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Have you ever found something belonging to your parents that made you see them in a different light?

502 replies

Screenager · 30/10/2025 18:37

When I was a teen I found a sex toy in my mum’s drawer. I shouldn’t have been snooping.

It made me think of her differently, and I felt a bit weird about it for a bit.

I’m over it now, I think 🤔

OP posts:
greywolfie · 30/10/2025 18:44

I used to keep a specialist sex toy in a box in the wardrobe. When my children got a bit older, I used to worry they'd find it if anything happened to us. So I put a sticker on it saying 'This is a sex toy- don't open- just bin x'
Item got lost in a house move.

Doorlockhandle321 · 30/10/2025 18:46

When I was a teenager I found a card to my dad from my mums friend (it was romantic). I realised they were having an affair and never said anything as mum suddenly stopped seeing 'friend' and 'friend' split with her husband. Nobody ever said anything to me but I knew. I'm late 40s now and two years ago mum left as dad was having an affair with someone in their social circle and I said to mum 'its not his first is it' and she was so shocked I'd known all these years and never said a word. It made me see him in a different light and when my ex had had an affair and left me he ranted about not understanding why someone would do that (not realising I knew he'd done the same).

Screenager · 30/10/2025 18:46

greywolfie · 30/10/2025 18:44

I used to keep a specialist sex toy in a box in the wardrobe. When my children got a bit older, I used to worry they'd find it if anything happened to us. So I put a sticker on it saying 'This is a sex toy- don't open- just bin x'
Item got lost in a house move.

Edited

😂 Good idea!

OP posts:
Screenager · 30/10/2025 18:47

Doorlockhandle321 · 30/10/2025 18:46

When I was a teenager I found a card to my dad from my mums friend (it was romantic). I realised they were having an affair and never said anything as mum suddenly stopped seeing 'friend' and 'friend' split with her husband. Nobody ever said anything to me but I knew. I'm late 40s now and two years ago mum left as dad was having an affair with someone in their social circle and I said to mum 'its not his first is it' and she was so shocked I'd known all these years and never said a word. It made me see him in a different light and when my ex had had an affair and left me he ranted about not understanding why someone would do that (not realising I knew he'd done the same).

That’s sad that you had to hold on to that!

OP posts:
TheLivelyRose · 30/10/2025 18:48

Yes, I found everything after my mother died.

When I was clearing out her house, I found in her bottom clothes drawer a keepsake box full of things from my sister's life. Little cards, she'd written mum, samples of her school work right from primary up to university. There was nothing for me.

When I cleared out the garage, it was overloaded with boxes of my sister's possessions. There were schoolbooks right from reception age, all the way up to university. Not one single book or exercise book from school have been thrown out of my sisters.

You ve probably already guessed it.I ve found a few items of mine. Maybe an exercise book from when I was eleven in my first year of secondary school, but that was about it.

The garage was an archive of my sister's entire life.And virtually nothing of mine had been kept.

It made me see my mother in a very different light.As obviously I didn't mean that much to her. I was always the mature and sensible one ( although I was the youngest)who was called upon to sort out everybody's problems, which was why I was clearing the house out.Whilst my sister did the square root of fuck all.

Screenager · 30/10/2025 18:48

When I was really little, until about 9. My best friend lived with her mum and her aunty. It wasn’t until I was about 14 that I realised that aunty was actually partner.

OP posts:
Ihgdeyjnvd · 30/10/2025 18:49

greywolfie · 30/10/2025 18:44

I used to keep a specialist sex toy in a box in the wardrobe. When my children got a bit older, I used to worry they'd find it if anything happened to us. So I put a sticker on it saying 'This is a sex toy- don't open- just bin x'
Item got lost in a house move.

Edited

I need to know how it ended up getting lost and where it ended up 😂😂

Screenager · 30/10/2025 18:49

TheLivelyRose · 30/10/2025 18:48

Yes, I found everything after my mother died.

