I have owned two black cats over the years. It's safe to say I'm not the superstitious type. But somehow my kid is. She doesn't step on cracks (for the sake of my back, bless her!), and she won't open an umbrella in the house.
Remember when you were a kid, and you believed you had the power to change the world just by pouring ice cubes in the toilet or holding your breath? Kids believe some of the craziest — and funniest — things.
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Don't believe me? Check out these superstitions kids swear by:
1. Step on a crack and you'll break your mama's back.
2. My son thinks that if he snaps his fingers too many times, they'll fall off (that's thanks to his big brothers).
3. I always put my feet up when we cross the railroad tracks and touch the ceiling of the car. My boys do that too now.
4. I told my daughter that she will grow a tail if she eats the dog's food. She stopped immediately and now yells at her little sister if she sees her near the dog's dish! What is it with kids and dog food? Or maybe it's just mine?
5. If I didn't use the bathroom before I got on the elevator, for sure I thought it would break down.
6. My son thinks if he stays in the tub while the water is draining out, he will get sucked down it.
7. When I was in grade school, someone tried to convince me that if I made a face, it would stay that way if I was slapped on the back.
8. My dad used to tell me eating my bread crust would put hair on my chest, so I kept avoiding the crust for years.
9. My two youngest kids think they can get warts from frogs.
10. My daughter has to hit the roof of the car and yell "ba-diddle" every time she sees a car with one headlight.
11. My cousins convinced me that if you didn't turn your head sideways or duck when you were going under and overpass, you'd get your head chopped off.
12. My older cousin convinced my sister and me that if he pointed the remote control for the TV at us and pushed a button, all of our hair would fall out! We believed him completely and were terrified that he'd turn the remote in our direction!
13. At night, I would jump up onto my bed instead of walking up to it. This was to prevent witches grabbing my ankles.
14. Can't walk up a flight of steps without counting them. It's very weird. I still do it and as an adult found out that my brothers all do it, too … and none of us knew the other did it! If you don't count, you trip.
15. Hold your breath when you're by a cemetery so your soul doesn't get sucked out.
16. My daughter insists you MUST punch someone when you spot a VW Bug and yell, "Punch buggy, no punch backs."
17. We always held our breath when we went into a tunnel and put our sunglasses on too.
18. I've taught my kids to NEVER walk under a ladder. I wish I could claim it was a safety thing, but it's really a superstition.
19. My daughter knows better than to open an umbrella in the house after I freaked out on her. I didn't mean to scare her!
20. My kids flush ice cubes down the toilet when they want a snow day.
21. My daughter will only pick up pennies if they're "heads up."
22. My son gives us two kisses before he leaves us, always. Ever since he was little, it's always been TWO.
23. We always hit the ceiling when we go through a yellow light.
24. My kids fight over the wishbone at Thanksgiving. They think the one who gets the longer side will have their wish come true.
25. When we were kids we believed chanting "Bloody Mary" three times in front of a mirror would summon a ghost.
OK, how about you? What were your childhood superstitions? What do YOUR kids believe?
Image via Chris Yarzab/Flickr
