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Research has linked secrecy to increased anxiety, depression, and even the more rapid progression of diseases. The explanation is quite simple: hiding things from others is hard work.

You have to watch what you say—staying careful not to slip up often requires evasion or even deception. And constant vigilance and concealment can be exhausting.

However, sometimes we can't open up even to our closest people. Recently, Reddit user Master_Notice_6690 made a post on the platform, asking its women, "What's a secret you could never tell your parents and why do you feel you can't tell them?" The answers started quickly pouring in, revealing the burden many carry silently.

#1

“I Will Never Ruin It For Her”: 35 Secrets Daughters Refuse To Tell Their Parents This one is more lighthearted than many, but it is something I will take to the grave. My mom, for some unknown reason, came to the belief that I absolutely love a certain brand of caramel chocolates. Really, I feel pretty neutral about them. I am not much of a candy-eater, and when I am I prefer chocolate without caramel, but whatever. But anyway she for some reason believes that these are my absolute favorites and gets me a baggy every year for Christmas. The look on her face as I open them and eat one in front of her is so pure, I will never ruin it for her.

artichoke313 , Michele Blackwell Report

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Iridian
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love this. Thanks for reminding me of my grandmother, too- because I did a similar thing as a child. At age ten, I asked her one Christmas why she always got me unicorn stuff (I didn't care for unicorns at all one way or the other), and she said, 'because they're your favorite!' And it must have been the voice of the divine that then spoke through me to say, 'But I never even told you that, Grandma! You're a genius mind-reader! Thanks so much!' And I punctuated that with the biggest bear hug ever. And I received unicorns for every birthday and Christmas event into my adulthood when she died.

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    #2

    “I Will Never Ruin It For Her”: 35 Secrets Daughters Refuse To Tell Their Parents That every time they are involved in my child's interests and being affectionate and playful, I'm wondering why I didn't get this version of them.

    mangopepperjelly , Juan Pablo Serrano Arenas Report

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    JamezyJamez
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Because they're older, wiser, more mellow, probably retired, they've done the kid-raising thing before and look back on it with rosy glasses and miss it, and most of all, they're not theirs to discipline, run around taking them to school/appointments/games, try desperately to get to sleep, prepare meals for, break up sibling battles, dress, bathe, or plan for their future (among countless other things.) Maybe you're a more involved and conscientious parent than yours were, it's also a different generation and maybe they've grown into that as grands. And maybe they do help out with the aforementioned things, but maybe not to the same extent. When I was a teen I was a Big Brother and I loved hanging out with my Little Brother, who was bright as heck but also had ADHD. I got to enjoy his company for a while or an overnight camping event, then send Jill back to his folks. Same with my now nephew, who I hang out and play games with but that's the extent of it.

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    #3

    “I Will Never Ruin It For Her”: 35 Secrets Daughters Refuse To Tell Their Parents That I’m not Muslim and actually f*****g hate Islam

    greenteaandhoney , omid bonyadian Report

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    Tuesday
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    As a Muslim, that sounds like a terrible situation to be in. It's haram (not allowed) in Islam to force someone to be Muslim - literally a verse in the Qur'an - "There is no compulsion in religion". Maybe one day you'll be able to find the beauty in Islam, or maybe not, but either way, I hope you get out of that situation 🫂

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    #4

    “I Will Never Ruin It For Her”: 35 Secrets Daughters Refuse To Tell Their Parents My ex husband hit me a few times. If I had told my parents I know that they would have blamed me for it. Because they thought he was Mr. Wonderful. My sister's boyfriend hit her once and they basically said well you made your bed and now you have to lay in it. Just don't make him mad. Seriously that's my parents.

    Content_Pool_1391 , MART PRODUCTION Report

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    xxx
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That's incredibly f****d up wow. Your parents are absolute s**t. Glad he is your ex!

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    #5

    “I Will Never Ruin It For Her”: 35 Secrets Daughters Refuse To Tell Their Parents I don't love them.

    Both my parents love me in their own way, and I do think they want what's best for me. That being said, it was made known since birth how much of an inconvenience I was to them. They were not there to support me and, in turn, got angry when I lashed out.

