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Some moments from childhood will always stay with you. A family vacation to Disneyworld, learning how to ride a bike and getting your first pet might be some of your most cherished memories. But along with the best moments from being a kid, our brains tend to hold onto the very worst moments as well. Particularly, the actions we are most ashamed of. Recently, Reddit user 21078 posed the question, “What’s a terrible thing you did as a child that you really feel bad about as an adult?” and got many people thinking back on their youth.
From saying something awful to another kid to accidentally harming an innocent animal, we’ve gathered some of the most honest responses that people shared confessing to what they did as children that they will never forget. Be sure to upvote the answers that you find most powerful, and then let us know in the comments if there is anything from your childhood that you would like to get off your chest. And if you’re interested in another Bored Panda piece featuring people confessing to shocking things, check out this story next.
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#1
In my first act of teenage attitude/rebellion I mocked my father's suicide attempt from a few months earlier. I was 12 and it felt good to be mean to someone that had hurt me emotionally in such a way. That was the last time we spoke. I didn't realize he was calling to say goodbye. He tried again and succeeded that night.
We can’t all be angels as children. Sometimes we need to know what it feels like to be bad or learn lessons the hard way. In fact, according to Julie Lythcott-Haims, author of the book How to Raise an Adult, there are plenty of things that feel awful in the moment that might be valuable experiences for children to have. She explains that letting kids fail and make mistakes teaches them how to handle difficult situations and prepares them for future disappointments. And while many of these won’t happen to every kid, Lythcott-Haims breaks down her top 20 experiences that parents should let their children have.
The list of difficult experiences kids might face includes: not being invited to a birthday party, the death of a pet, breaking a valuable item, working hard on a paper and still getting a bad grade, having a car break down away from home, seeing the tree they planted die, being told a class or camp is full, getting detention, missing a TV show because they were helping Grandma, having a fender bender, being blamed for something they didn’t do, having an event canceled because someone else misbehaved, being fired from a job, not making the varsity team, coming in last at something, being hit by another kid, rejecting something they have been taught, deeply regretting something they can’t take back, not being invited when friends are hanging out, and being picked last for kickball.
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#2
I was playing Sesame Street figures with another kid, his toys. We were both 5.
For whatever reason I really wanted to keep his Count Dracula, but I couldn't just take it straight up. So I got this great idea that I would throw it up in the air until I got it stuck in the tree. Kid was freaking out on me, and I just kept throwing. I succeeded and in a fit he grabbed all his toys and ran home with them.
It then occurred to me that there's no way I could get it either. So I went home too.
Couple of weeks later I am outside wandering aimlessly. It was a windy cold day. Then all of a sudden the Count fell right in front of me. I was so excited I grabbed the toy and ran to the kid's home. His parents answered and I was so excited I was like "is so and so home, I found his toy!!!!"
They both were sad looking and took the toy as they said "no".
Later found out when I was a teen that the kid died of cancer. My sister had a heart condition, and we just happen to live in this cheap apartment complex near the hospital. All those friends of mine were all sick kids.
Anyways, I pestered his parents for the longest time always asking if so and so could play and when he was coming back. I was too young to realize what was going on.
#3
I tricked a kid out of seconds at lunch. He looked so sad when he asked why I would do that. School bully came up and told me I was an a*****e because the kids parents didn't feed him.
I think about that alot and it was almost 40 years ago.
No parent wants their kid to have hard times, but Lythcott-Haims explains that the parent’s job is to be there for support, not to shield them. “We've been given the awesome, humbling task of helping a young human unfold," she says. "What they need most of all is our love and support as they go about the hard and joyful work of learning the skills and mindsets needed to be a thriving, successful adult."
Wendy Mogel, author of The Blessing of a Skinned Knee, makes a similar point in her book, “Even though our impulse is to protect and prevent upset, we must step back, muzzle ourselves, and sit on our hands—whatever it takes so that they can figure out that they are capable of handling their discomfort, devising solutions, and moving on." Even if a child remembers a situation for the rest of their life, it taught them something. And that is valuable.
#4
When I was in middle school, my girlfriend at the time had a little mother in law cottage in their backyard that they used to rent out to local college students. They were remodeling the only bathroom in there over a few months, so while it was vacant she'd hang out with her girlfriends in there all night on weekends. And inevitably somebody would need to use the bathroom, which would require them to walk through the backyard to the main house.
I thought it would be hilarious if me and a few friends, instead of straight showing up, hid in the bushes with our t-shirts tied over our face like ninja masks, and jump out to jump scare them on the way to the bathroom.
