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“I Thought It Was Normal For Too Long”: 30 Weird And Disturbing Rules Parents Had Their Children Follow
As children, we don’t really give ourselves the luxury to question our parents' decisions. Nor do they allow us that.
Especially when it comes to the rules they set around their house and family life that you have little option but to comply with. Only when we grow up can we take a step back and look at these rules from a whole different perspective. And sometimes, we realize they made zero sense.
“What bizarre rule did your parents enforce that seemed normal, but when you grew up realized was not normal at all?” someone posed a question on the Ask Reddit community. Many people took the opportunity to get their childhood rules off their chest and share the stories with others. Below we selected the most interesting ones.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Not me, but this guy in my neighborhood. So the 1st day of high school rolls around and there is this new kid at the bus stop. I try to make small talk, but he doesn't seem interested. I see him around school and he never talks to anyone. Everyday at the bus stop I try to make small talk and slowly, over many weeks, he says more and more. One morning he says to me that I can come over after school for a snack. I'm like "Sure, dude". After school we go to his house and it is super clean. Like operating room clean. We sit at the kitchen table and his mom sits with us. He looks a little worried, but I don't understand why at the time. As we eat our snack (sugar wafers and milk do NOT go together) his mom starts to ask me questions. Things like what music I listen to. What does my dad do for a living. What are my grades. What church do I go to. Lots of weird questions for a kid in the 9th grade. With some of my answers she would look to her son, who gave more and more worried looks. Eventually she stopped grilling me and said that her son needed to do his homework and I should leave. I was glad to get out of there at that point. I go home and mention to one of my older brothers what happened and he was all "Holy s**t! You met the mole kid!". Turns out that this kid had lived in my neighborhood for all these years and I didn't even know it! He was home schooled and not let out in the front of the house. Over the next 4 years we ruined this kid for his parents. He rebelled against their rules and became one of the guys. We introduced him to the world of sports, beer, weed, and girls. After high school we lost touch (my fault. rough patch for me). Hey Jason, if you read this, look up the guy who had all those older brothers back in high school. I miss you.
Carol Emory 2 years ago
I will say this once...parents that are really strict with their kids out of fear that they will run with a bad crowd or get in trouble are actually creating the scenario in which they will rebel and run around with the very crowd you are trying to protect them from. If your kids spend their childhoods fearing you, they will never tell you when things go really wrong or ask for help. But they will turn to the people that gave them the most freedom to be themselves. Keep that in mind. I ran around with a bad crowd because I was afraid of my mother. But I will be forever grateful to the friends that gave me a sense of freedom that I never got at home.
Luna Crow 2 years ago
True facts. I was that kid. So grateful to my friends who encourage me to be myself and don't judge! Don't even talk to my blood relatives anymore
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brandyy17 2 years ago
i hope u find jason! u saved his life! u gave him the life he shouldve had from childhood. a group of friends, how to socialize, new expeiences, u let him b a teenager. if u had given up and not tried again he couldve had some serious issues going into college and the adult world. trust me on this! i was saved by my friends. i had a 7pm curfew all throughout high school which meant i had only 2 hours to hang out with friends after school and on weekends we had to go to early movies if a new movies came out, i was limited on wat i was allowed to do, i didnt get to go to the big graduation party so my friends came over instead of going and we had our own boring one, etc. my curfew turned to 9 once i was in college. wen i was 25 the curfew ended bc of the man who is now my husband. my friends helped me socialize and my now husband helped me actually live. i cant work due to social anxeity and i still cant really do things without help. my parents sheltering me really messed up my life and didnt prepare me for anything. i never actually got to finish college due to challenges thanks to my anxeity but bc of my parents i didnt kno how to tell good from bad crowd so i ended up going into a spiral and making wrong friend choices and wrong relationship choices. i was a mess wen i met my husband. im still a mess but at least im not the wreck i was 7 years ago.
Mrs Irish Mom 2 years ago
The more strict you are with a kid the more they will go against you
Verena Abt 2 years ago (edited)
2 of 4 children of mine only just turned against me because apparently I wasn't strict enough. You can't win!!
Load More Replies... Happy Panda 2 years ago
Thanks for saving him. He's definitely wasn't living at all. True, life has its ups and downs, but they're wayyyy better than a stagnant life
Evi Grimes 2 years ago (edited)
Before anyone assumes this is how all homeschooled kids are, my daughter is not like this, and thank the gods I'm not like that lady. My daughter has severe ADHD and was bullied relentlessly even by teachers when she couldn't focus. They had a chant "do your work, do your work". It was bloody awful. She was so embarrassed she would come home crying. My daughter is a true artist at heart, not an academic student, so homeschool was the better choice. It allows her to get the boring (yet necessary) stuff out of the way so she can hone her skills in animation, drawing, and painting. She gets plenty of socializing when she wants it, but she has been thriving like this. This poor kid though sounds like he had an overbearing, controlling parent.
LaediGrenayd_05 2 years ago
Thank you, I'm glad someone said this. Many people look at homeschoolers like they're strange and it upsets me. I was homeschooled through highschool and actually got higher grades than average teens my age because I wasn't sucked into all the drama and stuff like that.
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the Return of Bruno 2 years ago (edited)
Well, thank goodness he had someone to introduce him to under-age drinking and drug abuse! (/s)
Monosyllabic girl 2 years ago
There was a girl at my high school with same upbringing, home-schooled until 10th grade plus they were Jehovah's Witnesses so she had a very strict dress code plus the lack of socialization. I enjoyed talking with her, it took a while to get past the shyness, but she could never talk on phone or come to a friend's house. I was astonished to run into her at a very wild house party about 2 years after graduation. People on the roof, nudity in the hot tub, orgy in the bedroom kind of party. (My favorite at the time lol) she was in a tiny cropped halter top and miniskirt looking great and chatting, dancing. Took me a minute to recognize her without the wool sweater and floor length dress! She left the church so she could attend college instead of getting married to a man she had never met. Thankfully she wasn't as wild as me! I was so proud of her for pursuing education and finding herself.
RELATED:
#2
We had to wake up whenever my parents got up, even if it was 4 a.m. One of them would yell up the stairs for us to get up. Didn't realize I could get up at my own leisure until I got married and moved out. One day I got out of bed when my husband did and we were sitting in the living room watching tv when I exclaimed that I was still tired, he said "So go back to bed then" and it was like those moments on a show when an actor just looks at the camera with a surprised expression. The sudden realization that I could wake up whenever I wanted was over whelming.
Also now that I have a kid I have no idea why they wouldn't let us sleep so they could have some free time? Like damn if my son is sleeping I'm taking in all the quiet and enjoying myself some free time.
NakNakNak 2 years ago
Simple case of "If I have to be awake and miserable about it, YOU have to be awake and miserable about it."
Stephanie A Mutti 2 years ago
No kidding,,, when the kid is still sleeping we are as quiet as church mice because its FREE TIME!!!!!
Lou Cam 2 years ago
I love it when I get up early and my kids stay in bed a further 3 hours. After the baby and toddler years it's like living in luxury. I can do anything, drink a hot cup of tea and read a book or get my work in early and finsh early. I really don't understand what the ops parents were thinking of tbh.
White Wolf 2 years ago
My mother had a psychotic episode when I was 8 and my brother was 4. It was winter break, aka no school and we had to get up at 7 AM, because as she put it, it was morning. She stopped when I complained to my dad about it. They had a major fight, but for the rest of the winter break, we were allowed to sleep.
Pamela Gregan 2 years ago
My dad would get up and proceed to bang on our bedroom doors shouting “If I’m up, everybody’s up!” Total AH.
DDmaybeandor 2 years ago (edited)
Hmm, sounds to me like they were trying to keep some people separated or protect somebody from someone. Maybe not. I had to do something similar with I foster child I did respite for.
Jroc13 2 years ago
I was a step child with 2 brothers that were my stepdad and mom's.during the summer I had to be awake at 8am and be outside doing chores until he got home from work around 6:30 pm.my brothers could get up whenever and be kids all day.i passed out one day from heat exhaustion and a mild stink was made by my family so I was allowed in the house at 4 , people thought I was weird for loving it when school started every year, but it was a vacation for me
AK to LV 2 years ago
Wow. 😳 I'm so sorry you had such sucky parents! I hope things are better now.😊🌻
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Your Neighborhood Alien 2 years ago
OP wrote, in response to someone whose father was a farmer and apparently thought it was normal to wake his kids up at the same time as him, "Same. My dad grew up on a dairy farm and his parent made him get up at the crack of dawn every morning to help with the cattle so I think he thought it was the norm to wake your children up when you got up."
#3
4 minute shower restricted to once a week. This was when I was in high school. This is all my folks did to save money so it was all I was allowed as well. If I exceeded the 4 minutes they would turn off the hot water from the main valve by the water heater. Imagine that- a high school boy allowed one shower a week and only a 4 minute shower.
I now take a shower a day and sometimes two. And sometimes until the hot water runs out.
Rahul Pawa 2 years ago
Teenage boys need to shower more than once a week. Adults too, really. Some people take money saving too far. I bet this saved them very little money.
Got Myself 4 Pandas 2 years ago
If my 17yr old hasn't showered in over a day I practically throw him into the shower, teenage boys stink!
Nicola Roberts 2 years ago
In the UK, today, my energy bill is three times higher than this time last year. Working from home I am literally sat typing in fingerless gloves. Last night my (adult) daughter gave me a withering look because I said our baked potatoes would be cooked in the microwave and finished off in the oven to crisp up. I don't think I would ever reach the point where I wouldn't encourage showering daily but I also never thought of energy as a luxury. I'm not going to be so quick to pass judgement on this one.
Poeha 2 years ago
I read a book from the 1920s and that woman said that her dad, from the 1800s, was so happy as a kid, cause once a week it was so special, he would get a bath with a bit of eau de cologne in it.
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David 2 years ago
There was a short phase where I was shutting off the hot water on my grandson after 10 minutes. He was allowed (strongly encouraged) to shower more frequently because he had hygiene issues. The problem is he would turn the shower on and just 'stand in the rain' for 20-30 minutes until the hot water ran out and STILL not be clean because he didn't actually bathe. Situation made worse because he also had three siblings waiting to bathe and now the water heater needed an hour or so to recover from being stone cold. It only took a few times and he improved and we moved on.
featherytoad 2 years ago
Once a week is wrong. Why not get in the shower and get wet, shut off the water and wash body and hair then turn water back on and rinse. I think this is doable for a teenage boy or even a man. Maybe doing it this way he could take more showers during the week. This is kind of what I do but a little differently because I'm a woman with long hair and I need to condition.
#4
Trust Game! Mom would hold knives to our necks sometimes and say "it ll all be over in a feeewwww minutes" or wake us up putting a pillow over our face and plugging our noses, same thing " it ll all be over in a fewww minutes" if we freaked out she get upset say we didn't trust her. Hence the trust game.
Jaekry 2 years ago
That's abuse... MAJOR abuse. I'm baffled.... Extremely toxic psychological abuse... wow.
Deborah B 2 years ago
If someone does this, you are completely justified in never trusting them ever.
Anita Leth Pedersen 2 years ago
You are completely justified in kicking their a*s
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A.E. Marlowe 2 years ago
Ayyye, sounds familiar! Pair this with the xiphoid process game and letting go of the wheel while driving and you're probably one of my sisters. Or that dead brother I never met
Something 2 years ago
It sounds like it was more of a plan than a fantasy. The "game" is designed to train the children not to scream or resist.
Load More Replies... #5
Normal parents take a toy away until their child's behavior improves, then returns the toy as a reward for good behavior.
My mother just took my stuff and never gave it back. She'd claim that we could 'earn' our toys back with extra chores and good grades, but she never followed through even though I was on honor roll every single semester. I was in college when the closet organizer in our hallway closet had a critical failure, so I came home to help move stuff. I found an entire box of my confiscated books and toys. I s**t you not, my mother picked up a beanie baby and looked at me sadly while she said, "I was waiting for you to earn this back." What, were you going to surprise me with after I walked the stage and got my diploma?
SaneMinotaur (she/her) 2 years ago
Control, by the sounds of it. My ex used to break our daughter's belongings if she woke him up too early. She was a toddler at the time.
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Patti Vance 2 years ago (edited)
i had a modified version of taking things away. if my son missed curfew i didn't take away his bike-only the front tire. if he didn't do his homework due to video games i didn't take away his system or his tv-just the ability to turn it on. to me, taking it away was too easy for him to forget the why. the worst thing i ever did, now that i look back was making him weed the garden and this revelation only came after he had grown. he had had an accident where he had severely broken his nose. he also had mild allergies. but, i didn't realize that when weeding the garden it exacerbated his allergies and he never mentioned it until way later. we had a moderate garden that i took care of but he didn't like working in the dirt. had i known that it was making it worse i would have figured something else out as i would never have wanted him to suffer like that. he told me that he figured that it was just as well because if he blew it enough to have to weed then he felt he deserved the runny/stuffy nose and runny eyes. i felt terrible.
Trenton House 2 years ago
My parents do the same thing, I have had stuff taken away for years and still don’t know where it is
PolymathNecromancer 2 years ago
Keep going, young one, one of the amazingly good things about all of this (often seemingly too much to us oldsters) connectedness these days via internet, et.al., is that we can be here for folks trying to find their way like you. Please keep going. We need you.
Load More Replies... Erica Politica 2 years ago
If anything, that taught you not to trust authority figures because they lie.
Hannah Dougherty 2 years ago
Yep. My mom used to gaslight and promis us things if we did something then when did it she would lie about it. To this day, she can't figure out why I don't trust her.
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Beth Dezarn 2 years ago
Geez, I'm sorry. That's awful. I never feel good enough and i can imagine you might also struggle with that.
Sakura kimshi 2 years ago
My mother would just burn up my belongings if i didn't get the grades she expected..
Catharina Geerts 1 year ago
My mother would not do that, but sometimes she took things when for a little while I didn't play much with it (maybe because of homework, or some other interest). Then, when I wanted to play with it again, it was gone, and my mother was like "you never played with it any more so I gave it to a poor kid", sometimes adding I 'had outgrown it anyway'
#6
I wasn't allowed to have boys phone or come calling for me because my mom didn't want me to turn out to be "some little s**t". Joke's on you, mom.
No. 2 years ago
My parents were huge on the "Don't sexulize children" but, starting in 2nd grade everytime I talked with a boy or they found out I wanted to go home early they'd always be the "Gotta get ready for that hot date?" Didn't tell them I didn't like men till I was in collage and they were across the country.
Maple Porkly 2 years ago (edited)
If a boy came around or called I was instantly labelled a slutty girl who must be sleeping with them. Since I had mostly guy friends I got grilled constantly. To make things worse I'd have inconsistent cycles so they'd accuse me of being pregnant. Proud to say, I was a virgin until I met my husband at 22 so...
Stay Off My Lawn 2 years ago
That time my mother tried to convince me that I could get pregnant from playing basketball at the park with my cousins. Talk about projecting your deep-rooted issues onto your children. And that in particular was weirdly specific.
Sakura kimshi 2 years ago
Pretty similar, im not allowed to have male friends..but i still do yeh idagf anymore :)
Your Neighborhood Alien 2 years ago
Ngl, I didn't realize the censored word was the one with the L until I looked at the original Reddit thread 😂
#7
We had a lock on the fridge and were never allowed to help ourselves to anything - you had to ask, usually the answer was 'no'.
I started buying junk food and hiding it in my closet - I think my father was completely clueless about growing teenage appetites and smoked, so his appetite was almost non-existent.
I struggle with binge eating to this day - I still love a good gorge, it means freedom and a giant middle finger to that lock on the fridge.
SaneMinotaur (she/her) 2 years ago
This is so incredibly sad. My parents kept the snacks in a locked cupboard in the garage; my sis picked the lock and they moved the snacks. My mum used to hoard food in her room, and one time I snuck in there and ate some of it; I got into soooo much trouble over that. I was like 9 at the time.
Lavender Oak 2 years ago
This sounds like my house, except it was my dad. He always had mini chocolate bars and cheez-its, from the bulk store so it was literally a 3lb box of crackers and 2lbs if chocolate. He was thin but my sis and I were fat, so we were only allowed certain things and ALLLLLL the snacks and junk was locked in a trunk. My mom would leave us each 1 snack for after school. Now in my 30s, I'm working with an endocrinologist because apparently I'm literally fat because of my cortisol levels. Not because of my eating. I barely eat and I'm obese, and my dad STILL won't accept that it's not my fault. Even though I've always been athletic and active, and I don't eat anything crazy in fact I am mostly vegetarian and love my veg. I found out in my 20s he struggled with bulimia himself in highschool. I was anorexic when I was 20 and nearly lost my life but lost my gallbladder and a kidney instead. But to my dad I'll forever be a fat, lying, "sneak eater".