When I was clearing out her house, I found in her bottom clothes drawer a keepsake box full of things from my sister's life. Little cards, she'd written mum, samples of her school work right from primary up to university. There was nothing for me.

When I cleared out the garage, it was overloaded with boxes of my sister's possessions. There were schoolbooks right from reception age, all the way up to university. Not one single book or exercise book from school have been thrown out of my sisters.

You ve probably already guessed it.I ve found a few items of mine. Maybe an exercise book from when I was eleven in my first year of secondary school, but that was about it.

The garage was an archive of my sister's entire life.And virtually nothing of mine had been kept.

It made me see my mother in a very different light.As obviously I didn't mean that much to her. I was always the mature and sensible one ( although I was the youngest)who was called upon to sort out everybody's problems, which was why I was clearing the house out.Whilst my sister did the square root of fuck all.

Edited

So sorry about that 😔… reminds me of monica from friends

OP posts:
MustbeLoveontheBrain · 30/10/2025 18:50

TheLivelyRose · 30/10/2025 18:48

Yes, I found everything after my mother died.

When I was clearing out her house, I found in her bottom clothes drawer a keepsake box full of things from my sister's life. Little cards, she'd written mum, samples of her school work right from primary up to university. There was nothing for me.

When I cleared out the garage, it was overloaded with boxes of my sister's possessions. There were schoolbooks right from reception age, all the way up to university. Not one single book or exercise book from school have been thrown out of my sisters.

You ve probably already guessed it.I ve found a few items of mine. Maybe an exercise book from when I was eleven in my first year of secondary school, but that was about it.

The garage was an archive of my sister's entire life.And virtually nothing of mine had been kept.

It made me see my mother in a very different light.As obviously I didn't mean that much to her. I was always the mature and sensible one ( although I was the youngest)who was called upon to sort out everybody's problems, which was why I was clearing the house out.Whilst my sister did the square root of fuck all.

Edited

Wow, that sucks!
I really feel for you ☹️

MouseCheese87 · 30/10/2025 18:50

Everyone has sex toys, they aren't really the eye opener you think they are.

HappiestSleeping · 30/10/2025 18:50

TheLivelyRose · 30/10/2025 18:48

Yes, I found everything after my mother died.

When I was clearing out her house, I found in her bottom clothes drawer a keepsake box full of things from my sister's life. Little cards, she'd written mum, samples of her school work right from primary up to university. There was nothing for me.

When I cleared out the garage, it was overloaded with boxes of my sister's possessions. There were schoolbooks right from reception age, all the way up to university. Not one single book or exercise book from school have been thrown out of my sisters.

You ve probably already guessed it.I ve found a few items of mine. Maybe an exercise book from when I was eleven in my first year of secondary school, but that was about it.

The garage was an archive of my sister's entire life.And virtually nothing of mine had been kept.

It made me see my mother in a very different light.As obviously I didn't mean that much to her. I was always the mature and sensible one ( although I was the youngest)who was called upon to sort out everybody's problems, which was why I was clearing the house out.Whilst my sister did the square root of fuck all.

Edited

I can relate to that. If you go to my mum's house you wouldn't know she has two children as there are only photos of my sibling, none of me.

TheLivelyRose · 30/10/2025 18:51

MouseCheese87 · 30/10/2025 18:50

Everyone has sex toys, they aren't really the eye opener you think they are.

Yes, it's just children hate to see their parents as sexual beings. Even though it's obvious, their parents had sex, or they wouldn't exist.

TheLivelyRose · 30/10/2025 18:52

HappiestSleeping · 30/10/2025 18:50

I can relate to that. If you go to my mum's house you wouldn't know she has two children as there are only photos of my sibling, none of me.

Is awful isn't it. I don't know why parents do it.But I think many lie about it, parents often have a favourite.

DoAWheelie · 30/10/2025 18:53

I found my dad's weed. It actually explained a lot and made me realise the random mood swings were not my fault and I stopped beating myself up about it.

