Don’t eat before going to bed, you’ll have nightmares! As children we tend to hold tight to our parents words like a prayer book. Although we may not have really listened then we unconsciously apply and even pass on these ‘parental urban legends’ to our own children.
Urban Legend: “is similar to a modern folklore consisting of stories often thought to be factual by those circulating them. Urban legends are not necessarily untrue, but they are often distorted, exaggerated, or sensationalized.”
I wouldn’t necessarily say our parents lied to us…maybe they just told what was told to them, or maybe they used that ‘prayer book’ influence and stretched the truth a bit to keep us in line. In either case, we find ourselves still doing or telling what ‘mama/papa said.
What parental legends have you held to or passed on to your children?
Thursday, July 12, 2007
But, My Mama Said...
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57 comments:
I think there's some truth to the eating before bed thing, even if just metaphorically. Maybe it was their way of saying clear your head and relax before bed. I've had many dreams about stuff I watched on tv and/or phone conversations had before bed LOL.
I'll have to get back to ya with the legends I've been told when I think of some lol.
Me: Eat those carrots!
The kids: But ma...I don't like carrots
Me: Eat em...they're good for you
The kids: No their not
Me: YES they are!!--You ever seen a blind rabbit??
Girl don't even ask...it's something I remember from my childhood.
Can't forget...remember to spit out that gum or it'll stick to ya heart...[lol--oh the stuff I feel for as a youth]
This is a good one, I just heard this story on Monday - didn't know it would come in handy so soon.
One of my co-workers that I'm cool with was relaying a story to me about a "nameless", as she put it, coworker of ours that she was cool with. My friend, lets call her Marie, had knowledge that nameless didn't use soap to clean neither her vajay-jay or her backside, she only used a cloth and water. Peee yewww! Why do you ask? Well, nameless has continued this practice into her 20's all because her mother told her as a kid not to get soap up there. Marie told nameless how crazy this practice was and that it explained why she had such problems with bacterial infections. Nameless was hurt, thought Marie was being mad, cussed her out even. Then she went home and called her sister and asked if she used soap. The sister did. So nameless apologized and used soap for the first time in those areas on Tuesday.
So my point is, you are right, parents can mess their kids up sometimes with the stuff they tells their kids - but it's interesting that it only stuck with one child and not the other.
I meant "mean" instead of "mad".
"If you kiss a boy you'll get pregnant" (from my grandmother)
"Don't make ugly faces at your brother or your face will get stuck like that"
"Black women don't shave their legs"
Ahh yes, those wonderful pearls of wisdom, LOL
k: there might might be some truth to the eating before bed thing, but I wouldn't really know because that legend has stuck with me for sure...hahah.
ms.b: LOL... that gum thing used to drive me crazy, because I'd be like...'hows the gum going to get in ya hair' but to this day...I tell my sons that. dag!
rich: HAHAHAHAHAH...I'M GOING TO KILL YOU FOR THAT. But, since you brought that feminin hygene thing up...vaginal cleansing products were ALWAYS a must so says my mother, but then doctors ALWAYS advise against them...they kill the natural bacteria or something.
tasha: hahahahahah... dag, see the stuff they try to use on us..."kissing gets you pregnant"...hahahah!
Ummmm as I have told you before my mom is a little on the coo coo side! lol
When I was a kid there were so many superstitions she told me and my sisters. One being "if you are sweeping, and you accidentally sweep someones foot, then you had to spit on the broom to prevent that person from going to jail" -
Yes folks she told us sweeping someones foot meant they would go to jail if you didn't SPIT on the broom!
If you were crossing the street, you must not "split the pole"...meaning you must both be on the same side as any pole on the corner, going in a different direction was bad luck.
If you were walking and a black cat crossed your path - signified bad luck.
If you broke a mirror - 7 years of bad luck (we've all heard that one), but my mom had a different spin on it. If you were under 21, then your parent would get the bad luck!
Putting a hat on the bed was bad luck!