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UpupaEpops 2 years ago
I'm taller than the average girl. This was pretty much my teenage years. They tried to feed a girl that is 140 when I was 170. I was constantly hungry, anemic, and used to faint fairly regularly due to low sugar. My Type 1 diabetic classmate took it upon himself to check my sugar and would ask people to take me to the infirmary when I was too weak to walk. But hey. Girls don't eat the way you do. As you can guess, the moment I had the opportunity to overeat, I did. Took me quite an effort to get back to a healthy weight and I still struggle with food from time to time.
brandyy17 2 years ago
my parents did this too. my parents however didnt want me overweight which was bad bc i was severely underweight. they got yelled at by my doctor but they barely changed the diet i was on and now i have some health issues bc i never got the proper diet growing up. it was like i was on a diet from the moment i turned 1 pretty much. i pig out if i was at a friends house and stuff which all my friends parents were fine with bc they knew my situation and were concerned but didnt want to confront my mom since it would result in me not being able to hang out with that friend at their house. regardless of that i was still underweight but at least looked healthier. also if we were in public or it was a holiday my mom would stay quiet bc well she didnt want ppl to kno how she really is and she didnt want my grandma yelling at her along with the rest of the family. to this day i still wonder how my mom never noticed i looked too thin for someone my height.
Punk Princess Sheena 2 years ago
This is clear cut abuse. I can't comprehend why a parent would want to starve their child.
DDmaybeandor 2 years ago
It’s not clear cut abuse to just have locks on the fridge, but this case seems to be. There are a variety of reasons parents might feel they have to lock up food, they still need to make sure the kid has enough to eat.
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Prentice Tompkins 2 years ago
We had a lock on our fridge growing up, too. I was always hungry as a kid, and very thin. We all were. They say that our love language is what we were denied as children, and it makes sense; my love language is feeding people.
Monosyllabic girl 2 years ago
One of my best friends ended up in a foster home when we were 15, her mom had a debilitating disease and couldn't take care of her and her sisters fully anymore. This foster home had bars on the windows and locks on the fridge and pantry. Tina was about 5'6" and probably weighed 110 lbs tops. I brought her extra food from home for lunch for her as they were only given a dry bologna sandwich and an apple or an orange. Once i started waitressing i started taking her for food on the walk home. Foster parents earn approx 800-900$ per month here per kid....she was probably costing 50$ a month to feed. And they wouldn't buy her new clothes when she outgrew hers so she started shoplifting and saying we gave the stuff to her. I turned 18 before her and got an apartment the next week (i had home problems) and had her get emancipated to move in with me asap.
AK to LV 2 years ago
I'm so glad your friend had someone in her life looking out for her.😊🌻
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DuchessDegu 2 years ago
My parents had the rule that if we wanted treats/sweets/ice cream etc, we had to share with the other siblings. They didn't buy a lot of sweets (on purpose) so we were careful to make whatever it was to last all week
Pillowarmidiloroku 2 years ago
My parents have a lock on our fridge and it’s unpick-able it’s passcode and we are not allowed in the pantry at all
Happy Panda 2 years ago
My parents don't put lock on the fridge, but they always refused to buy the food that we want to eat or have a craving for. Hence why I feel rather impulsive when buying junk food as well, because I missed out A LOT on them growing up.
Auntriarch 2 years ago
Me too. But the twist in the tail is that I recently caught my mother hiding biscuits and ice creams that she had bought. She didn't do that when I was younger (I would have known, I looked everywhere). So I just said, if you need it, you need it. But I did feel a bit sad for her
Load More Replies... Erica Politica 2 years ago
Sorry to hear that. To the contrary, we were poor, but had plenty of sweets in the house and free access to it. I still struggle with eating healthy today because I did not have a good foundation.
#8
My parents are pretty much hoarders so we would get in trouble for cleaning. My mom always blamed our house being messy on her just being "too busy" so once in junior high I thought I would surprise her and have the whole kitchen clean when she got home. I cleared all the piles off the counters, threw away a bunch of decades-old magazines, and took out like 2 giant bags of trash. When she got home she was NOT pleased, but panicked, and promptly went digging outside in the trash can to bring the stuff back in. :/
wifeofweasley 2 years ago
This is a mental illness - it's so hard for people to let go of stuff. Some people who suffer can clearly see what's wrong with them but can't help them self nor get help by professional. The others don't even see an issue with their behavior
Rebelliousslug 2 years ago
My mother is a border line hoarder, I think if my dad wasn’t around it would be out of control. Hers stems from childhood when her family was poor and she didn’t have things she needed, like shampoo and feminine hygiene products. So now she buys extra everything. She has a closet and multiple dressers of clothes she doesn’t wear. As long as she’s able to keep it clean and organized (the way she likes it too) we don’t really give her a hard time about it because we understand why she does it. It’s sad that those feelings never leave you, even after 60 years.
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Jasam Nitko 2 years ago
I have a hoarder in my life and it took me decades to learn how to deal with it. You going in and throwing away things for them is like you going in and killing their pets. It's traumatic for them.
Sue User 2 years ago
Thanks. Grew up poor and now i save plastic containers, bags, twist ties, scraps of soap, old clothes I never wear. I know I dont need them all but hard to give up habit. Had a boyfriend " help me out" and threw bunch stuff out. I felt violated. Working on it and my current SO will gently say " its getting a bit messy, shall we go through stuff" ? Then we set it aside and week later, it goes.
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Cynthia Kelly 2 years ago
I am the opposite of a hoarder--- and this can be just as traumatic for kids... Every 6 months, rain or shine, anything that hasn't been used or worn, got tossed... EVERYTHING IN THE HOUSE. My son finally had a conversation with me after he moved out at 18 years old about how much he hated that I would go room by room and throw away everything I classified as disposable--- even if it was sentimental to him or his sister. I lost of a lot of their keepsakes- because to me, they were a representation of events that were concluded and just clutter. I never realized it was such a problem and it has taken me years to work on keeping "mementos (grandkids report cards, macaroni pictures, small keepsakes, etc)", even though I want to throw them out.
AK to LV 2 years ago
My father is similar. He isn't sentimental but he forgets that others in the family are. We've had to save more than a few things that he tried to throw out.
Load More Replies... DDmaybeandor 2 years ago
Oh no, as a child of a hoarder I understand. It’s frustrating and I bet you were caught off guard. Imagine trying to do something so nice and labor intensive and being met with that reaction. I’m sorry that happened, it’s not your fault.
Beth Dezarn 2 years ago
Aww your mom has a serious problem. That's hard to live with as a child.
MarcyParlomerNerdGirlsRock 2 years ago
Yes, but I think I’d be pretty pissed off if someone threw a lot of stuff out of my room. Most of it would be trash and yes, I’d be thankful, but then again my parents cleaned out my room and accidentally disposed of my electric watch once. :/ so I think this person is an extreme case of hoarding and she needs to be fixed, but for normal people maybe it’s better to do the clean-up WITH them watching so no important stuff gets tossed out.
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Jan Bowyer 2 years ago
My mother in law was an extreme hoarder. I found this out when I offered to help her with some chores. The average person would be grateful for the help. A hoarder sees it as an invasion or even an assault, hard as that is to believe. Tidying up for them is a genuine threat. Only THEY can change their behavior, which rarely happens.
Ginger Grumpybunny 2 years ago
As a hoarder myself, I agree. Some hoarders don't see a problem with their situation or want to change, while some (like me) do want to improve but struggle with it for many reasons, including reluctance to accept help (especially if there is a history of people imposing rather than offering what they mistakenly perceive to be help). I wish more people had your understanding of the issue.
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Alaina Bleakley 2 years ago
I feel that my mom is one as well. Whenever I needed to clean even just my own room I would bring a friend over to have my back when she started freaking out
🧶𝔹𝕚𝕥𝕔𝕙 𝕂𝕟𝕚𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣🪡 2 years ago
My grandma was sick and dying so I lived with her and my grandfather throughout highschool to help out. My grandfather is a hoarder, a REALLY bad one, and my grandma was having a hard time walking and moving around the house so one day while he was at work, she enlisted me to help clean and declutter the living room. I threw out a bunch of old a*s PC magazines from the early 90s (this occurred ~2007) and a bunch of other nasty a*s trash he'd been collecting. When he got home, he was so mad he threw a TV at my head and then headed down the street to rifle through the dumpster and retrieve what he could 🙄 The worst part was my grandma blaming herself "cuz [she] should've taken it further away from the house".
Evi Grimes 2 years ago
That's really sad. My landlord is a hoarder. When we got this house from her, we spent several weeks cleaning out waist high junk that had been sitting throughout the rooms for six years, as the house had been abandoned. We were in a dire situation and weren't able to rent any other place, or that would not have happened. While we cleaned it up, she would claim "keep that" on 99% of it, claiming she wanted to take it home to go through it. Like lady, it has mouse s**t all over it. Eventually she stopped helping, and we stopped saving the destroyed s**t for her. At the moment, I believe she has three storage units, a utility trailer, and still our attic and our garage full of her s**t. Let alone her other house. Technically, she is breaking the lease by not renting us the entire property. Her f*****g car is still in the garage. Thanks for hearing my rant lmao.
roses are red 2 years ago
To quote Msrian Moore, my sister and I are clutterbugs, our parents were too. But having helped clean up two houses of 'clutterbugs ' it was borderline hoarding...things that were obviously rubbish, and in huge quantities, were kept...till I threw them out, much to the homeowners dismay. They gave an explanation why the kept said rubbish, I showed them other options already in the house...eg, they kept yougury and plastic takeaway containers to keep leftovers in, but there was a cupboard of Tupperware, excuse was they could never find a lid to match. Spent the next day washing Tupperware and matching lids...no more excuses. Sadly next visit, more 'rubbish', gave up. habits are hard to break. Hoarding needs professional help. Feel sorry for any child growing up in the environment.
#9
Until the age of 13 myself and siblings each had to take baths with dad to ensure we cleaned everywhere.
SaneMinotaur (she/her) 2 years ago (edited)
Geez, my 9y/o showers by herself. Creeeeeepy perverted dad.
Cyber Returns 2 years ago
Later, Daddy was taken away by some men calling themselves officer, and he was wearing silver bracelets with a charm in the middle that connected them together. Daddy still hasn't come home
#10
My parents wouldn't let me do anything with friends if they felt I had "done enough that week" or "didn't need to" even when I hadn't done anything at all that particular week. My friends started calling it the fun meter. "Wanna come play basketball at the park or is your fun meter full this week?"
Chucky Cheezburger 2 years ago
I feel this. My parents would arbitrarily let me go out with friends. No reason or rhyme to it.
perfect pikachu 2 years ago
my parents let me have sleepovers all the time, as long as it doesnt take place when we have a busy weekend or plans or stuff like that. or if its a school night. ok now im getting sidetracked... sorry.
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Rosy Maple Moth 2 years ago
Sadly, I know many parents who control their kids’ freetime because “they had done enough and need to relax” or - even worse - they “need to do more studying”. How will those kids ever know what’s good for them once they’ve grown up if they never got to decide for themselves as children?
Happy Panda 2 years ago
This is sort of relatable for me. I had a best friend back in 7th grade. We had very similar interests so we became close really quick. Anyway, I started to hang out at ex best friend's house after working on a Science project together, maybe it was about 2 or 3 times, when my parents felt like I was hanging out with her a little too much. The last time I hung out with her, we saw my parents' vehicle entering her driveway. I was surprised as I already told them when they should fetch me, but they just came by unannounced early. Confused, I went to them and asked why, but they just told me to get in the car. They spoke a little bit with my friend's parents. When they were done, my parents got back in the car and then, they told me how it was inappropriate for me to come to their house so many times. Until today, I don't think 2 to 3 times is a lot, to be honest. Anyway, that's one of the reasons why we are not friends anymore.
Pillowarmidiloroku 2 years ago
Fr my parents say like I have to clean the whole house because they “let” me go out with my friends for 30 min
Pankaj Sharma 2 years ago
I can relate to this. My parents never let me out with my friends and now I don't have friends.
DDmaybeandor 2 years ago
Yup, my parents were the same way. My kid is involved in everything now and has every opportunity I can give him if he wants to take advantage of it.
#11
Not a rule, just something that I never realized was weird until I was an adult. My mom had a phobia of needles, so she managed to find a dentist who didn't believe in giving novocaine shots. For any reason. Didn't even use that numbing gel.When you had a cavity, and needed to have your teeth drilled, he would just tell you to hold onto his assistant's hand, and squeeze when it hurt. Thank God, none of us ever needed to have a tooth pulled. As a result, I developed a phobia of dentists, and after I left my parents house at 18, waited 23 years, before I ever got up the nerve to go to a dentist again. When I finally did, they were shocked. The hygienist said, "Your teeth are beautiful. You don't even have any cavities." I said "I know. I do everything in my power to avoid having to come see you people."
GoldenRhino 2 years ago
I grew up with the same dentist experience… still have to get full anaesthesia or laughing gas for the most minor things. Thanks mom!
Carol Emory 2 years ago
I hated Novocaine needles too. Maybe because a dentist once convinced my mother that I needed to have 5 teeth pulled when I was 7 because my teeth would come in crooked otherwise. Guess what...my teeth came in crooked anyway. Then my mom saw in the paper that the same dentist was arrested after scamming the government for non-existent surgeries in order to support his cocaine habit.
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Very bored 2 years ago
For me, it is still a nightmare. I am immune to most anaesthesia/numbing medicine/painkillers and need a double dose. NO DENTIST EVER BELIEVED ME! They usually say I am making it up when I complain about pain. No other doctor has problems believing me, just dentists.
Xenon 2 years ago
Do you have red hair by any chance? Redheads don't respond to pain killers very well, usually need twice the dose. Few doctors are aware of this.
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Michael Largey 2 years ago
One day on a dentist appointment when I was rather young, the dentist decided that it was time for one of my last baby teeth to come out. Then he made two false assumptions. (1) That he could take in out with one good yank and with no pain killer, and (2) that he did not have to tell me in advance what he intended to do. When he died years later, I'm sure the bite marks from my teeth were quite visible on his fingers.
Winter Eleven 2 years ago
Every dentist I've had (so far) dismissed me staying the numbing things don't work. Yes i can feel the needle and everything all the time. They pulled out my tooth like with the numbing thing but since it didn't work... I was held down by three of them. Still didn't work, i yelled so hard the patients in the halls got freaked out. That s**t hurt. I was 12 or 13 at the time and i still hate every dentist i see even if i haven't met them. My social phobia is still off the charts
Lyne Smith 2 years ago
OMG! Thought I was the only one! I had a bad reaction to the novacaine once so my parents decided I was allergic ( turns out years later got tested and I'm not) so the first cavity I had after the dentist drilled with no anesthesia whatsoever. The experience was so painful and traumatic that I never went back. I now have a full plate upper and a lower partial. Still get the cold sweats when I have to go and any procedure requires sedation. Childhood trauma lasts forever
Detective Miller's Hat 2 years ago
Yep, I grew up with a similar dentist. Thank goodness I never had to have anything drilled, but he did once yank a tooth without anesthesia and without warning. Now I need to be heavily sedated for trips to the dentist, on the off chance I have no choice but to see a dentist because that sh*t's expensive when you have no insurance.
Hoody Hoo 2 years ago
My childhood dentist told all the parents that Novocaine would stunt our growth as the reason he wouldn't use it. I cried the first time I got a filling as an adult, because IT DIDN'T HURT. My adult dentist was like, well, I know which pediatric dentist you saw, that guy's a monster.
Roland 2 years ago
I feel this. When I was 12, my mum talked to a dentist who said my slightly crumbled teeth were "edge case". From then on zero f*cks were given, so it became very bad. No dentist visits, no attention, nothing. I'm now 36, got braces, good oral health, routine, checkups etc. Took me at least a decade to overcome my fears to see a dentist as an adult.
#12
"You eat everything you're served". So if they put a whole lot of food on our plate, and we had already eaten enough and were not hungry anymore, we would have to stay on the table until we were done.
Jaekry 2 years ago (edited)
Took me hours.... Mom guilt tripping me (with "other children in the world are starving, how dare you.)... The times I was 4 hours at the table were plentiful, picking my food, then finally giving in. Then rewarded with doing the dishes at 10 or 11 at night... I wasn't even a teen.
Wesley Stewart 2 years ago
Wait. This is gonna sounds weird. That ain't normal? That's been happening to me all my life man.
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Fish Fingers 2 years ago
"You'll sit there until you eat it and enjoy it if it takes till bloody midnight". Even if it was something they knew I didn't like. Thirty odd years later I still have a list of foods I can't stand, and hate it when people joke about it 'oh go on, just one sprout' etc.
Carol Emory 2 years ago
This was our house. Found myself over eating regularly. Now, as an adult, I can't stand the thought of leaving uneaten food on the plate. But trying to break the habit since I know that is what caused most of my weight issues.
Jasam Nitko 2 years ago
The thing that annoys me the most was that dad would tell us about how he was forced to eat everything on his plate as a kid and that he threw up, on several occasions, and he still did the same thing to us kids. He had been there, he knew it was pointless and he still did it. It also triggered the eating disorder that I've struggled with all my life.
Garry Cowan 2 years ago
Don't tell my mum but I had to put whatever it was that couldn't eat into my pocket and sneak it into the toilet to flush the evidence..I love you mum but cooking just isn't your strong point
Lou Cam 2 years ago (edited)
Being made to eat everything on your plate is just a springboard to an eating disorder. I'm also including obesity and binge eating here as these are defined as eating disorders, not just anorexia and bulimia. People who can't self regulate their appetites either end up with food addictions or extreme food intake control.