So it's pitch black, we are waiting in the bushes by the entrance to the actual house, and a victim finally decides to make a trip to the bathroom. We all jump out at once and rush her friend, who then immediately collapses onto the floor, sobbing, and s******g/pissing herself.
Apparently she had been kidnapped by her biological father and his friends as a child, who more or less did the same thing in a similar fashion. And I didn't even know that until many years later, for years I thought she was just embarrassed that she crapped her pants. What was 100% a 14 year old's innocent idea to jump scare my girlfriend's group of friends turned into a nightmare of resurfaced trauma and embarrassment among her peers for a young girl.
I still feel f*****g horrible for it to this day
#5
Back in elementary school, I was one of the students who had many friends. I was what you would call the "class clown". There was this kid who was darker in color than us and stank bad when going to school. As a kid who didn't know much back then, I used to make fun of him for the way he looked and smelled bad. I bullied him every day, and because I'm friends with the whole class, they would too. Little did I know that that boy was selling little packets of pepper before and after school hours. That's why he smelled and looked that way. As a little kid who needs to work like that, it's a pity that we made fun of him because he wanted to earn money. I'm [angry] at myself for that.
#6
When I was 13-14 I was at a sale barn auction for cattle. All of us young teens would help herd cattle down the lanes and thought we were hot stuff. At a cattle sale we all wore boots and jeans because cows c**p anywhere they want. There was some girl there that evening that was hanging out with us. I noticed she was very cautious of where she stepped and refused to walk in the middle of the lanes because of the mud/poop. She had a newish pair of tennis shoes on. I said something along the lines of "what kind of person wears tennis shoes to a sale barn?" She got really quiet and said "they're the only ones I have". I shot back and said "well thats just stupid." Over 15 years later I still hurt in my heart for what I said. Can't believe I made fun of a girl that wanted to hang out with us and didn't have more than one pair of shoes.
We can’t all be angels as children. In fact, most of us aren’t. It is totally normal for kids to experiment and play and test the limits of what they can get away with. I remember my brother stealing a toy from an amusement park when he was about 5 years old, and my parents were horrified when they discovered it later. But he didn’t mean any harm. He saw something he wanted, and he took it. And he did not grow up to become a hardened criminal or someone with no regard for the law. It was just a lesson that he had to learn. After hearing a mouthful from my parents, he never stole anything else ever again.
While some behaviors might be normal for all kids, the ways in which they tend to rebel depends on their age. Karen Young breaks down some of the most common problems to expect as your kids develop in her article “Phew! It’s Normal. An Age by Age Guide for What to Expect From Kids & Teens – And What They Need From Us”, so you can put your mind at ease if you are guilty about doing any of these things or if you notice your young ones doing them.
#7
My grandfather passed away when my dad was in his early 20s in the 80s. My dad had an old voice recorder that he kept in his sock drawer with a little cassette. The cassette had the only recording of my grandfather’s voice on it. A few seconds at the beginning of the empty tape of him going “1 2 3 test 1 2 3 test”.
Well anyways, at some point being a little adhd child, I recorded over it with some b******t.
Still feel terrible about that
#8
When I was 4-9 I spent a lot of Saturday and Sunday mornings as an only child trying to entertain myself while waiting for my dad to wake up. One morning I was terrorizing the cat by chasing him around the house, not giving him any time to breath. He got so scared and tired he hid behind the dryer where he stayed for almost 2 hours. My dad asked where the cat was, and I told him I didn’t know. I was a d**k and it wasn’t the first time I did that kind of thing, but for some reason that one made me realize what I was actually doing to that beautiful creature. I thought I was just playing with my brother. I think about it quite often and have never treated an animal that way since. It does haunt me the way I behaved towards that animal that gave nothing but love and affection.
Pirates of Zen Pants 2 years ago
This is exactly what guilt is for. It's supposed to make you feel lousy so that you start behaving like a reasonable and empathetic person.
#9
Stole some money out of teacher’s purse. S**t still haunts me 30+ years later. They make so little and it probably had a significant impact.
Karen explains that once a kid becomes about seven years old, they might feel misunderstood by other people. It’s common for them to complain about anything from their parents to rules to their friends and other kids. They tend to dramatize situations, and might become angry or frustrated when they’re upset. When they turn eight, their mindset might become even more black and white about what is good and bad or right and wrong.
Having little tolerance for opinions that differ from their own can definitely lead them to say things they might regret, if they are too passionate and speak before thinking. They can be very quick to start an argument, so treat kids this age with lots of patience. “With their black and white thinking, an argument will just mean that someone is right (them) and someone is wrong (you). Instead, ask them to explain their point of view and encourage them to see things from different angles,” Karen writes.
