11 Old-Fashioned Lessons Boomer Parents Taught Their Kids That Turned Out To Be Completely False
While boomer parents may have had good intentions when teaching these lessons, turns out there wasn't much validity to them.
MAYA LAB / Shutterstock Growing up, it's no surprise that many of us heard some rather absurd but well-meaning pieces of advice from our parents. Most of these rules were our parents' attempt to help us navigate through life and build an understanding of common sense so that in our adulthood, we'd be able to make informed decisions and not fall into a bad way of life or just avoid making unnecessary mistakes altogether.
However, it seems as adults, we've come to realize that some of those well-meaning lessons parents tried to teach their kids might not have been as accurate as they thought as bright-eyed, bushy-tailed children. This might be especially true for millennials, who grew up in the '90s being raised by boomer parents who were simply trying to impart wisdom to their kids that was probably imparted to them by their parents.
Here are 11 old-fashioned lessons boomer parents taught their kids that turned out to be completely false
1. If you eat watermelon seeds, a watermelon will grow in your stomach
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There was definitely a good chunk of time when many people were terrified of swallowing watermelon seeds because of the old wives' tale that by doing so, a watermelon would magically start growing in your stomach. Thankfully, that couldn't be farther from the truth. If you end up swallowing a watermelon seed, there is no evidence that anything bad will happen to you or your stomach.
"The white 'seeds' in a seedless watermelon are actually empty seed coats where a seed did not fully mature," Toby Amidor, author of 'Up Your Veggies: Flexitarian Recipes for the Whole Family,' told Verywell Mind, adding that they are safe to eat.
"The black seeds in a regular watermelon are mature, fertile seeds that would sprout into a watermelon plant if you planted a few in the soil. They are safe to eat and will pass through your body, as they are insoluble fiber," Amidor continued.
Sure, they're not pleasant to eat, but it seems watermelon seeds can be a part of your diet if you truly want them to be.
2. If you swallow gum it will take at least seven years to digest it
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While gum is generally not something you should be swallowing, it seems that boomer parents were convinced that if their child did, it would take at least seven years for the gum to digest. Of course, this isn't true and might've just been a way for parents to sway their children away from chewing gum.
According to Healthline, our digestive systems are built to digest what they can and pass anything that can’t be digested in our stool. If you swallow gum then it passes through your esophagus into your small intestine, your small intestine absorbs sugars and nutrients, the indigestible portion of the gum moves from the small intestine through the colon, and it passes through your rectum when you have a bowel movement.
So, instead of seven years, it actually takes seven days for gum to completely pass through your system.
3. It's illegal to drive with the interior lights on
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This myth mostly stemmed from parents trying to impart caution to their children whenever they were in the car. We can probably all remember our parents getting viscerally angry and upset if we ever tried to switch on the interior lights while sitting in the backseat, especially if they were driving.
While it's not illegal to have interior lights on in the car, it can be quite distracting, which is probably what boomer parents were trying to explain to their children.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, distracted driving is defined as "any activity that diverts attention from driving." This can include texting or talking on your phone, eating, talking to passengers in your vehicle, changing the stereo or navigation system, and more. Doing any of these at night often requires the use of an interior light.
4. Sitting too close to the TV will ruin your vision
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It's a bit hard to believe that sitting too close to the TV doesn't actually hurt your vision. Despite this being a myth that boomer parents would tell their kids, it does seem to have been passed down as a piece of advice from generation to generation. It's a belief that sitting in front of the TV will hurt or permanently damage your vision.
However, according to an article published by UT Health San Antonio, Ethan Stern, MD, Ophthalmology, retina specialist explained that while it doesn't do anything to negatively impact your vision, it may still be uncomfortable for some individuals with farsightedness, or a condition in which items that are close to you appear blurry.
"When a child sits close to the TV, this could be a warning sign that the child has developed strabismus, a problem with eye alignment, or that the child may need glasses for nearsightedness or farsightedness," Stern wrote.
5. Cracking your knuckles will lead to arthritis
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The belief that cracking your knuckles will lead to arthritis is another old-fashioned lesson that boomer parents would constantly tell their kids, even though it's not true at all. While the sound of cracking knuckles can be a bit unnerving, which is probably why parents were constantly advising their kids not to do it, it doesn't lead to arthritis at all.
"The truth is there is no connection between cracking your knuckles and arthritis — or any other long-term health problem," Eric M. Ruderman, a rheumatologist at Northwestern Medicine, explained.