There's so many more...this comment box isn't big enough!
lmao@gum sticking to your heart!!!!
omg@never using soap on the oochie or the bootie.
Shocked!
OMG op.d: HAHAHAHAH...GIRL, I grew up the same way:
"if you are sweeping, and you accidentally sweep someones foot, then you had to spit on the broom to prevent that person from going to jail"
YES...AND if the person who's feet were sweep didn't realize it, you best BELIEVE somebody else caught it like my grandmother and she'd say..."gred-goodness...'Tanny'(me)brang dat broom fa Staney (my uncle) to spit on...you dun sweep his feet"...LOL.
And on the spliting the pole...if you DID split it...the person who caused the split has to go back around the pole backwards...LOL. AMAZING. I don't really do that stuff now, but I think about doing it...everytime it happens...lol. MAN, THEY TRIED TO MAKE US CRAZY. HAHAHA!
OMG...I have NEVER met ANYONE who did the spitting on the broom thing.
I went to sleep away camp at 9...spitting on the broom landed me on punishment. I had to stay behind, while everyone went swimming in the lake.
That was the last day I spit on the broom! lol
LOL...LOL...LOL...GIRL, YOU GOT ME DYING OVER HERE...YES. I would try to be sneaky about it...just let a lil spit fall on it...hahahah. I ought to call my grandma and tell her off for starting this generational crap...hahaha!
HAHAHAHAH... girl, I'm STILL laughing about that. Now, if my uncle (Stanley) gets his feet sweep...he'll chase you DOWN for that broom to spit on it...lol.
Those old superstitions die hard. I heard them all too growing up, especially splitting the pole and spitting on the broom.
Hey, when your hand itches, do you expect money? I still do, but I can never remember which hand it is that gets the money to you.
lmao@an itchy hand...my mom says it's gotta be the right hand though! lol
Also...when your eye jumps that's bad luck too - but only if it's the left eye! LMAO...my mom had the bad luck superstitions DOWN!
Forgot a couple on bad luck...
Breaking a mirror will give you 7 years of bad luck or, if a black cat crosses your path you'll have bad luck.
**I'm past the mirror part but um...I'm still superstitious bout' those black cats**
lol @ mega rich--FYI: An itchy right hand means you're gonna get some money and an itchy left hand means you're gonna spend some money.
Or so I've been told.....
@ opinionated diva--girl...I thought was the only person alive who still lived by "when your eye jumps that's bad luck too - but only if it's the left eye!". LOL
Did you know that if it were your right eye somethin' good is supposed to happen to you??
HAHAHAHA... Oh yeah, I forgot about the hand stuff. Yeah, ms.b...you've got that hand thing to a tee...lol.
Ok, this is one I forget...what's the deal when your nose itches...isn't that's whem somebody's talking about you?
lol---I don't know about that one...hmmm...I might gotta look into that.
I DO know that when your ear burns, somebody's talking bout-chu tho'
Look..lemme stop while I'm ahead...
lmao@burning ears and folks talking about you - heard this before - and still say it myself lol.
I cracked up at the itchy nose...I thought that just meant you have allergies...lmao.
you grow when you hiccup. my mom tried to pass on "a whistlin woman and a crowin hen, never come to no go end." i was not havin that. i love whistling!! and she said her mom says that but my grandma def. whistles. what?!?!? y'all gettin all mixed up. i know there are more but those are the ones that come to mind.
My Mom used the don't eat before bed also--but it is totally true.
I don't have kids yet and I swear that I will raise them differently from the way my Mom raised me but that remains to be seen.
I know I shouldn't eat before bed but I do and I end up having indigestion LOL
Hmm my mom use to say lots of stuff like dont eat before roller coasters but that has yet to make me throw up lol
I don't know about urban legends, but I was definately brought up in a supersticous household, and I have to admit, I still believe each & everyone of these you guys have already mentioned...I don't split poles, spit on a broom in a heartbeat if you sweep my feet, damn near have a heart attack if a black cat crosses my path, I wish one of my boys would put a hat on the bed, and when my right hand starts itching I start looking for the check in the mail.