#10
I put itching powder on a little girl on the bus...she had an allergic reaction and lost patches of hair.
Pirates of Zen Pants 2 years ago
This is the kind of thing Judy Blume used to write books about in the '70s.
#11
When I was 6 I made fun of the fact my dad didn't know how to speak English when he first came to the United States little did i know just how hard he worked to give me and my sister the life he always wanted I still feel horrible to this day
Weed in the Garden 2 years ago
Chlldren don't view their parents as 'people' until they've matured quite a bit past six. Even then, we still look and treat our parents differently as compared to other adults we know. Please forgive yourself, apologize if the opportunity still exists, and move on.
#12
Giving a hate letter in middle school to a teacher (who btw looked quite depressed) because my, at the time friend, hated him.
I feel so bad about that to this day.
Nine years old is when many kids start to push against their parents’ rules. Around this age, children start to value their friendships over their relationships with their parents, so they’ll start to keep secrets and develop inside jokes. Their capacity to be selfish and argumentative will increase. Once they hit ten to eleven years old, they will become even more clever and might try to explain or justify their bad behavior. They’ll search for a loophole in any rule and might be a bit sassier. Karen recommends parents let kids this age push the boundaries in safe ways. “Let them try different things, express their own opinions, and make their own decisions when appropriate,” she writes. “Know where your boundaries are and be ready to implement consequences when they make a bad decision. Make the consequence about their behavior, not about who they are.”
#13
So back in junior high one of my classmates Chris told me that his friend Leon asked him out. Me being young and ignorant didn’t believe this to be true so I confronted Leon and asked him are you gay? Leon replied “Who told you this?” I told him Chris did. He turned white and I didn’t see him throughout the whole day. I heard ambulances but didn’t think much of it. He came back a couple of days later. Told me that the rumor wasn’t true but was noticeably hostile towards me for the rest of the school year.
Fast forward 5 years I then found out through mutual friends that he was actually gay and after I confronted him he went to the top of the school building intended to jump. Thank God he didn’t. Still feel bad to this day.
Julie Rod 2 years ago
Growing up in TX, i didn't know any gay people and no one talked to me about what it really meant and that they need our support as allies, etc. I remember saying something about "Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve" It's stupid and i don't know if I hurt anyone with my words, but I regret them. It must have been hard enough growing up gay in cowboy country with out dummies like me.
#14
Saying no when my brother asked for a hug.
My brother is 2 years younger than me. When we were little our mum was clearly struggling with taking care of us as well as herself ( she suffered with a few mental health issues as well as being a single mother at the time). Because of this she would take her anger and stress out on us by getting mad at the tiniest things. Basically had to walk on egg shells around her. One day she got mad at my brother for something and yelled as she usually did which left my brother in tears ( he was about 6/7 at the time) I came out of my room to check on him and he asked me if he could have a hug. The other kids at my school said it was embarrassing to hug your family members so thinking about this I replied to him with a no and with a disgusted tone of voice and expression. I don’t know why I did that. I regret it so much. He needed support and I let my fear of people thinking I was weird get in the way even when they weren’t there. I wish I could tell him that I’m sorry but we’re not really close enough to have that kind of convocation. I try not to be too hard on myself about that choice I made since I was only 8/9 at the time and didn’t have the emotional maturity I have now.
#15
Back when I was a kid in the 60s, playground safety didn't exist. We had this aluminum slide in the communal playground that was surrounded by concrete. One day, when I was about 8 or 9, I noticed a lot of commotion at the slide. There was a boy, about two or three, who was next to slide but was refusing. There was a line of kids behind him, yelling at him to go but he just wouldn't move. I got tired of the yelling so I made all the kids move, climbed up to him, and tried to lift him to either slide him down or carry him down, whatever would work. He refused to let me lift him, and instead, climbed over the side of the slide so that he was hanging by his hands. It was a long drop (at least 6 to 8 feet) down to the concrete below. I tried pulling him up, but he was too heavy. I and all the other kids panicked and ran to the other side of the playground, leaving him to his fate. Fortunately, one of the high school boys playing football beside the playground noticed the kid dangling and jumped the playground fence and caught him when the kid finally lost his grip. The high school boy yelled at us for not helping him, and I felt a mix of anger and shame that even today I still think about sometimes.
Once kids reach adolescence, it’s expected that they start to form their own rules. They might become overly concerned with how they are perceived, so they will experiment with their identity, their image, and how to be “cool”. Karen writes, “What their peers think of them will be a source of stress to them for a while, peaking for girls at age 13 and for boys at age 15. They might go to extra lengths to try to fit in with their peers. This might involve making silly decisions or putting themselves in risky situations. Breathe. It will end.”
