Things you found out about your parents that shocked you

[Sean Hollyman]

So I'm guessing that most of us have found out something about our parents that shocked us, be it good or bad.

What are some things you found out that shocked you?

Finding out my parents smoked a bit of weed while they were younger, or my dad sleeping with his friend while drunk..

 

[Eclipse Dragon]

My dad cheated on my mom once, but it's a good thing she took him back because I wouldn't be here otherwise. He's been good to her ever since.

Also the classic, recently finding out they still sleep together.

 

[Esotera]

They used to live in a squat as students, and the landlord/council got involved in trying to evict them. I find it amusing more than anything as it's just quite out of character for both of them.

 

[Phasmal]

All the things I could say are depressing.
But, I remember when I was a kid, being quite shocked that my mum's name wasn't actually `Mum`.

Oh, yeah, thought of another one, my mum was a punk in the early 80s. Purple spiky hair and everything.

 

[Hazzard]

The one that scared me the most was when I found out my Dad was Irish, well Northen Irish but I only heard the Irish bit and thought he ashamed of it and left a gap before saying it.
But Northen Irish people are cool, I'm 9/16's of it.

The other weird thing was that in my mind all peoples dads read comics when they were younger, like Batman, I found out he read Tintin reguarly.

 

[The Last Nomad]

Well I found out my dad suffered form depression and had to get professional help about it, not exactly 'shocking' if you know the guy but it made me realise the times I've felt depressed might be a bit more serious than I thought.

The time I found out my dad had 2 brothers who died before I was born (one of which before he was born too) was pretty surprising...


Also, opposite to almost every one else the fact that I haven't found out that my mum smoked weed surprises me. If you ever met her for more than five minutes you would think she was a full on drug taking hippy in the 70's. But alas no, she never took any drugs and I don't think I'll ever prove that statement wrong.

 

[Z of the Na'vi]

Finding out that the reason my father divorced my mother when I was 10 years old was because he came out of the closet as a homosexual. He tried to tell me why at the time but I was too young to understand. I'm 21 now, and have come to terms with it.

My Dad and I are very close, regardless.

 

[Ldude893]

A month ago, my Dad confessed to me that he attempted suicide in college. After surviving that, he realized how stupid that act was considering that his life was pretty fortunate. He later stopped another woman from jumping off a building on campus.

I don't think my own mother knows about that.

 

[Realitycrash]

My dad was a drug-dealer back in the 60's. Spent time in prison, cleaned up his act, worked hard for 45-years and raised 3 children. Never commited another crime.
Still, imagine it being today. My dad got 6 months back then. Today, he'd probably get 2 years and never have a chance of getting a decent job in his life.
That scares me.

 

[Relish in Chaos]

My father had a porn subscription, explaining why he was on the computer so much late at night, and cheated on my mother with some woman in his home country.

My mother was 17 or 18 when she had my older brother. And she and my father first moved to the UK, they had some troubles with housing and stuff, including their crazy neighbour who threatened to kill my brother when he was a baby.

 

[Bertylicious]

I've got one about my Grandmother. She and Grandad, who passed away a couple of years ago, had been together since he came to Birmingham to work for either Bakelight or BP (I forget which one it was at the time) as a chemical engineer and she has never spoke of anyone else.

I'd always imagined that she had been quite sheltered but it turned out that during the war she had a fling with a bomber pilot. It lasted a couple of years, mostly via letters, but apparently her mother put a stop to it as she didn't think he was good enough for her daughter. Good thing for me I guess.

 

[Supercereal]

my mum had my oldest half brother at the age of 16. shocked the hell out of me, That and she had a previous husband other than my dad.

 

[Colour Scientist]

I remember being shocked finding condoms in my Mom's room when I was in my early teens. My Mom's a single mom and she never introduced me to her boyfriends so, when I was younger, I assumed she never had any. Turns out she was just being a really good parent.

 

[Aris Khandr]

My parents split up when I was 7. At the time, I was lead to believe that it was because my father's job kept him traveling so much, and the marriage wasn't working as a result. And that is true.

But fast forward almost 20 years later, after I found out my long-time girlfriend had been cheating on me. My mother was trying to help me feel better, and mentioned how you don't stop loving people, even when they hurt you. I said to her, "At least dad never cheated on you, just wasn't there for us." And she went silent, then changed the subject. I never thought too highly of my father, but I didn't think he was that kind of person.

 

[Scarim Coral]

My dad used to own this really nice red car (I forgot what was the make) but he sold it when he move to the UK to be with my mum (my dad used to be from the US).

 

[Lunatic High]

My Dad attended WoodStock...... nuff said

 

[Fappy]

Finding out a few years ago that my mom divorced my dad when I was 5 not just because of his alcoholism but also because he was a coke-head. I wonder why he had a brain aneurysm. Hmm....

 

[Screamarie]

Finding out that the father I had always know to be my dad was not actually my biological father. My parents lied to me about until I was at least nine. And then my mother didn't even tell me she had been married to my biological father until I was 13, since she never talked about my dad I had assumed they had just had a one-nighter or had dated and he didn't want a baby or some such.

Also, finding out that my biological father tried to kill me in the womb was a lot of fun.

....God I don't know what's more fucked up, my parents or me. These two things are the worse, but only tip of the iceberg when it comes to the lies I've been told and the secrets that have been kept from me.

 

[Sacman]

Eh... not really... I always like to assume the worst... so nothing they've ever told me could've "shocked" me... Yeah sure my mom used to be a grunger groupie and my dad was on hard drugs for a while... and that was also the main reason they broke up... but you know... that happens...

Though I didn't realize until recently just how religious my mom is... despite technically being a scientist...<.<

Edit: Oh I have one on mah grandparents though... it turns out that when my grandpa moved to Colorado for his job, something to do with trains, he and my grandma actually got divorced for that time and immediately got remarried in secret when he came back...though she still forced him to sleep in his little mobile home in the backyard, they didn't get along very well still...

Also... talking to my dad while he's drunk... he makes it very apparent that he's still in love with my mom... while my mom hates him profusely...<.<

 

[Sacman]

my mum had my oldest half brother at the age of 16.

Hmm... I'd think basic math could've revealed this one to you pretty easily...<.<