Here's one...you BET'NOT pick up a telephone in a thunderstorm. And don't forget if you spill some salt, you have to toss it over your left shoulder (or is it the right). Or if you swallow a watermelon seed, a watermelon will start to grow in your stomach!
This was fun!
lmao@Kiki STILL spitting on a broom!!!! OMG! What is the deal with the hat on the bed?! It drives me crazy that I think twice before I just throw the hat on the bad anyway!
I learned about not talking on the phone during a thunderstorm during my first visit downsouth for the summer. Not only could you not talk on the damn phone, but you couldn't talk at all. You couldn't play and you had to sit perfectly still. Can you imagine how miserable us city kids were sitting still IN THE DARK and not being able to play or talk?! Just mean! lol
@ Jameill...my mother has a thing about women who whistle too...so whenever we play spades, I whistle the whole damn game. Throws her off EVERYtime!
OK...I know way too much about this topic! lol
I didn't read all the comments but swallowing a seed and a tree will grow.
ms.b: I've don't think I've heard the ear thing.
op.d: lol... yeah maybe that IS what the nose thing meant...hahaha.
jameil: YES... I forgot about the hiccup thing...good one.
gc: girl...don't and won't we all do and want to do the oppisite of what our moms did. dag.
honey: HAHAHA... yeah, that's what I feel about the eating before bed too, because I've never had a nightmare though.
kiki: HAHAHAHAH...GIRL, YOU BETTA NOT EVEN TALK ABOUT PICKING THAT PHONE UP...HAHAHAH! I can't believe I forgot that.
My grandmother actually don't allow ANYTHING. No lights no noise and no moving...lol.
I remember we'd see what looked like a piece of a flash of lighting and she'd say..."was dat lighten"...and we'd say..."NO MAM...WE AIN'T SEE NO LIGHTEN"...hahahah...
I don't think I carried any that I remember.
My great-grandma yelled at me when I had my baby look in a mirror. She was dead serious at 90+ she believed that the baby would cut teeth hard.
A childhood friend of mine still believes if you tickle a baby's feet, they will stutter. I told well then most of the kids in my family should be stuttering. LOL. Not one of them stutters.
I had a cousin who burned hair that came out of a comb/brush, saying that you should not throw hair in the trash. It was supposed to be bad luck. LOL.
OMG op.d...I JUST READ YOUR LIGHTING COMMENT...HAHAHAHAH... I think we lived the same life...HAHAHA. dag, and my grandmother is STILL like that.
LOL @ ALL that stuff you said shai...that is too funny and yeah, I forgot about the hair from the comb.
Anybody hold onto the belief that you're supposed to make sure you ring in the New Year with at least a dollar in your pocket or you'll be broke for the entire year??
Or, that you're NOT supposed to bring in the new year with dirty laundry in the house -- (although, I'm not exactly sure why)??
Hold up...I'm on a roll here...
What about that it's bad luck to walk under a ladder?
That you shouldn't step on a crack (or you'll break ya momma's back)?
That you should never open an umbrella in the house??
[okay...that's it--somebody remove Ms. Behaving from the building].
Hmmm...exactly how much of the truth DID my parents tell me....[scratchin' my head]
ms. b...i forgot about the dollar in your pocket at New Year, I always make sure I do, even if I have to borrow it.
Ok...has anyone ever heard you should not attend a funeral while pregnant or you will "mark" your baby. Unfortunately, both my grandmothers and my uncle, who was also my god-father died while I was carrying my oldest son. My family damn near had a fit when I walked into the funerals 6-8 months pregnant.
OK...I just can't stay away! lol
Know first hand about burning the hair...my mother's theory was that this kept it away from birds that might find and eat it. If they did then your hair would fall out...lmao!!!