They may seem extremely emotional or closed off, but Karen explains that they “need love and connection more than ever”. She recommends helping teenagers find safe outlets to take risks in, such as sports or competitive hobbies. “The truth is that when it comes to adolescence, we have no control,” Karen explains. “They will decide how much they involve you in their lives, how much they tell you, and how much influence you have. Make it easy for them to come to you when something happens or when they need guidance.”
#16
Once I tied a kid to a lamppost with a jump rope and just left. I feel bad about that every couple of months
#17
My Nana raised me...My mom had a bad past but she's here for me now and into my adult life. But one moment I wish I could take back was when I was 13, (My Nana moved to Vegas at this point so we were distant)... I was playing my Xbox, and my Nana called and called me. I never answered because apparently I didn't have the f*****g time of day for the one I looked up to growing up. Later I find out she wasn't feeling good, she had phones my mother...and she went to the hospital the same night and passed away. I wish I could have has the brains to pick up the phone and talk to her. I never knew that would be the last time I would see her, and it was a simple phone call. All I had to do was pick up. And I'll always have that in my heart, just how careless I was for someone that still wanted to be a part of my life even if she was miles away.
Casey Burns 2 years ago
If I wasn't at work I'd be crying pretty hard. Moments like this will always leave a thorn in your heart.
#18
I used to get excited on a sunny day because I'd go in the garden with a magnifying glass and make insects explode. So f*****g cruel.
GoGoPDX 2 years ago (edited)
While this si cruel, many kids do stuff like this because we are conditioned to believe bugs are expendable. We see people killing bugs all the time without though or remorse. We see ant colonies slowly killed with poisonous ant bait, entire fields spryed with ppison, both wich are probably a shitty way to die, among many other ways people all around us kill these creatures. I can see how easy it would be for a child to think that bugs are not feeling beings.
We all have moments in our lives that we wish we could take back. Whether it was saying the wrong thing at the worst moment or making a rash decision when emotional that you regret after calming down, we could all benefit from a time machine. But the important thing to keep in mind once we have made an error is to forgive ourselves. We can understand the gravity of a situation and vow to never make the same mistake again without torturing ourselves for decades to come. After all, if we never forgive ourselves, we will never be in a place to better help others. So to get some tips for moving forward, we consulted a piece that Kendra Cherry wrote for Verywell Mind titled “Taking the Steps to Forgive Yourself”.
#19
I was new to a group of boys at a party. I threw a frisbee poorly and it went into a pool. Asked another guy to get it for me. He said no. I called him a racial slur. He got out of the pool, lifted me up over his head WWF style, and threw me into the pool. (He should have beat the c**p out of me). I lied about what happened saying he hurt me, and he got kicked out of the party. He never came back to that group and I have no idea whatever happened to him. That is probably my biggest regret of all time. I wish I could apologize to him.
Poultry Geist 2 years ago
At least a lesson was learned and at least you were a kid and didn’t know better! More than I can say for a lot of grown ups that don’t understand how ignorant and small minded racism actually is!
#20
I bullied a girl in middle school to the point that she had to transfer to the school in the next town over to get away from me.
GoGoPDX 2 years ago (edited)
I bullied a girl in middle school too, but not to that point. I myself was being bullied a lot, and for some reason I figured out that if I bullied someone else, they left me alone for the most part (to this day this whole situation baffles me) I have such tremendous guilt about this. I finally reached out to this girl a couple years back, and wrote a long, heartfelt apology. She had the grace to accept my apology. But I still feel so guilty about this.
#21
You might wanna brace yourself for this one...
When I was like 5, I was playing with one of our kittens, maybe a month or two old, unsupervised. I've repressed what I was actually doing with it, but I do remember noticing it was bleeding from the nose and was obviously being too rough. I brought it to my Mum in tears, and I'll never forget the way she yelled "What the f**k!" in that shaky, cry-scream, voice. I dunno what became of it, but I'm pretty sure I accidentally killed it. I don't even have the heart to ask my Mum about it to confirm or deny it, and I still cry about it every time I think about it. I wish I could erase what I did, go back and prevent what happened, but I can't, and I'll forever live with that guilt. It's one of the primary reasons I can't bring myself to believe I'm a good person, no matter how much I've grown in the 17ish years since, because if I can, at my most innocent stage of life, do something like that, can I ever wash that blood from my hands, what will I say to whatever, if anything, greets me after I die? I am so terribly sorry for what I did, and honestly, wouldn't disagree with you calling me inhuman for my actions.
zuza.konik 2 years ago
don't be so hard on yourself. little kids don't control their own power enough, they don't know how much, how strong, how... basically everything. go to help to local shelter to wash out "the guilt" but there shouldnt be any guilt in first place.
