What is something you believed was normal or true as a kid, but later found out it was not?

quicksand was a much bigger concern as a child.

• The United States is a righteous, fair, and just country.
• Success and a comfortable life necessarily followed hard, diligent, smart work
• Adults, by virtue of having been around longer, necessarily knew more and knew better than I.
• Socialism bad.
• All kids get beaten on a daily basis for transgressions such as a B grade on their paper, a speck of food still stuck to the dishes after washing, or for listening to music on the radio that their parents didn't like.

The United states values freedom above all else and intervenes in foreign lands to make people more free.

Racism is an individualist and idealogical issue caused by ignorance rather than a systemic problem maintained and incentivized by the structure of production

Adults know what they're doing.

I thought racial/class bias was due to lack of education and lack of access to information.

Holy cow was I wrong.

That when I grew up I'd know what I was doing and my body would work.

That if two people of different races had a kid together there was a higher chance of birth defects.

This is a bit different than what I think you were asking but when I was a kid my dad would lift me up by my ears as a fun game. He'd essentially hold me by my head and lift.

When I was around 18, I went to play this game with a kid, and then I said what my dad always said before he'd lift me up by my ears: "okay, but you have to hold on to my arms for safety!"

Gotta say I felt a little betrayed when the realization sunk in.

I thought horny was another word for corny. It blew up in my face when I drew a picture of "Horny's hotdog stand" and my sister busted out laughing, grabbed my drawing and showed our parents.

That there is a God, and he loves you, but he will send anyone to eternal torture who does not believe in him.

Took me way too long to find out that that makes no fucking sense.

That anyone who was atypical was a freak of nature

That loving you partner honestly and fulfilling their every wish would make them love you for the rest of your life. That a partner that has three kids with you would not leave you without a warning or giving a reason. Feels like treason.

I thought the moon was made out of cheese. In my defense, I blame Wallace & Gromit.

That people in general are good.

Abuse (verbal and physical) being normal

that you can "unlearn" autism and adhd (aka forcing someone to mask)

that the tides do affect rivers and lakes (that one i only learned last week)

drinking alcohole at a young age and drinking lots is normal and okay

weed smokers with the image of typical drug users

anything religiouse (though even in second grade i unironicly said "i belief only in facts and science. Mrs Teacher, is there a religion that is about the facts of science?" Yeaaah the autism has always been strong)

Cooties.

I thought cities were all walled.I lived in a city surround by a wall, and played Civilization 2 where towns would have walls.I was so confused when we traveled to next town and it just sprawled everywhere