Trillian 2 years ago
This is how people develop eating disorders. I am very happy my mom always fought to let us eat what and how much we wanted. (Lots of people, including her mom, disagreed with her but she stood up to them.)
Lady Lava 1 year ago (edited)
Your mom is a wise woman, and courageous when she stood up for you! Fortunately, I was also never forced to empty my plate. My SO was, and has a complicated relation with food and trouble maintaining a healthy weight. At out home, the rule for our daughter is that she has to eat at least a bite of everything on the plate, but after that she's free to eat as much or as little as she wants. She has a healthy appetite, especially now she's growing so fast, but also knows well when she had enough.
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LapCat 2 years ago (edited)
My biologocal dad did this to me at a restaurant once when I was 6 or 7. I couldn’t finish an adult sized meal of fish and chips, but since he threatened and started getting angry with me, I managed to do it somehow. I puked it all up as soon as we got outside. Then he dragged me back in and made me tell the manager what happened so I said, all crying and embarrassed, “I threw up!” And my dad got his free coupon.
#13
I was raised in a fundy Christian household. Though our media options were limited to veggie tales and the like, we always had to ask before watching any video. Usually, the answer was a simple yes or no. But this one time, I was around 14 and asked my dad if I could watch Winnie the Pooh (it was for my little siblings, but I was bored). He told me, dead serious, that he needed to pray about it. Right there, he asked God for wisdom in deciding whether I should watch it or not. I stood there just trying to figure out if he was messing with me. He was not. After about a minute, he looks at me and says, "I guess that would be okay."
Felix Grace 2 years ago (edited)
I know we see a lot of extreme and negative examples of faith, but don't write it off as a mental disorder. That's just plain rude. the people who uses religion against others is the problem, not the religion itself (for the most part).
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brandyy17 2 years ago
i saw nightmare of elm street wen i was 3 bc my babysitter fell asleep infront of the tv. i thought he was a weird clown but still. it gave me my love for horror years later and my parents hated it. they would block any channel with horror or scifi on it. i found out the code and would watch watever i wanted anyways but still. they claimed horror and sci fi movies and tv shows would make me crazy and turn me into some psycho like i see in those movies. my mom was the psycho one honestly its a movie and a movie wont make me want to eat kids souls or murder the world or watever.
Some guy 2 years ago
"Movies don't create psychos. Movies make psychos more creative!" -- psycho killer in "Scream"
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Rider 2 years ago
Great, I just got the veggietales song out of my head and now it's back. Time to text more lyrics to my sister, her kids were the ones who watched it so she gets to suffer with me. 😈
Bender Bending Rodríguez 2 years ago
Let me help you get veggietales song out of your head.. ready. Here we go. Baby shark, doo doo doo doodoo doo doo doo doodoo doo...
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SirDigbyChickenCaesar 2 years ago
The kids I knew in school that had really strict religious parents, ended up having addiction and depression issues. Many of them are still not okay now that we are in our 40s. The kids that had more freedom and reasonable guidance from their parents are mostly doing fine. This kind of thing is toxic and is part of why I avoid religion.
#14
Juice always had to be watered down to 50%.
It wasn't a bad rule--saves calories and money--but it totally blew my mind when I found out that other families drink orange juice *full strength*.
Sue Bradley 2 years ago
Pure juice of any kind is bad for you - soo much sugar!!! A small glass isn't too bad but not loads of it :(
Headless Roach 2 years ago
For that reason exactly *if I ever* drink juice, I water it down. It tastes better to me too then.
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Nitka Tsar 2 years ago (edited)
Do it with carbonated water and you get Germanys national drink „Schorle“. Although we do it mostly with apple juice. You can get Apfelschorle (apple juice + carbonated water) in every store and restaurant in Germany, even if the restaurant is chinese or indian or whatever. Yes in McDonalds too.
Currentlylost 2 years ago
Oh my gosh I thought I was the only one! For the longest time I thought I didn’t like juice. At a friends house I finally had “real juice” and it blew my mind. I had no idea my mom was watering my drinks down so I wanted the “kind of juice” my friend had. Now that I look back I realize it was for my health because it’s too much sugar and liquid calories are the hardest for your body.
Karen Meyer 2 years ago
Mom would always make the frozen concentrate with at least one or two extra cans of water added. But not for her brandy slush-that was got extra brandy.
Tams21 2 years ago
Juice is great for getting vitamins but terrible for teeth. This neither bizarre or questionable but perfectly reasonable.
BlueCat 2 years ago
Nah, it's bizarre and unreasonable. Why bother buying juice if you're going to water it down that much? Just buy fruit instead.
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Pink_Boba22 2 years ago
juice I can understand, but THIS? ughhhhhh. To each their own ig 🤢
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Brittany Jewell 2 years ago
Okay, I have to comment on this one. For my younger kids I do water down juice. Apple, orange, fruit ect. The reason is the amount of sugar in fruit juices. For my three year old I put it in her sippy cup and then add water. For my five year old not so much anymore. For my eleven year old I don't water it down at all. (He also gets his own juice/Kool aid/ water) That being said, my kids don't drink soda. My eleven year old can have sprite or sweet tea when we eat out. I'm trying to teach my children good habits and drinking a soda with eat meal is not healthy. When they are thirsty they are free to drink as much water as they want/need. Mealtimes is when we all have juice/lemonade/tea ect. I admit it is weird but it really is with the intention to teach them healthy habits and it's also based on age. As my eldest grows there is more variety and less control so that he learns how to make those decisions.
#15
No one was allowed to s**t in our house. We had a large house and all 4 of us had our own restrooms. There was this little girl with special needs I used to play with when I was little and once she had to use the restroom. My mom asked me where she was and I said she's in the bathroom. My mom walked in on the poor girl mid-s**t and told her to go home and finish.
PattonPawter 2 years ago
for those confused if you go to the source link then OP clarifies that no outsiders were allowed to s**t in OP’s house.
Splash Bach 2 years ago
Where did you s**t then? Nextdoor neighbour, garden, local sport centre?
Stephanie Did It 2 years ago
My father and his wife (he was not involved in my childhood) had a septic tank for their home. They kept a sign in the bathroom which said "Nothing in the toilet that you didn't eat" and "all paper goes in the trash can." This applied to company as well. They bragged that while most septic tanks had to be pumped out once a year, they could stretch theirs five years. When our father died, my brother went to their home and found their garage completely stuffed with trash bags full of sh*tty toilet paper.
NotTodaySatan!! 2 years ago
Where/who has to have their septic tank pumped out on a yearly basis? What are y'all eating??
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Brindle Nutter 2 years ago
Mega super a$$hole mom/parents. I'd poop on their bed, would serve them right
Jessica Bertram 2 years ago
where did everyone in the house GO when they needed to shït? the neighbors' houses?
#16
My dad had several weird ones to this day I still don't understand. I wasn't allowed to read at the table while I was eating or drinking. Even if I was completely by myself drinking coffee, if he walked in on me he would berate me for having a 'toy' at the table. No one in the family was allowed to drink at the counter in the kitchen. I have a habit of just draining a glass of water and pouring myself a second one. I didn't see the point of filling a glass, going to sit down, spend about a minute drinking, and then getting back up just to refill the glass. I tend to drain most drinks in a matter of seconds, so I got into the habit of just drinking at the counter. First time my dad saw me doing this he lost it yelling at me about how it wasn't normal and to sit down at the table while I drank. Reading books before bedtime was forbidden. Everyone in the house throughout the day has to be 'productive'. Reading is for right before you go to bed. Finish all your chores before everyone else? F**k you, your brother/sister is still cleaning, you're just being lazy by sitting down to read a book! He also had major issues with me just reading in general, even for class assignments. I actually had a full on argument with him a couple of times about The Great Gatsby and Catcher in the Rye I was reading for my English Lit class. He was trying to prevent me from reading them, but I shot back I had too because it counted towards my grade. The entire class also took a huge test on each book, so NOT reading wasn't an option. Yeah, he was a bizarre person. Suffice to say we don't talk anymore.
Emmydearest 2 years ago
The "duty before pleasure" policy makes sense until he said he had completed all his chores but he couldn't relax because he had to help his sibling completing their chores. It's really stupid, to be honest. It's just going to make the kids work slowly so they won't be the first to finish and have to do more work. If I still have to work after I've done my work how can I be motivated to work faster? It really makes no sense, parents' wise.
PolymathNecromancer 2 years ago
This undercurrent in my life destroyed me after awhile, now I can hardly do things I love and am very skilled at because I have no sense of work/rest balance and am terrified of overdoing it again because I may not survive it next time, it sucks
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Reta Murphy 2 years ago
My father only had a 6th grade education and I think dyslexia. He taught himself to read. Always made sure we had books available. He did get his GED when he was in his 50's and went and took college courses to be a home inspector. I didn't agree with him on pretty much everything but did get my love of reading from him.
Robert Trebor 2 years ago (edited)
I was in a restaurant sometime back, and I was alone, and I was reading. I heard an "Excuse me", and a woman who had been sitting across from me with a couple of kids, was standing there and when I looked up she said don't you know that it's rude to read while you're eating? I gave a little nod, and went back to my reating and eading. Then I realized that she was still standing there, so I looked up again and she said “Please put that away, it's rude. You're setting a bad example for my children.” So I said, “Please go away.” She went somewhere, apparently to speak to the manager, to no avail. So, she came back and sat down with her children, and for the rest of the time that I was there in the restaurant she sat there and stared at me with a furious look on her face. I was tickled by how rude she was and how she didn't apparently even know it. I do think it's rude to read, or to browse on the phone, when I'm sitting at the table with other people.
KittyMommy 2 years ago
She'd lose her mind around me, lol. When I'm dining alone I always have a book to read
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Evi Grimes 2 years ago
Be careful, reading might lead to imagination and individual thought. We wouldn't want that.
#17
I wasn't allowed to say anything my parents didn't like - it would result in an immediate grounding or "fine" from my allowance. As for rules, no sleeping past 10 am. Ever. All chores must be done before going out or doing anything. Only one hour of T.V per evening and only one dessert per week. One hour of internet at a time (this was early 2000ish) and only if my dad wasn't using the computer (he always was). Now for the weird ones... - no farting - no ketchup on potatoes or eggs - no more than a tablespoon or so of a condiment at any given time - no hiccups - if you had hiccups, no eating or drinking (edit: or speaking) - no being "hyper" - ever. - no getting angry - no using the washroom upstairs - no speaking during T.V shows at all (on the rare occasion that I was allowed to watch T.V upstairs). And the pièce de résistance... - (For a year or so) no using the word I
Baali Venomax 2 years ago
They probably wouldn't if it wasn't REQUIRED for females to have kids and get married in some places because thats their sole function for their existence. Thus it doesnt surprise me that you end up with all these toxic families that should not have existed in the first place because the parents didnt have the correct psychological mindset to breed.
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Lara Verne 2 years ago
Not that any of these "rules" are reasonable, but not using the word I? That's crazy, how were you suposeed to talk?
Øptimist 2 years ago
really have no clue how, honestly though the way my comment doesn't use that letter, do be somewhat notable, however a year of no use of that letter would be crazy.. (I was STRUGGLING with this comment-)
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Honu 2 years ago
I was raised it was rude to do that among other people IF you could help it. Leave the room if you can. Of course, sometimes it just happens and it's not like we'd get in trouble for it. If you were doing it in an obnoxious way to increase the annoyance, then that would've been a problem.
Load More Replies... Pink_Boba22 2 years ago
This is by far one of the worst ones I have seen. No HICCUPS? You can't control that! And no saying 'I'????
Zia Barrett 2 years ago
I guess "we would like something to eat please", or something to that effect. It sounds really odd.
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David 2 years ago
Most of this is weird. The "can't use this bathroom" one I kind of get. I didn't let my grandkids use my master bathroom without specific permission. They would trash the other bathroom. They would go through the cabinets and get into stuff they should not get into. I kept the chemicals that could cause serious injury (like the toilet bowl cleaner) in my bathroom. The list goes on but the point is it wasn't about being a control freak. It was about sanity and child safety.
Maple Porkly 2 years ago (edited)
I had the same "no going out until homework or chores were done" rule but I also had "no going out close to or after dinner" rule as well. Basically no going out on weekdays. On weekends I'd work with them for most of the day either at their job (cleaning apartments) or doing more chores in the house. So I'd get maybe an hour a week to play with anyone outside the house. Oh, and no friends allowed at the house at any time. These rules only applied to the girls in the house (so just me); my younger brothers could do as they pleased.
Evi Grimes 2 years ago
We weren't allowed to sleep past 8 am, even during summer break. If mom came in from her workshop at 8:30 and you're still in bed she would tell you you're sleeping the day away. She's a go-getter. I am not. Running out of time is a legitimate fear for me though.
ILoveMySon 2 years ago
Oh no.😨 I truly felt my son should trust his body and sleep when he was tired. He is very active in sports, has a job and graduating a year early from college. Listen to your body. You ARE NOT lazy for sleeping. Everyone has different sleep requirements as well.
Load More Replies... wifeofweasley 2 years ago
I fully agree with the no ketchup on eggs or potatoes (expept the potatoes are chips)
Jan Bowyer 2 years ago
But shouldn't that be an individual's choice? Like many of the other stories here, this is just bullying control from parents who need psychiatric help.
Load More Replies... #18
I wasn't allowed to sleep over at friends' houses until I was almost in middle school. Why? Because my mother was afraid that we would play Russian Roulette.
Poeha 2 years ago (edited)
My sons weren't allowed, because their dad said I don't know these parents. Maybe the guy is a rapist. But when it was with more kids it was no problem, so I just lied that all the kids stayed after a party, so he could sleep over at his friends' house. I found out why he was so extreme. I thought it was because a woman tried to kidnap him as a kid, but his mom was raped by her dad, so he was never allowed to sleep somewhere and he thought that was normal, so he thought it was dangerous for our kids too.
Carol Emory 2 years ago
I wasn't allowed to have friends for sleep over. Apparently my sister had gone over the allotment for those when we were growing up. My mother constantly complained that they were too giggly or just too energetic. She had a low tolerance for people actually enjoying themselves.
Rose the Cook 2 years ago
She actually thought they left guns lying around for kids to play with?
Nikki Angulo 2 years ago
Pretty sure that would be more likely as they got older, not the other way around!
Erica Politica 2 years ago
Hmm... I'm really interested to hear the backstory behind her belief.
#19
Here's a christmas-y one for ya'll! No christmas presents after you turn 12 - t'was okay since we barely got presents from my mum (who we lived with) and my dad (I don't think I had even seen him in 4 years at the time.) BUT THEN... she spread the rule to my abuelita and grandpa (the only other people we got presents from.) ugh. Oh and we also had to make all our own food since we were 13 which made me take to only binge eating at lunch and nothing else all day. Oh AANNDD she would hurt our pets if they hurt her. I mean like if a cat ever scratched her (wow really who woulda thought cats do that?) she would scream really loud and bite the cat. Fun fact: I've never had a full punch on with anyone other than my mum...maybe my sister but ya know...kids.
wifeofweasley 2 years ago
The cat one is the worst one! It's still just an animal and just reading that the mom hurt the kitty hurts my heart.
Rebelliousslug 2 years ago (edited)
I don’t know I think the mom full on punching the kid is pretty bad too. I’m normally an animals first type of person but kids don’t deserve to be physically abused either. I would never let my mom watch my daughter when she was little because her father and I had a no spanking rule, and she was a great kid so it was easy. I knew my mom would still do it and I wouldn’t take that chance.
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OwenHasADHD 2 years ago
I know everyone is mad about the cat one but no Christmas presents after you turn 12??
ILoveMySon 2 years ago
Thank you! I am by FAR more concerned about the child.
Load More Replies... #20
Not I, but my father's stepmother used to make he and my aunt clean up the living room, kitchen, and dining room while her and her "real children" were taken to McDonalds, every Friday. The most f****d up thing is, my father said that the first time she made them clean up, she said that her and the two step-siblings would switch off every week as to who would clean and who would go to McDonalds. He said he doesn't ever remember going to McDonalds. Neither does my aunt. He was 7, she was 12.
Meebumitches 2 years ago
I treated my step kids like my own. No longer with their mom, over 10 years now. None of the three speak to their mother and 2 out of three don't speak to their father either. My stepson (M24) recently asked me for permission to change his last name to mine as he doesn't want to be associated with either birth parent.
Rebelliousslug 2 years ago
My sister made my little niece do all the cleaning for the entire household, her mom, two brothers and herself, then much later a little sister who she always had to care for. As my niece got older and realized it wasn’t fair, my sister started promising to pay her or take her somewhere or but her something she wanted but she rarely followed through (like 15% of the time). The worst part is, she’d take my nephews and buy them toys and games and still wouldn’t get my niece anything. She started making my daughter clean with my niece for hours and my daughter didn’t want to go over there anymore and I fully supported her. My sister had the nerve to get mad at us and forever ruined her relationship with my daughter.
Diana Pahule 2 years ago
I'm sorry why didn't you step up for your niece?
