The innocence of childhood is truly priceless. As kids, we see the world in a unique way, but as we grow older, our perspective shifts and some of our childhood memories take on new, often startling meanings. Many of the things we experienced as children, which seemed normal at the time, can be quite unsettling in hindsight.
Here are some stories shared by 15 Reddit users about shocking and disturbing events from their past.
When I was 5, my mom stayed in bed a lot, always saying she was sick. Eventually, my stepdad took her to a hospital, where she stayed for nearly a month. I thought it was great because she did arts and crafts there and later did them with me at home. I even told her I wanted to go to the hospital to draw all day. She gently explained that she hoped I never had to go to a hospital like she did, but if I did, it was okay to need help. When I was 13, I realized she had been in a mental health hospital. Her openness about therapy helped me feel no shame in seeking help when I needed it. – © kenda1l / Reddit
Growing up, I thought everyone went to jail or prison at least once. It was a shock when I moved to the suburbs and met people who had no experience with jail. – © Doggo6893 / Reddit
I used to have a recurring nightmare about a shadowy figure coming through my parents’ wall, but hiding under my fort of sheets kept me safe. I thought it was just a bad dream until my dad told me years later that someone had broken into our house and tried to take me. My eight-months-pregnant mom chased the intruder down the road with a vacuum cleaner pipe. – © FakeSchwarzenbach / Reddit
When I was 9, my dad claimed he won a bunch of free pizza coupons and made me use them sparingly. Looking back, I realize he probably printed those himself at the commercial printing company where he worked. – © shyblonde83 / Reddit
My cousin and I were with my grandmother when she got pulled over and arrested for writing a bad check. My aunt had to come pick us up. We thought it was funny at the time, but now I can’t believe I saw my grandma getting arrested. – © Tayayayaylor / Reddit
Realizing that breaking a cup or spilling a drink isn’t a big deal was a revelation. Watching my girlfriend look puzzled as I apologized for 20 minutes over a dropped glass made me rethink a lot about my childhood. – © HELLFIRECHRIS / Reddit
When my dad lost his job, he woke up early to make us breakfast and cleaned the house while doing odd jobs. He hid our financial struggles so well that we never knew how tough things were. – © tuckerb_2000 / Reddit
At 7, I saw my dad kissing strange women. I thought passionate kisses were normal greetings. He once gave me $20 for standing there while he kissed someone. I realized years later what he was actually doing and felt disappointed. – © Lasok-Yt / Reddit
My grandma told me she had a miscarriage after her last child. At 9, I thought it was for the best because my mom and her siblings were troublemakers. She got angry, and I didn’t understand why until I was older. – © wheresmyson** / Reddit
When I was 6 or 7, my mom went out one night, and my dad was sad, so I wrote her a note about it. She wasn’t happy when she found it. Decades later, I learned my mom was openly cheating on my dad, who would drive her to her lover’s house. – © Eat_A_J***_Pal / Reddit
Two men came to our door when I was 5 or 6, accusing my dad of theft and trying to wrestle him. I was sitting nearby, and they stopped when they saw me. I didn’t understand the gravity of the situation back then. – © MjrLeeSt***d / Reddit
At a resort during the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami, my mom and I were in a playroom when alarms went off. We ran through the lobby, and I dropped a drawing. As I bent to pick it up, I saw ocean water approaching. My main concern was saving my picture. – © Dyljim / Reddit
In 5th grade, my English teacher assigned a free-writing exercise and shared her feelings of burnout from working 18-hour days. Years later, when she quit mid-year, I realized she had been on the verge of a breakdown for a long time. – © Blenderhead36 / Reddit
On a day out with my dad, I played with a girl at the park. Later that night, there was news about a girl being abducted, and my family asked me about her. I didn’t understand the seriousness of it until much later. – © Eve-76 / Reddit
Before my brother was born, my mom had an affair with a man from Spain. She made him believe my brother was his son and guilted him into sending money for years. My stepdad knew about this, too. I realized all this during therapy years later. – © michischaaf / Reddit
Feel free to share your own experiences in the comments and share this article on Facebook if you believe dreams can have significant meanings!