Kendra writes that the Four R’s of Self-Forgiveness are responsibility, remorse, restoration, and renewal. First and foremost, we must accept responsibility for our actions. What’s done is done, and we can’t deny what we said or did. Next, expressing remorse is important. But Kendra warns to not get caught up in feeling shame. “While guilt implies that you're a good person who did something bad, shame makes you see yourself as a bad person. This can bring up feelings of worthlessness which, left unresolved, can lead to addiction, depression, and aggression,” she explains. “Understand that making mistakes that you feel guilty about does not make you a bad person or undermine your intrinsic value.”
#22
Stole this little kid’s toy sword and shield and then dumped it in the trash. His teeth were really messed up so it's likely those toys weren't something his family could easily afford. Completely innocent little boy who had done absolutely nothing to me. I was about 7 at the time.
I still remember the look on his face as he was crying and I feel terrible about it whenever this thought pops up in my head.
#23
I made a yo mama joke to my friend the week his mom died.
I knew about it, I just had totally forgot. I remembered the second it came out of my mouth.
Victor Trejo 2 years ago
It was an honest mistake. If you realized right away, I'm sure you even apologized. Most likely, your friend understood you didn't meant to hurt.
#24
I was friends with unpopular kids growing up. To protect my own image, I didn’t defend against their bullying when I was around. They never ever seemed to mind, but my cowardice haunts me to this day.
Huddo's sister 2 years ago
I stood up for a classmate I didn't know that well when I was in primary school, and it didn't end that well, which made it harder for me to stand up, even for friends, later in my schooling (though it was more friendship breakdowns rather than bullying). I feel guilty about not being as vocal as I should have but it is something you have to move past because you were doing what you thought you needed to to protect yourself.
The next step is focusing on repairing and restoring any trust or relationships that were damaged. Another person does not have to accept your apology, but you will feel much less guilty if you do apologize. It can be verbal, handwritten or via the internet, but the important thing is that it’s sincere. “It may seem as if this portion of the process benefits only the person you've harmed, but there's something in it for you as well,” Kendra writes. “Fixing your mistake means you'll never have to wonder if you could have done more.”
Lastly, focus on renewal. You have learned a hard lesson, but it’s time to move on. Focus on what you can do in the future to not only prevent this from happening again, but to do the opposite. Make decisions that will empower yourself and others, and look towards the future.
#25
When I was six (in the early 80’s for clarity) I caused a clog in the toilet from pooping that backed up somehow into the furnace room and sewage came out of the drain in the furnace room, it was a total mess and plumbers galore came and my parents were so upset (not at me just the situation) but it embarrassed me so much and I was so afraid of it happening again, until I was like 12 and old enough to realize I was being dumb about it I snuck outside at night to poop in various bushes around the house. Years later as an adult my parents mentioned they thought they had a homeless problem in the neighborhood at one time because they kept finding dried human feces when doing yard work. I guiltily confessed and they laughed their asses off but my Mom said she (only half-jokingly) would have killed me if she’d caught me doing it at the time.
#26
I used to be a real brat. One of those “gives completely unsolicited opinions because I’m just so HONEST” type [jerks]. I one time in like 4th grade went up to this group of girls, singled one of them out by name, and told her, “Gina, you’re not fat but you’re chubby.”
I in no way did this to be mean. It was just my complete ignorance about how since I had a thought, she needed to hear it. I had no friends.
It didn’t dawn on me til years later when I eventually pulled my head out of my a*s that I realized what a horrible person I used to be and didn’t know it in the slightest.
Poultry Geist 2 years ago
At least you said she wasn’t fat first! It’s still mean ! People don’t know what they are doing in the 4th grade
#27
Hitting a neighbor kid with a baseball bat in the head for calling my mom fat.
I was 5.
Everyone makes mistakes, especially kids. I can’t tell you how many times I wished I had a time machine. By opening up about shameful parts of their past, the people who contributed to this list showed great vulnerability. Remember to be understanding in the comments, and continue to upvote all of the answers that stand out the most to you. Then feel free to open up about any past mistakes you want to move on from down below; I'm sure your fellow pandas will understand. We're all just doing our best.
