People Break Down Which Things From Their Childhood They Thought Were Totally Normal Until They Grew Up
Image by Anemone123 from Pixabay |
When I was growing up, I had a classmate who used to joke about his mother hitting him with the broom when he was particularly naughty. We had a good laugh at it at first until we realized... Wait a minute –– that's not normal. And it wasn't. Most of us grew up in homes with parents who didn't lash out at us, so something was definitely wrong there. But when you're younger, it can be hard to express when something feels off, especially when you lack any other basis for comparison.
After Redditor stupidrobots asked the online community, "What about your childhood did you think was normal until you grew up and realized it wasn't?" people shared their stories.
"I know when we eventually settled somewhere..."
I was a military brat, who grew up with other military brats. And because of dad's role, we moved around a lot.
Apparently, changing home/school/country every 1-2 years isn't normal.
I know when we eventually settled somewhere for me to finish high school, I was shocked to learn that there were kids at my high school who had been to kindergarten together. Like, they'd known each other for 15 years. It blew my mind.
"Coming home every day..."
Coming home every day from school to freshly baked cakes, cookies etc. I honestly thought everyone's mum did this. My mum just really enjoys baking, and is very good at it. She would seriously time it so that her freshly baked goodies were still warm but ready to eat when my siblings and I got home from school.
"An acquaitance of mine..."
An acquaintance of mine had really messed up parents growing up, and they never let him do anything. He was never allowed to hang out with me or our friends, and wasn't even allowed to go down to the fish and chip shop unsupervised. Even when he turned 18 (legal drinking age in the UK), he still wasn't allowed to drink alcohol. His mum told him that if he was caught even drinking a drop of it, there would be some severe punishment awaiting him.
Unfortunately, his guy genuinely believed the way his parents brought him up was completely normal. It didn't help that his parents kept him isolated from other people as much as possible, which most likely didn't help. What really disturbed me and still does to this day, after his parents found out about his poor GCSE results, he was locked in his room for a week and was not allowed to go out unless it was for the toilet or for dinner. I told him that's straight-up abuse. His response? "They don't hit me, so its not abuse. They just have my best interests at heart." He was baffled to hear that most parents did not do that.
Last I heard of him, he's beginning to stand up to them and has now even got his driving licence. However, the damage has been done already. This guy is 22 and acts at least 10 years younger, and has trouble holding down a job for longer than a few months. He's never spent one night away from his parents/grandparents in his life ever, and is likely to be very dependent on his parents. Let's just say, his parents have done him a massive disservice.
"The one thing I wish I could do..."
My parents were always there for me. There was no such thing as I was ever "on my own" until 18 when I left home and joined the military. I always thought parents were your support system and pushed you to do and be your very best. As I was getting older 17/18 I was surprised to see how many of my friends couldn't turn to their parents for anything. Looking back, I didn't realize how lucky I was to have parents that worked hard to make sure we had anything we wanted even whether or not we could afford it, which normally we could.
Thanks, mom and dad, for everything.
The one thing I wish I could do is to go back and help those who weren't as fortunate. But it's never too late to build a strong community around you and change what you can.
"My parents are old school Catholics..."
Having parents who hate each other. I genuinely had no idea there were couples who were happily married until I was in high school.
My parents are old-school Catholics who never thought divorce was an option. I have never seen my parents kiss or hug. I don't even remember a time when they shared a bedroom.
My four siblings and I struggle with relationships. I wish my parents had divorced and at least one of them had found a healthy, loving relationship.
"When I grew up..."
Emotional manipulation/abuse. I never considered it that I just thought its parenting. When I grew up and understood emotions better I realized that my parents were constantly emotionally manipulative towards me to force their opinions on me.
"My grandfather was a tinkerer..."
Hoarding. My grandfather was a tinkerer that grew up in a poor household. He saved everything. My dad adopted the behavior. He tried to be like his dad, but he was nothing like him. He didn't repair and invent things. He just broke things and kept on collecting things.Soon, my mom adopted the behavior. She would go to flea markets/yard sales and just buy up crap that would get thrown onto a pile. She only bought what she thought was "worth money."
I never realized how bad it was until I looked at an old photo of myself (probably about three) standing in what I thought was a storage room or maybe a flea market. Nope, it was our hallway. Boxes and items stacked from floor to ceiling. I sobbed. I didn't remember it being so bad when I was young, but it was awful. I wasn't allowed to have friends over. My parents were so extreme that they'd tell me to go clean my room, and then go through the trash bag to see if I threw out anything "valuable." I'd end up with 3/4ths of the trash back in my room, and getting screeched at for throwing away money.
