Text: 

“I think it was at my kindgarten, where all the kids would say ‘stepping on a crack will break your mom’s back.’ Back then, the teachers would make us walk together as a class in line everywhere we went, so you could see everyone in front of you stepping over cracks in the sidewalk to save their moms, I guess. It was a big deal, too. Other kids would call you out if they saw you step on one, and I think some people even cried over it.”

Context:

My informant is from Austin and first learned this superstition in Kindergarten. She remembers following the superstition for approximately two years before stopping. She guesses that she either forgot about it or decided it was false. 

Interpretation:

This superstition is an example of how folklore can be spread at schools, particularly elementary schools or preschools. It reminds me of the cheese touch or cooties, as each of these are pieces of folklore that are turned into games by young children. This superstition specifically involves other people and reveals a deeper common anxiety about hurting loved ones. It also is an example of how rhyming can be used to define a specific superstition and help people remember it.