Load More Replies... Monosyllabic girl 2 years ago
I had a friend who only bought her youngest kid McDonald's. (That's one reason of many it's a former friend.) I think they were 12, 11 and 7 at the time. I was disgusted by this and started taking the older 2 shopping, giving them nice clothes that didn't fit me, and bringing only the older 2 treats. I just told them to keep it to themselves so i wasn't creating the same situation backwards.
The Forgotten Loser 2 years ago
My dads ex-gf did something similar to me and my brother when we were younger. She would make us clean all the time. She would also make us SHARE her daughters bed while the daughter would get the living room. (Me and my brother were 9 and 7 at the time, while the ex's daughter was 4 or 5.) My dad only went with it because she was giving him a place to live and food to eat.
Annette Easton 2 years ago
Sounds like one of my partner's former stepmother's (his dad went through a few of them). This particular one had all the kids (I think it was 2 of her own bio kids and my partner) out one day, bought ice cream for her bio kids and none for partner but told the bio kids to be sure to tell him how good the ice cream once. Just sick.
Cheeky chicken 2 years ago
I don't know why, cos all of these are so very sad, but this one and the picture it put in my head, made me fill up. I hope the op and his sister now go to maccas every Friday and any other day they feel like it
#21
Only 3 sheets of toilet paper allowed per visit. This included if you went number 2. I swear my mum used to stand outside and listen and she just knew when I used more and I would get yelled at and the door nearly broken down. This ran into my teens.
John Carr 2 years ago
Feed her a large dose of laxatives and then hand her 3 sheets.....see how she likes it. Bloody psycho!
Lou Cam 2 years ago
Oh I'd love to be there for that....not in the bathroom itself but in the house so I could her her pleas whilst satan himself crawled out her behind. I'd hand her newspaper instead of toilet roll. Deal with that!
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Debbie 2 years ago
Due to something I need quite a lot of sheets before I am clean after a no2 usually... 3 sheets would hardly be enough after peeing. And when on period... brrr having to think that I'd have to pull my panties up while still being dirty on all sides.
Seadog 2 years ago
In the words of the late Jay Hickman, "I've got enough hair on my a** to weave an Indian blanket" 3 sheets ain't gonna get it done.
Load More Replies... David 2 years ago
Must have been hell for a teenage girl on her period - and pooping - and deciding where to allot those precious three sheets. School security sees you acting suspicious and pulls you aside. You break down in tears and cop to having taken an extra six sheets of TP out of the school bathroom.
Rose the Cook 2 years ago
Once worked with a woman who insisted her kids use only one sheet and really did listen.
Z Alexi 2 years ago
And your colleague bragged about this? omfg. Read where~~"for environmental reasons"~~actress Cameron Diaz advised all to "use only 4 sheets of toilet paper." Haven't seen her films since.
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Ches Yamada 2 years ago
My grandfather (we lived with him) would say "1 sheet for number one and 2 for number two is ALL you need". My mother backed him up. Let's just say I had extremely heavy periods and there was no way even a full handful was enough.
The Forgotten Loser 2 years ago
My mom used to put toilet paper in tiny ziplock bags, one for each person in the household. The bags would only have five squares and if we used our squares up, we couldn't go to the bathroom until the next day. It was my moms really bad attempt to save money.
Some guy 2 years ago
Hell, just paying for all those baggies would ruin that plan!
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KnightOwl 2 years ago (edited)
I hate when people complain about stuff like this. My dad used to rant about how much loo roll our family used, every time he had to buy more. We would argue that it was his fault for having so many kids (8) and that we used as much as we needed to get clean. No matter what arguments we had or how valid they were, he still freaked every time. (Eg. Would you rather we all walked around smelling of s**t? Do you really want to wash the s**t stained underwear of 10 people every day? Maybe if you didn't buy the cheapest, thinest paper possible, we'd use less 🤷♀️) Us 8 kids were very close in age with around a year between each of us, so the teen years were a nightmare. (3 teenage boys and 5 menstrating teenage girls but he still constantly complained and tried to make us feel bad for using too much!)
#22
That 'the man' was watching us (my sister and I as kids).
Not santa, literally 'the man'.
So say if we were playing up, they'd go 'you'd better stop that, he's watching' and we'd quit immediately for the impending dread this man would bring. How f*****g creepy is that?
Proud Mommy 2 years ago
Sad to say/…this did happen to us. same thing we would quiet down. only difference was "this man" that was referred to was actually real, we call him the boogey man. Cultural thing. He is real parents would call him for kids who were misbehaving, disobedient ....basically at their wits end. The last resort.
Jake Lewis 2 years ago
My grandma stayed with us for a while and would freak out if we turned the TV on because she thought the CIA was watching us through it.
Evi Grimes 2 years ago
Our kids: "Mom, are the gods watching everything we do?" Me: *laughs* "Odin doesn't give a s**t what you do sweetie" 😂
Peta Hurley-Hill 2 years ago
No different to being constantly told that "God" or "Jesus is watching" ,and "Sees everything you do".
God 2 years ago
Yeah but you are taught that Jesus is good and loves everyone so you don't feel scared that he's watching. Whereas "the man" was likely never described so they have no idea if his intentions were good or bad
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Jose Cabanas 2 years ago
Yup, the foundation of pretty much ever fairly tale most people don't realize how grim they all use to be. This type of stories where use to help children behave, my Mexican heritage is full of stories and far better characters than "the man" for sure, lol =XD
#23
No saying "no." As long as someone asks kindly you have to say yes.
Rahul Pawa 2 years ago
Kids need to learn that they can say no and it will be respected. They're practicing boundaries.
TheDemonicCat 2 years ago (edited)
Why not! Any side effects I should be aware of?
Load More Replies... Maple Porkly 2 years ago
This is a dangerous thing to teach a child, especially girls. So many people will take advantage
Steve Kenney 2 years ago
Please get into my windowless van, I want to take you on a nice drive...somewhere
#24
I wasn't allowed to be a witch on Halloween because my parents were afraid it would offend actual witches. I also wasn't allowed to be a ghost because they were afraid I would attract actual ghosts and I wasn't allowed to be a vampire because they were afraid a real vampire might mistake me for a real vampire. Both my parents were highly superstitious and into the occult, which I didn't realize until later since we went to temple and I went to hebrew classes, but apparently my father was secretly a practicing wiccan and my mother was just going along with everything. Somehow they both got it into their heads that I was attracting poltergeists that were specifically out to get my mom and so they decided I wasn't allowed to do anything that could attract evil spirits. For some reason this rule didn't seem to apply to my brother...
Jesse Setliffe 2 years ago
Your father wasn't a Wiccan, he was a mental case. Oh he may have read something about the Wiccan religion, but he missed entirely the point of what he had read and focused entirely on what could feed his existing anxieties and obsessions until he reached borderline dangerously insane territory. I sure hope you got out of that scene.
Your Neighborhood Alien 2 years ago (edited)
Don't dress up as an alien, or you'll have to meet me (which, imo, is a pretty good incentive to dress up)! 😜
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UpupaEpops 2 years ago
I was only allowed to dress as historical figures. Flippin' hated it. According to my parents, pretend play is only for dumb kids and surely I'm not? On the plus side, I've become really good at making up entire fantasy worlds in my head.
Hobby Hopper 2 years ago
That's awful UpupaEpops. I hope you're happier now. Play and pretend is actually super important to child development.
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Wendy Herman 2 years ago (edited)
My parents dressed me up for Halloween as a sexy Genie (@ 9:yrs old) & a Playboy bunny (@ 13). They thought I looked "cute", and even sent me to school dressed in these get-ups for the class Halloween parties. It was the 70's then,, so no one at the school had a problem w/ it. Mom took to calling me a "s**t" when she'd get mad at me for not cleaning my room. That began around 12 yrs old. I was still a total tomboy who didn't even like boys that way (just as friends). However, I had started sprouting boobies, and menstruating, which felt like big "no no's'" (not that I had any choice there). I chalk it up to internalized Misogyny. My folks dated for 3 mos. back in the 60's. Then she found herself in a "situation", preggers at 19 w/ me, that "forced" them to get married. She still likes to remind me that my Grandma told her to abort me. My response is always that I Wish she'd had the choice to do so, safely & privately, so that God could have sent my soul to a couple who'd not resent me for merely existing. No, we don't talk much since I moved 2K miles away. Nor does she have a relationship w/ her Grandkids. It hurts to have to protect your kids from your own parents' mentality. But it would have hurt a lot more if I hadn't.
Monosyllabic girl 2 years ago
I'm so glad that you escaped. It takes a lot of strength to do and your kids are fortunate to have such a strong and protective mom! I also had parents who married because i was created but thankfully they split up when i was 7. My mom has a certain view of the world and whatever doesn't match it is ignored or severely punished...i went no contact with her several times but for good now when she refused to acknowledge my being in rehab for heroin. (Clean 6 years now) Alcoholic Dad passed out drunk while cooking and house burned down with him in it. At least a bad upbringing teaches us to not accept the same treatment from potential partners
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kath morgan 2 years ago
Not offending real witches is something you can rationalise, but real vampires??
Some guy 2 years ago (edited)
You'd think having a vampire confuse you for one of his/her own would be the best protection from getting bitten. You know, like imitating zombies for your own safety.
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JB 2 years ago
"How did all these books fly off the shelves?!" (Stares at 4 year old) "We have poltergeists!"
Some guy 2 years ago
If only I'd thought of that excuse when I was a kid!
Load More Replies... Evi Grimes 2 years ago
To be fair, offending witches is not the best idea... But we aren't usually that sensitive anyway
#25
My step-dad when I was growing up was a very strange man. We had to sign and date the inside of our toilet tissue rolls because he wanted to make sure we weren't going through TP too fast. Want to borrow a pencil? I did in 7th grade. I had to write and sign a one page lease (with said pencil) outlining the whole scenario and how I would return it, when, in what condition...
My allowance was $1/week. This paid for toothpaste, shampoo, and conditioner. Nice...
My mom had to put receipts of the grocery trips on the fridge and he'd pay her for specific items he deemed were his. He was such a piece of work.
My mother was a bit younger than he, so his children weren't in her children's age bracket, and none of us were very close. In middle school he gave me his daughter's diary from years before when she was in high school. I read about a page and was horrified that he was abusing her privacy in such a way. He loved to mention when I was 16 that I was as pretty as I would ever be and if he were younger and not married to my mother...(as if). I even had to pay rent to live at home IN HIGH SCHOOL.
He was special. And I don't mean that in a good way. The only positive thing about it was I was naturally a very shy person, but he put my hackles up so much that I became very argumentative and adversarial in regards to him. Overall, that wasn't a bad skill to develop. That man's bare feet never touched the ground or felt blades of grass in his life. He was afraid of germs and Catholic guilt and "that one experience in college" with his roommate. He was just a man who couldn't deal with himself so he lorded himself over others in strange ways. What I've mentioned is the tip of a very large iceberg of weirdness.
He was something strange to grow up with. I'm still a people pleaser to a degree, but when my bs meter goes off I have zero patience for it and speak or act accordingly--mostly because I spent my last few years when they were still married being defiant towards him. Who wouldn't?
Sadly, I had a friend from that age whose step-dad was WAY worse than what I had to deal with, but that isn't my story to tell.
Carol Emory 2 years ago
I never got an allowance...but I didn't have to pay for my own deodorant or shampoo. I also rarely went to the movies or out anywhere with friends because I had no money. When I was in high school, my friends usually paid for me. I'm forever grateful for them giving me a life outside of my home.
Happy Panda 2 years ago
Relatable. Never got an allowance too. Well, one day my sister had enough so she was like, "Maybe we should propose to Mom to give us $10 allowance per month?" This was when we were both in high school. Anyway, Mom accepted the proposal, and she did give us the allowance. Each of us got $10/month. Still, I felt guilty to use the money, because I believe that I didn't deserve the $10. It's because my family's poor, and my Dad would occasionally ask us if we've got money so that he can buy necessities. So, I decided to save the $10. Like what the prophecy has already foretold, my Dad asked us for some money again (He is not working). I was glad that I saved the money, though it did make me feel sad. The $10/month allowance only went for about 2 months though. Suddenly, my Mom just didn't give us any money anymore. We thought, what's the point of asking for it again? The circumstances just did not allow it.
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Jake Lewis 2 years ago
My dad did the money thing too. He also recorded all the phone calls in the house (before cellphones were common), and if we talked about him with any friends he'd find that kids house and threaten their parents. I didn't find out until my 20's why I had to keep changing classes and why my friends would suddenly stop talking to me. Being a control freak must be exhausting.
Wonderful 2 years ago (edited)
My dad would secretly listen to my phone conversations and if he didn’t like the conversation or any crazy reason he would turn the phones off. They had a switch in their bedroom and would turn off the phones at 9 or 10 every night. My friends from highschool still bring it up and the other weird things he did. Like photocopy their drivers license and insurance before I could ride in their car. Ohh Dad. He’s a goober.
Load More Replies... saffrongoodier 2 years ago
I just want to with op the best in life and thank you for sharing. I do hope you feel you can be yourself now without that feeling deep down.
Maple Porkly 2 years ago (edited)
"If he wasn't married to your mom..." yikes! That's a huge red flag. Anyone near this man should run
rodger coghlan 2 years ago
My dad was VERY shy; he went to work, came home and went into the bedroom, came out for dinner and went back to his room. He would lay on the bed fully dressed. I only saw him outside of dinner was when I knocked on the door and asked if I could go somewhere - his answers were always a single "yes or no" - no discussion or argument
Arctic Seagull 2 years ago
I would hate to read any family members diary but in this case I would. It possibly held some answers/understanding as to why step-mad was off his rocker. To bad you could not have kept diary and gave to step sister. I'm sure step-loser was waiting to take it back
Bonnie Stark 2 years ago
Just wanted to say it's awesome of you to not share details about a friend's life without permission. As someone whose childhood traumas were passed around the school like a viral video by so-called best friends, it's really refreshing that people can be honorable and respectful like that, though it makes me sad to never have had such a friend. Good on you!
Tunk 2 years ago
Yeah some parents are to keen to move in 'step parents'. Its always been a dodgy concept since the eighties. Kids are not kids very long. Don't go moving strange randoms into their house unless everyone is cool and ok. Sorry. You have the kids. Make the sacrifice. Its not that hard.
Jose Cabanas 2 years ago
He had a bad case of OCD, sounds almost like my GF's dad, so don't blame him too much I have a bit myself and it can be tough especially with those who have it really bad. =:3
sylvantic 2 years ago
Honestly? Sounds more like OCPD than OCD to me. I’m no psychiatrist so I shouldn’t armchair diagnose, but those disorders are often comorbid and typically OCD won’t make you so horrible things, it’ll make you scared of doing horrible things. Meanwhile, OCPD is a personality disorder that could conceivably cause this behavior. I REALLY want a mental health professional to fact check me on this though.
Load More Replies... #26
My mom never let us whistle - she sad it would attract mice. I now know she was just making stuff up because whistling was annoying to her lol
Casey McAlister 2 years ago
I also heard about this superstition, so it's not just your mother. Another one - if you whistle you'll go broke.
A random marvel nerd <3 2 years ago
In Japan, they say if you whistle at night you will attract thieves!
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Hobby Hopper 2 years ago
There are a *ton* of whistling superstitions from all over the world. When something like that is so wide-spread, it makes me wonder why. Maybe people perpetuated those stories because they just didn't like the sound? Or maybe it attracts predators? IDK.
Moya Satterwhite 2 years ago
My dad could whistle opera. The best sounds in the world was my dad, on his bike whistling his way home.
Celtic Pirate Queen 2 years ago
I was just told it wasn't ladylike. My response? Who said I wanted to be a lady?
Emmydearest 2 years ago
My Nonna, poor soul, used to tell me I shouldn't whistle because when you whistle you inhale air and that makes you fat. My dad, she said, used to whistle a lot and that's why he was chubby. I was like 😑yep, that sounds legit...
Proud Mommy 2 years ago
I my culture whistling is allowed, but if you whistle at night you are calling unwanted spirits. So we were told not to whistle at night.
Bender Bending Rodríguez 2 years ago
We weren't allowed to whistle at night for the fear of attracting snakes.
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Little king trash mouth 2 years ago
No whistling in my presence. I hate it! But I don't make up reasons. I just hate how the pitch affects my ears. It's literally painful. No idea why
Sakura kimshi 2 years ago
My mum would say that females should not whistle, I'd just respond with a tune I'd make by whistling :))
#27
My parents made us kids use the back door to get in and out of the house, the front door was for parents and guests only. I thought it was normal for too long.
Debbie 2 years ago
That probably has to do with dirty shoes and not closing the door properly behind you or leaving the backdoor unlocked? I get very tired in summer constantly getting up to open te front door for them so I tell them to go around the back too.
Nitka Tsar 2 years ago
It‘s similar to our situation. In Germany doors lock automatically. You need a key to open it again. Plus: our current front door does not stay open. It closes slowly. You have to actively hold it to keep it open. So, we mainly use the back door, which is like a balcony door. You can lock it, but it does not lock automatically like normal front doors do. We seldom lock it. So we nearly exclusively use that door. It‘s just more convenient.