#28
When I was about 16 (about 1979), I learned how to rip off cigarette machines. They used to have 'em where you'd put your 75 cents in and pull a long handle out, under whatever brand of smokes you wanted, push it back in, and the cigarettes would come out in a tray at the bottom of the machine. Come to find out, it's not hard to defeat these. Well, there's probably 20 different brands in a machine, and maybe 10 packs of each brand in there. I didn't just rip off a pack of Marlboros. No, I boosted 'em all. Virginia Slims, Newports, Salems, Camels, Winstons and whatever else was in there. Me and all my friends were smoking like a tar kettle. I was in the gas station where I did that when the guy who owned the machine came to refill it. He saw what happened and was, understandably, totally pissed. Older me realizes that doing that was an actual crime and makes me a d**k petty criminal. Young me just thought it was a lark!
Huddo's sister 2 years ago
I was just thinking this morning about a friend of my sister's who 'collects' glasses from all the pubs she visits. It amazes me that her friends actually egg her on, when it is theft and they should be telling her that. She is 22 years old! Not that it is okay when you are young either, but she should know better by now!
#29
I filled my hand with black pepper and blew it into my mom and sister's faces in the middle of a nice restaurant because I thought it wound just make them sneeze like in the cartoons. Their faces turned bright red, eyes watering and my sister started loudly crying. I was left alone in at the table with everyone looking at me and wondering that the hell just happened.
Pirates of Zen Pants 2 years ago
Cartoons: providing kids with unrealistic expectations since 1933. I'm just glad OP didn't buy the ACME bundle of dynamite.
#30
Back in 7th grade there was a group of girls that I would mock constantly just for being women. I had no idea why and no one was influencing me to do it. I’m now in my second year of college and I look back on it occasionally and I’m grateful I’m not that person anymore
What do you think ?
Poultry Geist 2 years ago
In kindergarten I gave Jimmy .50 cents in dimes! His mom was a teacher at the school and she came up to me and asked me if I gave Jimmy the .50cents. I didn’t want to get in trouble so I said “no”. She asked me if Jimmy took it from me and I said “yes”:( poor Jimmy got sent to the principal and probably got paddled and will always feel bad about it! I still remember him looking at me like” wtf ? “
Ter Mite 2 years ago
When I was in junior high my mother was a single parent and working 2 jobs to make ends meet. I only owned 1 pair of jeans and wore them to school once a week and wore sweat pants the rest of the time. There were 2 girls in my engish class who loved to pick on me and called me 'sweat pant boy' and other names. Years later I am working as an exterminator and knock on a door and one of those (now) ladies answers the door. I recognized her immediately but as a professional just went about my business. As I am leaving she asks me 'did you go to Flowing Wells Junior High School?' and I reply that yes, I had. She tells me that she had long regretted the way she had treated me and hoped I could forgive her. I told her that I already had forgiven her and that we were children at the time, and that I had done things I had regretted also. I also told her that she was the reason I hated sweat pants as an adult and we both laughed at that :) it was the truth though lol.
Seedy Vine 2 years ago
The upside to all these posts is that it shows that people are actually sorry for their bad behaviour. Sometimes it’s easy (at least for me) to think that the world is full of awful people proudly doing cruel things with no remorse. This thread proves that this isn’t always the case. Reading these tales breaks my heart, and not only for the victims. I actually feel sorry for the perpetrators. I’ve never felt that before.
Biofish23 2 years ago
I am an only child. When I was about 6 years old I had a good friend from school who was always complaining about her little brother. He was maybe 2 or 3, typical toddler stuff. Tragically he drowned while the two of them were playing outside alone together. She was of course traumatized. Her whole demeanor changed. One day she had been very short tempered with me then later apologized explaining that she was just missed her brother. I, genuinely confused, replied something along the lines of. "I don't understand why you are so upset. I thought you didn't like him anyway." My friend ran off sobbing, and didn't talk to me again for a long time. It wasn't until I was an adult that that memory popped back up and I was struck with horror at what an awful thing to say that was.
C Lawson 2 years ago
Are you still friends as adults? Just curious to know if she remembers that or if it's ever brought up.