Once I was an adult, I started throwing out anything and everything I could. Parents gone for the day? Throw out crap they don't even remember owning! After my mom passed, I went through a lot of the stuff she collected for value and learned that most of it wasn't even worth the amount she paid for them. All but one item was less than $1. I'm constantly purging stuff out of my house. I don't want a repeat of my childhood.
"That I didn't have to..."
That I don't have to spend the whole of a party or gathering serving people/cleaning up after them just because I'm a girl. This was expected of me every time. I was confused as hell at the first non-family party I went to, and this was as an adult.
Having to pay for basically my own life starting at freshman year of high school (year one).
I went around thinking that everyone paid their own phone bill, buying their own clothes, finding a way to school, etc.
But really I came to the realization that it seemed like my family didn't like me. No one else had to do it in my family and it's not like my family is poor. I've been the most successful in my family yet I've gotten to the point where I don't care.
Now I'm 18 years old about to graduate high school busting my butt to get money to pay for college. I'm literally getting 3-4 hours of sleep trying to keep good grades and working.
"For me, I appreciate it..."
I grew up in what my friends refer to as "a naked house". Nudity is no big deal to me. My mum was pretty much naked most of the time. We'd use the toilet with the door open and we wouldn't lock the bathroom door while bathing in case someone needed to use the toilet. Getting changed in front of my brothers or parents is totally normal to me. I didn't realize that was strange until it became a running joke with my friends that they've seen my mum naked more than their own.
For me, I appreciate it because I'm confident in my skin as I've never been told it's something that should be hidden/ashamed of and it also made for a more open relationship with my parents. We'd comfortably talk about body issues and that made puberty an easier experience compared to a lot of my friends' descriptions of theirs. One friend thought she was dying when she got her first period because her mum had never discussed it with her! That's what's weird to me. I can't imagine not being able to discuss a body issue with my parents.
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Image by Omar Medina Films from Pixabay |
As seen on TV. That line reverberates through all of our minds. Right? I haven't fallen for the, call me know and order group, thankfully. But I have enjoyed their commercials. And I have been duped by the other mediums. I'm still waiting on some things I ordered off of Facebook. And who doesn't owe money to the... buy 9 CDs for a cent group? But once and awhile the product is real and the "scam" is a deal.
Redditor u/drichm2599 wanted to know what items we need to start buying by asking... What "as-seen-on-TV" product really works as advertised?A lot of the Shark Tank folks have made their way to tv to hock items, and it worked, and people are happy! So there has to be some truth to a few things. Let's see what items we should all look for...
The Cleanse
Oxy-Clean is pretty amazing.
I no longer consider Oxy-Clean an ASOTV product. It is a part of everyday life.
I mean, when name brands are bragging that they have the cleaning power of Oxy-Clean, it has made it to the big time.
FLEX
Flex tape.
I work for an HVAC supplier and our delivery box truck struck the awning of a restaurant and put a 6"x6" hole in the 'box' part. Threw some flex tape on that witch and it's been sealed for over eight months so far, including a rough winter.
Gutted
That leaf filter thing for your gutters. Haven't worried about them in awhile and even set up my parents house with them so they didn't try to climb a ladder.
These have been around in various forms for years, but in my experience they pop out, animals get in them, crapt gets under/through them, and within a couple of years they're just a crooked eyesore that make gutter cleaning that much harder. Are these newest ones actually better? Have you checked under them since installing? No gunk? How do you clean roofing gravel out, or does it really not accumulate?
For the Pets
Those gloves that you pet your dog with and it desheds them. They really do work, and true to the commercial the hair also comes off in one clean pull. My dogs love them too.
Spun Up
I was given a Hurricane Spin Mop. I really liked it. That was years ago. I considered buying another one, but damn, $30 for a mop is a lot. They do work nicely though.
Mops take a lot of abuse, if you buy cheap ones you'll have broken/shredded mops pretty fast. $30 for a mop wouldn't kill me if it lasted multiple years.
Actually that brings me to mine, which isn't infomercial level, but the Swiffer Wetjet is pretty awesome because I don't have to mop anymore at all. My whole house is 120-year-old hardwood. I used to do Murphy's or white vinegar, but dragging a mop bucket up and down stairs every week sucks hardcore. Wetjet gets the floors truly clean, dries super fast, and doesn't involve buckets. I wish they'd make a Murphy's scented Wetjet but that's probably just me.
I'm getting that dog shedder thing. And well... Oxy Clean is a miracle. But that is old news. Maybe I need to be watching more TV at 3am. Or at least set the DVR for the sales. What else is being missed?
Hugs...
