People Share 30 Things That Were Scary When They Were Children, But Seem Funny Now
The world is such a scary place when you're a kid.
Childhood fears have a funny way of sticking around in the most harmless places. A swallowed piece of gum, a dark basement, a strange shape in the water, suddenly the world feels packed with danger when you are small.
This roundup pulls together the things people once found terrifying, from quicksand and sharks to the Bermuda Triangle and other kid logic classics. The answers are equal parts nostalgic and ridiculous, which is exactly why they still work so well.
Some of these fears faded fast, while others clearly left a lasting mark. Read on for the childhood scares people remember best.
1. Quicksand
madiburback2. Demons in the basement
strangerthigntv3. Bermuda Triangle
yrotftw
4. Illegal.
1slimette
5. Sharks
miilkkk
That fear logic was very real back then.
6. My eyes!!
sydgarv14
7. A bubble gum....
wiccaquarius
8. Yes.....
Oohnoitsnick
9. Anyone there?
TheNameIsVaun
10. Oh, yeah.
BennettMarlow
11. It never caught up, though…
MyPowerTrip
12. Yes... People bursting into flames all over the world....
sam_witchTTV
13. True...
KravitzMatthew
14.
15. Everyone...
mubashirjan007
16. Still doing that...
17. Demons in the bathroom
fatimalmao
Some of these fears were oddly specific.
It’s like the AITA fight over a friend adopting a snake and asking you to dog sit anyway.
18.
19. Those scary escalators...
20. Air
Flakegy
21. Still using it....
DanzaMsBanana
22. Meteors...
briareneexo
23. Sharks...
24. Run!!!
25.
lMothl
26. Writing...
CetkiWilliams
27. Volcanoes...
joshcorjay
And somehow, they all made perfect sense at the time.
28.
maddienibert
29. Crocodiles...
iamsoporific
30. This lady...
foewastaken
We all had fears as children, and it is entirely natural. They go away as we get older, but for some people, they stay and evolve, potentially turning into phobias.
First fears start between 10 months and two years of age. Children begin displaying separation anxiety, which is one of the first fears known to human beings. This is represented when children cry and cling to their parents at any cost when in front of a daycare or before going to bed.
As we get older, fears become more intricate and typically relate to the experiences we have in this world. School-aged kids often develop unreasonable fears, such as being afraid of getting trapped in an elevator.
Parents should not tell their kids that nothing can hurt them in this modern time. They should not fixate on their fear but help the child put things in perspective.
“Children have fewer fears as they get older,” “but they can be more intense.” Teenagers may face significant problems because they tend to hide their fears or act like it’s not a big deal. That is where communication is essential. Parents must be aware of those fears so they can help.
Older kids sometimes have a hard time overcoming their fears. They may persist, evolve, and result in phobias that will require treatment later in adulthood.
Childhood fear never really leaves, it just gets funnier.
Still scared of reptiles? See why you might be the AITA when your friend adopts a snake.