    I get along with them well enough nowadays. I appreciate them for the good they've done. Do I love them? No.

    DoctorSalamander , Andrea Piacquadio Report

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    Roger9er
    Community Member
    1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My parents never said anything like "I love you" when I was little. My mom, now 83, is trying to make it better a little by sending kisses and hearts when texting, but she never will say it out loud.

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    #6

    “I Will Never Ruin It For Her”: 35 Secrets Daughters Refuse To Tell Their Parents That a big part of why I stay up so late at night is that I can finally have some peace and quiet to myself without my mom walking into my room often to ask me stuff, borrow something from the closet, etc. These things aren't inherently bad, and she does knock, but they become it when I'm made out to be the bad guy if I ask her to give me some space or if I'm even slightly moody towards her, and it stresses me out.

    fujiwara-reiko , Sofia Alejandra Report

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    Toxic
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I can relate. Nighttime is the only time I have where I don't have my parents wanting me to do things or my brothers wanting me to play with them. I love helping them and playing with them but sometimes I just want peace and quiet

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    #7

    “I Will Never Ruin It For Her”: 35 Secrets Daughters Refuse To Tell Their Parents I'm the emotional support child so I don't tell them anything bad, ever. My older sibling is the embodiment of chaos, my younger has health issues. I'm fine. 

    Neon_Sunbee , Phạm Trần Hoàn Thịnh Report

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    Iridian
    Community Member
    1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I was that, too. Be careful that you don't become the family scapegoat, because that usually shows up after that. You think you're the strong one, and they think you're the strong one, so they then start bizarrely turning everything around on you and blaming you for everything they and everyone else in the family does wrong. They then make you out to be the weak one with all of the problems so they can feel strong. This isn't my paranoia; it's a real thing, part of the cycle of that unhealthy unloading. Please take care of yourself.

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    #8

    “I Will Never Ruin It For Her”: 35 Secrets Daughters Refuse To Tell Their Parents I am an aspiring medical oncologist, and my mother has cancer. She is great for the time being, but she is considered a high-risk patient for recurrence and, ultimately, death. I know the statistics, I know her chances (approximately 65-70% to overcome cancer completely), and I also know that every patient is different and obviously not just a number. However, I have excruciating anxiety, which I hide perfectly from my whole family because they are hopeful, and they dont know the truth. So I face this anxiety on my own, with the help of a therapist, something that they also don't know at all, and I guess that they never will.

    saridas7 , Thirdman Report

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    Roger9er
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'm sorry you have to through this alone. I wish you all the strength.

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    #9

    “I Will Never Ruin It For Her”: 35 Secrets Daughters Refuse To Tell Their Parents How upset I was when they told me we were adopting my youngest brother, and how I still have complicated feelings about that. I love my brother so, so much, and I am so glad he is in my life. But at the time, my two older siblings were pretty severely ill with chronic illnesses and I was already being parentified with my three younger siblings. I cried for a long time in bed that night because I felt like they already couldn’t take care of the kids they had, and now they wanted to add another for me to take care of.

    I’ve only recently begun to admit this to myself, thanks to therapy. At one point my therapist said “You can love your brother and also feel like your parents shouldn’t have made that decision at the same time” and that hit me hard. It’s all a confusing mess though, because obviously if they had waited to adopt again then we wouldn’t have my brother, and that’s not what I want.

    futuredoctor131 , Marta Wave Report

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    rullyman
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    People who treat their daughters as free house help and childcare are awful.

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    #10

    “I Will Never Ruin It For Her”: 35 Secrets Daughters Refuse To Tell Their Parents They once dragged me to the doctors because they thought I was doing drugs because I was low energy, unmotivated and started to spend time in my room all the time. Turned out I had glandular fever, but apart from that I was just really depressed as well because of how hard they were on me and the choices I wanted to make for my own future, while they were forcing me to study something I didn't want to, where I wasn't comfortable with the teachers nor my classmates, making for a very isolated experience. I was very young, but was already done with life. If my best friend hadn't popped up when she did, I probably wouldn't have been here anymore.

