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urban myths you remember

(34 Posts)
Floradora9 Fri 09-Mar-18 10:00:06

I remember talking to a girl at school who was complaining about her hair being greasy and she explained that she could not wash it because " it was that time of the month "
Standing in front of my microwave this morning I remember that a friend told me never to go near it when wearing contact lenses as they might weld to my eyes. Anyone remember any more ?

wildswan16 Sat 10-Mar-18 13:41:11

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.

Oopsadaisy12 Sat 10-Mar-18 13:45:50

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.

sodapop Sat 10-Mar-18 16:59:28

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

Greyduster Sat 10-Mar-18 17:15:13

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

Maggiemaybe Sat 10-Mar-18 17:39:56

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. smile

Blinko Sun 11-Mar-18 07:33:53

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

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

grandtanteJE65 Sun 25-Mar-18 11:26:55

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?

MissAdventure Sun 25-Mar-18 11:29:22

Yes! Ours was called 'Old Man Mook'. shock