11 Things That Terrified Gen X As Kids That Turned Out To Be No Big Deal
Oh, no, Mr. Bill!
Gelpi / Shutterstock While many people reflect fondly on their Gen X childhoods in the 70s and 80s, characterized by unsupervised play outside, neighborhood friendships, and constant shenanigans, the reality of this carefree adolescence definitely sparked some irrational fears. Without constant communication and protection from parents as they navigated their childhood, Gen Xers grew up terrified of the stories from TV or the wise tales from their best friends.
As social media became accessible and these adult children started families of their own, many of the things that terrified Gen X as kids that turned out to be no big deal came to light. Rather than embracing the humor of their misguided childhood fears, many of these Gen X parents turned to overprotective parenting styles in their own homes to cope — committed to protecting their children, sometimes to a fault, from the unsupervised play and safety concerns they’d once navigated, despite recognizing that many were falsities.
Here are 11 things that terrified Gen X as kids that turned out to be no big deal
1. Quicksand
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Despite being realistically unimaginable for adults today, one of the things that terrified Gen X as kids that turned out to be no big deal was finding themselves battling quicksand.
Whether it was a children's book, a wise tale from a neighborhood friend, or a late-night action movie on TV, many Gen X kids were convinced that the biggest worry they'd face in adulthood was getting stuck in the sand.
With accessibility to the internet as adults, it's easy to find out that less than a handful of people actually find themselves in an unsafe situation with quicksand. But for these kids — especially without access to a search engine or social media — it's not surprising it was such an ordeal.
2. The Bermuda Triangle
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It's not uncommon for people, regardless of age, to fear the things they don't understand, according to a study from the Journal of Anxiety Disorders. While these irrational and sometimes rational fears evolve over time, characterizing people's coping mechanisms and self-soothing behaviors into adulthood, it's not completely surprising that things like The Bermuda Triangle or quicksand were some of the things that terrified Gen X as kids that turned out to be no big deal.
As they grew up and were able to replace fear-driven narratives and stories with factual evidence and research, it's not surprising that they grew out of many of the things they were once terrified of.
Alongside the feelings of autonomy that adulthood presents — a reminder that you don't have to go to The Bermuda Triangle if you don't want to — these terrifying thoughts are now nothing more than funny fleeting memories.
3. Remembering to 'stop, drop, and roll'
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While many Gen X kids in the 70s and 80s were taught about fire safety through "stop, drop, and roll," a National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) report suggests that there's actually other risks — outside of risks like your clothes being on fire — that adults should be more concerned about.
From grease fires while cooking to knowing how to operate a fire alarm at home, the true hidden dangers associated with fire safety aren't even the ones that Gen X kids were taught to fear and learn about growing up.
4. Sitting too close to the TV
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According to ophthalmologist Ethan Stern, one of the things that terrified Gen X kids that turned out to be no big deal was the myth that sitting too close to a TV or electronic screen would damage your eyes.
So, while Gen X's parents might have managed screen-time at home with fear-based tactics about going blind, the truth is that strain from these screens is only a side effect of faresightedness or already poor vision.
Of course, myths like these — especially without access to the internet like many parents have today — often continue through generations, helping parents to manage their kids' behavior without any merit behind their assumptions.
5. Unsafe Halloween candy
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Despite modern day studies that characterize Halloween as the "most unsafe holiday" for children in the United States, many of the true dangers associated with trick-or-treating don't have to do with taking candy from strangers.
Today, myths about poisoned candy from dangerous strangers is one of the things that terrified Gen X as kids that turned out to be no big deal, especially as parents learn about the much more dangerous issues there are to address.
According to a 2018 study on the holiday's dangers, one of the true biggest risks for children on Halloween is walking in the streets, where they're over 10 times more likely to be overlooked by drivers.
Of course, surely many Gen Xer's parents used fear-tactics like "poisoned candy" to steal from their kids' stash or encourage them to go to bed at a decent time on Halloween, rather than gorge on sugar and sweets, terrifying their kids for the sake of their own sanity.
6. Swallowing gum
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Afraid of letting gum sit in their stomachs for decades, many Gen X kids refused to swallow gum and grew terrified over the myth of eating their candy. But today, research debunks this myth.
As one of the things that terrified Gen X as kids that turned out to be no big deal, swallowing gum isn't truly that big of a danger for kids or adults, according to gastroenterologist Dr. Elizabeth Rajan, as long as it's not a constant and regular occurrence.
While large amounts of swallowed gum — intended to be chewed and spit out — can cause digestive issues in young kids, there's no reason to seek out a trash can in certain situations or crash out over having to swallow a single piece.
7. Turning on a light in the car
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Experts from Thompson Law argue that rumors and myths around the legality of interior car lights while driving were likely sparked by early misunderstandings about traffic laws, many of which became a misguided generational belief in families.
While many Gen X kids were riding without seatbelts and kicking their feet in a truck bed — living in a very different time of regulations and rules on the road — they still harbored irrational fears about things like turning on the interior lights.
While some Gen Xer's parents might have used this myth knowingly as a way to keep their kids from playing around in the backseat of the car, others unknowingly adopted the assumption that it was genuinely illegal.
Of course, today it's simply one of the things that terrified Gen X as kids that turned out to be no big deal. While there's certainly some merit to reduced visibility or distraction from an interior car light, it's certainly not illegal to push the button.
8. Piranhas and barracudas
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Whether it was all the Animal Planet shows they watched on TV or the fascination they had with the ocean at a young age — like children of all age demographics seem to adopt — the fears that they would run into a piranha in a freshwater lake of a barracuda in the neighborhood pool were seriously irrational fears for many Gen X kids.
Considering most piranhas live in South America and barracuda attacks are far and few between, even for professional fishers who spend their lives on the water, this irrational fear has become one of the things that terrified Gen X as kids that turned out to be no big deal.
9. Showering during a thunderstorm
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While it's possible to be struck by lightning, both walking around outside or standing in the shower, the odds of it truly happening are close to nothing, according to the National Weather Service.
Despite most children being afraid of thunder during a storm, many Gen X kids were taught to fear lightning, with parents who were concerned about it traveling through the pipes while taking a shower or a bath.
So, yes, the risk is there, as with many of the other things that terrified Gen X as kids that turned out to be no big deal, but the true reality of having to come face-to-face with these fears is nothing to spend all day worrying about.
10. Swallowing fruit seeds
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Experts like Fritz Gross, the head of culinary excellence at the LSG Group, argue that many childhood horror stories and fears around eating, like ingesting a watermelon seed and growing a tree inside your stomach, are realistically impossible.
Not only are many of these seeds unable to grow within the acidic conditions of a person's stomach, in many cases, the biggest danger of ingesting too many fruit or vegetable seeds would be a bit of inflammation. In fact, some seeds — like those inside citrus fruits — actually have a lot of antioxidants and fiber that can be healthy for children to safely digest.
11. Cracking your knuckles too often
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One of the things that terrified Gen X as kids that turned out to be no big deal was the fear that they'd develop an illness or hurt their fingers by cracking their knuckles.
However, according to experts like rheumatologist Dr. Eric M. Ruderman, there's no association between risks for arthritis — or any other long-term health problem — and cracking your knuckles.
While parents might have condemned their kids for cracking their knuckles and making unnecessary distractions, Dr. Ruderman suggests it's a "harmless habit" that can even spark some endorphins in people of all ages and reduce tension and pain.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.