MustbeLoveontheBrain · 30/10/2025 18:53

When my mum died we were clearing out her stuff and came across some "raunchy" photos of Tom Cruise in the bottom of a drawer, there was life in the old girl 🤣

greywolfie · 30/10/2025 18:55

MouseCheese87 · 30/10/2025 18:50

Everyone has sex toys, they aren't really the eye opener you think they are.

Didn't want my kids knowing I was pegging their father during their period of mourning. Might tarnish their memories.
It either ended up in the bin or the charity donation bag!

Everythingisfire · 30/10/2025 18:57

when I was a teen I found the hidden paperwork for my fathers secret second house that he had with his secret second family, that was… interesting. 🤨

Imaginethatifyoucan · 30/10/2025 18:59

TheLivelyRose · 30/10/2025 18:48

Yes, I found everything after my mother died.

When I was clearing out her house, I found in her bottom clothes drawer a keepsake box full of things from my sister's life. Little cards, she'd written mum, samples of her school work right from primary up to university. There was nothing for me.

When I cleared out the garage, it was overloaded with boxes of my sister's possessions. There were schoolbooks right from reception age, all the way up to university. Not one single book or exercise book from school have been thrown out of my sisters.

You ve probably already guessed it.I ve found a few items of mine. Maybe an exercise book from when I was eleven in my first year of secondary school, but that was about it.

The garage was an archive of my sister's entire life.And virtually nothing of mine had been kept.

It made me see my mother in a very different light.As obviously I didn't mean that much to her. I was always the mature and sensible one ( although I was the youngest)who was called upon to sort out everybody's problems, which was why I was clearing the house out.Whilst my sister did the square root of fuck all.

Edited

I can really relate to this. How painful.

HappiestSleeping · 30/10/2025 18:59

TheLivelyRose · 30/10/2025 18:52

Is awful isn't it. I don't know why parents do it.But I think many lie about it, parents often have a favourite.

I'm used to it now to be honest. I've never had a positive word, or any recognition of anything, and yet my mum hangs in my sibling's every word.

They go on holiday together all the time, no invite for me (not that I want one), money gets distributed to sibling etc.

Definitely a favourite, despite protestations to the contrary.

I'm not having any more parents when this one goes.

Namechange822 · 30/10/2025 19:04

greywolfie · 30/10/2025 18:55

Didn't want my kids knowing I was pegging their father during their period of mourning. Might tarnish their memories.
It either ended up in the bin or the charity donation bag!

This post wins the internet today 😂😂😂

PlutarchHeavensbee · 30/10/2025 19:11

A full leather gimp suit in an old suitcase on top of my 93 year old father’s wardrobe.

I want to know nothing more.

Screenager · 30/10/2025 19:14

MouseCheese87 · 30/10/2025 18:50

Everyone has sex toys, they aren't really the eye opener you think they are.

They are were when I was 12. Not so much anymore, but felt it was a good opener for this thread

OP posts:
TheLivelyRose · 30/10/2025 19:16

HappiestSleeping · 30/10/2025 18:59

I'm used to it now to be honest. I've never had a positive word, or any recognition of anything, and yet my mum hangs in my sibling's every word.

They go on holiday together all the time, no invite for me (not that I want one), money gets distributed to sibling etc.

Definitely a favourite, despite protestations to the contrary.

I'm not having any more parents when this one goes.

Seeing is my sister didn't lift a finger to clear the house out. I had the last laugh by taking every last bit of her life archive and chucking it all in the bin. She wouldn't even come and look at what was there.It goes in the bin.I didn't want it.

So my mum kept all of that, and my sister wasn't even that bothered.

Happyjoe · 30/10/2025 19:20

PlutarchHeavensbee · 30/10/2025 19:11

A full leather gimp suit in an old suitcase on top of my 93 year old father’s wardrobe.

I want to know nothing more.

I know that must've been a smidge odd for you.. but you really made me laugh!

RaraRachael · 30/10/2025 19:20

MouseCheese87 · 30/10/2025 18:50

Everyone has sex toys, they aren't really the eye opener you think they are.

No they don't