉 What can happen is, you might feel a little sluggish or you could get a mild cramp if you overexert yourself. It’s usually minor, not dangerous.
“If You Fall From There, You’ll Crack Your Head Open!”
Thanks to all the comic books that were read as a child, it’s no shocker that many a young gal or lad were caught climbing trees like Spiderman. Mom of course shouted for you to come down before you “cracked your head open”. The mere thought of your head spilling out its insides like Humpty Dumpty sealed the deal.
❌✔️ Myth (Mostly)
You’re not likely to “crack your head open” from a typical fall. Falls can absolutely cause injuries—but they’re usually not as dramatic as we were led to believe. Severe head injuries are possible, especially from higher falls—but the idea of your skull “cracking open” like a cartoon is extremely unlikely.