Know first hand about the laundry too. Mom also believed you must make collard greens and black eyed peas on New Years Day to bring in money and good luck throughout the year!
Couldn't open an umbrella in the house neither!
I used to nickel and dime my mom when I was little. Saying, "This is only 25 cents. I want it. " And she would reply, "Sh@t in one hand and want in the other. See which one fills up first." LMBAO! Even now, she was right.
ms.b: " you're NOT supposed to bring in the new year with dirty laundry in the house" ...HAHAHAH... GIRL YES, I forgot about that one too. BUT, you ALOS couldn't wash the clothes ON New Years day or you'll have bad luck, so everytime it's the week of new years my grandmother tells me to make sure I've washed those closed before midnight.
op.d: OK...THAT'S IT...WE'RE RELATED OR SOMETHING..."Know first hand about burning the hair...my mother's theory was that this kept it away from birds that might find and eat it. If they did then your hair would fall out...lmao!!!
Know first hand about the laundry too. Mom also believed you must make collard greens and black eyed peas on New Years Day to bring in money and good luck throughout the year!
Couldn't open an umbrella in the house neither!" HECK YEAH TO ALL THAT... and we all hated black eyed peas...hahah.
sophia: lol...dag, i've never heard that BUT IT'S GOOD... I might have to use it on my sons.
To these day I REFUSE to eat black eyed peas...that and neckbones YUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can remember when my dad told me never ever wear mis-match socks. Also, he told me to never whistle in doors. I never really understood that, but I did what he told me to do.
(I know I didn't write anything yesterday and today. I had some personal issues to iron out. I'll definitely be back tomorrow.)
Have a blessed day everyone.
hey anointed...what's wrong...you know you can email me if you want to talk. My email address is in my profile. I hope all is well.
"Old men will give you worms"...to this day I don't like older men
"If a child is laying on the floor don't step over them because they will stop growing"...to this day I don't step over a child
"Putting your purse on the floor means you will be broke"....I will go off if someone places my purse on the floor.
"Eating peanuts in the car will give you bad luck"
"If you are in a car and a black cat crosses in front of you, make an X with your finger on the windshield so you wouldn't have bad luck"...once again I do this. I did this once when my man was in the car and he laughed for days.
"If you cut your hair, burn it so you won't have bad luck"
"Don't throw your hair away outside because if a bird eats it, you will go bald".
"Don't cut off a baby's hair till he is one years old. If you do, he will grow up stuttering"....I didn't cut my son's hair till he was 1.5 yrs old.
"Don't point at the cemetery or your finger will fall off. If you do point at it, you have to bite your finger"...as stupid as this is, I still do it. LOL
"If your left eye is jumping someone is going to make you mad".
"On New Years Day, a male has to walk through your whole house for good luck"....everybody in my family still does this. Some even make arrangements for Uncle so-so to come by.
"When you hiccup, it means you are growing".
"If the sun is shining and it's raining, the devil is beating his wife"
"If you find a penny, pick it only if it's on hands".
LOL... AND THIS IS WHERE WE GET THIS STUFF FROM...THE SOUTH...LOL.
southern: I was told ALL THESE...HAHAH:
"Putting your purse on the floor means you will be broke"....I will go off if someone places my purse on the floor.
"Don't throw your hair away outside because if a bird eats it, you will go bald".
"Don't cut off a baby's hair till he is one years old. If you do, he will grow up stuttering"
"If your left eye is jumping someone is going to make you mad"
"On New Years Day, a male has to walk through your whole house for good luck"
"If the sun is shining and it's raining, the devil is beating his wife"
"If you find a penny, pick it only if it's on hands"
OH MY GOODNESS... hahahah... I'm going to call BOTH my mother but MAINLY my grandmother and tell her OFF for making me a nut...hahahah. I still hold on to this whole list...hahahaha!
That last one should read heads not hands. LOL
Listen to this one: If you wear an ankle bracklet wear it on the right ankle if you're single and on the left if you're taken.
