Childhood is truly a special part of life. It’s that stage where everything seems possible. Our minds were full of wonder, and we believed anything we were told without questioning it. Whether it was our parents trying to scare us for fun, or elders warning us with old tales, we held on to their words like truth. Now, when I look back, I realize how funny, innocent, and beautiful those days were. The weird things I believed as a child made my childhood not just memorable, but full of laughter and imagination.
One of the funniest things I believed was about fruit seeds. My dad would always buy fruits like oranges and watermelons and bring them home for us to enjoy. But he would never let us eat them in peace without a little warning. He used to say, If you swallow the seeds, trees will grow from your head. He’d even add that if you swallowed both the watermelon and orange seeds, two trees would grow and people would start plucking fruits from your head. That alone scared us so much, Whenever we mistakenly swallowed a seed, we would panic. Some of us would try to throw up, or drink too much water, or even run around the house trying to push the seed out. We were that serious about it because we didn’t want to grow up with fruits hanging on our heads for people to laugh at.
Another thing that seemed real to me was the belief that people on TV could see us. As a child, I used to sometimes dress well before sitting in front of the television. I didn’t want the actors and actresses to see me looking rough or dirty. It felt like they were watching me just as I was watching them. Whenever a scene was going wrong, we’d start talking to the screen, shouting things like Don’t go there, or That person is lying to you, We believed that our words could change the story or save the actor. We felt so connected to the characters.
I also believed adulthood was the easiest and most beautiful part of life. I thought being grown-up meant having no worries, just money, food, and enjoyment. If an adult refused to give us something, I would say, When I grow up, I’ll give children everything they ask for. I didn’t understand that life could be hard, that responsibilities were heavy, and that adults had their own struggles. Now that I’m older, I know better. But that innocent belief made growing up feel like something magical to look forward to.
There was also the funny belief about our milk teeth. You know when your teeth fall off during childhood and new ones are expected to grow? We were told that if a lizard saw the gap in your teeth, the new one would never grow again. No one wanted to walk around with a wide space like a rabbit, so whenever we saw a lizard, we would quickly cover our mouths with our hands. Just yesterday, my little nephew who came over for the weekend had two teeth removed. We were all laughing and chatting when he suddenly covered his mouth tightly. I asked what happened, and they told me he had just seen a lizard and didn’t want it to see his teeth. I laughed so hard, because it reminded me of my own childhood.
All these funny beliefs made childhood exciting. They gave us stories to tell, memories to cherish, and a way to enjoy life without stress. We were free, happy, and full of dreams. Life wasn’t perfect, but our little minds made everything feel like a fairytale. Looking back, I realize that childhood isn’t just a stage, it’s a treasure, and the weird things we believed only made it more beautiful.