The Snuggie was a freaking damned miracle. You can argue that it's just wearing a robe backwards but have you tried that? the arm holes are all wrong.
Damn. I had a Snuggie when I was a teen. I'm 60+. I need to look out for one. It was great for relaxing with a book.
Clogger
Green Gobbler. My bathroom sink was all clogged up and I remembered laughing my butt off to Penguinz0 dubbing over the Green Gobbler commercial. So I figured why not buy some at Home Depot and try it out.
That stuff unclogged my barely functioning sink like nobody's business, my God.
For the Girls
Those little circle things you can use to turn your regular bra into a racer back bra. They're amazing.
Slank Me
I have a Slanket (same concept, different brand) and use it every winter. During the pandemic, I was working from home in a room that gets very cold. I could run a heater, but that tends to just make the room too warm and gives me headaches. I tried a blanket, but couldn't use my hands on the keyboard without opening myself to the cold air.
So I grabbed the Slanket and used that. It kept me warm while I typed away without giving me headaches. If I had a meeting that required video, I simply took out my arms and pulled the Slanket below the camera view.
Of course, now it's getting warm so it's time to put the Slanket away until the cool air returns.
Mince Me
The slap chop. Admittedly, I don't own THE slap chop, I have the pampered chef version, but for mincing garlic or onions it saves a ton of time.
The Snuggie saved my life. I lost it and now I have to re-order as soon as I finish this piece. Trust me, if you haven't Snuggied, you haven't lived. Looks like product sales have stepped it up a bit. I'm watching.
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Anyone who has watched A & E's Hoarders suffers from a distant PTSD. How could we not? That show could make you rethink every life choice. Then along comes Marie Kondo. Remember her? These programs have made us confront the possibility that we may hold onto things we never needed or collect in an access that is at the very least... unhealthy. So let's all discuss what could get us on these shows.
Redditor u/MitaJoey20 wanted everyone to fess up about what they basically hoard by asking... What do you own an obscene amount of?Clothes. I have way too many articles of clothing. I was poor as a kid. I was obese as a teen so I over compensate now. I want options of nice things to wear. There. I said it. And now I have to go pay my storage unit of clothes. Who understands?
Comfies...
Stuffed animals. But I'd be a damn liar if I said that I'm not cozy at night in my stuffed animal kingdom.
Extensions
Useless cables from up to 25 years ago. I have phone chargers older than lots of Redditors. IDE extensions. I don't know why.
I have quite a few of them too! A small box full of IDE and floppy drive cables.
Because my hobby is... Owning an obscene amount of old late 90's, early 2000's computers, and just messing around with the hardware!
By a Hair
Dog hair. That crap in all my belongings.
When our mutt died our vet came in to ask if we would like a pawprint as a keepsake. We said yes. Then she wanted to know if we wanted a lock of his hair as well.
And then in the middle of us bawling our eyes out, we stopped, and laughed for about 10 seconds. Because that dog's hair was all over our house. He, our carpet, and our couch were all the same color, so a lot of it was hidden, but just everywhere. We declined the lock of hair.
$$$
Money.
Exactly how obscene an amount of money were you talking about? Just… profane, or really offensive?
Greens
Plants.
Currently have about... 800?
To be fair, most of it is inventory for my business.
All of this is making sense. And there is never an amount of money that is too obscene to have. I don't get the plants, but I hate plants. Sorry green thumbers.
Love is in the Heel
Shoes because when I was a broke child, my parents never bought me shoes I wanted. Now I am broke adult after buying tons of shoes that never see outside their boxes.
Shoes will always love you. Shoes will never leave you. You can gain 50 pounds and your pants and tops may have to be donated, but your feet will stay the same size. I'm here for shoes because they are here for me.
Cover Up
Make up.
glances at her make up collection yup. I have a 10 drawer craft storage thing. I need another. I have 2 drawers alone just for lipsticks and glosses.
Hey Neo!
Pictures of Keanu Reeves wearing a bra.
And now shoes...
Socks without a match.
Lol in my family we have a generational bin of socks that keeps getting passed down. My mom had one, and when my sister moved she took it with her. My sister has now moved four times and that bin keeps going with her.
I think the odds on finding those lost mates are pretty low at this point.
Gimme Quarters...
Penny stocks.
Penny stocks are fun. I've made a decent bit off of them over the past several years. Still, I generally try and steer people away from them, since the general public is pretty terrible with basic financial tools like checking accounts and credit cards.
There is never enough of Keanu Reeves in our lives. And I still collect pennies. Money is money. But... we really should examine some collection choices. There is such a thing as too many shoes.
