Prompt: I’m assuming you probably know Santa Claus isn’t real (sorry to spoil it for you) but maybe at one time you did. There are probably other things you used to believe that you have come to realize couldn’t possibly be true. Discuss some of the best of your unfounded beliefs and why you were so willing to believe them at the time. What can you learn about human nature from this?
When I was younger, I believed that turning on the lights in the car was illegal. Every time I turned them on, my parents would turn around from the front seat and yell at me.
“Turn them off!” they’d yell, eyes wild. “Did I tell you you could turn them on?”
They’d never explain why I wasn’t allowed to turn them on, but their reactions to my actions were always extreme and overboard. Which, I guess, is why I started to believe that turning on the lights in our car was illegal. Maybe if the police saw that my parents had their lights on because of me, they’d get arrested. Maybe I would never see my parents again.
I did kind of question my own belief, though. I never asked my parents, never did my own research, never did anything. But I did wonder why buses could have lights that were on while driving, why I had seen others with their lights on. But maybe they were all just rulebreakers, committing serious crimes.
When I grew older, I don’t know how, but I just realized it was okay to turn on the lights. It wasn’t illegal, and I found out that my parents didn’t allow me to turn them on because the lights would waste energy. And that was that. I didn’t believe it anymore.
I was probably so willing to believe this at the time just because that was what my parents made me believe, with the way they reacted to my actions and so on.
Humans, especially kids, are vulnerable. Unless the kid is insanely smart, parents can pretty much get the kid to believe whatever the parents want them to believe as long as the kid trusts them. I think I personally am very gullible to things and I tend to believe whatever others tell me. We aren’t as intelligent as society makes us out to be, and I guess it shows that we really have to think critically about everything we are ever told.
Writing Process (Click to open)
Reflection:
This was a very interesting prompt because I have so many fond memories of LIES from my childhood. It was partly why it was so easy to write and entertaining to reread. I also believed Santa Claus was real but then that was debunked when my parents said they saw Santa’s sleigh and pointed out the window. But I didn’t see Santa’s sleigh so I silently thought to myself “Oh Santa isn’t real?” I kind of got sad but I enjoyed getting presents for a few more years. This year I didn’t get a present though. 😦
Sum Yiu's College Writing Blog 
It’s an interesting story! I really like the conclusion saying that kids are vulnerable and trust their parents easily. I think it also shows the importance of parenting. Children usually learn from parents so the children’s action reflects their parents’ personality. However, when children grow, they realised the world that they are living are just a bunch of lies and ultimately they learn to lie and become more complicated.
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Even though your piece was short and simple, I was able to gain a lot from it! I liked your reflection on why humans are so quick to believe things, and I do agree that children are very susceptible to believing others, and that they have a child-like faith (obviously because they are a child!). However, I do not believe that this is fully bad. I think that you have a big heart for believing others easily, and that you shouldn’t view that as a fault. But, there is also a fine line between trusting others and being aware, like you said, “thinking critically”. Thanks for making me think!
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I really liked this take on lies from childhood, I remember my parents telling me that turning not the lights was illegal also, but I didn’t take them seriously as I just assumed it was distracting for the driver. The way that you explained younger Yiuyiu’s thought was quite good. Enjoyable story good job.
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This was a really interesting essay that I really enjoyed reading. I liked the tone of this essay and I can hear your voice throughout this story. I like how you concluded this essay with saying humans, especially kids, are very vulnerable and I agree with that. Children tend to believe whatever we tell them, but as we grow older, we learn to critically think whether its true or not.
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So well written! I like the ‘”Turn them off,” they’d yell, eyes wild.” That’s a great sentence. But beyond that, turning on the lights in a car doesn’t actually waste energy, because a car is producing more electricity than it can use. It’s available for free! Well, unless you’re driving an electric car.
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