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Peter Smith 2 years ago
The innocence of babes is more a matter of weakness of limb, than purity of heart - Augustine
Daffodil 2 years ago
For background on this: I live in a VERY conservative household. My dad is basically every negative "phobic" and "-ist" you can think of. (Homophobic, Racist, Misogynistic, etc) When I was in 6th grade, at the end of the year, one of my good friends came out to me as trans. I proceeded to tell her I didn't believe her, then out her to two of my other friends. Luckily my other friends weren't transphobic and that didn't have a negative outcome. At that point I thought I was Cis and Straight, and now as someone who identifies as Nonbinary and Lesbian, I understand how hurtful what I did was. Worst part is, after we made up from it the first time, I switched schools, so we stopped talking, and then 2 years later we started talking again and only then does she find out I outed her to the second friend, so she gets hurt again and we stop talking again. I've since apologized (again) and would never dream of doing that now, I told her I don't expect her to forgive me this time at all. :/
Zadie the Swiftie 2 years ago
When I went to sleepaway camp, our counselors kept their names a secret until the last day, so they all went by camp names. For some reason, my entire bunk got hyperfixated on learning our two counselors' names, but I was the worst of all. I asked one to see her screen time on her phone, knowing that your full name gets displayed there. It turned out that the prior year, a girl had stalked down her counselor and gotten super obsessed with her, including memorizing her number. I still feel terrible about it
Kenneth McCartney 2 years ago
I was a kid in a hardware store. When my mom wasn't watching I set a rat traps that was in a bin of others. This was not a mouse trap, no, this was a big metal trap. Someone probably lost a finger or two.
Luna 2 years ago
I was in kindergarten and there was this girl in my class that I was mean to one day. I don’t know exactly what I said but I tricked her into believing that the teacher was mad at her and I started crying. I immediately said that he wasn’t actually mad and I was just playing, but I still feel bad about it. I’m sorry if you’re out there, Harper (not her real name).
Asexual nope rope 2 years ago
I bullied a kid in 3rd grade because by abusive bff told me too. Looking back she was super racist and im glad shes not part of my life anymore. Still feel awful.
Gemma jones 2 years ago
my dad is really abusive and he was a fire man and i told him i hope he dies, got mad when my widow nan stayed in my bed at christmas and i had to sleep on a couch, threw my dogs favourite toy too far and lost it, his face was awful, said awful things to my mom but then she has to me as well as she never liked or wanted me, i vowed to never say anything horrible again and have massive regrets, they do not though, they still insult me, if you never met me you would think i am the most selfish money hungry fatty ever
Pete from Cali. USA 2 years ago
I once almost took out a kid's eye while being incredibly stupid. I've always regretted bullying a kid in elementary school. I think we were 4th to 6th grade. Everyone picked on him because his family was more poor than the rest of us. However, I've know for a long that that we were all wrong for bullying him and I am super lucky I didn't take out one of his eyes.
C Lawson 2 years ago
One thing I did as a child/preteen is something I immediately felt guilt for and still do 30 years later. My grandpa raised me and he was the greatest man I've ever known. He was refusing to let me have my way on something and I screamed at him, "I hate you!" He calmly said, "Well I guess I'm doing something right." I had never ever said any ill word toward him before that, or after. As an adult I reminded him of it and apologized for it so many times and he always just told me not to worry about it, that he knew better when I said it. Hahaha. He's been gone for 4 years and I miss him every single day. I'm glad the two of us got to laugh at my adult guilt over a kids outburst.
Huddo's sister 2 years ago
The 'boys will be boys' b******t of hurting someone you like applies to girls too. At our school disco in grade 5, the boy I had a crush on fell over and so I yelled 'kick him while he's down' and pretended to kick him. I still regret it to this day. Thankfully it did lead to me changing how I treat people.
Poultry Geist 2 years ago
In kindergarten I gave Jimmy .50 cents in dimes! His mom was a teacher at the school and she came up to me and asked me if I gave Jimmy the .50cents. I didn’t want to get in trouble so I said “no”. She asked me if Jimmy took it from me and I said “yes”:( poor Jimmy got sent to the principal and probably got paddled and will always feel bad about it! I still remember him looking at me like” wtf ? “
Ter Mite 2 years ago
When I was in junior high my mother was a single parent and working 2 jobs to make ends meet. I only owned 1 pair of jeans and wore them to school once a week and wore sweat pants the rest of the time. There were 2 girls in my engish class who loved to pick on me and called me 'sweat pant boy' and other names. Years later I am working as an exterminator and knock on a door and one of those (now) ladies answers the door. I recognized her immediately but as a professional just went about my business. As I am leaving she asks me 'did you go to Flowing Wells Junior High School?' and I reply that yes, I had. She tells me that she had long regretted the way she had treated me and hoped I could forgive her. I told her that I already had forgiven her and that we were children at the time, and that I had done things I had regretted also. I also told her that she was the reason I hated sweat pants as an adult and we both laughed at that :) it was the truth though lol.
Seedy Vine 2 years ago
The upside to all these posts is that it shows that people are actually sorry for their bad behaviour. Sometimes it’s easy (at least for me) to think that the world is full of awful people proudly doing cruel things with no remorse. This thread proves that this isn’t always the case. Reading these tales breaks my heart, and not only for the victims. I actually feel sorry for the perpetrators. I’ve never felt that before.