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I love money, and I love to spend it. But I also love to be frugal and economic in my spending choices. I am always shocked to see how some people will just throw money about like it's water. (And we shouldn't be wasteful with that either!) Whether you have an abundance of it or not, you might want to rethink a couple of choices. Like ten grand for socks? Really?
Redditor u/Bxtweentheligxts wanted to hear about the most outrageous ways people throw around money by asking... What's the most overpriced item you seen someone actually buy?
In New York City there is a restaurant, I believe it's "Serendipity." It's a city must see and a lifestyle staple. They're famous for their desserts and a special hot cocoa but they also have what is said to be one of the world's "best" ice cream sundaes, that goes for a measly... $1000. Sounds like a steal. From your pocket! And anyone who buys it really should reflect on their life choices.
Chips Away...
I once sold a classmate a bag of chips for $20. I was working a snack sale at school where we sold cups full of chips.
We figured we could get about 20 cups for $1 each out of a bag, so we charged $20 for the bag and she actually bought it. The bag of chips itself couldn't have been worth more than maybe $3 or $4 dollars.
Gamer Way
Gencon is a big board gaming convention in Indianapolis every year. "The 4 best days in gaming!"
One of the booths sell mystery boxes. The most expensive one was like $200, so my friend bought it. It was filled with junk. A crappy Pikachu mug, a couple of anime pictures, a blanket, and a couple of other small decorative statues of characters that we didn't recognize.
Then, he had to carry that huge box all the way around the con for the next 4-5 hours until we went back to the car.
That's been 5-6 years ago and we still give him crap for that.
Speak Up
When I was in 8th grade, I needed a microphone to play with friends online and the school art show was coming up. Parents can bid on certain pieces they like but usually only the best of the best get bids. I put a crappy looking clay mug for a starting bid of $25. Turns out someone bought it... my mom did. Was nice microphone.
OMG Me Too!Â
A lady in front of me in line at Kohl's once paid full price for a shirt.
Last time I bought something at Kohl's they aggressively talked me into buying it on a store credit card for 15% off which I then had to go home and cancel. Now I'm too embarrassed to go back to kohl's because I'm scared they'll just make me get another one.
Yeah see, no. All of those things can be bought on sale or at a bargain store. And champagne at a strip club? How can be just be so willing to spend? It's like an addiction. Let's continue...
You mean Diapers?
Designer underwear for toddlers, i mean really they fit them what 4 weeks? Sure they need 60 bucks a piece panties why not.
There is so much waste and overspending in the market for clothes and accessories for babies and young kids, it's crazy. I got nearly everything for my kid second-hand at a fraction of the price.
Just keep an eye on local classifieds, or family and friends with older kids. My brother has two sons that are older than my kid and my sister-in-law always wanted her kids to have "the best", so my kid has more high-quality hand-me-down clothes than he knows what to do with.
I'll Take a Bud
A $15 Coors light at a festival.
Bwahaha.
I will raise your beer at the ball game with wine at the opera.
I once ordered a glass for now and a glass at intermission with a couple of snacks.
The cashier said $15. I was a little surprised it was that low. Because I am not a fool who would let some student take the fall for an honest mistake, I asked if he was sure. Yep, completely rang it up wrong. $46 dollars later I declare that this is properly inflated prices I was expecting.
Light Catcher
A $15,000 triangular crystal, "sculpture," that would capture light and cast a rainbow on the room.
For Me
My own painting.
One foot square, made in 10 minutes with a palette knife. It started as simply a place to scrape leftover paint off my knife Then I squished a couple blobs of color on it and spread it around improv style. Seriously, 10 minutes tops. When I turned it upside down, it happened to resemble an object/scene.
Apparently it really struck a nerve with someone I know, a visceral response each time he views it. I tried to gift it to him twice, but he insisted on paying $500 for it. It's the highest per-hour income, and highest priced artwork, I've ever made.
It's all so random.
Hammer
In fourth grade, while visiting the local museum, my friend paid $15 for a piece of sandstone with the word "hammer" written on it in marker. It was supposed to be a Native American hammer, but of course it'd just crumble if actually hit against anything.
What have we learned? No matter how much money you have... there is always ways to have more, through thrifty deal making. So much waste on this thread. And never NEVER buy drinks at entertainment venues. Unless you're gonna skip rent that month. LOL
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Living in New York City, I see a lot of things that a lot of people elsewhere might not remotely think about. Things like... pigeons that know to hop onto the train at 14th Street only to disembark at Fulton Street. Things like... grown men fighting in the street over the color of an umbrella. Things like... Subway "showtime" dancers who dropkick other passengers and initiate a fight as we're careening through the tunnel. You know, the usual.
