Grade school kids are like sponges.
They absorb so much knowledge about life, science and social behaviors that stays with them for the rest of their lives.
But with that influx of information coming at them at lightning speed, how much was actual facts?
Redditor 0hnj0hn88 was determined to find out if kids were being taken advantage of for being too naive and gullible and asked:
"What did you learn in Elementary school that turned out to be false/ a lie when you reached adulthood?"
We loved animals so much as kids, we were bound to believe everything we were told about them.
Hands Off The Duck
"If you touch a baby duck it’s mother will reject it."
– murphy_girl
"Yea ducks really don't give a f'k. I've seen two mama ducks cross paths and unknowingly exchange a few babies with each other."
– matticans7pointO
Gargantuan Penguins
"I learned in Kindergarten that emperor penguins were the same height as us, (true at the time), but as I grew, I still thought that they were still the same height as I am. Then, as a teenager, I was surprised when I saw penguins at the zoo that they were only 3-4 feet or so, and not my actual height."
– hoodie_monsta
Bearly Asleep
"Apparently bears just nap a lot in the winter and don’t take a 3 month mega nap."
– IMNOTBOBFOSSE
Extinction
"We were taught that platypus (platypi?) were extinct. Not endangered, not almost extinct. Just extinct. Imagine my surprise when I discover the internet."
"Also, for whatever reason we were taught that granite was a metamorphic rock. I'm taking college geology and it has shown me that all previous education prior to college is obsolete."
– kjaark
People recall how interactions with other students wound up being different from what was previously thought.
Behind The Teasing
"If someone is picking on you that means they like you.. no. Some people are sh**ty bullies and are picking on your because your an easy target."
– archibauldis99
Hopeful Predictions
"Drugs would be easy to come by, you’ll make friends easily, that people will be helpful when you’re in need and you ask."
– Ghostoftommorrow
Taking Abuse
"That I should never stand up to a bully. I should stop reacting so they would get bored and leave me alone. That if I ever fought back I would be suspended so it wouldn't be worth it. (Don't worry! Every time I went to the teachers for help I was told I needed to share my lunch so it wouldn't get stolen, I needed to be more forgiving and understanding because the girl who attacked me was on the cheer team, etc. so this didn't give me some lasting problems with conflict! Nopenopenope!)"
–LuckyCandle
Many Redditors were gullible.
Easy On The Fingers
"That cracking your fingers gives you arthritis."
– Taylorcurley
"Cracking your knuckles just stretches the space between your joints, and that space has fluid in it to cushion your joints. The cracking sound is just air bubbles in that fluid popping. No harm done, no arthritis or larger knuckles."
– hellishbubble
Taking Notes
"That I can’t use my notes in life."
"TF does that even mean? I’m always looking at my notes when I do my job."
– Kanden_27
Skies The Limit
"That being an astronaut is way harder than they sell it as palpable career."
– FreshKittyPowPow
Hush
"We had a teacher tell us that we only had so many uses before our vocal cords stopped working so wasting it small talking during class would cause us to go mute in our 30s."
– H20fearsme
Permanent Expression
"That my face was gonna get stuck like this 🤪"
– icantsaycaterpillar
College Guarantee
"That if I went to college I would get a good job and be able to buy a big house with a pool."
– Takingover4da99and00
I remember being told swallowing gum was bad because it would stay in my digestive system for seven years.
Sure, gum is not meant for swallowing, but I did it anyway and legit believed that other incoming food would get stuck to the flavorless putty lining my stomach.
What did you believe to be true for the longest time?
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