They say there's nothing quite like a mother's unconditional love.
But sometimes that love is, in fact, very conditional.
When you've got a mom like that, there are things it's easier to just not tell them. Even if you've got an amazing mother, there are things you're probably not lining up to confess.
One Reddit user asked:
What's one thing your mom doesn't know about you?
It's a little surreal to realize you now know this personal detail about someone that their own mother does not, but that's exactly the situation we're all in after reading these confessions.
Master Forger
My handwriting was so bad when I was in middle school that she would help me write it she saw me struggling so I 'practiced' writing her name near her so she would sign her signature on a piece of paper and I traced it on a detention slip LOL
I too had awful handwriting! Then I also became a delinquent and needed to be able to forge mom's signature. So I practiced every day until I had it perfect.
Now, my mom has amazing script level handwriting and I got my forged signature near identical to hers. To this day I have incredible handwriting that stems directly from hours spent practicing forwarding her name.
Grandma's Funeral
season 5 ghost GIF by PowerGiphyI missed my grandmothers funeral because I was locked up facing ten years for armed robbery.
Eventually family had to hire two lawyers for me. Any other black kid that didn't have a well off family would be f*cked. My parents are architects and I never lived up to them.
Locked up a few years then had five years house arrest. That's why I have so much Reddit karma.
Let's talk real karma though... because you better believe in it. I was an a**hole the year before, and look what happened.
When I walked in the bullpen it was all us black men. The animosity in the air was palpable. I could feel them sizing me up.
I eventually got back in after sitting with a review board. I was able to graduate. But having a degree in sociology isn't lucrative.
I worked call centers until my most recent as a supervisor at a non-profit.
We moved all the homeless into hotels. My office was a hotel room and my coworkers just watch TV all day.
Some days are dangerous, though. I've had guns pulled on me, drug dealers moving in. It's bad.
And I just got fired after a year. Anyways pray I get my job back or find something soon. I'm tempted to go back to my old self.
Letting Someone Else Own The Fart
I farted at her and my dad's vow renewal.
It was one of those farts where the entire room took notice and started gagging. Someone else got blamed for it and I never corrected anyone and admitted that it was actually me.
Up Until A Year Ago
That I nearly lost my job in March, but Covid actually spun me into keeping my job and the benefit of working from home indefinitely.
That I had my heart broken once again. That I feel very lonely. That my depression was the worst it has ever been in July and that I have finally found a medication that is helping.
That there is a Marilyn Manson song now that my dad and I both are convinced that even she would like. That I miss her more than I ever thought possible. That I'm sorry for being upset with her last year on November 20th and I've been having nightmares for weeks now where she hates me so much she won't even speak to me.
Saturday will make it a full year since I lost my mom and my best friend in this entire world. There are so many things I want to share with her and so many things I want her advice on. My mom knew everything about me up until a year ago..
Squad
the wire car GIF by Scorpion DaggerGiphyI once went drinking with some gang members I had just met.
During the summer, the city holds free jazz concerts in a park and my roommate's sister asked me to go because safety. We listened in a distant part of the park, so we could drink without getting hassled.
There was a group of 3 or 4 shady looking guys a bit down the path from us, and she decided to go over to bum a cigarette off of them. We shared some of our vodka with them and after talking for them for a few minutes, we learned that they were Gangster Disciples.
We pretty much spent the rest of the night partying with them. We went to one of their apartments to get more mixer and smoke, then later we went out to a bar.
That's about all to tell, they were actually very friendly guys, to be honest.
I Tell Her Everything ... But This
My mom doesn't know that I'm bisexual and I have known for 8 years.
I've never felt comfortable coming out to anyone in my family due to being raised super conservative Christian. I've only told 5 people.
It sucks not being able to talk to her about this especially since I tell her everything, she's my best friend.
A Failed Weekend Threesome
My mom doesn't know that the trip I took to San Diego wasn't with "my friend and her family."
I was 22 and old enough to know better, but I met a couple online and spent the weekend with them.
I drove 1.5 hours to LA to meet the guy, then we took an Uber to the bus station that was 20 mins away. We took a bus all the way up to Oakland where his girlfriend picked us up.
Weekend was decent I guess (he cheated in the past. They were soooo not ready to add another person. Awkward). Then at the last minute, he decided he wanted to stay longer.