After Redditor True_Madness asked the online community, "What's your 'Well, you don't see that everyday' story?" people told us about the odd, quirky instances they've stumbled upon.
"The second train pulls into the station..."
On vacation in London, my wife and I were waiting for a train in a tube station. Two trains arrived at the station before ours showed up. As a native New Yorker, I was comforted to see that pigeons live in subway stations everywhere.
The first train pulls into the station and the doors open. As people enter and exit the train, one pigeon flutters down from the ceiling, lands on the platform, and calmly walks onto the train like he's off to work or something. My wife and I laugh about this a little as the doors closed and the train pulls away from the station.
The second train pulls into the station, the doors open, and people shuffle out. After a moment a different pigeon walks out of this train and then flutters up to the spot vacated by the first pigeon.
Anyway, seems like London pigeons have the tube pretty much figured out.
See?
What'd I tell you?
THEY KNOW.
"I helped a German guy..."
I helped a German guy at CVS jump his car and to thank me he gave me a fancy bottle of shampoo.
"A big ass old ceramic tub..."
A big old ceramic tub flew off a flatbed truck and exploded into a million pieces on the interstate.
That sounds dangerous.
Beats the silly bouncing logs in Final Destination 2, though.
"While jogging slowly..."
While jogging slowly up a steep hill, I got cheered on by the driver of the Oscar Meyer Wienermobile.
You're not a loser, you're a weiner!
Sorry, couldn't resist.
"I had just pulled out..."
I had just pulled out of my office parking lot when a lady hit my rear passenger side with her SUV as she pulled out of a rail station parking lot. Ugh. So we both pulled over at the Taco Cabana to do the typical fender bender rigamarole, but to my surprise, a pick-up truck followed behind us. I don't think too much of it and get out to exchange info. As I approach her car, I notice she's avoiding my gaze completely. I'm standing there knocking on her window like wtf lady? And then a man gets out of the aforementioned truck.
He demands to know what happened, and why I hit her, to which I retort, excuse me but who are you?! And she hit ME are you joking or are you blind? I'm growing more livid by the second because I just want to go home.
Out of nowhere, a van with a local Mexican restaurant's branding pulls up, and ANOTHER man gets out and starts yelling at the pick-up truck man. They seem to know each other. The woman in the SUV now LOCKS her door (I heard her power locks). I turn back to address the van man and he's arguing with the pick-up truck man. A security guard from the neighboring rail station is walking over and as I'm flagging him over for help, van man HEAD BUTTS pick up truck man. Full on. I'm in total disbelief and now the security guard is frantically running and jumps a hedge of bushes lmao. He comes and breaks up the fight. I'm not sure why but it was only at this point that I feared for my safety but I was also now deeply invested in this drama that was unfolding.
It turns out the woman who hit me was having an affair with the pick-up truck man and they were having a rendezvous at the rail station parking lot. Van man is her husband, and he had just caught them in the act. The worst part is their teenage son was with him. Van man is practically giddy telling me to contact him at all if I need a witness to the accident get my car fixed, presumably so she can get slammed with a hefty fine or premium or whatever.
So yeah, you just don't see a grown man headbutt another grown man in a Taco Cabana parking lot every day.
"A bride in her wedding gown..."
A bride in her wedding gown running in the train station being chased by two women holding the train of her dress.
Paging Julia Roberts...
...is this the sequel to Runaway Bride we've been waiting for?
"I once saw a squirrel..."
I once saw a squirrel carrying an entire pomegranate around a cemetery.
"Watched a guy..."
Watched a guy on a quad drop his hat, look back and decide to leave it behind. About 2 minutes later, some guy in a tan car drives up, swerves around it, stops, leans out of the car, picks up the hat, puts it on, and then just drive away like nothing happened.
"Neutering a dog..."
Neutering a dog the other day, he appeared to be a cryptorchid - that is, one normal testicle, and one not descended, retained somewhere in the abdomen. Well, we can still neuter these - in fact, it's even more important to do so, since the retained one can later develop cancer if left behind - so, into the abdomen I went, looking for that retained testicle, which I was expecting to find somewhere between the kidney and inguinal ring.
Found a uterus.
"I saw a dude..."
I saw a dude absolutely BOMBING a hill on a skateboard, joint in hand, and a crossbow on his back. Not like a little one. Like a medieval reenactment crossbow used for storming the gates of Helms Deep.
If you remain observant...
...you'll see all sorts of interesting things happening. I always seem to find something cool to take notice of.
Have some stories of your own? Feel free to tell us about them in the comments section below!
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