Some parents were asked what things they got away with as children but would never let their own children do
Stories ranged from wild parties, drugs, sex, and other things that would be deeply frowned upon in today's world.
Warning: adult language and situations
CottonCandyTacos
Get involved in my parents finances and affairs.
My parents dragged us into every argument, and always told us "we're broke, we can't afford that" (which made me super mad because dad was always buying car parts and mom was getting new clothes monthly but we could never get new clothes for school, let alone Christmas presents).
I don't want to curse my kid like that. If we fight it's behind closed doors where they can't hear. And I'll just tell them "we can't have that right now". Last thing I want is for my kid to go to school and tell their teacher or friend that we're broke.
Robmathew
As kids my brothers and I would wander into the pasture behind our house. It wasn’t just a few acres either, our land lord owned something like 90,000 acres of land behind our house. While we never wandered too far out, I would be comfortable saying we were at least 2-3 miles from the nearest home. We would always bring a saw, axe, knives, and flint striker, and would build multitudes of forts and club houses.
Not that any of that is particularly irresponsible, I have to mention this is in West Texas during the summer so rattlesnakes were a real threat. There was also cattle in this pasture, all but 2 were very nice and friendly, of course the bulls wanted nothing to do with us. The actual dumb thing we did was we loved to start fires as most boys our age did. We tried our hands at friction fires of all sorts and were very successful. Thinking back on it now, had one of us been bitten by a rattlesnake or started a damn wildfire, if we didn’t die, my parents would’ve killed us.
forman98
Sort of related, but my wife is much older than her sister. Her sister is in high school and wanted to have her 17th birthday party at her own house. Her parents approved, and my wife and I "chaperoned" (watched TV until it was time to tell people to go home).
So party is in the basement, cheap beer and vapes. Parents and my wife and I are upstairs. Parents go to bed and we stay up until like 2:30am. My wife says turn the music off, time for people to go home. Some of them do, but some are too drunk to drive so they stay. But then, they all decide (like 4 boys and 4 girls) to sleep in the sister's room. Nope. My wife is having none of that.
She angrily kicks the dudes out to the basement and berates her sister for being so stupid as to think she could do something like that in her own house with her parents at home.
I asked my wife why she was so pissed off about it. She said, "She's stupid! I would never have done that! I snuck off to other people's houses and did that. Never when my parents were home!"
So I guess I know what kind of mom my wife will be.
screwtapwzero
In a freshmen football game, I was quartback and I was running and got to the corner of the 1yd line, just before i went out of bounds I made a last attempt to get the ball in the end zone. I remember seeing a short defensive back and thinking "yeah I can get in the end zone, he won't be a problem at all" that's the last thing I remember. He speared me with all he's little strength, placing he's helmet just under my chin knocking my helmet off. From what I was later told, I tried 4 times to stand up but couldn't and had blood all over my white jersey from the gash in my chin (which became visible scar). My parents were upset especially my mom, but the coaches reassured them i was fine, and i played the rest of the game (which I don't remember). I love football and my wife doesn't want our son to play, whenever I try to make an argument I remember this and see her point very clearly.
ZealousidealIncome
My future teenagers will probably do some drugs and get drunk. I'm OK with this because it is very common and just a part of growing up. What I will not do is treat it like something they need to hide from me. I should have been killed at least six times when I was a teenager driving drunk. I could have ruined my life so many ways because I had to hide it from my parents. If my kids are drunk somewhere they can call me and I will go get them with no repercussions (unless it's a school night). If it's a school night 'they gunna learn' what it's like to wake their hungover ass up and get to work on time wishing they could die. It will be an important lesson that will serve them well into adulthood.
EraEnojado
I was terrified of my parents - especially my father.
I hope that if I ever have kids, I'll raise them in a way that they'll know I have their back, that they are the most important thing in the world to me, and that I care about what is important to them. That it's safe to talk to me about anything.
Maybe they still won't talk to me. I just hope they know I love and genuinely care.
littlemoon93
When I was in high school my mom had a boyfriend (now stepfather) but every weekend she would go to his house and stay the night, thus leaving me alone. Overnight.
I had boys over, I had parties, I had a short coke problem and my house was the perfect place to do all of these things.
My mom never knew somehow... she wasn’t a bad mom per say I think at that time she just really wanted to be on her own and found happiness and peace when she was alone with my stepdad.