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Seymour Disapproves 2 years ago
I mean, it's not the worst thing in comparison, but I think that not being able to use the front door of your own house while pretty much everyone else can is odd.
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Lou Cam 2 years ago
We always used our back door to enter and just used the front door for guests. All our friends knew to come round the back door to knock for us to play. I do note thought that the front door opened to a hallway with a cream carpet and the back door was to the kitchen with tiles, so a practical reason.
Contrariwise 2 years ago
I've rarely used a front door to enter any of the houses I've lived in. Usually because the back or side door were more convenient (closer to the garage/parking).
Rinso the Red 1 year ago
Same here. Our "front" door opens onto the dog yard. There wasn't even a path going to it when we moved in.
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The Starsong Princess 2 years ago
Pretty common - the back door goes into the mud room with places for snowy boots and hooks for everyone’s bulky coat.
Midnightoil 2 years ago
Not odd to me. We were not supposed to use the front when out playing. Front door led directly into a formal living room. Mom would not have appreciated dirty shoes or dirty paws on a wool carpet.(wool carpets were very expensive then). It was just considered good manners. No problem.
Lisa Pockat Bork 2 years ago
Anyone we know uses the back door at our house. The front door is the one salesmen use. LOL
Hannah Marshall 2 years ago
The back door lead to the kitchen, the front door was carpet. I'd often go in the back door, unless I really needed a wee, because it was easier to grab water from the kitchen sink and if shoes were dirty, the kitchen was easier to clean. Or I'd leave my shoes outside the front door.
LynzCatastrophe 2 years ago (edited)
Eh, my grandparents had this rule at their house. I never thought it was weird, adults have much cleaner shoes than kids and their front door went to their living room which nana kept pristine. The only time i used the front door was when they didn't know i was coming over and i didn't want to startle them with sudden noises coming from the basement. My in-laws never use their front door, in the beginning it was because the backdoor was easier to get to from the garage. Now it's because my father-in-law wanted to rebuild the steps to it.... they've been torn up for about 4 years now.
#28
8:30 bedtime. My. Entire. Damned. Life. Though, I knew as a teenager that making your high schooler go to bed when it was still light out half the time was whacko.
Well into my 20s I'd come back to visit for the holidays and dad would get up to use the toilet at night, see the light on in my room from me being awake reading a book at 10 p.m., and yell at me to go to sleep.
Baali Venomax 2 years ago
My age growing up determined bedtime. So at 6 I went to bed at 6pm, 7 at 7pm and so on til we reached 10pm and there it stopped til several decades later.
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Bon3z B 2 years ago
I'm 16 and my bedtime is 8:00 because my sister (9) won't go to sleep without me. I'm always either reading or on my phone for hours after that anyway, my parents just don't know.
ailee 2 years ago
until a few months ago i had a 8:30 bedtime bc i shared with my sister. couldn’t get up before 6:30 either. not i go to bed at 11 and wake up at 5
Load More Replies... KnightOwl 2 years ago
I moved in with my grandparents for my final year of school (17/ 18-years-old) my grandad tried to put me on an 8pm curfew despite the fact that I worked 8hr shifts, 4 nights a week after school (as well as 10hr shifts every weekend) and often didn't finish until after 11. He knew this when he agreed that I could stay there but still freaked every single night. I'd leave work and turn my phone on to a find a few dozen missed calls and voice mails, every night! Then I'd get home to find him standing at the door waiting for me and going crazy, he always threatened to kick me out and ranted about how; because I am a girl I shouldn't be out after 8pm because it's 'too dangerous.' My uncle who was 3yrs older didn't have any rules or a curfew nor did my 16yr old (male) cousin who also lived with us. He told everyone i was lazy and selfish, despite the fact i was a full time student, working full time and could literally only squeeze in an average of 4hrs sleep every night!
Diana Pahule 2 years ago
If he was the cream of the crop I don't want to know why the rest of you were living with him.
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Sanguinius 2 years ago
I remember being maybe 10 years old before my parents moved my bedtime from 8pm to 8:30pm. I was finally able to stay up late enough to watch the Simpsons! Before then we would watch Cops as a family and then I'd be off to bed.
MissMePhoenix 2 years ago
I'd stop visiting for the holidays. Or just stop visiting altogether.
Amalie Jaye 2 years ago (edited)
I am a teenager, with an 8:30-9:00 bedtime but usually read or go on my phone for a bit after that. My mum also comes in to check several times to make sure I am not “up and about” in my room. On the weekends it’s sometimes later though.
Liam Patrick Dexter Da kitty 2 years ago
oh, my parents are worse. i'm only 9 and i go to bed at 6:30 or sooner. even when i'm not in trouble, and it's summer so it's lught out later, i STILL go to bed at 8:00 at the latest. the only "gimme" is if we are watching a movie and there is less than 30 minutes left and i am already ready for bed.
#29
I was raised a Jehovahs Witness, so yeah. Not having friends outside of religion was pretty strictly enforced until I got into my teens.
tHeBoRdEsTpAnDa 2 years ago
Everything I read about JWs makes me more and more concerned because I know one and she's really nice. She's also lesbian, does anyone know the JW opinions on that?
Jeff Gabrisl 2 years ago
My grandma was a JW, and disowned my mother for marrying a Catholic. I'm sure that they would disown your friend if the church/family found out. JW are a cult, not a religion
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Powerful Katrinka 2 years ago
When I was in junior high school, I started to become friends with twins whose parents were Jehovah's Witnesses. They invited me to come over to their house after school, and I went, thinking that we would just hang out and get to know each other better. When I got there, they introduced me to their mom... who shut me in the kitchen to interview me. After an hour of personal and excruciatingly embarrassing questions, their mom told me to go home. The twins never talked to me again. If I happened to run into them in the hallways between classes, they acted as though I wasn't there. I felt so sorry for them.
Midnightoil 2 years ago
The amount of women (young girls) raped by JW men is unbelievably disgusting. The men are not punished.
Robert Seals 2 years ago
In 19 years of being raised as a JW, I don't know one single person that was ever raped. Must have just been your local congregation.
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Dani 2 years ago
I was born into being a jehovahs witness and I got the hell out of it as soon as I could
MimSorensson 2 years ago
Well done, I know that can’t have been easy. One massive achievement that is.
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Benita Valdez 2 years ago
Oof. I had 4 friends from jehovah witness families. And let me tell you, the teen rebellion of 3 of them were strong.
Roland 2 years ago (edited)
I once had a shouting match with one after they kept coming to my house. For a long time they were alone which is ok, I said I am not interested politely and a few days later another came. However I noticed a trend of using (training?) children. When it was the 3rd time each person were accompanied by a child clearly not their own (wildly different ethnic group), I only talked to the kiddo. I said things like: "when you get older, it is ok to turn your back to these people" or "most people find the jwh way of living empty and meaningless". Then a guy asked me not to talk to the child to which I snapped saying why tf you drag this individual with you all day in the cold and rain then? Shouting match ensued, I will apparently burn in hell and they've stopped coming. I still feel sorry for the kids
Joi Cain 2 years ago
I grew up "studying" to be a Witness. What I've noticed that people within the religion make up little arbitrary rules that cater to their own compulsions and beliefs. They are a odd bunch.
Robert Seals 2 years ago
They are odd, but they all have the same set of rules they follow. They're pretty strict and have rules for almost any situation you could imagine, very little room for making your own rules in anything.
Load More Replies... Monosyllabic girl 2 years ago
I knew one girl who went wild after leaving the JW religion at 18 in order to go to college and not enter an arranged marriage. Restrictions just equal rebellion
Robert Seals 2 years ago
JW's don't do arranged marriage. You're free to marry whomever you like as long as it's a hetro marriage.
Load More Replies... Celtic Pirate Queen 2 years ago
My former SIL was a RABID JW. Told my four year old daughter that she was going to hell for celebrating Christmas or her birthday, for going to the Catholic church, for going Trick or Treating. I told her I'd kick the everlovin' sh*t out of her if she ever spoke to my child about her religious beliefs again. And I meant it. Twisted b*tch.
Robert Seals 2 years ago
Considering they don't believe in hell I doubt a JW would say something like that. Maybe telling your daughter those things were wrong according to her religion, but deffinately not threatening her with hell.
Load More Replies... #30
We weren't allowed to take our clothes/shoes to mom's. We had to change into what we wore when we arrived. It wasn't until I was in middle school that I learned that other kids *own* their stuff. Weird.
SpookyPanda 2 years ago
Actually, I get this. When she was 5, my stepdaughter's mom would send her in clothes that were too small, too large, with holes or stains, or didn't match. If we bought her clothes and she took them home, we'd never see them again. About a year or so in, I asked my husband to let me buy her clothes that she kept at our house. When she arrived, she'd wear what I got her that actually fit and were in good condition. When she went home, she had to change back into her home clothes that she came in. Sometimes we would get her things she could take home, but we knew we might never see it again. Sure enough, by the time she was in late elem/middle school, her mom was taking her clothes that we bought her. Sigh. Now, we have full custody so it's no longer an issue.
KnightOwl 2 years ago (edited)
My dad used to do this too, my mum would send me and my sisters to our dad's at the weekend in disgusting tatty clothes covered in filth and if he sent us back in new/clean clothes he'd never see them again. We'd arrive at his house on Friday night and be put straight in a bath, nice clean clothes and given a healthy home cooked meal, he'd wash the clothes we'd come in and put them back on us when we went back to her. Took years of abuse and neglect before dad finally got full custody of us. After years of legal battles. (Nobody trusted a single man to raise 4 girls alone in the 80s/90s so we were left to suffer.)
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Jill Rhodry 2 years ago
Divorced parents - live with dad, when visiting mum for the weekend wear clothes at mum's then change back into the clothes they wore when they got there (dad's clothes) so any clothes paid for by mum, stayed at mum's place.
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Elaine Morinelli 2 years ago
Sorry about this but I'm a family law attorney and we recommend this because new clothes would all end up at the other parent's house, never to be seen again.
Vanessa Richardson 2 years ago
My ex husband does this with our 12 year old son. It’s very strange. I see it as just another way for him to “have control” over part of my life. (And no, it’s not like the clothes he has at his dads are nicer than the clothes he has at my house, they’re all the same styles and brands.)
Rahul Pawa 2 years ago
Divorced parents situation. A bit strange, but I kinda get it. It's not clear which parent was insisting on this.
Tash Wen 2 years ago
My ex does/did this to my child. She wasn't allowed to wear a stitch of clothing to my place that he'd paid for. To the point that he actually the one day sent her to school without a jersey because she didn't bring one from my home on the day she went to him (it was warm that day, and cold and wet the day she came home). Pathetic excuse for a father IMO.
Monosyllabic girl 2 years ago
I totally get this one. My ex and i shared custody and i was buying new clothes monthly for Azalea. She would arrive at my house in too small mismatched clothes so i kept buying more and would send her home with them never to be seen again. Finally daughter told me her dad's girlfriend "didn't like the colors" i picked out and was returning the clothes to the stores i bought them from! They were nothing weird, regular kids clothes from the mall or kohl's etc. As soon as she told me this i started cutting the tags off and writing her name in everything i bought. Problem solved. Not sure why she was returning clothes and stealing the money from me.
Janet Sturgess 2 years ago
I get this too. My grandaughter comes to stay with Daddy every week. She's sent in outfits too small, shoes too small. Half the time not dressed for the weather and all the time sick when we get her. Her immunity is rising (she was 3 months premature and it is a miracle she is here) She's 3. I went out and bought her a snow suit (it gets dang cold here in Atlantic Canada) Daddy asked it it was ok to send the snowpants to ensure she was warm outside and didn't get sick while at Mommy's. YES obviously to me - her health is more important than who owns what. She calls me Mommy - I tell her No I'm Nanny, she says nope your a Mommy :-)
David 2 years ago
I kind of get this one too. Or at least how it COULD be reasonable. Relatives - divorced - kid would go stay with dad in the summer time. Mother would spend a bunch of money on clothing and shoes. Kid would come home - most of the clothing and shoes missing, 'got lost', 'dad was going to wash them but I didn't get them back" and so on. He didn't go to dad's "nekkid" but she did start really minimizing what she sent with him and would hold the rest back so he actually had some clothes left to wear come the school year. I should also clarify mom had other kids and was on a very tight budget so losing all those clothes / shoes was a hardship.
#31
I was not allowed to hang out with friends, or leave the house with very few exceptions. I spent most of my time at my parents place in the basement reading because it was quiet and I would try to avoid being yelled at. I would be so afraid to ask to do things that after a while I just stopped and gave up. I was not allowed to argue or stand up for myself in any way. My mom would often punish me severely for very small things (I forget to close a door, I cooked for myself, cleaned up but there was a fingerprint on the countertop) and it was really unpredictable so I was just often afraid. Every Wednesday I had to clean for 2 hours. My mom has OCD so everything was already clean but we would have to clean the rooms anyways which included washing dishes that were clean in the cupboards, washing clean counters, walls, ect. I was not allowed to decorate my room in any way that would potentially have any lasting mark of my existence. No way to make it mine, no posters, no pictures, nothing could touch the walls, nothing could be on my desk, only my phone and alarm clock could be on my dresser. I would get in trouble for cooking my own food even though they did not feed me. I was not allowed to sleep in. When I became depressed and got insomnia and they found out they gave me crafts and I started to get quotas for the amount I had to complete so I wouldn't get in trouble for getting up to 'no good' while I stayed awake. I wasn't allowed to swear and was afraid what would happen if I said "Oh my god" until I was about 14. There's many more I'm probably forgetting, but I left home at 16.
AliJanx 2 years ago
I wasn't allowed to swear. My bedtime was 9pm until i was in 9th grade. Nothing as bad as what's posted, but still a rather conservative household.
Wonderful 2 years ago
I Will not cuss it is not nice. 250 times the first time. 500 the next. 1000 the next and so on. My parents fostered teenage girls so a lot if the time they come to our home with every other word being a cuss word. I didn’t cuss til I was out of the house and now I could pass for a sailor 😋. They also had, I will not miss the bus because it is a inconvenience to my mom and dad. I did have to write that one a few times. It started as I will not miss the bus. Then it got longer lol. By that point I definitely didn’t miss the bus again 😂
Load More Replies... #32
* My mom wouldn't let us use water guns. We could only use these things called "squirters" and if the neighborhood kids were having water fights, she would come out and test the strength of the sprays. If it was too strong, we had to go inside..In high school, I went to a pool party with super soakers and basically had an anxiety attack. I was so afraid someone would post photos. * when people collected canned goods for food pantries, we could only give them creamed corn. I once was grounded for taking some green beans for the homeless shelter. I make it a point to find out what the pantry needs before donating now. Its never creamed corn. * we could only mow the yard wearing a bathing suit. Finally own my own house and wear shorts and a shirt and it's still not a great chore, but at least I'm clothed.
JessG 2 years ago
Yeah, I'm thinking the bathing suit thing was because of grass stains. If OP's parent were frugal (which it sounds like) you don't want to risk damaging clothing. Same frugality with the can donation. The family eats the other"good" stuff, and no one likes creamed corn, so that gets donated
Na Schi 2 years ago
Thought the same... however the mother is absolutely contradictory: being afraid that her kids get harmed by a water jet out of a kids toy but didn't give a dime about all the little sticks and stones hitting your shines when mowing the law (doesn't sound like they would have a sit-on mower). I hated moving the lawn in shorts because of this - even in high summer i would wear long pants and enjoy a cool shower later.
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Upstaged75 2 years ago
My niece and nephew are not allowed to have any toy gun type items. I'm completely fine with that - we do live in the US after all.
Steve Kenney 2 years ago
It's odd but has some sense to it. Mowing a lawn you get dirty and that means clothes to clean. It's a lazy parent trying to avoid having to clean dirty clothes.
Load More Replies... #33
We couldn't eat what we wanted. We always had to ask for food. I'm much better off today than my family ever was, and I absolutely NEVER will make my family ask to have food. *Edit* I was not as detailed as I should have been, as people have pointed out this happened in their life. It wasn't a matter of, "No, you can't eat that, we're having dinner soon," or that kind of mentality from my parent(s), not was it to prevent eating junk food. We had to ask to eat at any time we wanted to eat. And the parent either acted like it was a chore to have to prepare food or would them tell us what and how much we could get out of the fridge. Imagine as a child basically having to remind your mother that you're actually a person that needs sustenance, and sometimes being denied that for days, or given allowance of the bar minimum to survive. There were also many many non-alcoholic foods that my parent(s) wouldn't let me have because they were for them only, because of how selfish they were. Silly example, but u didn't have Pepsi or any other soda until I was 15, but we always had Pepsi in the fridge as grew up.
Na Schi 2 years ago
I might understand the Pepsi rule - of the parents didn't want to get their kids hyped up on caffeine and sugar. Wasn't allowed to have Cola/Pepsi either until the age of 8 or maybe 10 and then only on special occasions like New Year's Eve or birthdays. (Well my parents lost their grip during my mid-teenage years)... HOWEVER, in the OP's context this whole scenario sounds indeed abusive.
