What misconceptions did you have as a child?

[Geekster1963]

I always used to think that a 99 Ice cream was called that because it cost 99p. If only it did cost that now. I used to think Pubs that said ‘free house’ on them meant you got free drinks.

I always used to be in awe of my Dad when he could touch nettles without getting stung. I only realised years later that the ones with the white flowers don’t sting.

That life was fair and adults always acted in your best interests.

That honeysuckle would look very beautiful, like roses. Inner city child, avid reader.

I used to think you could go to the 'nursery' as in plants

And take a baby home too

I thought the same about pubs! I thought cul de sac was a dirty word, no idea why though. And for a long time I thought that women physically couldn't get pregnant unless they were married, but I blame my mother for that one.

I used to think if you weren't Christened you could pick whatever name you wanted to be called. I assume my mother attempted to explain at Christenings is where you are named. I got very excited when I was about 4 to meet a girl that hadn't been Christened, apparently I was telling her that she could change her name to whatever she wanted, I even offered suggestions too apparently.

That Charles and Diana were the Prince and Princess of Whales. I wondered why the royal family would be so presumptuous as to assume they could rule over whales.

I used to think that children and adults were two different species, and being glad I wasn’t an adult as they had to work and were violent and nasty. I was at primary school before I realised that kids grow up!

I used to think that tiny people lived inside the radio and played music and sang songs. I used to wonder how they got in there and what they'd eat. I used to think that people in the olden days could only see in black and white which is why old films aren't in colour. I used to think that someone would stand on top of the training tower at the fire station and keep a look out for fires.

I used to think that only men could be doctors and that nurse was the female equivalent- I remember seeing a male nurse on casualty and asking my mum about it.

I thought that all religions 'existed' as facts, and if you could see the watch from above there were different heavens above all the countries for the different religions (disclaimer- I was very youngn maybe 5-6 and grew up in an almost entirely white area at this time and I took everything very literally) I also found my mum flushing our fish down the toilet. She did not tell me that it was dead , but that it was old and this is what happened when it got old and it would go to join all the other fishes. I honestly thought that the fish was alive and had been transported via a special tube to a sea where all the other fishes went too.

I used to think that the cats eyes in the middle of the road were electric and had tiny lightbulbs in them.

I didn't realise that once someone died,
It was for ever.

I used to think that it was illegal for a man to marry a woman who was taller than him (and that was why my aunty & uncle had to get divorced).

I thought that when you started your period it gushed out of you permanently forever more. I was very glad to learn otherwise.

I thought the 'To let' signs were a posh word for toilets. Also that all babies were born girls and some would change into a boy aged 5. That was a stressful year for me 😂 all thanks to my sister

@Paddley makes me think of Matilda

I also used to think that doctors were the male job and nurses were the female job

I used to think ready" basted" on frozen turkeys was a swear word

I was so confused when my DM tried to explain how a house chain worked when a relative was selling their house. I was c. 10yrs old.

She explained that if we were selling our house and our ndn was selling theirs and our grandparents were selling theirs (lived 3 doors away from us) then we would have to wait til ndn got a buyer before we sell ours.

I remember saying... but but but what if the ndn doesn't want to sell when we did. I thought you couldn't move house unless all nearby neighbours wanted to move at same time. DM did not explain further and basically waved me away saying I was too young to understand.

I lived in fear of seeing for sale boards up near us as we too would have to move house.

I used to think that when someone in a tv show/film died, they actually did die. I remember thinking why do people go in to acting???? I realise now this in itself is a contradiction.

I used to think that boy parts would be a like a pastry cream horn with circular ridges ending in a point

sittingonacornflake, what's the Matilda connection? I'm probably too old to get it.

I used to think that in the ‘olden days’ everything was black and white.

• I also thought that in the olden days people could only see in black and white. - after learning about volcanoes I was worried one would suddenly grow in our street (I didn't really understand the scale of them or the time involved!) - thought babies were conceived by kissing - later when I heard about sex I assumed people only did it when they wanted a baby and that they got a baby every time (and was repulsed that my parents had done it three times!!!)