    15 years later I'm doing really well, I have nice friends, a nice job, a house, a sweet husband, the cuddliest cat ever. I got where I am because of the choices I made, which I made against my parents' better judgment.
    So it's very triggering to either hear them say 'ofcourse you're so successful, with all the good traits and support you got from us' or worse 'ah it's a shame you never did anything with your brain' as if me being happy and steady in life is still not good enough.

    MakiseKurisu23 , Mehrpouya H Report

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    #11

    “I Will Never Ruin It For Her”: 35 Secrets Daughters Refuse To Tell Their Parents I had a miscarriage and it was in no way emotionally traumatic for me. My mother, if she knew, would mourn terribly for that pregnancy and judge the f**k out of me for not being upset.

    So, she doesn't ever need to know.

    anothernameagain , Gregory Pappas Report

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    Mabelbabel
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My mother's first pregnancy ended in miscarriage-she was about 20 weeks, and it was a boy. She had my older sister next, and told her repeatedly throughout her life that she should have been a son. After my younger sister was born, she was told repeatedly that she wasn't planned, that they'd only wanted three children and she was only there because they'd lost their first. There are good reasons why none of her children are in contact with her anymore. Some people don't deserve children.

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    #12

    “I Will Never Ruin It For Her”: 35 Secrets Daughters Refuse To Tell Their Parents i'm gay :(

    they aren't homophobic toward others but they fear judgement about it from other homophobic family members. and it feels like they value having a good image over me sometimes.

    limonadebeef , Ronê Ferreira Report

    #13

    “I Will Never Ruin It For Her”: 35 Secrets Daughters Refuse To Tell Their Parents I could never tell them that I'm a lesbian, I grew up in a religious household, for some reason I never took to the religion and initially saw myself as agnostic (later in life I consider myself an atheist)


    Anyway, I've dated men in the past and I could never put my finger on why something was missing... until I muster the courage to ask a female co-worker out. I immediately had internalised homophobia (I was never homophobic to others) and was disgusted and ashamed of myself - don't worry folks, I've worked through this and I am happy with my sexuality.


    I moved out and lived with my partner - I never told my parents why and I never told them my address to protect myself and my former partner. I was very open and honest with my partner from the very beginning of our relationship. We spent three years together until the relationship unfortunately came to an end ~3 months ago. Despite the relationship ending, I have no bad blood towards her, I am good friends with her.


    She's the only woman I've been with. One day I hope to find that special someone, my player 2 (or player 1 if they want to be player 1, I don't mind at all)
    I hope that anyone else that is going though something similar will find that person too :)

    BritSarcasm , Ketut Subiyanto Report

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    SuperChicken
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Don't worry, Op, you'll find that special someone. No, you're not internal homophobic. It's the very religious way of living with your family and school made you feel and think that way. I'm glad you embraced your sexuality and are very happy with yourself. Good luck and I wish you a lot of happiness and love.

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    #14

    “I Will Never Ruin It For Her”: 35 Secrets Daughters Refuse To Tell Their Parents My dad passed away 21 years ago, and I could never tell him he f****d up my and my sister's life by choosing such a horrible human being to be our mother and by looking away when his 2nd wife physically and psychologically abused us during our entire childhood and teenage years. 

    Maragent-bee , cottonbro studio Report

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    Lexekon
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This story is echoing throughout history, and the father seeking to restore missing balance in his family by finding a new love, well, sometimes does not end as well as hoped. The wicked stepmother is a trope for good reason.

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    #15

    “I Will Never Ruin It For Her”: 35 Secrets Daughters Refuse To Tell Their Parents My mother is great and caring person but she shouldn't have had kids until she at least tried to fix her emotional issues.

    She thinks she was great mother in difficult situation and I'm so smart and strong but in reality she parentified me and used me emotionally to fulfil her needs from her childhood. Her mother denied her emotionally and she complains how hurt she is without realising she is did the same to me just in different way. Not to mention the fact that she's the reason I don't want kids and I can never tell her that. How do you tell "I already raised myself and my sibling so why would I want another kid?" without hurting them?

    whatevernamedontcare , Tatiana Syrikova Report

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    Rens
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Until the last line, I thought this was posted by my daughter... I broke things between us, she is still ambivalent about having me in her life; I was shocked when she told me that but I can't blame her. I'm doing my best to earn her respect and her trust, but I don't think I will ever have either in my lifetime.