Vallentine 2 years ago
My mom won’t let me snack. I too have to ask if I can have food. I mean, I get it if it’s right before we’re about to eat a meal, but sometimes it would be in between meals. I’d get hungry and ask for a snack, “no, you’ve already had enough to eat today”
Vallentine 2 years ago
My mom does the whole part about eating, but she never made us go day without eating or anything like that, but all the things before it, yes
Load More Replies... #34
My brother and I were never allowed to have our doors closed or locked. I'm 18 now and I still can't have my bedroom door closed for longer than the few seconds it takes to get changed.
LK 2 years ago
Where does this idea come from?! I've only heard it in the context of American parents, and wonder where this rule originates.
Cookie 2 years ago
Parents who hate their children have parents having privacy, because obviously locked doors mean we are doing something suspicious. My parents do this.They’ve calmed down a bit now and we can lock the bathroom door but not the bedroom unless all of our devices : phone , chrome book , etc.. were outside of the bedroom when the door was locked 🙄 In their defense i do have to share a room and I can’t just lock my sister out mighty be a part of the reason
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SaneMinotaur (she/her) 2 years ago
That's so messed up. My ex's mum would NEVER knock on her kids' doors before she went in, even as adults. She walked into my ex's room when we were 'busy', and just stood there having a conversation with us. She walked in on his sister and her ex when they were just 'finishing', and when sister called her out, their mum said 'It's MY house, I shouldn't have to knock!' Like wtf. Another ex's parents were the same way, and his mum walked in when I was getting changed.
Vallentine 2 years ago
My mom does this too. “Stop locking doors when they don’t need to be locked!” “I locked it because I didn’t want anybody coming in to bother me! Especially my little brother!” “Why would he come in here and bother you? Why would anybody bother you?” “Because he’s a kid. And you barge in here all the time and interrupt me and start talking to me. Then you get mad at me for not listening to you when I try to do work while you’re talking. Then you get mad at me for talking to you and not doing my work!” And then after that it turns into a screaming match. I love my mom to death, but sometimes, I swear she’s trying to make me mad and yell at her.
just another teen 2 years ago
Im 15 going on 16 in a month and im not allowed to close my door because my room might be too messy
digitalin 2 years ago
In our house it wasn't a "rule", but definitely the practice. If our doors were closed for anything but studying, or locked for any reason, our mom would get suspicious. She didn't even like us to lock the bathroom door, in case we slipped and she had to come in and save us. In high school.
Edamame 2 years ago
im not allowed to have my door closed for any reason even if I want privacy to hang out with one of my girl friends
Edamame 2 years ago
and i dont have a lock on my door, and when or if I do close my door, my mom will not knock and she will not close it on her way out
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von Funnyname 2 years ago
Had the same thing in my house growing up. No fully closed doors, definitely no locked doors. Now as an adult, who's been on my own for nearly 20 years, I can have any door in the house closed, except the bedroom door. Freaks me out to have it closed now
#35
Don't go out in the full moon because witches would kidnap me. Always carry a patch of wood on your person while at airports, to prevent witches from cursing you. Make a cross symbol out of saliva on your forehead before sleeping to prevent demonic possession. Open the windows wide open in the morning to let the bad spirits out of the house.
Hotdogking 2 years ago
Gotta keep that wood on you at all times, otherwise you might be turned into a NEWT!
Jonathan Setter 3 months ago
people in the west often laugh at people in say, places in Africa, that have crazy superstitions. And then you find americans with those sort of beliefs...
Lazy PANda (she/they) 2 years ago
Where do people learn this stuff? Why do they think it works?
#36
My dad would stomp the floor so we could hear how many stomps from the basement. This was to indicate which kid he needed to talk to, instead hollering us up.
2 stomps meant I had to come upstairs for something
3 stomps my brother
4 stomps my other brother
BarBeeGirl 2 years ago
My mom would stomp and but it meant “get your a*s up here” with no indication who she wanted to see. I kinda which she had figured out a code like this
Vicki Doggurl 2 years ago
My dad used a metal whistle. They’re seven kids and we each had a code. 1 short, 2 short, one long (that was me), 1 long 1 short… etc
Emerald 2 years ago
Did you, by any chance, have a ex-nun governess who taught you how to sing, made you new clothes, and ended up becoming your stepmother?
Load More Replies... #37
While I can understand the "only X cookies per day" rule, increasing as I got older, I still have no idea why my parents instituted an "only X pickles per day" rule. I still feel mildly guilty when I eat more than one pickle. `:I`
Dominique Coates 2 years ago
I had to limit myself growing up if I ate more then three they would kill my stomach. So there's that.
Bender Bending Rodríguez 2 years ago
My best guess is it was because of salt content in pickles. I still can't even imagine just having one pickle.
BasedWang12.7 2 years ago
maybe because the salt content that is displayed is usually for HALF a pickle. Still strange though
Krystle Deschene 2 years ago (edited)
I literally called my mom last night to tell her I was having a SECOND pickle for the day. 😈 Oh, im 38 btw
#38
My mother would not allow us to say "um" during a conversation, if we did she'd mentally count each time you said it at the end of the conversation you'd get smacked said amount. Then there was "no scraping your teeth rule" if you scraped your teeth on any dining utensil watch out because something was about to hit you. To this day I refrain from the word "um" and will count when someone else says it. Also the scraping utensils thing gets under my skin now too.
Upstaged75 2 years ago
I can't stand the sound of anyone scraping their teeth on a fork. It's like nails on a chalkboard for me.
Midnightoil 2 years ago
Trying to teach you manners but in a strange way! I agree "um" sounds very uneducated.
Nitka Tsar 2 years ago
This reminds me of the scene in Titanic where Rose watches a Mother with her little daughter snd probably pities her, because children were really drilled back then.
Bored Trash Panda 2 years ago
My dad did the same thing with "um", he wouldn't slap me, but he would yell at me for it and say some really mean stuff.
#39
My parents left all the original protective plastic covers on anything they bought, like lamp shades or plastic film on VCRs.
Alan Christensen 2 years ago
So they would be in great condition for some imagined future owner?
Trey Macarthur 2 years ago
My partner's parents are like that about cars because it will "hurt the resale value". It's like, dude the car is 15 years old. A bumpersticker that can be removed with a hairdryer and cleaned off with goo be gone isn't affecting the price.
Load More Replies... Carol Emory 2 years ago
My Dad never let us throw away the original box that anything came in because "If anything goes wrong with it, we may have to send it back for repair/refund." Uhm...I've had it for five years Dad...I don't think they will repair or replace it...honestly.
#40
Not me, but my cousin's parents (also my cousins but they were older cousins) made us takes baths together which I always thought was f*****g strange as s**t. Like I was not allowed to take a bath by myself. I HAD to take a bath with my younger cousin. And I remember being like 7 or 8 at the time. He was probably around 4 or 5. It was just f*****g strange and I didn't like it and told them I didn't like it. I was chastised for it. I didn't go for overnight visits that much after that.
LK 2 years ago
This was very common years ago when people didn't have such ready access to hot water. It's become much less common now.
Loonie Toonie 2 years ago (edited)
I remember as a kid (like two or three years old) My little brother's and I were kind of crazy and we often took baths together to make it easier for parents to keep an eye on us. They're only a few months younger than me so at the time it's fine.
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#41
I didn't realize not everybody's house was spotless. My siblings and I cleaned the whole house every week. Moved furniture to vacuum, dust, etc and we had a house keeper that would come for a full day to clean, dust and vacuum the stuff we did 2-3 days prior every week as well. We also had several old trees in our yard would have to pick up any stick that fell daily. Occasionally the whole family would go through the yard on our hands and knees picking up any stick longer than 1 inch. Once when I was in highschool my mom wouldn't let me go to practice after school because I needed to tighten every screw in the house because things were coming loose. Edit: Mom got some help she's well adjusted and a rockstar grandmother. It's very different from the woman that I would fear. We would frantically reclean before she got home so we wouldn't get called losers. Every magazine edge perpendicular with the coffee table etc I also like a clean house but in no way a clean freak.
Loonie Toonie 2 years ago
I like clean homes too because I have a CD and if I'm going to clean room it makes me feel clean and it makes me feel happy :)
#42
My parents only had three since I hit my teen. 1. Don't be homosexual 2. No body modifications 3. No smoking or drugs. I'm a rural Canadian and when I got to college I realized how odd it was. Suffice to say, I broke them in my first year.
AliJanx 2 years ago
Yeah, my husband and I have a "no tattoos while you're on our payroll rule." Once fully adulting, with me not paying for gas, car, insurance, allowance, etc., then go ahead and get tattoos. As long as they're extremely cool, of course.
Kathryn Smith 2 years ago
.... that's a sound rule from a financial perspective, tho, 'cause tats ain't cheap, after all.
Load More Replies... Jonathan Setter 3 months ago
actually no smoking or d***s is just a totally sensible way to live. Why would it even need to a rule unless you are stupid?
#43
Father in law forbade anyone from drinking a beverage during the first half of any meal. No water, no milk, no juice, nothing, no matter how thirsty you were. He took this very seriously and would berate both kids and adults at the table if they tried. Imho this ruined the meal experience. The rest of the family tolerated this for some reason. I had to explain to my wife no one else ever did this and we would never use that rule at our own dinner table.
KDav 2 years ago
I was visiting some friends from Sudan and they offered me food but no drink. When I asked for water, they explained that the only reason they didn't offer me something to drink was because where they came from that was something only cheap people did. They would give you water to fill up your stomach so they wouldn't have to give you as much food when it was time to eat. Not saying this is the case here, but I thought it was interesting.
B.Nelson 2 years ago
It's probably because as a kid they were taught that drinking liquids is for after eating and not during. There is literally an old educational video I saw (Rifftrax for those that watch it) that says this exact thing.
Jonathan Setter 3 months ago
I would just totally break that every meal, looking him right in the eye every time. If he opened his mouth I would say " yeah, go ahead and yell at me crazy man, see how far it gets you"
#44
When I got home from school, my dad would always ask "How did you f**k up today?" I was a prissy, straight A student so this was his attempt to keep my ego in check. I later learned normal parents asked "What did you learn today?"
Katie Andrews 2 years ago
That's abuse. I'm sorry you had to endure that. Your dad was very insecure.
#45
Every sunday we would dress up and go to Big Boy at around 10 am. Every other family in town was also in fancy clothes and at Big Boy. Later I learned that all those other people were at Church, which we did not participate in.... so either we were pretending we were at church, or we worship Big Boy.
#46
I had a really messed up childhood, but I mostly knew the rules were weird even while I was following them. But then as I was reading through other comments just now I realized for the first time that a particular rule was weird. My parents convinced me that media age ratings were the LAW. I thought it was illegal for a kid under 13 to watch a PG-13 movie, for a kid under 14 to watch a TV-14 show, etc. But the really weird part is that this extended to books too. My parents told me that kids' books were for elementary schoolers, YA books were for middle and high schoolers, and adult books were only for people who had turned 18, and then they convinced me that this was a law and I'd be arrested if I read a book I wasn't old enough for.
Fish Fingers 2 years ago
We were the opposite with books, my family are all avid readers. One time in junior school my sister's reading book she brought from home caused the school to ask my mum to go in to talk about how they thought it was inappropriate for an 8yr old to be reading Agatha Christie. Mum pointed out that either she didn't understand it, so there was no problem, or she did understand it, so there was no problem. They had no answer to that
Hannah Marshall 2 years ago
I mean, I grew up being told "A 15 film is not suitable for under 15, because those are the rules." but I wasn't told it was the law. HOWEVER, it makes me VERY uncomfortable when, for example, I see a 12 year old watching a 15 film, or god forbid an 18 film! They're age-rated for a reason, and it really angers me when "irresponsible parents" allow their children to watch things too old for them.
Kathryn Smith 2 years ago
My mom tried to restrict our watching by age when we were younger, until ahe realized we'd just go watch it at somebody else's house. Restrictions based on age alone are stupid, ultimately. Actually doing the job of explaining why something is not yet appropriate for a child takes more time but ultimately is MUCH more effective. So maybe you should stop judging other people's parenting solely based on age and look at other factors involved, such as the child's overall behavior and whether or not they're actually invested in a movie.
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Elladine DesIsles 2 years ago
I risked the wrath of the Catholic school librarian to sneak out books meant for the "big kids," definitely would have risked jail time too (the librarian was certainly scarier). I did read some things I shouldn't have though, for sure. "Child of the Holocaust" was not meant for second graders!
Nitka Tsar 2 years ago
Smart, if you don‘t want your children to stay in their age brackets. A bit excessive, but not really bad.
Vicki Doggurl 2 years ago
My parents did the tv rating thing too. Got very made when we watched Forrest Gump when we were only 16!
Booklover<3 2 years ago
I was reading ya books when I was like 8 and they were some pretty suspicious stuff going on in some of them
#47
Had to check in every half hour growing up. It's a real shame the doctor waited till I moved out to prescribe mom xanax.
SaneMinotaur (she/her) 2 years ago
I think so; literally having to notify their mum of their whereabouts every half hour, whether at home or out.
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Huddo's sister 2 years ago
My mum was still in the age bracket of 'just come in by dark' I guess, but also when I was a teen, was just glad I was out socializing!
Pink_Boba22 2 years ago
If I was at a playpark I'd have to check in every 15 minutes lol. This meant I'd have to run, tell that I'm ok then run back lol. Mind you this park was a country park, not a neighborhood one lol.
just another teen 2 years ago
I have to do this if im out with friends but at my house it's every hour Ex: if im at the mall id have to say at noon "hey mom getting this this and this for lunch"
#48
We could only eat 2 cookies at a time, and no more than 4 in a day.
I was living on my own for like a year abiding by this rule, until one day I was like, "man, I REALLY want three oreos, not two."
And I did it.
Edit-Let me take this opportunity to say that, had I eaten 3 every day, I would not be obese. Why? Because my parents did their best to provide me with a healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner. I was also very active in sports and skateboarded as a hobby. Sure, learning portion control IS important. But learning to have a health lifestyle in all aspects is worth more. Eating 2 cookies and not doing any exercise is not better than eating 3 and being active.
Brianna Tracy 2 years ago
Now that you’re an adult of course you can have as many cookies as you want…and you’re correct in assuming you wouldn’t have turned obese if you had more cookies considering your otherwise healthy lifestyle. However, controlling your child’s sugar intake and junk food consumption is actually a rather normal thing for a parent to do…it’s okay to have limitations.
Kathryn Smith 2 years ago
But it's foolish to have a hard limitvand never bother to explain WHY, so that your ADULT child doesn't grasp the concept of this being about portion control and not absolutes.
Load More Replies... Trenton House 2 years ago
My parents don’t keep cookie or candy in the house and I couldn’t buy any (they don’t let me spend money) so when I am out than I take every opportunity, and if my parents are around they have to check the ingredients to see if it is ok and 99% of the time it’s not fine.
Jonny westen 2 years ago
Lol. Really? Wow poor you. Your parents should be charged with child abuse 🙄🙄🙄🙄
#49
My mom never let me eat any push pops, ring pops, etc. She said she did it because she didn't want pedophiles getting bad ideas. I always thought it was weird.
Jennifer Crompton 2 years ago
Like Amy Farrah Fowler's mom making her eat bananas sideways like an ear of corn 😆
#50
My mom has set prices that are a "deal" for produce, and we could never buy anything more expensive than that price. Grapes had to be less than $1.19 a lb. Corn had to be at least 6 for $1. It wasn't until I was well into adulthood that I realized I could buy whatever I damn well pleased no matter what the price.
Interestingly, her "deal" prices haven't changed since I was a kid in the 80's.
Mulberry Juice 2 years ago
Where the hell does she get food from then? Does inflation not exist where she lives??
Judes 2 years ago
It's not a bad way to shop...generally you'll be purchasing fruit and veg that's in season, which is both economical and good for the environment...although you shouldn't be completely inflexible about it and you should expect inflation. I like to buy fruit which is less than $5 per kilo.
#51
Not me but my friend. His mom made him take her on "dates" to dinner or movies or whatever. Now in his 30s he found out from his sisters that she has histrionic personality disorder and what she was doing is known as "covert incest." It sparked a reexamination of his entire life, leading to him converting from Baptist to atheist. He has a master's degree in theology.
Patti Vance 2 years ago
while i am sure that there are moms with that 'covert incest' issue i used to take my son on "dates" to practice good manners as a gentleman. being a single parent there wasn't a man to teach him some of the ettiquette of being a gentleman such as opening doors, holding chairs, etc. fortunately, my dad could help with some of the more intimate information when he was not deployed overseas but other than him it was just me, my mom, and grandmom. i am sure that single dads have similar kinds of issues when raising daughters. you do what you have to do for raise a good man. guess i did okay as he treated his girlfriends w/respect and cherishes his wife.
Daffydillz' Cold Contagious 2 years ago
That's kinda where my mind initially was going when I began reading OP's comment, but it took a turn. I totally agree with you though, mother son dates to start character building and good manners sounds great. I always thought it was good to have special outings to lunch and things like that separately with my three kids, 2 girls and 1 boy, so they could have some individual time and experience feeling a bit more mature, using their manners and skills to order their meals and dessert, leave the tip for the wait staff, and they felt like they had accomplished something and had fun. It sounds like you did a great job with your son.