So rather than having him with me for safety as planned, I got on the 8 hour bus ride home by MYSELF. I didn't get back to LA until 1am.
Then had to call an Uber and waited 20 minutes, was dropped off at his house to get my car, only to speed home to make it home by 2:15am so I could sleep for a few hours before going to work at 6am.
Except I didn't get any sleep cause my mom was upset that I got home so late from my trip with "my friend."
2/10, would not recommend.
- HMB43
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Curious to hear examples of these, Redditor lilac_cup asked:
"Which tv series has aged like milk?"
The handling of these controversial TV story lines seem so careless in retrospect.
Addressing Child Abuse
"The very first episode of Hill Street Blues has two cops breaking up a domestic disturbance caused by a woman finding her man f'king her 15yo daughter. The man is told not to be sh**ty, the woman is told to put out more and the child is told not to be so tempting. Then the cops leave, patting themselves on the back for a job well done."
– kifferella
The Teacher's Secret Relationship
"Pretty Little Liars. I think even at the time, the teacher dating his 16 year old student storyline was considered creepy, but in 2022 it’s honestly unbelievable that was ever portrayed in any kind of positive light. Also that her parents didn’t immediately just report him to the police."
– ColdFIREBaker
Forbidden Attraction
"Not the whole series but Ally McBeal. In one episode Ally found out her bf is bi and her reason breaking up with him was she afraid that one day her bf would be attracted to their son."
– thrussie
These reality shows would never fly in a "woke" world.
Racist Cringe
"There was a reality show on Fox called 'Black. White.' Where they put a white family in blackface and a black family in whiteface."
"Just reading about it, it turns out the white family wasn't even a real family. They were unrelated actors."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black._White.
– MichaelJAwesome
Extreme Makeover
"Extreme makeover. I remember watching this show as a kid and being like oh wow they’re fixing all these ugly people with plastic surgery and making them happy. I just think that caused a whole generation to think they could change their body with money. Show lasted like 4 seasons. Couldn’t imagine that show today."
– thenightshifters
Teen Exploitation
"Secret life of an American teenager."
"Just what…."
– carlirodriguez8
A Critique
"My god this show was terrible. My wife’s sister was into it and we ended up watching a lot of it when we were dating. I think they tried to make the banter like Gilmore Girls, but it ended up being the characters repeating their current plots and arcs over and over. I don’t remember the characters at all, but the main character was such a horrible person, and the audience is supposed to root for her."
"The main things I remember about it were the religious girl claiming she killed her dad by having sex with her boyfriend, and apparently you go to Bologna to get bjs."
– MachFighterG
So-Called Expert
"You Are What You Eat."
"Host Gillian McKeith (or to use her full medical title, Gillian McKeith) was an absolute quack with an online medical qualification from a Mickey Mouse university. She pretended to be a scientist by being recorded standing around in a lab wearing a white coat, spouted unscientific nonsense that anyone who had done a GCSE in science could see through, and was obsessed with getting people to shit in Tupperware boxes."
"It got cancelled after the final series when you had to have her move in with you. In the last few years she popped up again as a prominent anti-vaxxer once COVID vaccines became available."
– MattBD
These pageant shows glorifying good looks and talent would never be greenlit today.
Performing Pressure
"Dance moms- used to be entertaining, now all I can see is the psychological effects it must’ve had on those girls."
– KE789
"Americas Next Top Model has to be #1."
"From all the behind the scenes sh*t that went on in production to what the show actually shows. It’s all just horrendous."
– Nickster1619
From Ugly To Beautiful
"The Swan, was 2 women who are considered 'ugly ducklings' participating in a pageant against each other after undergoing a three-month transformative process aka having heaps of plastic surgery."
– twozedzed
Psychological Downer
"Right?! How were they allowed to do so many procedures in such a short time while completely isolating these women from their families? Making them diet and exercise while healing from a tummy tuck, breast implants, and veneers?! The 'therapy' sessions were a joke and were just for show while these poor women with low self esteem were preyed upon for entertainment. Just out of a safety and medical prospective…wow."
– Snoo-8746
Judging The Reflection
"Didn't they also not allow the contestants/patients to have mirrors the whole time so they were surprised when they saw themselves? Psychologically having massive changes like that and it being sudden is extremely bad for your brain, you can end up rejecting the reflection because it's not 'you.'"
