How many times growing up did you hear: "Don't sit too close to the TV or you'll get square eyes", "if the wind changes your face will stay like that" and the formidable "Santa is watching" when you misbehaved?
Reflecting on his childhood, BBC Radio 1's Greg James took to Twitter to share what his parents warned him when he was naughty - which is both terrifying and hilarious - as a young boy.
And his admission has spurred others on to share some of the rather inventive lies their parents told them when they were young'uns in a bid to make them behave - and it's made us realised how gullible we were.
Sharing his own experience, broadcaster Greg penned on the microblogging site: "My mum and dad created a character called Miss Jeffries who drove a green Austin Maestro and was on call to take me away if I misbehaved.
"I have only just realised how horrific this is."
The rib-tickling admission had his followers in stitches as they followed his lead and shared some of the ridiculous things their parents told them to keep them in check.
One woman recounted: "My mum used to tell me she'd ring 'Tim the Time man' if I'd been naughty.... It was terrifying! 'Tim' was actually the talking clock when you dialled 1,2,3."
Another one of his followers revealed a "nemesis" of Mary Poppins was always one phone call away from coming to take her away.
"We had the nemesis of Mary Poppins, 'Meredith Plumbob' created in our house," she shared. "If I misbehaved I was told she would fly in my window and put me in her magic handbag and would not bring me back until I behaved."
While a Twitter user revealed her mother scared her into thinking there was a 'spy fish' in her bathroom.
She reflected: "My mum had a fish ornament in the bathroom, and told me it was a 'spy fish' to make sure I brushed my teeth properly. Believed it for YEARS."
While another shared: "My mum told me that when I lied a big black cross appeared on my forehead. For years I never got away with anything because I'd put my hand on my forehead while lying."
While Foals drummer Jack Bevan admitted he's still scarred from his parents lie about a "smack officer" - and we'd have to agree.
He shared: "Wow, you're not alone! My parents invented a 'smack officer' who would be watching us from inside windows and around corners in case we misbehaved. I've been living in fear ever since."
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"Whenever we p*ssed my parents off my mum would tell us she was calling the children's home and my dad would sneak round the side and bang on the front door to scare us," said another.
Wow, our parents really knew how to fool (and terrify) us, but hey, it worked!
Featured Image Credit: PexelsTopics: Life News, Real, Parents
