What things do you find odd that are considered normal in your society/culture?

[BrucesBarAndGrill]

This is inspired by a conversation I was having earlier that I found interesting.

The thing that sparked the conversation was that I said I thought it was odd how adults are expected to share beds and on the flip side of that how parents who co-sleep with their children are seen as doing something odd or different to the accepted norm. I can't understand why it's seen as normal to put a baby/small child to bed on their own in a different room while adults, who don't have the same need of protection and care, share a bed in a different room.

I assume that other people must think about things like this aswell and I was wondering what social/cultural norms felt strange to you?

British culture remains concerned with colonialism because, along with WW2, it sees it as its own high point in a time when it feels increasingly irrelevant globally. Look at that loopy poster who keeps starting threads about why Britain doesn’t ’dominate poorer countries’ any more and why it allowed other countries to copy the tech advances of the Industrial Revolution.

Because it’s magical for them? What do you mean he gets all the credit? He is you.. sure the children don’t directly know right now he is me, but they will one day.

I had big, magical Christmases every year, my parents would do the whole thing, sack of presents, ripped bit of santas clothes on the fireplace, footprints from fireplace to the front door, glitter all over our presents and sacks 🤣 it was honestly really magical.. and as an adult now, knowing the effort they went to make me seriously admire the effort and thought that got put into making our childhoods so magic. I aim to do the same for my children. It’s not about quantity of gifts, I don’t do the huge massive sack and floor covered in gifts like my parents did, but I still do everything else 🤣

Wanting immediate credit from your kids for something you did actually do anyway.. is really odd and a bit self absorbed.

I feel similar about Israel (which may not be where you were referring to) when I visit there. Someone’s aunty will saunter over, ask how much your house cost, and then shout across eight people’s heads - “David, she says she bought a three bed house in London for £500,000; how much did Mary’s cost?” - and somehow if you object to this or extract yourself you’re the odd one. I’m using money as an example but it is reflected in absolutely everything.

This I can agree with, I lived under this pressure for the first few years of my kids lives.. last year and this year I decided to just stop worrying. They still get new pyjamas for Christmas Eve, and some slippers and bits but I don’t go over the top anymore, it’s too stressful.

My kids are 4 and 6 and the thing they’re looking forward to most at Christmas is having Chinese food on Christmas Eve, it’s the one time a year we ever order it and my eldest has talked about it all bloody year 🤣

The fact some people will spend so much of their wealth on their cars. I find it staggering people will have big expensive cars but then be struggling financially

The list of clubs "who have also been banned from having fans at away games" wasn't a British list either.

This is relatively new though- last 10-20 years. I don’t remember this in the 70s/80s or 90s even.

Elf on the shelf.. my goddddddd. I’m just waiting for my children to be ‘mummy why haven’t we got an elf?! All my friends at school have an elf that does naughty things like make a huge fucking mess you’ll need to clean up and do again for a month’

I’ve never, ever hated a trend more. And it’s grew into in something where people are creating ‘elf boxes’ which is an arrival box of goodies with the elf for the child.. it’s so bizarre 😭 what do the children think when they see the plastic faced little fucker by the bucket in every shop? Surely it’s just not believable to them.

boycott buddy the elf 😭

I agree with op about sleeping. You sleep alone all your childhood and then when you’re at your biggest you share a bed with another big person who may have different sleep patterns to you. I sleep so much better alone. When youngest DD moves out we are having separate rooms. We are happily married btw.

School uniform and the huge sensory and practical problems it causes. Just let them wear a school hoodie or t-shirt so they can wear jeans / shorts / trainers etc.

Dad's giving their daughters away at marriage. I'll never be married so I see it as very strange.

A central American in-law of mine asked in front of all the family how much it cost to adopt our DCs (who are adopted from overseas so yes it did cost to be approved, legal fees etc.). I left the room without answering basically "how much did you pay for your kids".
The family member she's married to could be heard telling her off with her saying "what, what's wrong with that?"

That men who abuse their partners/ex-partners are still ‘good dads’ in the eyes of social services and family court.

The British obsession with wearing shoes when you are outside.
I’m a big barefoot fan but have had numerous people say I’ll hurt my feet if they see me walking about with no shoes on. And driving with no shoes is apparently deadly dangerous because…I don’t know…the best someone came up with was you might have to stamp in the brake pedal and that would injure your foot.
One time my MIL was horrified and carried my toddler indoors because he was barefoot in the garden.
I lived in Queensland for a while and it was perfectly normal to go everywhere with bare feet.

Go fund me’s. Everytime something happens a go fund me is set up. Something really off about it.

Religion. I can't understand how people can believe in a god. It's even more baffling to me that we still make allowances for religious beliefs.

I do this too. It doesn't feel right otherwise

Yes a lot of "manners" i don't really understand, eating with your cutlery in a way that's comfortable to you doesn't affect anyone else so why would anyone else care?

I have actually only just become aware that children actually believe that father Christmas is real. When I was growing up I more thought it was like a game that everyone played and pretended Santa was real, like when you go to disneyland and the people are dressed as characters, you get your photo taken with "Mickey" but we all know it's just a man in a costume it's not real.

(I am autistic so I'm blaming my late realisation on that)

Oh gosh yes, definitely this. Mind blowing

It’s funny reading these as I’m from a European country and alcohol and hooliganism is rife!

It’s sacrilegious not to drink with food, have a party without it, not offer guests any (no matter what time of day!). I was surprised how little people drank in the uk in comparison!

Sorry, do you mean confirmation in church?

I'm not autistic and I thought this growing up too. I think it's part of the sentimental view of childhood that has increased - centering everything on children and protecting them from lots of things that aren't at all harmful.

My brother's bro in law changed his religion to support his team. I can't recall which way but it involves Celtic and rangers.

It's really big in Denmark - I think like a first communion in some Catholic communities.

https://cphpost.dk/2017-07-08/life-in-denmark/opinion/mere-te-vicar-confirmations-in-the-numbers/

I find it odd that people do not greet each other like happens in my culture.

If we go to pay at a shop, it is automatic that we greet the teller first. If needing assistance for anything, first we will greet and ask how they are, and then ask the question. If you pass someone walking in a not so busy area (like walking the dog), it is automatic that we would greet each other.

If you don't, you are considered rude 😀