When you a child, what things did your mother tell you that you've never been able to forget?

Don't raise your arms above your head when pregnant or you will strangle the baby. Ankle chains, ankle straps on shoes, patterned tights were all common and would inevitably lead to ruin. Or even worse,being talked about.

A friend of mine was never allowed patent leather shoes, as her mother said men would be able to see the reflection of her knickers in them!

My sex education was when I went home at the age of eleven and told my mum we were shown a film about menstruation. I still didn’t understand it. She told me that now was the time to tell me that when I get married men only want virgins and I must keep myself to myself. Trying to get my head around what a virgin was was just too much. I had only discovered I had a vagina!

Ah yes, the unwritten rules our mother's taught us. So many of those posted familiar to me. My own was 'never to take more than two biscuits if at someone's house for tea'. Or one slice of cake or a bun, but no more however tempting. However, despite having kept this 'file's haven't stayed the whippet slim girl I used to be!

I had a tiny patch of garden as a really little girl...planted nasturtium seeds and things.

Mum decided to talk about the facts of life, I was only small, but she said “the Daddy plants a seed in the Mummy” - so for years I was puzzled and had a clear mental image thinking of a packet of Thompson & Morgans...

Listening to a conversation between my mother and her friend "she's had it all taken away ". It took me years to find out that the woman had had a hysterectomy.

Bare legs was common,even when it was Lady Di my mother was horrified about her bare legs .."trollope" she said.Well she may have been right.Apart from that no fashion advice as she as a bit of a fashionista and was often heard telling dad to stop moaning about micro mini skirts or over the knee boots because "you'd be as well dead as out of fashion".Her dad was a tailor who would sit up all night hand sewing an outfit she'd seen in a magazine so she would be a step ahead of all her pals at the dancing and new shoes every week to go with her outfits .That was in the 30's.My dad wasn't quite so indulgent.

Indeed

Apple pips caused appendicitis. I still wouldn’t take the risk
People whose eyebrows meet are not to be trusted
Many of the others already mentioned

GrandmaKT

Goodness me! Your mum must have been cool!

When I was about 10, my mother told me how she lost her virginity to a fairground hand behind the dodgems! Now there's an image to be permanently burned onto the retina

If you pick dandelions you wet the bed!

So many of these are familiar, likes from sitting on cold stone etc. I always had to cover my mouth with a scarf if it was foggy or very cold otherwise you’d get a lung infection. I still do it! Wasn’t allowed to walk round with bare feet, your feet will spread! And, of course, keep yer ‘and on yer ha’penny! Nice girls didn’t do anything but!

Chips and white bread were common!

I was told to wear a hat or a scarf when travelling on a bus or the head lice would land on my head. That applied to fleas too.
Brush your hair 100 times every day to keep its shine.
Chew your food slowly -30 times, and never gobble.
Never talk with your mouth full or interrupt.
Never wear brown - it's so ageing
Red and green should never be seen, except on the dress of an Irish Queen
Blue and green should never be seen because they clash.

I never knew that about ankle straps being tarty or red shoes. I longed for black patent ankle strap shoes which I eventually got but grew out of! I always have a pair of red shoes. They are so cheerful.

I was told never to go out with just one boy or it might get serious!! I didn't know how to take that!!

My mum used to say if you eat cheese before bed time you'll be dreaming of thee. I guess she meant nightmares. I used to tell that to my children too.
She used to say never put an umbrella up in the house, it was bad luck.
She wouldn't have lilac or Mayflower blossom in the house, bad luck.
Sitting on the cold doorstep gave you piles.
If you don't wash your ears you'll have potatoes growing out of them.

My granny frequently warned me, if I wasn’t good I’d be sold to the gypsies!

If you swallow chewing gum it will stick to your heart and die. If you didn't wash your ears, potatoes would grow out of them. She also used to say 'beware of those whose eyebrows meet'.

Oh yes, Sodapop, all of those, especially the knowing looks when discussing things “down below “

I was picked on at school as I was slim. I told my mum she said: "don't worry Thoroughbreds never get fat"!! I am a thoroughbred Dubliner.

Most of these I remember from my childhood too.
Clean underwear - love the cartoon Daddima
Don't sit on cold stones in case you get piles
No bathing or hairwashing during menstruation
No shopping on Sundays or doing anything that remotely resembled fun apart from a walk.
Anything gynaecological was spoken about in hushed tones and referred to as 'down there'
So many restrictions and old wives tales.

There was a book at my grans, it was probably once my mother’s, and there was a long poem about a boy who turned into a croquet hoop because he wouldn’t eat rice pudding!
I was assured this was indeed true, and I believed it!

My mother never felt comfortable eating outside, unless she was sitting down. DGC still remember that when they went to stay with them, if they went down to the sea front to buy a Mr Whippy, they always had to sit on a bench or in the car to eat it.

Apart from that, she didn't really have any oft repeated phrases or shibboleths.

Travelsafar. I had the same advice from my mum! Plus if you did not heed said advice about bathing or washing your hair during your period....you would go mad or die....absolute fact....she knew women who had. ?
I'm still here, pretty sane too.