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Sophia Eressea 1 year ago
sounds like he got far away from this family and only in his 30s reconnected with the sisters who would tell him the diagnosis.
Load More Replies... #52
I would get grounded if u were a minute late or more. A week per minute.
Example: I would be told I could go to my buddy Ty's house till 7 and I got back at 7:03 grounded for 3 weeks. No friends, no video games, other things were taken.
They also were very conservative and when I reiterated things they said like presidential choices and what not they would ask why and if it was just things they said or opinions they spouted, they told me I should think for myself and do some research because they don't want to raise sheeple. So I mean I think even if they were to harsh for somthings I'm pretty thankful for my parents. Also I'm never late now.
Zara VP 2 years ago
In my household, we do not have a 'be home by' time. We have a 'leave by' time (example: leave your friends house by 8pm). This helps ensure my children will be safer trying to get home rather than rushing to meet curfew.
Huddo's sister 2 years ago
I hadn't thought about it before, but reading this one I was thinking that would be a smart way to do it. My mum would sort of do similar, in that there would be a 'pick up' time, as we don't get full licenses here until 18, so if we were to get home on our own it would be public transport, and that was less available after about 8pm at the time. The pick up time was for whoever picked us up, as parents would sort of rotate.
Load More Replies... Zia Barrett 2 years ago (edited)
The grounding thing is bs, but the other thing seems...out of place? Ignoring the "sheeple" part of course, that they seemed to encourage looking into political things and making up your own mind rather than blindly follow their opinions is a good thing. More people do need to do that.
Carol Emory 2 years ago
I had a Karen moment in a grocery store and got into an argument with a guy that refused to put on a mask during the mandate. He said he was not giving up his freedoms so easily. I said "Freedom to do what...kill innocent people?" He spouted off some sovereign citizen BS and how the government was making up the pandemic to take control of people. Meantime, his son is standing behind him smiling in pride as his dad spoke. SMH
Midnightoil 2 years ago
My father was like this. If they said be home at 10pm and I came home at that time he would be extremely mad. You'd better be home 10 minutes early. My mom said he was not like this before serving in the Air Corps in WW2. She said he was very different when he came home. PTSD??
just another teen 2 years ago
(btw im 15f) yeah similar thing at my house, I went trick or treating with some of my friends and I had a 9 pm curfew and I told them I had to be home at 8 45pm for fear of my mom yelling at me... and if I don't do a simple thing such as vacuum the kitchen I get yelled at
#53
My parents refused to let me go to an r&b concert with friends because they thought the black people would riot if they saw white kids listening to "their music"
Daffydillz' Cold Contagious 2 years ago
And fear mongering it sounds like too. It's sad that they'd rather their child be afraid and stupid shît like that. Racism and fear are always rearing their ugly heads somewhere that they're not wanted.
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#54
Had to go to church 4 times a week to set an "example". Anytime I asked to go out with friends to do something that would have mixed genders or could be construed as a party, I was asked "Would Jesus do something like that?"
Hotdogking 2 years ago
Fun fact, Jesus hung out with a prostitute quite frequently. So joke’s on that mum
Zia Barrett 2 years ago
If this is referring to Mary Magdalene (likely), being a prostitute is a persistent article in popular culture when one pope conflated her with "the sinful woman" of Luke 7:36-50 and writers made up the sin. She is not a prostitute in any mention of her in the Bible (she is the Apostle of the Apostles and the second most mentioned woman in the Bible aside from Mary) and neither of the women that the pope conflated her with (both "the sinful woman" and Mary of Bethany) were stated to be prostitutes either. This bit of lore is not canonical to any known branch of the Christian Church and is basically early mediaeval biblical fanfiction.
Load More Replies... LK 2 years ago
Hmm, let's consult the primary source material on what Jesus would and wouldn't do. He called out hypocritical behaviour, spent time with the people on the fringe of society, didn't have a paying job - instead travelled with friends, encouraged a female to take her place amongst those listening to his teaching rather than being busy making food...
Zia Barrett 2 years ago (edited)
He had a job, he was a carpenter, he got paid, he supported his eathly family with his wages. The persuit of wealth wasn't his goal and money was not his god, but he absolutely had a paying job.
Load More Replies... AustrianGirl 2 years ago (edited)
I had to go to church every Sunday and every other week on Wednesday before school. When I was little and all my friends had to do the same I didn't mind. But as I got older none of them had to go every week, which really made me hate going. This went on until I was about 12-13 when I decided to just tell my mum I would cook lunch for everyone if I didn't have to go on Sundays. Lucky for me, my school changed the start time in the morning and I wasn't able to go on Wednesdays anymore. Until I moved out I cooked lunch almost every Sunday just so I wouldn't have to go to church with them. Now I only go on Easter, Christmas and to weddings and funerals.
Huddo's sister 2 years ago
That's what my next door neighbours called being C&E (Christmas and Easter), as opposed to C of E (Church of England) :) Incidentally, when my sister was about 13-14, she didn't want to go to church every Sunday. Mum said if she stayed home she could only watch VeggieTales or similar shows, which she was cool with :)
Load More Replies... Jackie Lulu 2 years ago
My parents made us go to Sunday school and church by ourselves. They would drop us off , or home, and then pick us up.
Phae Thompson 3 months ago
Should've asked them to explain why Jesus attended the marriage at Cana where he turned water into wine. That's a party, right?
#55
We weren't allowed peace signs growing up. My mom remembers some speech from when she was a kid about how communism would come under the sign of peace so peace signs were banned in our house. Those troll figurines were banned too.
#56
I wasn't allowed in the basement. Turns out they were smoking weed down there.
Jonny westen 2 years ago
I see no problems with this. They didn't want their child getting a contact high. And there's nothing wrong with weed. Quit throwing yourself a pity party for something so dumb.
#57
We weren't allowed to sit on the cushions on the lounge. They were for display purposes only. We also had a sink that was never allowed to have any water in it. We called it the dry sink and it was a running gag with my friends and I. We gave my mum so much s**t for it lol.
perfect pikachu 2 years ago
that is one weird parent... why have a sink that you dont put water in???
#58
The kitchen is closed at 9 p.m.
Carol Emory 2 years ago
We had this rule in the house. Ours closed at 8pm. But it was because my mother was very obsessed with having a spotless kitchen. Even to the point that when she got into a car accident in which she had to be cut out of the car, she still, with a broken foot, broken ribs and fractured shoulder blade, would hobble into the kitchen and complain if there were any crumbs on the counter.
#59
Had to eat cheese strings the same way you might eat a banana, with the plastic still on the bottom half, just taking bites off the top
I just wanted to make a Wacky Wildthing™
Proud Mommy 2 years ago
This is a rule my daughter has in school. Teacher states eating the string cheese by the string takes too long and they have to sit and wait for all to finish their string cheese. Where's the fun in eating string cheese like string cheese..
Huddo's sister 2 years ago
What's the point of buying string cheese then? Are there no other individually wrapped ones available?
#60
Okay so my parents were pretty normal BUT
I had this one friend who was never, under any circumstances, allowed to sleep on the livingroom couch and if she did she would be punished. It was so f*****g bizarre and I never understood why because it wasn't a formal livingroom, we were allowed to hang out in there as much as we wanted but if she ever happened to fall asleep on the couch and her parents found her there the next morning, it was game over and I would be sent home and she was grounded!!!! From what I understood this rule stood even when friends weren't over and the only place she was ever allowed to sleep was in her bed, or else.
WAT?!
Midnightoil 2 years ago
I don't find this too strange, but our living room was quite formal. If you fell asleep in the rec room no big deal.
Nitka Tsar 2 years ago
What is a formal living room and what‘s the difference to a… normal one?
Danielle Ocasio Fast 2 years ago
I had a friend growing up with a formal living room. It was a fancy living room no one was ever allowed to use or go into because it was all nice/expensive furniture.
Load More Replies... #61
My dad used to make my sister and I rake leaves in our woods.. our f*****g WOODS!!
perfect pikachu 2 years ago
we live in a little wooded area like, an actual forest, no bears or wolves, but we only rake the leaves on our patio and front yard. and our driveway, but we use a leafblower instead of rakes
#62
Oh where to start?! My sister and I would secretly refer to my stepdad as Hitler, so that will give you an indication of where this is going. - Washcloths were 100% mandatory when showering; soap or body wash didn't work as well unless it was on a washcloth. (He would check to make sure the washcloth was wet after I would leave the bathroom) - Socks weren't allowed to be worn in the house. We had hardwood floors and apparently wearing socks on hardwood floors creates holes in your socks. Shoes and bare feet were acceptable. - Sitting. We would get in sooo much trouble if we were sitting "incorrectly" in chairs. I'll never forget when he yelled at a friend of mine for putting her leg up on the arm of our lazy boy recliner. - We had to pay taxes from our allowance. I clearly remember fighting and retaliating against this one. I think this rule only lasted about a year. - We had one of those big trampolines and none of my friends were allowed to be on it without a written consent/liability waiver signed by their parents. I remember my mom printing them out and I would give them to my friends if I knew they were coming over. - No sleeping in past 8AM on weekends. Ever. I know there are tons more, but I'm sure I've blocked them out for obvious reasons. I always knew his behavior wasn't normal, but as a kid I just kind of dealt with it. I've had lots of therapy since so all good!
Proud Mommy 2 years ago
The trampoline i understand as a parent, but printing them out?..wow this is different.
Lazy PANda (she/they) 2 years ago
The waiver for the trampoline thing I can understand but the other ones are just weird
noneyobuisness 2 years ago
if you got to the point where you need therapy i dont think thats "all good" but thats my perspective not yours
Danielle Ocasio Fast 2 years ago
When I was in middle school (maybe 7th grade) I spent the night at my friend's house and we had to shower before bed. When I gave her back the washcloth I didn't need she looked at me horrified and said it was gross and inappropriate to wash myself barehanded. I thought that was pretty weird.
#63
Being grounded from the library. My stepdad would hide my library card if he found it in the washer. I had a bad habit of leaving it in my jean's pocket. He also constructed a locked electrical type panel in his bedroom closet that controlled all of the various tv and phone lines in the house. He would get pissed and turn them off. Eventually, I found his hiding spot for the key and would sneak and turn it on while he was at work.
Lazy PANda (she/they) 2 years ago
I think people who do this (trying to stop their kid from reading) have like fragile masculinity or narcissistic tendencies and don’t want their kids growing up to be smarter than them. That’s my theory anyway :/
#64
My parents were pretty normal but my cousins' mom had the following rules: 1. Once the bed was made no one could touch it, sit, lay, etc on it because it would get wrinkled. 2. Once they were showered and dressed they could only play on the "play rug". 3. They had to change to old clothes to eat so they wouldn't get the ones they had on dirty. 4. They couldn't leave the shower cabin/bath or the sink wet when they used the bathroom and so on, she was insane.
Lara Verne 2 years ago
Some people are "clean freaks" to extent where it become mental disorder.
#65
as a girl, I had to have long hair. my dad lost his.mind when I cut it short at 14. I spent all of my 20's with short hair. I'm 33 and it's long for the first time in like 18 years.
Xenon 2 years ago
I had to put my hair up to eat at the table. Hair near food grossed my father out. Simple enough to comply.
Midnightoil 2 years ago
I had long hair. If in the kitchen working with food hair had to be up. When explained why by mom it made sense and still does. Recently bought potato salted from Publix deli. When eating there was a medium-ish long hair in it. Yes it grossed me out! I have always kept my hair back/up since living with parents. Now a RN so it makes even more sense.
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#66
We were not allowed to say these words: "shut up", fart, duh, and stupid. My siblings and I are all adults now and my mother still gets angry when we say any of those things. She gets particularly upset when we ask the question, "[insert name] did you fart?" I ask that question all the time now just to f**k with her.
Jan Rosier 2 years ago (edited)
Why not say "hey stupid, shut up and tell me if you farted", hoping the other one would reply "well du-uh"
Proud Mommy 2 years ago
LMAO...this comment is so funny...why not correct..this is something my sarcastic son would ask..lol
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Hannah Marshall 2 years ago
I'm not allowed to say "shut up" as it's rude. But my parents (especially my step mum) can tell me to "Shut up and eat". Pot, kettle, black.
BarBeeGirl 2 years ago
I didn’t let my kids call each other stupid bc my parents constantly told my brother he was stupid and it f*cked up his life. Also I taught them that shut up is rude. I was raised that fart was a swear word but I didn’t foist that upon my kids
Midnightoil 2 years ago
Same. I think younger generation are....? Sloppy. Leg over arm of chair rude. There are differ 'classes' of how people behave.
Load More Replies... Lazy PANda (she/they) 2 years ago
I was the oldest child and I wasn’t allowed to say any of these growing up until I was like in middle school. My parents got more laid back with the rules for my younger sisters though.
Midnightoil 2 years ago (edited)
Yep... I think it is just better manners taught by some parents.
Load More Replies... #67
'If you say "I'm bored" you're grounded' didn't matter when or where. Didn't matter if the power was out and the street was flooded, or if mom had dragged you to a jewelry shop.
Vallentine 2 years ago
My little brother would have been grounded for so long that he would have lived and died there😂
AliJanx 2 years ago
In my house, if you say you're bored, you have to do chores. The kids found out real fast that there are always fun things to do rather than be bored and complaining about it.
Shine Chisholm 2 years ago
Same. My kid says she's bored and I have all kinds of suggestions for her
Load More Replies... #68
I had to work in my parents factory from about age 11, physical work with a nail gun and everything. Both my sister and I (also a female). I totally thought it was normal until I was about 15 and realised none of my friends did it so I got myself a different job so they couldn't insist I work. And so I got paid... Don't get me wrong, my parents are amazing people and I had a great childhood but this is definitely questionable.
Kathy 2 years ago
Not illegal in USA. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) provides for certain exemptions. Minors under age 16 working in a business solely owned or operated by their parents or by persons standing in place of their parents, can work any time of day and for any number of hours.
#69
I wasn't allowed to watch sad movies as a kid. When I was 3, I watched Charlotte's Web and was inconsolable after the spider died. My engineer father and German mother were baffled by this display of emotion, so they took away any movie that might make me sad. My sister and I also weren't allowed to go into the bushes at the neighborhood park. My mother later explained that she found used needles and bullet casings there, and the park was a frequent spot for drive bys and gang shootouts.
#70
When I had the day off school sick I had science and maths text books I had to do pages out of for several hours. I never understood why people would pretend to sick because of it
#71
I was not allowed to go anywhere alone until like 14. Seriously. Not even allowed to walk to school with friends. I assumed everyone was that sheltered until I started high school and realized it was just me.
#72
My mom made us immediately wash, dry, and put away every single dish we used after eating. Seems like a reasonably thing to do if you're say living alone or with a roommate, but expecting the rule to be abided by in a house with FIVE children is pretty ridiculous. Also, we had a perfectly fine dishwasher that she taped off so we couldn't use it. Why.
Midnightoil 2 years ago
Because she wanted a clean kitchen and did not want to raise slobs. Good on her!
noneyobuisness 2 years ago
my dad and stepmom would just sit in the living room watching tv while me and my brothers cleaned all the dishes that we used for the pass day (we were a family of 8) and my dad is a really good chef and uses a lot of dishes.
#73
Couldn't play video games unless it was the weekend. Seems normal at first, but then you realize that it just enforces bad habits: my brother and I would wait until the weekend, and then binge the ENTIRE weekend playing video games. And even if we didn't feel like it and though it would be better to do something else we always said "well we better play anyway because we won't be able to after" Also what were we supposed to do when the homework was done? It isn't like homework took up the entire day
Bmo 2 years ago
I have this rule for my kids b/c they prioritize games over all their school work and chores. On occasion I'll allow them to play them but I usually make them wait until the weekend and even then they aren't allowed to binge them the entire time. When they get a little older and now how to prioritize their time then they can make these decisions for themselves.
#74
My Dad is a very VERY introverted guy, and he never liked to be in large crowds. So unless it was a school event, I was forbidden from going to any large crowded events/places like the mall, concerts, sporting events. I was told that this was for my own safety.
perfect pikachu 2 years ago
I don't think that this was because your dad was/is introverted...
SaneMinotaur (she/her) 2 years ago
I can understand this one a lot more than some of the others, especially in the US with such lax laws around guns and stuff. It's still kinda extreme though in many circumstances.
Midnightoil 2 years ago
N today's violent state it can be true. Chicago. New York. Philadelphia. ETC...
#75
No running after you just eat -> you will get appendicitis No sleeping with wet hair -> you will get lice Good old fob science :')
#76
Still persists in my home. I'm 25 years old, my siblings are even older and we can't say any curse words. Period. My mother also doesn't let anyone drink alcohol in our home..unless it's a bottle of wine on Christmas. No matter what age you are or even if you're not my parents child. They will treat you like a child. It's gotten so bad that I never really learned how to talk to adults on a normal level because I'm used to an authoritative life. I can be shy and feel awkward around other peoples parents and bosses. I'm so used to having overly conservative parents that I just never learned how to exist in a world of people that are old people. I know old people/parents talk s**t, drink and curse. But my parents are overly religious and think OTHER people are weird for being like that. We have told my mom she's not normal, she pretends to ignore what we said, is in denial and assumes everyone else we know is trash. So when I hear my boyfriend say f**k to his mom, my immediate reaction is to be like "Omg you said that to your mom?".