According to Dr. Ruderman, when you crack your knuckles, the popping noises or "crepitus" are caused by bursting gas bubbles in the fluid that help lubricate your joints. The bubbles pop when you pull the bones apart, either by stretching the fingers or bending them backward.
It releases some endorphins that help reduce pain, but otherwise, it’s thought to be a harmless habit that doesn’t signal or cause any type of health problem.
6. Reading in the dark can permanently damage your eyes
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The idea that reading in the dark can drastically and permanently damage your eyes is nothing but a myth that boomer parents used as a way to warn their kids about impacting their vision.
However, while it's true that reading in the dark doesn't permanently damage your eyes, it can lead to a temporary eye strain that should be avoided.
According to eyewear company Warby Parker, reading dark or dim lighting can cause eye strain. This can sometimes "hurt," meaning it can cause soreness or other uncomfortable symptoms. Eye strain can also affect your sight while you’re experiencing it.
7. You need to wait 30 minutes after eating before swimming
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Something that boomer parents seemed to constantly warn their kids about was the fact that if they went back in the pool right after eating, it would lead to severe stomach cramps and maybe even a catastrophic accident. However, there is no scientific evidence that backs up the claim that a person should wait at least 30 minutes to an hour to swim again after eating a hearty meal.
In fact, Dr. Michael Boniface, a Mayo Clinic emergency medicine physician, explained that it's just something that ended up being passed down from generation to generation, but there aren't actually any consequences to the matter.
"The old feeling was that, after you eat, some of the blood may be diverted to your gut so that you can digest, diverting the bloodstream away from your arms and legs," Boniface said. "And you may get tired or fatigued, and be more likely to drown."
He continued, "We know now that really there is no scientific basis for that recommendation. You may end up with some stomach cramping or a muscle cramp, but this is not a dangerous activity to routinely enjoy."
8. Your nose will grow if you lie
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This was a rather playful lesson that boomer parents would try to impose on their kids to stop them from lying, often referring to the character Pinocchio, the classic children's story where a wooden puppet's nose will elongate whenever he lies. While boomer parents most likely used this point as a way to make sure their kids were always being truthful and to teach them the repercussions that can happen when you lie, there's no validity to this statement.
However, it didn't stop kids from definitely thinking their noses might stretch out from their faces if they even told one little white lie.
9. Coffee will stunt your growth
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We all probably remember being barred from drinking coffee as children and receiving the stark warning that if we even consumed a drop of caffeine it would stunt our growth and we'd be stuck in size forever. Contrary to what our parents said, there's actually zero evidence that drinking coffee can affect how much you're growing as a child.
According to Harvard Health, this belief first came about decades ago when studies reported that coffee drinkers might have an increased risk of osteoporosis. It was suggested that caffeine can increase the body's elimination of calcium and a lack of calcium can contribute to osteoporosis.
While this ended up causing a bunch of concern and attention, the effect on calcium excretion is small, and the link between coffee consumption and osteoporosis was never confirmed.
10. Going outside with wet hair will make you sick
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Many of us grew up hearing the classic phrase, "Dry your hair before you leave or else you'll catch a cold!" It was our parent's way of making sure that the combination of cold weather and wet hair wouldn't bring about a cold, and while there was always genuine care and worry behind that sentiment, it's actually not quite true.
Carmen Dargel, M.D., a physician in Family Medicine, wrote for Mayo Clinic Health System that wet hair in a cold environment will just make you feel uncomfortable and probably cause your hair to freeze, but it won't give you a cold, explaining that, "Viruses transmitted through bodily fluids cause colds, influenza, and COVID-19. You need to come into contact with the fluids to be infected by the viruses. This usually happens when people who are sick sneeze, cough or blow their noses."
11. If you cross your eyes too much, they'll get stuck
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The belief that if you cross your eyes too much or roll them excessively they'll get stuck in the back of your head is an old wives tale that boomer parents would tell their children as a way to get them to stop being silly or roll their eyes in defiance.
Crossing your eyes will not make them get stuck anywhere in your head, and it's pretty much scientifically impossible for that to happen.
Still, we definitely believed our parents when they warned us about the repercussions of doing such a thing, and while it might've worked to put us in our place, we all know better now as adults. It doesn't mean we probably won't say the same thing to our kids and so on and so forth. It's just one of those things that ends up getting passed down without much thought.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.