As a kid, you probably went along with whatever was happening around you. That was just how things were. But when you get older, you may realize that these “normal” experiences actually weren’t, and here are thirteen of them. Which one feels the weirdest to you now?
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Making your parents’ coffee each morning
You’d wake up and pour boiling water into the mugs each morning, trying to remember if you needed to put in two or three sugars. After all, if you were wrong, you’d hear about it later. Many kids had chores like feeding the dog or tidying up, but not you, as your parents told you to get up early so they could sleep in late. That isn’t right.
Dealing with your sibling’s medical appointments
Anyone with younger siblings may remember having to take them to the doctor’s and getting them checked out. It wasn’t because you were a genius, but rather because your mom would drop you off at the clinic. She’d expect you to tell the professionals what happened. However, that was her job, and you’re not supposed to be responsible for babysitting.
Eating dinner in silence
During dinner, you’d sit at the table and eat in absolute silence, with no questions about how school was or how the day went. Talking was for after dishes, if it happened at all. But that’s not normal. Dinnertime is supposed to be when you socialize with your family, not shut down, so these kinds of restrictions aren’t normal.
Comforting your mom after adult arguments
Arguments are a normal part of family life. But what’s not normal is having to be the one getting tissues and hugging your mom when she’d cry on the couch after a fight. It shouldn’t be a kid’s job to make their mom feel better, as this puts unnecessary pressure on them, way too early. Kids are meant to be, y’know, kids.
Being told you’d be sent away
Sometimes, your parents might’ve joked that they’d send you away to a relative’s house if you misbehaved. The other times they said it, it didn’t feel like a joke. They’d tell you that they’ll leave you behind next time, which likely created a fear of being abandoned. That’s just not right at all.
Needing permission to eat certain food
While the fridge was full, your stomach was empty, but there was nobody around to tell you it was okay to eat. So you just sat there starving. Anytime that you did sneak something, your parents would yell at you, as they had an odd rulebook about who could eat what & when. Essentially, you had to earn the right to basic snacks.
Being told your emotions were a problem
Bad things happen all the time, yet when you’d cry or feel upset about them, you’d get an earful. Perhaps your parents told you you were being dramatic, perhaps they said you were being manipulative. Either way, it was cruel for them to police your feelings in this way. And it certainly wasn’t normal.
Overcleaning the house
There were no cartoons or cereal on Saturdays. Nope, that was a time for you to scrub grout lines and fold towels in thirds, as your parents demanded that you clean up the house. It wasn’t exactly a kind of chore. Honestly, it felt more like you’d become a maid, even though you had plenty of your own things to do over the weekend.
Hearing private adult stories
It didn’t matter how old you were, as your dad would mention over the breakfast table how your uncle owes him some money. Your mum might’ve also spoken about an affair that happened before you were born. Whatever the topic, your parents brought up inappropriate topics without thinking about how strange this was. It most certainly was.
Family drama in the middle of the night
You remember being woken up in the middle of the night a few times after some kind of family argument. Suddenly, you’d be sitting on the couch as your parents fought or someone was crying. They’d ask you if you understood what was happening. But no, no, you didn’t.
Keeping family stuff secret
There were a few topics that you knew not to bring up, no matter if they made you feel bad or were weird. Some things were “nobody’s business,” so you never spoke about them. You wouldn’t ask questions, either, but simply keep everything locked up inside. While every family has drama, talking to other people about it is sometimes the best way to cope.
Being praised for not needing help
People called you “mature” for dealing with things by yourself. It didn’t matter that you were burnt out & unsure, being low-maintenance is what got people’s attention. They taught you that not asking for anything makes life easier for everyone else. As such, you kept doing it, even though it didn’t actually work.
Keeping your bedroom door open
Every time your bedroom door closed, even if it was an accident, you’d get a dozen questions about what you were doing. There was no sense of privacy at home, not even the fake kind. Eventually, you became so used to it that you felt weird about closing the door at your adult home, too.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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