urban myths you remember

Yes! Ours was called 'Old Man Mook'.

Sadly there are still 16 year olds who believe that a girl can't become pregnant the first time she has sex. It fell to my lot only a few years ago to disabuse a class of that notion!

We were taught neither to bath, swim or wash hair during our periods.

In Greenland chilblains are cured by rubbing a little of your own urine on them. This is not a myth as it does work.

Anyone else remember the bogey man who lurked in dark corners and cupboards and devoured disobedient children?

...see the devil if they looked in a mirror...

Surely the 'devil' would be called vanity. Maybe that's what they old sages meant.

chilblains if I got too near the fire.

I'm not sure that's a myth, Oopsadaisy12, I used to be a martyr to chilblains when I was a child. I actually felt the familiar tingling after a bracing walk with the Beast from the East last week, then back into the warm. They didn't develop though, thank goodness - I'm not brave enough to lash myself with nettles. We used to use Snowfire.

Golly, sodapop, you’ll be bringing out the hair shirt next !!

Sorry ethelbags problem with my phone. I was trying to say its an interesting concept being thrashed with nettles

Oldwoman, you’re the first person that I’ve ever heard who was also told that they would see the devil if they looked in a mirror, scared me for years.
I also had the no washing of hair at the time of the month, chilblains if I got too near the fire.

I seem to remember reading that the "no bath during period" myth came from the time when women would bathe in the river and the menstrual blood at that time was considered unclean and would therefore contaminate the river. I suppose in the years when (tin) bath water was shared by all the family the same idea might apply.

Did anyone else hear the tale of the lady who didn’t take down her beehive hairdo, just kept spraying it with hairspray. Of course, a ‘ lacquer bug’ grew inside it, ate its way into her skull, and she died!

Interesting thought though *ethe

Maggie. Yes dandilions are diuretics but you are supposed to drink them in a tea. Nettles are good for childblanes you have too get a bunch and thrash the area.ive never tried it

When I was a child my friend used to call dandelions pissabed (I remember being so embarrassed!). Perhaps they are diuretic.

Following on from that Mapleleaf here in France dandelions are called pissenlit so maybe not a such a myth.

Ooo Vampirequeen that worked for me twice! Standing on my head. A son and a daughter.

Riding a bike could cause you to loose your virginity.

Collecting dandelions would mean you would wet the bed!

You only got nits if you had dirty hair.

You're lucky to even have myths about pregnancy - neither of my parents ever mentioned it, I had to find out for myself.
Following on from O level biology I suppose.
I never realised until now what a sheltered up-bringing I had, and how naive I was.

Can't get pregnant the first time or if do it standing up.

Meant same as other posters re chewing gum!!!

A friend was convinced she might be pregnant because a boy put his tongue in her mouth ...same also re chewing gum, apple pips..a tree would grow in your tummy haha

Perhaps more of a rural myth but my mother used to maintain that the first gooseberry pie of the year should be eaten on Whitsunday. Never found it possible myself, fond as we all are of gooseberry pie. No gooseberries known to me anything like ripe enough. My mother died 25 years ago, but I daren’t post on the Mothering Sunday page because I’ve forgotten to make a simnel cake.
Of the others, I remember the dangers of swallowing chewing gum being the reason we were never allowed it.

Oh yes, the don't wash your hair when you were having your period was a common one. We were told if we swallowed pips from any fruit a tree would grow in our stomachs! Allowing a baby to see its reflection would cause it to have painful teething also if we spent too long in front of the mirror we were told we would see the devil!

A school friend told the rest of out set that you could only get pregnant if you did 'it' during your period i.e. when you were 'on heat'. We had a hard time disabusing her of this notion.

Oooh yes hot radiators and cold floors/steps caused piles lol