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Original poster

Things you used to think and now can't quite believe you did

413 replies

treaclesoda · 07/05/2014 09:56

I saw a seagull flying and it suddenly occurred to me that when I was little, I thought there were two different types of seagulls. Ones with legs, and ones without. Naturally the ones with legs had no choice but to fly all the time Grin

I was a pretty bright child, I can't imagine why I thought that.

Please tell me someone else out there thought the same?

OP posts:
ApocalypseNowt · 07/05/2014 18:44

Isn't a batman a post in the army? Sort of an assistant to someone higher up?

bumpieonamission · 07/05/2014 18:42

You weren't supposed to open your life jacket in a plane as if everyone did there'd be no air left

LookingThroughTheFog · 07/05/2014 18:41

Segue and segway. I thought they were two different words. Until a few months ago.

KatieKaye · 07/05/2014 18:40

Batman is not just a superhero but also the term for an army officer's manservant.

Fishstix · 07/05/2014 18:38

Ok, I just u-tubed it. Just when I thought that mn had nothing more to teach me!

Bunbaker · 07/05/2014 18:35

I used to think that women who went back to work when their babies were small put their careers before their family. MN soon put me right!

Fishstix · 07/05/2014 18:35

Erm...i still think Arkansas is pronounced like that...Blush

PirateJones · 07/05/2014 18:35

I thought you could swim in zero gravity to get about.

Original poster
treaclesoda · 07/05/2014 18:33

I might be spectacularly thick but I don't get the war/superhero/batman thing...

OP posts:
clangermum · 07/05/2014 18:32

We have a treacle mine near us.....

QOD · 07/05/2014 18:26

I thought penisissss where really long and kept rolled up in pants until needed

paragirl1981 · 07/05/2014 18:24

When I saw signs advertising free range eggs I always wondered why we didn't stop and get the free eggs although I was a bit confused at what a range was!

KatieKaye · 07/05/2014 18:24

I didn't realise the Thunderbirds were puppets until I was about 17. It broke my heart as I wanted to marry Alan Tracey...

My Dad used to tell me stories about the war. I was so proud of him. Not because of his bravery, but because he had a real life superhero for a friend - yup, he had a batman.

I was a very dense child.

paragirl1981 · 07/05/2014 18:23

I thought you could go to any cash machine and it just gave you money Grin wish it was true

BomChickaMeowMeow · 07/05/2014 18:21

I thought the world had been black and white until the late 1960s.

I thought when I was 7/8 that after a certain age (probably 16+) you just had a baby/babies, it just happened - I didn't think there was any choice and was a bit worried about this. There were other rumours in the school playground about how to get a baby ranging from a boy rubbing up against your front bottom to weeing on your bottom. Anyway it all sounded disgusting and I didn't want anything to do with it.

Also my ten year old friend told me about periods when I was about 8 - by the way she explained it I thought you just bled all the time after you got to about 12. I didn't believe one bit of it.

Crikeyblimey · 07/05/2014 18:20

I could never understand whys dad didn't always get excited when we were driving about and saw a pub with a 'Free House' sign, because I thought you got free beer and I was convinced that would be something's dad would like.

I used to point them out to him excitedly!

Also - I thought that anything near or below a 'give way' sign was to be taken for free (give away)!

SizzlesSit · 07/05/2014 18:13

I thought newsreaders could see into your living room so would get changed into my PJs behind the sofa

I thought breaking your arm/leg meant it actually snapped off

And for ages I thought my mum grew up in a black and white world cos her childhood photos were black and white

MrsAtticus · 07/05/2014 18:13

That the Wombles of Wimbledon were 'common', as in dodgy tracksuits and screaming at your kids in the street sort of common. In the song they pause in the wrong place (sing it to yourself and you'll see).

StealthPolarBear · 07/05/2014 18:06

I always mention this on these threads.
Tigers. Lady lions Blush

Yes to the sex thing too - I think I was embarrassingly old when I realised there was movement involved.

clucky80 · 07/05/2014 18:00

I used to believe and told all of my friends that my dad worked in a chip shop as he was a 'chippie'. It took me years to realise that he was actually a carpenter!

TeWiSavesTheDay · 07/05/2014 17:45

Balloon, I thought the same about sex.

Well, once I'd realized that it wasn't kissing while naked in bed (aka film sex)

I also remember having no idea what rape was. I asked my mum and she was very dismissive 'of course you know what it is!' so I thought it must be something to do with being attacked with rakes for ages.

I am resolved to actually explain these things to my kids!

PiratesLifeForMe · 07/05/2014 17:26

Agh, another one for Arkansas here.... 35 when I cottoned on Hmm

MsTwankeyToYou · 07/05/2014 17:20

CabbagesAndKings - there's a Treacle Mine Road in Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels. AFAIK it's a reference to a very old joke which has resurfaced a few times in popular culture and public consciousness over the past couple of centuries.

Damnautocorrect · 07/05/2014 17:14

Treacle mines were in the treacle people if my memory is right

SpottieDottie · 07/05/2014 17:11

I used to be puzzled by news readers talking about dead bodies because to my 8 year old self bodies were always dead when mentioned on the news.