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    #16

    “I Will Never Ruin It For Her”: 35 Secrets Daughters Refuse To Tell Their Parents That I'm in early stages of a cancer diagnosis. They live too far away and they are poor so they would want to help and would probably bankrupt themselves to help me.

    Plus my mum would catastrophic and it would just be draining. Dealing with my own emotions is already too much. I don't need hers too.

    -M4RN13- , Engin Akyurt Report

    #17

    “I Will Never Ruin It For Her”: 35 Secrets Daughters Refuse To Tell Their Parents That the older librarian who mentored me from 16-19 was actually my girlfriend.

    anon , Tima Miroshnichenko Report

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    cerinamroth
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If my daughter told me she had had a librarian girlfriend, I would be over the moon - love *and* books? Together? Amazing!

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    #18

    “I Will Never Ruin It For Her”: 35 Secrets Daughters Refuse To Tell Their Parents That I never wanted children because of how I grew up thinking I had to be on the wacked out diet my mother was on (she's 5'3 and 100 lbs soaking wet). My dad wasn't as bad, but if I wasn't being active like him, I was a disappointment. So, I didn't want to raise children with those tapes in my head. I'm not going to pass on screwed up body images to my kids like the one I have to myself.

    NotFunny3458 , Jennifer Murray Report

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    RP
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Good on you for being responsible. It is a struggle, but if you do end up giving it a try, the little ones really do give you a lot of perspective that helps re-write those tapes

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    #19

    “I Will Never Ruin It For Her”: 35 Secrets Daughters Refuse To Tell Their Parents I was SA'd by my first serious boyfriend. They know that. What they don't know is that when I attempted to break up with him, he swore he'd ruin my dad's career if I ever made an accusation against him. His folks were a big deal in my dad's industry and they were wealthy and better connected than we were. My dad now works in a different state entirely but the statute of limitations has already passed.

    eeriedear , Andriyko Podilnyk Report

    #20

    “I Will Never Ruin It For Her”: 35 Secrets Daughters Refuse To Tell Their Parents When I was 3-4 I had a very abusive babysitter. One of my first memories involves this woman brushing my hair, yanking it, and when I cried out, hitting me with the hairbrush so hard I fell into a night stand and broke it, at which point she literally beat my a*s with the hairbrush. Afterwards she drug me to the car, decided to take me and the other kids she was watching to the bank, made me wear a paper bag over my head, and while everyone else got a sucker and ice cream, because I was "crying like a baby", I got to sit and watch them eat. When I got home, my parents saw the bruising on my butt and legs and freaked the f**k out. They asked what happened and I told them. They called to confront her and she made up some story about how I fell down the stairs and landed on my butt after having a really bad dream, that I had been yelling and crying in my sleep. My parents didn't believe her, even though I did and still do have very vivid and often violent dreams, but me being the sensitive kid that I was, I was so afraid they were going to hurt her for what she did, and I was more concerned about her than myself, that I told my parents that must've been what happened and I just couldn't tell the difference between dream and reality. I know what the f**k happened. I didn't dream it. I didn't make it up. My parents I don't think fully believed it, because I started school early at 4, and I think it was partially because they no longer trusted her to watch me. My parents still don't know that everything I told them was actually true, because even though I'm in my 30s now, and my parents are early 60s, I know they would still beat the woman to death if they found out she actually did this to me. This incident was sadly only one of many I remember from my time with her watching me. She always thought she was better than my mom because my mom's a nurse who had to work a "real job", whereas she got to stay home and babysit a few kids. I remember her trying to teach me many lessons about what "real women's work" was and insulting my mom for not being a "real woman" for having an "outside job". I was only 3-4 when she babysat me, and I remember so many things so vividly. Several years ago I was at the grocery store with my father and she came up chatting, dad reintroduced us and she laughed and smiled and acted like we were best friends. I remember nodding and smiling until dad wandered off before deadpan telling her, I remember everything, and she better think herself lucky I've kept my mouth shut all these years, and she needed to leave and stop acting like we were friends. I took great satisfaction watching the color drain from her face before she left.