– Delouest
As audiences evolve, so does the writing and development of all forms of entertainment.
But because the changes are gradual, it is jarring when looking back and noticing how offensive and isolating some of these shows can be.
Times sure have changed in the world of entertainment–mostly for the better.
Curious to hear experiences from strangers online, Redditor WallStreetDoesntBet asked:
"People who moved out of the parent’s house before 30, how?"
Most people can't afford to live on their own.
Roommate Is Key
"yeah this exactly. I've never lived by myself, was roommates until I got a serious girlfriend and now fiance. There's exactly 0% chance of me being in the same position I'm in financially if I had been paying full rent all those years."
– lick_me_where_I_fart
Not A Care In The World
"I was 17, we had 4 of us in a ghetto 2bd apt (bunkbeds) we had a beer bong on a lanyard screwed to the ceiling. We'd have keggers, party's every weekend and always had randoms crashing on the floor. Could barely afford to feed myself and pay bills but still not a worry in the world and it was the best time of my life."
– ApprehensiveAd6006
One inconvenience shared by many was the sacrifice of a good, home-cooked meal.
Change Of Scenery
"Just needed a little R&R."
"Roommates and Ramen."
– SudoPuff
The "Wild" Years
"This, lol. I was kicked out at 16 and after couch-surfing for a few months I moved into a studio apartment with 4 other people."
"When I say we were poor, I mean poor - most of us didn’t have jobs. I lived off the worst of the worst food. Knockoff ramen. Dollar store canned veg. Rice and terrible year old pasta."
"It was a wild few years."
– Vetiversailles
Rice For Life
"Or rice. I lived off rice for a full year. Fancied it up by adding some salsa, and then extra fancy by also adding ranch dressing."
"Those were hard times."
– Ok_Opinion_
Having work definitely makes things easier.
Saving Up To Leave
"Started working while I was in school. Got out as soon as I could."
– ReallyIdleBones
Not Much Fanfare
"Yep, moved out for college in 2006. Came back for the summer in 2007, but thereafter I got an internship so I just stayed in the city. Got a job at the same place after I graduated."
"It was never some big moment for me (my parents are fine, just annoying), just a natural progression for me."
– Zerole00
Building A Life
"At 18. Worked in construction. Lived on a couch with 6 buddies in one house paying for college. Bought cheap land during the recession. Then built my own house."
– ReubenZWeiner
Not moving out by choice seemed to be a common shared experience.
High Turnover Rate
"Got kicked out at 14. Finished high school sleeping on friends couches while serving tables. Had a ton of roommates for the next 10 years. At any given time I was living with like 3 or 4 people, it was never boring haha"
– herriotact
Different Parenting
"I am hearing that so many people are actually kicked out in the really young age is well."
"But i am not getting that why parents are so tough because in my country they try to keep them under their wings."
– wowoao
Tough Love
"My friends parents were going to kick him out immediately after he graduated high school simply because 'That's what their parents did when they were his age.' His Dad fully expected him to go out at 18 and buy a house because 'he was able to.'"
"Then his Dad got pissed when my friend did not buy a house and went to live with his uncle instead. Even after his uncle broke down the whole 'Your mortgage is $2200/month with taxes and you expect your son, who works part time at $7.25 an hour to afford a mortgage? With no credit history?'"
"Some parents do it out of tough love. Some parents do it because they shouldn't have had children. Some parents still think the world is the same as it was in the 70s-80s and think minimum wage part time employees can thrive."
– bangersnmash13
Placed Expectations
"My parents didn't kick me out, but there was definitely an expectation for me to be moved out and financially independent at 18. My mother walked into a job as a radio DJ at the age of 18 and then became a journalist with only a high school education a few years later (early 1970s), so she had this expectation that I could do the same. The thought of me being able to do anything like that in the 2000s was laughable."
– pie12345678
I moved out of my parents' house because I booked my first professional gig on a cruise ship.
It couldn't have worked out better. I was paid to perform on board in the shows while my rent was already taken care of since I lived and worked on the ship.
I packed one suitcase and traveled the world doing what I loved for about two years. It was the best way to transition into an exciting new chapter in my adolescent life.
What's your moving out story?