When I was a kid, I truly believed that if one of my teeth fell out, I needed to hide it under my pillow before I slept. Then, by the next morning, that tooth would magically turn into a candy. Not money. Not toys. Candy. And not just any candy my favorite kind, the colorful ones wrapped in shiny plastic. This wasn’t just a belief; it was a whole ritual. Every time a tooth came loose, instead of being scared, I got excited. While other kids cried because their teeth were bleeding, I was already thinking about what candy I’d get the next day. The moment my tooth finally fell, I would clean it, wrap it in tissue, and slide it under my pillow like a precious treasure. Then I’d go to sleep early, feeling kilig, thinking about the sweet treat waiting for me.
In my mind, I imagined a tiny fairy visiting me at midnight, taking my tooth and leaving candy as a reward for being brave. Sometimes I even pretended to be asleep, hoping I could catch the fairy in action. But of course, I never did still, that didn’t stop me from believing. Looking back, it’s funny how serious I was about it. One time, I lost my tooth while eating and accidentally dropped it somewhere. I cried not because of the pain, but because I thought I wouldn’t get candy the next morning. Ganun ka literal akong bata. To me, no tooth meant no candy. The deal wouldn’t work because magic had rules.
Then there were nights when I couldn’t sleep because I kept checking if the tooth was still under the pillow. What if it fell out? What if the fairy couldn’t find it? What if she got mad? Yes this is how my brain worked back then. Kids think in the funniest ways. But the best part was waking up the next morning and finding candy beside my pillow. I remember the joy, the excitement, the feeling that magic was real. I’d proudly show the candy to my parents, thinking I had proof that fairies existed. Of course, now I know the truth but honestly, I still treasure that memory.
Many kids grow up believing in funny things: seeds growing trees inside your stomach, the moon following you home, Santa sneaking into the house or monsters hiding under the bed. My childhood belief was simple but sweet literally. A tooth turning into candy overnight felt like the perfect reward for a tiny milestone in my life. These strange beliefs remind us of how innocent we once were. They show how powerful imagination can be and how magical the world feels through a child’s eyes. Even though we grow up, these memories stay with us, bringing warmth whenever we look back.
So now, your turn:
What’s the weirdest thing YOU believed as a kid?