    TheBattyWitch , Kamaji Ogino Report

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    RP
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    You need to tell someone. Think of the other kids she was allowed to babysit and maybe grandkids now. There would be no legal ramifications (child and too long ago) but the gossip might make parents think twice

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    #21

    “I Will Never Ruin It For Her”: 35 Secrets Daughters Refuse To Tell Their Parents My sister and I feel like the wrong parent died. My entire family devolved when my dad died. It’s very Ionely.

    Pandahloohoo , Ksenia Chernaya Report

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    TomCat
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Unfortunately this also happened to me. All my love, love.

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    #22

    “I Will Never Ruin It For Her”: 35 Secrets Daughters Refuse To Tell Their Parents That I'm an atheist. It would just break my mother's heart and she would try to continually get me to believe again because she'd 100% believe I'm going to hell. Now I have a baby the conversation's gotten a bit harder to manoeuvre around

    Jaggartex , Hannah Olinger Report

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    Iridian
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'm not an atheist, but I have my own beliefs in Bible Belt, USA, a reality for me that has actually been dangerous/ life-threatening to me in the past. I think sometimes we have differing beliefs from those around us because it challenges us to learn how to have constructive conversations, diplomatically defend ourselves, and even set healthy boundaries. All important life skills that are transferable to other areas.

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    #23

    “I Will Never Ruin It For Her”: 35 Secrets Daughters Refuse To Tell Their Parents That I was groomed into a sexual relationship by some old creep and went through a whole f*****g court case throughout my final two years of high school and the only reason the police didn't tell them is because they thought it would take two years to complete the investigation and get to court and I'd be 18 by then - and they were right. The story was on the news and everything and I remember mum reacting to it, nerve wracking stuff.

    songoftheshadow , EKATERINA BOLOVTSOVA Report

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    #24

    “I Will Never Ruin It For Her”: 35 Secrets Daughters Refuse To Tell Their Parents That I have attempted 3-4 times in the past.. and I still have days where I don't want to be here anymore. That sometimes, I believe I am so useless and i have nothing valuable to offer the world. and that I'm just not going to become successful anyway so what is the point of trying?.. I haven't attempted in years but the thought will occasionally cross my mind when I am going through a dark period.

    I'm an only child & if my parents heard that their only child doesn't want to live, that would shatter them. My dad has heart problems, along with a pacemaker.. I can't imagine how his heart would react if I ever told them that. so I keep it to myself.

    kathyanne38 , MART PRODUCTION Report

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    Iridian
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Just think, though, in the same post, you said that you believe you are useless and also that you are basically the light of your father's life. You're not useless! You have so much light that your light is helping your father, too. Please do even one small thing a day that makes you remember this light of yours that your father obviously loves so much. Not that I advocate living for someone else, but I've been down, too, and sometimes, it takes trying to see ourselves through the eyes of a person or even a pet who we know loves us as we are only beginning to heal. Peace to you.

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    #25

    “I Will Never Ruin It For Her”: 35 Secrets Daughters Refuse To Tell Their Parents That I am afraid to look like my mother at my 40s...

    Majestic_Accident447 , Andrea Piacquadio Report

    #26

    “I Will Never Ruin It For Her”: 35 Secrets Daughters Refuse To Tell Their Parents I never told my mum I had a motorbike. I used to hide it with the neighbour when she came to visit. She repeatedly told me she'd disown me if I ever got on one, so goodness know how she would have reacted if she knew I'd bought one haha.

    After she died, me and my dad got drunk at my house one night and I told him. In the morning I showed him it and he thought it was hilarious. I have since sold the bike (broke my collarbone on mountain bike and realised how much more dangerous a motorbike would be), but I'm still glad mum never found out about it, but a bit sad at the same time she never knew this quite significant part of my life.

    d3gu , Anastasia Shuraeva Report

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    Isabella
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I did the same, I have been hiding to my parents the fact that I had a motorbike, but only because they would have been worried all the time. True, they also cosbidered that girls should not have motorbirkes. My brother and my relatives found out only after my both parents passed away and it was quite a shock to them.