Yea, definitely NOT leaving my kid unattended on the weekend
RiverDonkeey
Regret being a kid, I make sure to tell my daughter enjoy being a kid don’t worry about growing up to fast. I was working at 12 years old (during summer breaks) with my dad trying to earn money to buy useless s**t. I won’t let my daughter do that.
cbijeaux
Not taking control of your own life. I was very much a passenger for my own life until late college years. I have since wised up and starting moving my life to where I want it to. I am not sure how I will do it, but I really want my kids to have better grip on their lives.
toomuchtime80
Spring break in Mexico... I was 18 and in college but....oh dear lord that was insane. Wonder how we all made it back alive. No way will I let my kids do that.
XIGRIMxREAPERIX
Nothing. Going to make sure my kids do more than nothing. Go to the stupid school dances. Join a sports team. Join a Club.
UdotJdot
Bully other kids. I had fewer regrets in my life than being an asshole to a kid in my class for no reason.
undisclosedinsanity
Going to university right after high school just because that's what was expected. It's fine to not know what to study and to work a few years to decide what career path you want! Then go to school once you've decided.
IWW4
One thing I knew as my kid approached the Teenage years that the whole "never let them do" was just not going to happen. Teen-agers don't do well with the whole CAN'T do. So I heavily advised against things and did my best to ensure safety.
AKA here is a box of rubbers kid, please use them.
If you get too drunk or stoned to drive call me to pick you up, no questions will be asked. We will come back the next day for the car.
If your friends get too drunk or stoned to drive, again don't ride with them call me, no questions will be asked.
I strongly urged him to not drop acid. I had no issue with pot or shrooms, but pharmaceuticals are just so dangerous.
wildpandda
Smoking i guess. Mom is a smoker since she was 15 or so. She hated me smoking too and told me to quit. I told her i did but that was a lie. This was 6 years ago. I thought i loved smoking. Now im trying to quit it for good but having hard times.
TheLemurMaster
Allow all my focus to be on weed and drugs and have no ramifications for sucking in school. Maybe they just didn’t really know, they were going through a long ugly divorce themselves. I had a great childhood, they really did wonders but I wasted my teens as soon as I smoked weed at 13.
I honestly feel like now at age 31 I am finally starting to get some sort of a life on track after being completely aimless since the ago of 18.
Edit: i am not hating on weed. I have addiction in my genetics and I definitely latched onto altered states quite young. I remember really digging the DARE program and not the anti-drug part, the part about how there are chemicals that completely change your perceptions and experiences and emotions. I was particularly interested in LSD, this is years before I first used.
TheNewPanacea
My Mom worked three jobs and couldn't always afford daycare so my brother and I would wonder the streets and hang out all day until she got off the first shift job. She didn't feel that it was safe to leave us at home with her boyfriend who was abusive. We were probably 8 and 10 at the time.
mahboilucas
My mom told me she burned all of her school textbooks once and later regretted it because it was a middle of school year and she had to rebuy them. Also black henna eyebrows. I'm glad she tells me all the cringy stuff she did so I don't make the same mistakes.
pbj986
I was allowed an insane amount of freedom growing up. Once I had my driver's license I would come home from school, drop my stuff off, and then tell my grandpa I was going out and wouldn't be back until Sunday. No questions were asked.
I don't know if I can trust my kids the same way. I did some crazy things, but I feel as though my leniency was because I was pretty damn responsible even as an early teenager.
Gypsy_says
After my dad got kicked out of highschool for defending himself from an attempted stabbing he joined the military.
He recounts to me countless tales of all the ladies he had fun with over the years and all the wild drunken parties hes been too till he settled down with my mom.
Once I was old enough he started to teach me the saftey of never leaving drinks unattended (he had a friend that got hurt that way) if someone is piss drunk how to lay them down so they don't choke on vomit (same story) and if your friend is in a state like that dont leave them (same story... I think this one eats at him to this day)
He taught me how to keep an eye out for men and signs of a potentially abusive relationship (more sad stories hes seen between him being a hoe)
Today I like to think these teachings helped me. Ive almost got coerced into having sex with people I wanted nothing to do with and evaded the situation. I keep an eye out for my friends and my friends keep an eye on me. I dont let my drink down unless in at home.
Also he let me drink as a teen so I can get that experimental faze out of my system. It worked like a charm. If your state allows it I recommend it.
squeeeeenis
Wear cargo pants.
TwinPeaks2017
Have an eating disorder.
skylarlove0
Having unprotected sex. Thankfully I've had no serious consequences however it was very very stupid.
Photo: A girls walks to her primary school with her mother on the first day of the new school year in Vertou, western France, on September 4, 2017. / Photo credit: AFP PHOTO / LOIC VENANCE