Don't buy a man shoes but he will either walk all over you or walk out of your life.
LOL... yeah, I knew it was heads...hahah and YES... I was told about about the shoes...I was told they'll wal out on you.
I actually bought someone shoes once and thought about him walking out on me.
hehehe...I was told about the old men giving you worms, too. Unfortunately, I had to try my luck with that one. I didn't get worms, but I sure caught hell. LOL
And I will beat somebody down if they sit my purse on the floor; hell I'm already broke, what you trying to do? Make me homeless too!
And the one man I did buy shoes for...yup he stepped in the brand new J's I bought him...NEVER AGAIN!
lol...dag, poor kiki...OOHHH... I got one.
I was told it was bad to see a women naked. HAHAHAHAHAHAH... I could make a lot of jokes about that one, but I won't.
Didn't read all of the comments, but my mother always said "if you're good enough to hang out on Saturday night, you are good enough to go to church or Sunday morning."
@southerngal...you stole mine.
"Putting your purse on the floor means you will be broke"
I never put my purse on the floor. My aunt taught me that one. She has a bunch of crazy ones, but that is the only one I follow. Plus, the ground is dirty.
I was 17 when I had a baby. My mother told me that you were not supposed to take a bath or wash your hair until the bleeding stopped..if you did it would kill you! I didn't wash my hair but I did sneak and take a bath. ( I was nervous but I still took a bath)
Can you imagine that? 5-6 wks. without a bath...yuk
Uh, 47 comments? Without me?! Now I gotta go up and read 'em all. Anybody ever heard of the Bunny Man in D.C?
Aww, feeling left out, because I don't have any kids.
@ snupe, No, who is he?
From Nupes other comments, I would guess that "Bunny Man" is some kind of inside DC joke.
ok...this is a big one (we) forgot about, because I know you guys remember...
DREAMING ABOUT FISH MEANS SOMEONE PREGNANT. (And ALL the dream stuff) because my grandmother used to have a dream book that would give you a corresponding lottery number to play...lol.
Something that I do now with my sons...everytime they have a burger or something...I take the first bite and tell them "I need to check and make sure it's safe for you to eat."
malieta: HAHAHAHAHAH... that is so funny, oh my goodness. I'm tryna remember if I've ever heard that.
Girl...alot of that stuff came from my grandmother. She fascinated me and scared the hell out of me at the same time. lol
OH... nupe, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN????
and No, I don't know who that is.
nic: half the people commenting don't have no kids...this is how OUR own parents tried to jack us up...LOL.
malieta: HAHAHAH... yes, that's where I get it from. My mom didn't follow all that stuff much, but we know it.
JMW, I'm on the road at a track meet in Richmond. About the Bunny Man, see http://dcmessageboards.com/lofiversion/index.php/t10343.html. It was terrifying as a kid!
I'm a bit late...but my Gran & mum would always tell us...
'don't cut your baby's hair until he can talk-otherwise he'll take long to talk'
'don't tickle a baby's feet cos they'll stutter'
'when bathing a baby, stretch the arms & legs otherwise they'll take long to walk'
'Don't let a baby look at themselves in the mirror, cos they'll see their reflection in their sleep and jump out of it (the sleep)'
'When pregnant, if you see a disabled or sick person, don't feel sorry for them, cos your baby will be deformed'
'When pregnant, if you have a craving, be sure to satisfy it, otherwise the baby will mark'
'when you dream of fish, someones pregnant-but a wedding means death'
Ok-that's all from the chronicles of the Jamaican mum & grandmother! LOL! The rest, have already been mentioned....
Oh yeah-my granny always said eating carrots would make me see in the dark...so I ate em like there was no tomorrow....fast forward 15 odd years-here's a very short sighted me...with astigmatism!
nupe: ON THE ROAD, WELL HURRY UP! LOL.
tom_gurl: hello, and thanks for the visit, LOL... those are some good ones...especially that see in the dark thing...LOL.
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