Got Myself 4 Pandas 2 years ago
They would not enjoy a night with my family then - mum practically pours gin down our throat while be swear like sailors - it's great fun
Upstaged75 2 years ago
My family can be quite vulgar. We do know how to behave in public though. But at home there is often burping, farting, and swearing at the dinner table. :)
Load More Replies... John Shearer 2 years ago
Still persists at 25 years old, when do they think they will be able to make their own decisions, just when mother finally dies the curse is broken? Take control now
Hannah Marshall 2 years ago (edited)
I am not allowed to swear at home. Not even the word "bloody". My answer: But it's in the Bible. Nope, I'm not allowed. But, it is also impolite to swear at your parents (and in front of children!)
#77
Dad had a problem with us kids saying bloody in front of him, for some reason he thought it was the worst swear word, had no issue with f**k or s**t.
LK 2 years ago
When I was around 22, I was chatting with my Mam, and said something about a 'bloody finger'. She hit the roof, and told me not to use such language in her house. I apologised, and rephrased. "I was doing some woodworking, and a chisel slipped. It nicked the side of my finger. There was blood everywhere. You might even say I had a 'bloody finger'." She glared at me. I asked if I had used the adjective correctly. She replied that whilst I had used it correctly, she still didn't like the word. I nodded, and we moved on.
#78
My parent's did not allow any type of toy guns in our house hold. They forbade those fire cracker guns, nerf guns, bb guns, and even water guns. I am now 22, and just ordered myself a nerf gun for this coming Christmas. Needless to say, it's going to be a magical Christmas this year. :^)
Fish Fingers 2 years ago
Talking to my auntie recently, I found out that if anyone sent us any gun toys for Christmas, birthdays etc, my dad would just send them straight back without us even knowing about them. If one got through, he would just throw it away and us four kids would inevitably end up blaming each other for taking/ losing it. Found this out aged 43!
Midnightoil 2 years ago
I think your dad did a good thing. Too many kids find a real gun and accidentally kill themselves/other because they think it is a toy. Ask me how I know.... RN in large cities Emergency Room....
Load More Replies... Upstaged75 2 years ago
My brother and his wife have the same rule. I am 100% OK with that. In the US you just never know - some cop could think you have a real gun and shoot you. It's happened before.
Jan Rosier 2 years ago
Same here, dad being a cop and having a service gun (which he left at the office btw). i was going to be raised without toy guns (parens from 1932 and 1934 so both lived through ww2 as a kid) This 'rule' stuck for about half a year - then we were playing cowboys and indians (yes, I know not pc, but it was 1971 or something) and I crafted my own handgun out of a few twigs. They then realised boys will have their toyguns in one way or another and the ban got lifted.
digitalin 2 years ago
My son is like this, but with dolls. My parents constantly try to get me to make him "less girly", but even if I DID care, he would make dolls and houses out of his Lego blocks anyway.
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Ines Olabarria-Smith 2 years ago
My English teacher at college had this very rule at home.her 4 years old son bit a piece of bread to look like a pistol.
Marion Westerling 3 months ago
My husband was a police officer and we had both served in Desert Storm. We had. the same rule in our house. Our son knew it was because guns were not toys.
Got Myself 4 Pandas 2 years ago
I got a pack of 6 mini nerf guns last year - I've 4 kids so one each plus one for me and my husband - to say that they went down like a lead balloon would be an understatement- the two youngest were in tears within minutes, my teenagers stormed off slamming doors leaving just me and my husband shooting each other - I've went back to the no gun toys rule
Jill Hojnacki 2 years ago
Our rule was that toy guns had to be treated as though they were real. My cap guns (a pistol & a rifle) got locked up with the .22 and shotguns when I wasn’t playing with them. Always unload & always check when picking it up. No pointing them at anything living, etc. When I was about 3 I was dressed up in my cowgirl outfit playing on my tricycle with my cap gun on the sidewalk out front. A photographer from the city paper saw me & wanted to take a photo of me pointing my gun at him. I freaked & started crying because that wasn’t allowed. My mom had to convince me that it would be okay, just this once, and only for the picture. My picture was in the paper that week. I didn’t get a .22 until I was 13, which came with targets and a trap so I had something I could safely shoot at. Weird, yes. But, in a very good way.
Load More Replies... #79
Never turning on the lights inside of a car while it's moving.
wifeofweasley 2 years ago
I recently turned it on while in the parking lot to look for something. I found it and made my way home (it was already dark outside) and I was halfway home when I realised I left the lights on. I didn't even notice it so it's not as dangerous as one thinks
Kathryn Smith 2 years ago
It's not so much of a problem when you just left it on as it can be when someone flips it on without warning mid drive. It's also not a matter of "IT ABSOLUTELY WILL CAUSE A CRASH!" it's on par with "wear a seatbelt because you MIGHT have a crash" or "wear a bike helmet because you COULD fall and hit your head."
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Will Cable 2 years ago
I spent about 20 minutes trying to figure out how to TURN OFF the lights inside the car the other week
Kathryn Smith 2 years ago
....it can cause night blindness in the driver if they're not prepared for it. Doesn't mean it always WILL, but we don't put seatbelts on because we EXPECT every drive to end in a crash, either.
#80
I know a girl who had a kid in high school. Her parents wouldn't let her move out until she got married. My best friend is married to her.
#81
I was never allowed to go anywhere New Years Eve. Even in the morning. My mother was convinced that there were drunks on the road at 10 a.m. New Years Day was fine, but not on the Eve. I'm over 40 and she still complains if I go somewhere that I'm going to get hit by a drunk.
Midnightoil 2 years ago
She isn't wrong!! Unfortunately there are drunk drivers out there every day killed by other drivers and pedestrians. Every damn day in Florida.mm
Kathryn Smith 2 years ago
....to be fair, in my area at least, there's DEFINITELY drinks on the roads at 10am on New Year's Eve.
#82
No wire hangers.
Jake B 2 years ago
Wire hangers were what poor people used. Mommie Dearest was obsessed with looking her rich part. This no wire hangers.
Load More Replies... #83
I wasn't allowed to eat dunkaroos. This wasn't a blanket ban on junk food, my mother specifically had a grudge against dunkaroos. I wasn't allowed to watch tv on week nights, all the way through high school. I remember it was a HUGE deal because my mom let me have one exception so I could watch the friends series finale live.
#84
My parents made me and my brothers plug our phones in downstairs, at 8:00 every single night. They said it was to "make sure we don't stay up late", but because of that we stayed up later on other platforms like computers or playing games. I figured out my junior year that they only did that to snoop through our photos and messages. Kinda s****y.
Kathryn Smith 2 years ago
If you were actually doing a decent job of parenting, you wouldn't NEED to snoop your kids' phones. Also, in what universe does "kinda sh*ty" equal "abused," honey? Are you okay? Should we call someone for you?
Load More Replies... #85
My siblings and I weren't allowed to wear shorts until the first day of Summer.
#86
I wasn't allowed to watch Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh, Ghostbusters, or anything that had to do with spiritism or the occult. Yet somehow I got my mom and dad to watch the first two Twilight movies and I was allowed to watch anime. 12 year old me loved Black Butler. Hell yeah. Edit: just realized it's not that strange. Just odd how they were lenient in certain things.
#87
I wasn't allowed to drink kool-aid because my mother said it was "unhealthy." Yet we could eat captain crunch, kraft mac and cheese, all types of desserts, and drink capri sun, soda, etc to our hearts content. Literally any other unhealthy thing was allowed or even encouraged. now that I'm older I think it was a racial thing tbh :/
Gretchen Esquilin 2 years ago
In the US, yes. There are many food/drink stereotypes here.
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Meebumitches 2 years ago
Well... Kool-aid dill kill all those Jim Jones followers. Plus the kool-aid man is know for destroying random walls.
Jill Hojnacki 2 years ago
I think it’s because you add your own sugar when you made Kool-Aid, so she could literally see the full cup that went in there. The sugar in the other items is “hidden”.
#88
My parents would not let me buy music that had a parental advisory sticker on it. But I could watch any R rated movie or play and mature rated video games and what not. But for some reason they just hated music that had cursing in it lol, so I had to download all my music from kazaa and napster and listen to it with headphones
#89
My very liberal mother did not allow us to watch the Simpsons. Never really understood why.
Tunk 2 years ago
Che? Have you seen the other content they are exposed to? Parents who restrict watching The Simpsons are...mean? Miserable? Misguided? I don't think kids these days are interested anyway unfortunately. I usually judge people as either watchers or non watchers of The Simpsons and the watchers are always the winners.
Load More Replies... White Wolf 2 years ago
As somebody who friggin' hates those ping-pong-eyed yellow poop figures, I sortof understand that. Sortof.
Sammie 19 2 years ago
Well the actress who is the voice of Bart Simpson is a crazy scientologist cult member which means that the Simpsons are on my never to watch list
Tunk 2 years ago
Poor Sammie 19. A silly self enforced rule. If you are strict with this you must be very conscientious about your other life choices though so maybe an upside. Though a world without Simpsons is hard to contemplate.
Load More Replies... Huddo's sister 2 years ago
My mum banned it twice. First after I watched the Itchy and Scratchy Land episode and had nightmares. Then, when we were older she allowed it again, then banned it when my little sister tried imitating Bart by choking my brother.
Kathryn Smith 2 years ago
Is. Is a stupid and bigoted show, not stopping with only racism.
Load More Replies... #90
My mom used to make us kids organize the silverware perfectly and would have a fit if it wasn't. This consisted of carefully balancing the small forks on top of each other in a stack, and stacking the large forks in their own stack right next to it. This also meant that if you opened the silverware drawer at normal speed the stack would all fall over and you just lost 5 minutes of your ~~time~~ life restacking forks and spoons. Total craziness. We also had to pay a verbal homage to an imaginary being each night before we consumed food.
digitalin 2 years ago
Mine were not nearly as bad as a lot here, but definitely some weird stuff that I thought was normal at the time. Like our bathroom window had only a half-curtain on it. It blocked visibility, but the light shone into my parents' bedroom and woke them up, so we could only use the heat lamp. Like, why didn't we just get proper blinds? Or not letting us drink from the "good" water glasses in case we broke them. In high school. Or not wanting us to eat at home alone (in high school) in case we choked. Lots of other "small" stuff that I didn't know was weird.
Vicki Doggurl 2 years ago
Sounds like my parents! But the verbal homage is before every meal. They still do this, even if we’ve gone out to eat. Yep, they’re the ones folding their arms and bowing their heads to pray at McDonald’s or Denny’s. :)
Jennifer Biness 2 years ago
Grace, it's called saying grace before dinner, and is very common and not at all strange
Midnightoil 2 years ago
Nothing wrong with saying thanks for food. In today's world the people on government support get $$$ for food that those of us who work cannot afford. Biden caused a lot of problems.
#91
After he discovered that I'd been watching p*rn, my dad routinely checked my internet history. Not the browser history, the DNS logs, which only he had access to. I was confronted multiple times in high school because I'd been looking at content that he didn't think was suitable. I wasn't allowed to get a smartphone until college because it would have been possible to browse the internet unmonitored.
Jonny westen 2 years ago
Omg people on this thread are annoying. That's a very normal thing. You weren't abused because you couldn't watch porn on the family computer as a child
perfect pikachu 2 years ago
except... not being allowed a phone until COLLEGE?! THAT is a bit extreme... also, a highschooler should be allowed to do what they want on the internet. They're in highschool...
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What do you think ?
Sue Bradley 2 years ago
So many of these posts are examples of abusive behaviour, so sad and sorry for all involved X
Tams21 2 years ago
I didn't have the patience to get through all of them but from the ones I saw, I agree. Some of these parents have no business have children under their care.
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Seabeast 2 years ago
Too bad people aren't required to study and pass a test before being allowed to have children.
Melissa Hollowell 2 years ago
I had to go through more scrutiny to get an abandoned dog from a rescue than 2 adults who decide to make a new human.
Load More Replies... heather7d@yahoo.com 2 years ago
Okay, I couldn’t even get through the first 10. This is one of the most horrific posts I’ve ever read on here. I hope all these people who grew up in these abusive situations are doing okay now. 😞❤️
Got Myself 4 Pandas 2 years ago
As a parent I'm a firm believer in picking my battles - why would I make my life and theirs more difficult by making up stupid rules that have zero logic behind it? I'm pretty laid back as to what my kids are allowed but you can bet your a*s I expect them to be decent humans and show people respect - as to how much toilet roll I really don't care as long as I'm not dealing with skid marks, if they're hungry then eat, if your not then don't - I really don't understand why anyone has kids just to make their everyone's lives miserable - what is the freaking point?
Elaine Morinelli 2 years ago
These posts are all examples of horrible physical, emotional and sexual abuse. I hope these people are ok today.
Marion Goriak 2 years ago
This stuff is HORRIBLE. The only "rules" we have are: If you spill the salt, pour some over your left shoulder. If it's yellow, let it mellow, if it's brown, flush it down. Last one out locks the door. If you're going downstairs, take something down. If you're going up, take something up. If someone makes a particularly hilarious or incisive comment, you must high five them. No drinking directly from the jug. All these "rules" are agreed upon family rules, that are part of our family "folklore".
Emmydearest 2 years ago
All these parents acting like they've been held ar gunpoint by their own future children's souls and been forced to conceive them. Uhm no, you deliberately decided to have kids (or your inconsiderate actions led to a pregnancy) and you have to raise them, provide for them, create for them a sane, healthy and positive environment, do everything for them to grow up and become functioning adults. Your kids shouldn't pay for their food or their basic hygiene products, feeding and clothing them is not a "gift" from your own part, that's not even the minimum standard... And those post, my friends are like the poster child (or whatever it's called) for the legalization of abortion, contraception and sex education. I wonder how many more kids will be born in a household where they are not wanted, maybe even hated... How will they be treated?
Celina 2 years ago (edited)
Agree with you on how kids don't owe their parents anything, etc. but society does push women in the direction of "settling down and having children." Going against that is something that takes effort and strength that some people don't have or want to muster. Hell, some people don't even realize it's an option, partly because of how they were raised by their parents. It doesn't excuse the behavior but I would argue many if not most people don't even consiously sit down and decide to have and raise children. Which is a huge problem and needs ro change.
Load More Replies... Sue Bradley 2 years ago
So many of these posts are examples of abusive behaviour, so sad and sorry for all involved X
Tams21 2 years ago
I didn't have the patience to get through all of them but from the ones I saw, I agree. Some of these parents have no business have children under their care.
Load More Replies... Seabeast 2 years ago
Too bad people aren't required to study and pass a test before being allowed to have children.
Melissa Hollowell 2 years ago
I had to go through more scrutiny to get an abandoned dog from a rescue than 2 adults who decide to make a new human.
Load More Replies... heather7d@yahoo.com 2 years ago
Okay, I couldn’t even get through the first 10. This is one of the most horrific posts I’ve ever read on here. I hope all these people who grew up in these abusive situations are doing okay now. 😞❤️
Got Myself 4 Pandas 2 years ago
As a parent I'm a firm believer in picking my battles - why would I make my life and theirs more difficult by making up stupid rules that have zero logic behind it? I'm pretty laid back as to what my kids are allowed but you can bet your a*s I expect them to be decent humans and show people respect - as to how much toilet roll I really don't care as long as I'm not dealing with skid marks, if they're hungry then eat, if your not then don't - I really don't understand why anyone has kids just to make their everyone's lives miserable - what is the freaking point?
Elaine Morinelli 2 years ago
These posts are all examples of horrible physical, emotional and sexual abuse. I hope these people are ok today.
Marion Goriak 2 years ago
This stuff is HORRIBLE. The only "rules" we have are: If you spill the salt, pour some over your left shoulder. If it's yellow, let it mellow, if it's brown, flush it down. Last one out locks the door. If you're going downstairs, take something down. If you're going up, take something up. If someone makes a particularly hilarious or incisive comment, you must high five them. No drinking directly from the jug. All these "rules" are agreed upon family rules, that are part of our family "folklore".
Emmydearest 2 years ago
All these parents acting like they've been held ar gunpoint by their own future children's souls and been forced to conceive them. Uhm no, you deliberately decided to have kids (or your inconsiderate actions led to a pregnancy) and you have to raise them, provide for them, create for them a sane, healthy and positive environment, do everything for them to grow up and become functioning adults. Your kids shouldn't pay for their food or their basic hygiene products, feeding and clothing them is not a "gift" from your own part, that's not even the minimum standard... And those post, my friends are like the poster child (or whatever it's called) for the legalization of abortion, contraception and sex education. I wonder how many more kids will be born in a household where they are not wanted, maybe even hated... How will they be treated?
Celina 2 years ago (edited)
Agree with you on how kids don't owe their parents anything, etc. but society does push women in the direction of "settling down and having children." Going against that is something that takes effort and strength that some people don't have or want to muster. Hell, some people don't even realize it's an option, partly because of how they were raised by their parents. It doesn't excuse the behavior but I would argue many if not most people don't even consiously sit down and decide to have and raise children. Which is a huge problem and needs ro change.
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