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Original poster

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:
Leopardspota · 30/10/2025 19:56

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

What’s a specialist sex toy?

Dartmoorcheffy · 30/10/2025 19:59

A piece of notebook in a drawer, after she had died. Satlying that she hated me and blamed me for my dad's death (cancer).

Will never get over that.

unsync · 30/10/2025 20:08

After my then FIL died, we all went to sort out his business premises. Now ex-H had been told to just burn everything. We found a secret darkroom, photography equipment and lots of pornographic photos of a woman. Said woman wasn't MIL, but had been seen around the town with a child. Ex thought that they lived in the house that FIL inherited from his parents and were FIL's other family. FIL did spend a lot of time away from the marital home so there was probably some truth to it.

Fluffypiki · 30/10/2025 20:10

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!

Show quote history

Can't stop laughing, I just can't 😂😂.
I once said something and didn't realise it could be seen as something else, DS made such a face I thought he was going to throw up, your comment is awesome, I really can't stop laughing.

Terrytheweasel · 30/10/2025 20:12

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

Did you use removal men?
Do you think they saw the note and just followed the instructions 😂

101Alsatians · 30/10/2025 20:13

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!

Show quote history

Christ on a bike 🤣

What a wonderful way with words you have!

littlesnatchabook · 30/10/2025 20:16

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.

Show quote history

I think many parents do, yes, and I suppose they can't really help that in itself. I don't have a favourite but I am certain that even if I did, I would still love the other one enough not to make it so bloody obvious. That's the bit that doesn't make any sense to me - don't these people even try to hide it?!

Bellabomb · 30/10/2025 20:18

MouseCheese87 · 30/10/2025 18:50

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

Do they? Well, I've never had one. A bit late now! 😂

Fizzlepopper · 30/10/2025 20:25

Letters between my grandparents which suggested their 1930s courtship wasn't quite as wholesome and proper as I had been led to believe! Quite nice to read really, once I got over the ick; it allowed me to see them as normal 20-somethings.

I have old diaries of my own which I have been thinking I really should get rid of. When I first met my now-husband I was desperately heartbroken from "the one who got away". I wouldn't want my husband to read these entries as I repeatedly compare him somewhat unfavourably to my ex. I was unsure about him for a long period at the start of our relationship and it would be heartbreaking for him to know this.

Blarghism · 30/10/2025 20:29

I found out that the house my father offered to leave me if I gave up my job/career/life and became his full time carer did not belong to him anymore.

Thesteinwaysyouvebeenleadingmeon · 30/10/2025 20:29

CalmShaker · 30/10/2025 19:34

Not parents but an old neighbours glass eye when I was helping put some Heinz tomato soup cans (I remember it vividly) away when I was little. Scared the hell out of me and I never look at her the same way again

My Granda had a glass eye he sometimes put it on the mantle piece..
And I would fetch it for him.😁

KindnessIsKey123 · 30/10/2025 20:30

Fluffypiki · 30/10/2025 20:10

Can't stop laughing, I just can't 😂😂.
I once said something and didn't realise it could be seen as something else, DS made such a face I thought he was going to throw up, your comment is awesome, I really can't stop laughing.

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I too am spluttering my hot chocolate with laughter

Shessweetbutapsycho · 30/10/2025 20:32

Ihgdeyjnvd · 30/10/2025 18:49

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

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But also, what made it “specialist!?”

Ihgdeyjnvd · 30/10/2025 20:39

Shessweetbutapsycho · 30/10/2025 20:32

But also, what made it “specialist!?”

Show quote history

I missed that bit! Now I need to know what made it specialist too 😂

Thesteinwaysyouvebeenleadingmeon · 30/10/2025 20:41

Double ended perhaps?

BloodandGlitter · 30/10/2025 20:41

Specialist sex toy - has one use it is well designed for in this case pegging her husband so imagine a strap on dildo.

ifyoulikealotofchocolateonyour · 30/10/2025 20:45

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 read the beginning of this and immediately thought "I bet she's the youngest/her sister is the oldest" and then you answered my question.

Unfortunately you just keep far less as you go on. It probably doesn't mean she loved you or liked you any less.

ACR7 · 30/10/2025 20:46

Blarghism · 30/10/2025 20:29

I found out that the house my father offered to leave me if I gave up my job/career/life and became his full time carer did not belong to him anymore.

My god that’s cold! Did he have dementia or was that a deliberate fuck over?

tsmainsqueeze · 30/10/2025 20:47

Dartmoorcheffy · 30/10/2025 19:59

A piece of notebook in a drawer, after she had died. Satlying that she hated me and blamed me for my dad's death (cancer).

Will never get over that.

I am so sorry , what a truly evil thing to even think let alone leave for you to find.
I hope you have found some kind of peace and know that you did not cause his death.
She was not a good mother to do this to you .

Cyclebabble · 30/10/2025 20:49

When my Dad passed away at 83 we went up to clean the house out. I have to say I found this quite painful thing to do. My son 19 at the time came to help. In the kitchen my dad had a 1980s style pine Welsh dresser. When we got to the kitchen DS started to clear out the dresser. He noticed there was quite a lot of stuff on top, so he stood on a chair to clean. He found thirteen packets of viagra in various stages of use. Pulling them out and counting. one-two-three...

I should explain my dad lost mum and then had a further girlfriend at 78- hence the viagra I suspect. DS was very impressed and had a right chuckle.

Newsenmum · 30/10/2025 20:56

Dartmoorcheffy · 30/10/2025 19:59

A piece of notebook in a drawer, after she had died. Satlying that she hated me and blamed me for my dad's death (cancer).

Will never get over that.

How on earth could she blame you? Do you think she blamed herself and was projecting? She sounds mentally unwell.
im so sorry.

littlesnatchabook · 30/10/2025 20:56

Dartmoorcheffy · 30/10/2025 19:59

A piece of notebook in a drawer, after she had died. Satlying that she hated me and blamed me for my dad's death (cancer).

Will never get over that.

Did her actions towards you support this?

Sunshineismyfavourite · 30/10/2025 20:58

Mine is a completely different story but thought it was worth posting all the same!

I found some lovely notes and things that I had made for my Mum when I was a child in her bedside drawer after she died. The fact that she had kept a few of these things in such a personal place meant so much to me and gave me so much comfort. I had no idea that she had kept them She has been gone many years now. I have done the same so when I die my DCs will find some of their childhood letters and funny pictures and cards that they gave to me. I hope that it brings them the same comfort.

Newsenmum · 30/10/2025 20:59

Bellabomb · 30/10/2025 20:18

Do they? Well, I've never had one. A bit late now! 😂

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Of course it’s
not too late.

20000000l · 30/10/2025 21:01

Honestly mine isn’t really weird like that, but my mum & dad hold on to the most random shit that I think is bizarre. My mum always buys a lottery ticket and keeps them all, so think 1000s of lottery tickets (it’s quite sad actually, you’d think she would just learn it’s not worth it at some point!)

Secondly, loads of random catalogue items from her day. Like exercise belts, those expensive magazine subscriptions that included like crystals. I think she’s easily susceptible to pushy marketing.