Kid Scoop
15 Old Wives Tales and Why I Still Use Them
Touch a toad and you'll get warts!
“Make a face like that and it will stick that way!”
“Read in the dark and you’ll go blind!”
“Crack your knuckles and they’ll spread out and you won’t be able to play the piano anymore!”
I asked Cody about some of the things his mom said to him that in hindsight were absolutely ridiculous, these were his answers. I find myself telling Addie somewhat ridiculous lies daily, only to soothe my lying soul I tell myself that they are old wives’ tales and that they are in place for parents just like me who aren’t afraid of ridiculous scare tactics to get my kid to comply to my demands. Lately I’ve been questioning myself as to the origins of these old wives tales as I still believe some of the myself (wet hair + cold air = sick!) so I decided to research the back story on some of the more famous old wives’ tales.
Turns out? Most of them come from generations of moms tired of trying to reason with their kids.
Proof that being a mom hasn’t changed all that much in hundreds of years.
What’s the best old wives’ tale you tell your kids?
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9 Comments
Betsy Workman commented on Jan 03 12 at 12:29 pmMythbusters did the 5sec rule. Actually, has some truth to it.
Alicia commented on Jan 03 12 at 12:57 pmI do have to pop in and say that the 5 second rule is in fact a 30 second rule, since that study (I believe was done at Harvard) showed it took up to 30 seconds for any bacteria to really take hold and grow on dropped food. So for me, as long as there isn’t something really gross on the food, I don’t care if they eat it (unless we’re at a hospital or doctor’s office!).
Daizy Sellers commented on Jan 03 12 at 1:23 pmGrowing up, I used too snitch carrots from the fridge at night so I could read in bed with a flashlight. I figured one would cancel the other. Unfortunately it didn’t work.
Christy Howle Braddy commented on Jan 03 12 at 1:40 pmIn response to the 30 minute swim rule—I still like it–only, I believe it’s a direct result of mom/dad trying to get a 30 minute break from having to go back out into the hot sun to watch the kids swim…perhaps even a way to carve out 30 minutes to get the kitchen cleaned up…but that’s just why I use it…lol
Christy Howle Braddy commented on Jan 03 12 at 1:46 pmAnd in response to above comment—on the show Mythbusters, they did multiple test on multiple objects and proved that even one second was enough to pick up “germs”…that being said–unless you drop the paci, or fork in a littler box or pile of poop…or you are in particularly nasty place, a little bit of everyday germs are not only NOT going to kill you—-but may actually make your immune system stronger — which is also why using had sanitizer when soap and water are available is not such a good idea…they eliminate your body’s ability to build immunities to germs–so that when you get sick now–you get really sick
Lyuba commented on Jan 03 12 at 2:01 pmI also wanted to pop in and say that carrots are full of Beta-carotene and Vitamin A. Vitamin A is one of the most important vitamins for healthy eyes. Eating carrots may not get you the results a lasik would, but it will give you a healthy dose of Vitamin A to help keep your eyes healthy!
Kym commented on Jan 03 12 at 2:19 pmMy mom used to tell me that cuts and scrapes heal faster without Band-Aids, because they’re exposed to the air and scab over. I adopted this bit of wisdom as my own and didn’t find out until I was in my early thirties that she’d told me this just to keep me from asking for a Band-Aid every time I hurt myself!
Liz commented on Jan 04 12 at 6:52 pm2 of my favorite wives tales from my mom:
1) Step over the baby (on the floor) and you’ll stunt their growth. — Probably just to keep us from tripping over said baby!
2) Tickle a baby’s feet and they will stutter. Have no idea where that one came from.
Both are things I have found myself saying to my older kids about the baby!
Krista commented on Jan 04 12 at 7:07 pmOh yeah, the light busting thing. Used to get me all the time… and I was in high school! ;)
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