Biofish23 2 years ago
I am an only child. When I was about 6 years old I had a good friend from school who was always complaining about her little brother. He was maybe 2 or 3, typical toddler stuff. Tragically he drowned while the two of them were playing outside alone together. She was of course traumatized. Her whole demeanor changed. One day she had been very short tempered with me then later apologized explaining that she was just missed her brother. I, genuinely confused, replied something along the lines of. "I don't understand why you are so upset. I thought you didn't like him anyway." My friend ran off sobbing, and didn't talk to me again for a long time. It wasn't until I was an adult that that memory popped back up and I was struck with horror at what an awful thing to say that was.
C Lawson 2 years ago
Are you still friends as adults? Just curious to know if she remembers that or if it's ever brought up.
Load More Replies... Peter Smith 2 years ago
The innocence of babes is more a matter of weakness of limb, than purity of heart - Augustine
Daffodil 2 years ago
For background on this: I live in a VERY conservative household. My dad is basically every negative "phobic" and "-ist" you can think of. (Homophobic, Racist, Misogynistic, etc) When I was in 6th grade, at the end of the year, one of my good friends came out to me as trans. I proceeded to tell her I didn't believe her, then out her to two of my other friends. Luckily my other friends weren't transphobic and that didn't have a negative outcome. At that point I thought I was Cis and Straight, and now as someone who identifies as Nonbinary and Lesbian, I understand how hurtful what I did was. Worst part is, after we made up from it the first time, I switched schools, so we stopped talking, and then 2 years later we started talking again and only then does she find out I outed her to the second friend, so she gets hurt again and we stop talking again. I've since apologized (again) and would never dream of doing that now, I told her I don't expect her to forgive me this time at all. :/
Zadie the Swiftie 2 years ago
When I went to sleepaway camp, our counselors kept their names a secret until the last day, so they all went by camp names. For some reason, my entire bunk got hyperfixated on learning our two counselors' names, but I was the worst of all. I asked one to see her screen time on her phone, knowing that your full name gets displayed there. It turned out that the prior year, a girl had stalked down her counselor and gotten super obsessed with her, including memorizing her number. I still feel terrible about it
Kenneth McCartney 2 years ago
I was a kid in a hardware store. When my mom wasn't watching I set a rat traps that was in a bin of others. This was not a mouse trap, no, this was a big metal trap. Someone probably lost a finger or two.
Luna 2 years ago
I was in kindergarten and there was this girl in my class that I was mean to one day. I don’t know exactly what I said but I tricked her into believing that the teacher was mad at her and I started crying. I immediately said that he wasn’t actually mad and I was just playing, but I still feel bad about it. I’m sorry if you’re out there, Harper (not her real name).
Asexual nope rope 2 years ago
I bullied a kid in 3rd grade because by abusive bff told me too. Looking back she was super racist and im glad shes not part of my life anymore. Still feel awful.
Gemma jones 2 years ago
my dad is really abusive and he was a fire man and i told him i hope he dies, got mad when my widow nan stayed in my bed at christmas and i had to sleep on a couch, threw my dogs favourite toy too far and lost it, his face was awful, said awful things to my mom but then she has to me as well as she never liked or wanted me, i vowed to never say anything horrible again and have massive regrets, they do not though, they still insult me, if you never met me you would think i am the most selfish money hungry fatty ever
Pete from Cali. USA 2 years ago
I once almost took out a kid's eye while being incredibly stupid. I've always regretted bullying a kid in elementary school. I think we were 4th to 6th grade. Everyone picked on him because his family was more poor than the rest of us. However, I've know for a long that that we were all wrong for bullying him and I am super lucky I didn't take out one of his eyes.
C Lawson 2 years ago
One thing I did as a child/preteen is something I immediately felt guilt for and still do 30 years later. My grandpa raised me and he was the greatest man I've ever known. He was refusing to let me have my way on something and I screamed at him, "I hate you!" He calmly said, "Well I guess I'm doing something right." I had never ever said any ill word toward him before that, or after. As an adult I reminded him of it and apologized for it so many times and he always just told me not to worry about it, that he knew better when I said it. Hahaha. He's been gone for 4 years and I miss him every single day. I'm glad the two of us got to laugh at my adult guilt over a kids outburst.
Huddo's sister 2 years ago
The 'boys will be boys' b******t of hurting someone you like applies to girls too. At our school disco in grade 5, the boy I had a crush on fell over and so I yelled 'kick him while he's down' and pretended to kick him. I still regret it to this day. Thankfully it did lead to me changing how I treat people.
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