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    #27

    “I Will Never Ruin It For Her”: 35 Secrets Daughters Refuse To Tell Their Parents That I've lost my virginity before marriage and have had multiple boyfriends, and that I have a tattoo and drink lol. My parents are religious immigrants. They would have a heart attack.

    rk5213 , cottonbro studio Report

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    sherry powers
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I relate other than the tattoo part, and I don't drink like I used to. Pretty much after college I stopped all that.

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    #28

    “I Will Never Ruin It For Her”: 35 Secrets Daughters Refuse To Tell Their Parents - Never can tell my mom that the reason for my move out was her new boyfriend. - never can tell my parents that 2 persons SA'd me - never can tell them that I have depressions and have problems with suicide thoughts

    SavnerFluffy , Samira M.va Report

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    JP Purves
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If the SA was from the boyfriend or other family member go no contact with them and low contact with your mother if need be. If she asks why tell her the truth, regardless of how she deals with this information you need to heal yourself.

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    #29

    “I Will Never Ruin It For Her”: 35 Secrets Daughters Refuse To Tell Their Parents I used to do SW. I feel like they would be so ashamed of me, because I didn’t do it out of desperation, they’ve always helped me financially. I did it because I wanted power and control after being abused multiple times. I would just be so sad if they found out I used to sell my body.

    thelookofplasma , Ozan Çulha Report

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    Luke Branwen
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I hate how people say that sex workers are "selling their bodies" - as if a worker who hauls heavy stuff all day and ultimately ends up with chronic back and joint pain isn't.

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    #30

    “I Will Never Ruin It For Her”: 35 Secrets Daughters Refuse To Tell Their Parents That I'm autistic. Might figure out a way to tell them at some point, but it just doesn't really feel worth it. My older brother was diagnosed as a kid, autism isn't an unfamiliar concept to them, no idea how or why they were oblivious when it came to me as a kid/teenager but they really f*****g dropped the ball. Whenever I came to them with social issues I was having, just got told it was normal and I would grow out of it. Most of those issues weren't normal, though who the hell knows how many of my family members are neurodivergent and unaware, and they didn't just go away, had to figure them out the hard way years later after finally figuring out what was going on.

    Would have been nice if I had just known from the start, blindly stumbling through my childhood and teenage years wasn't fun and has left me with a variety of issues. But too late for that, figured it out fairly young still, moving forward as best I can. No idea how my parents would react, if I told them and got a bad response, they deny it, argue, whatever, it would hurt my relationship with them pretty badly, not really worth risking that over something they've long since missed the chance to help me navigate.

    LadyVague , Francesca Zama Report

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    RP
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I feel you. Maybe it is the picture that was paired with the post, but I wonder if gender has anything to do with it? We're still underdiagnosing women

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    #31

    “I Will Never Ruin It For Her”: 35 Secrets Daughters Refuse To Tell Their Parents I was almost abducted by a drugged woman in college who wanted me in her car for money. She saw me carrying a lot of shopping bags out in public, in broad daylight. I was buying Christmas presents and was on my way back to my dorm when it happened.

    In hindsight I should’ve told my parents and reported it, but I was so shocked I didn’t. Obviously I got away, but still knowing that it almost happened bothers me occasionally. It’s been almost 10 years now.

    superior_navy235 , Marcelo Moreira Report

    #32

    “I Will Never Ruin It For Her”: 35 Secrets Daughters Refuse To Tell Their Parents My list would probably be: -They’ll never know I’m married (it’s a complicated story) -That in high school an ex attempted to SA me (I fought back and got away.) -I have a tattoo. -I’m pretty sure I’m bisexual. It’s been easy to hide though since I’m in a relationship with a man.

    Taro_Otto , Ahmed ツ Report

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    #33

    “I Will Never Ruin It For Her”: 35 Secrets Daughters Refuse To Tell Their Parents I stole my moms high school diary when I was 12 and she’s been looking for it the last 40 years. The guilt is horrible but I still can’t get the courage to tell her.

    PleasantJules , Alina Vilchenko Report

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    Iridian
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    PLEASE find a way to replace it to her somehow, even if it's just hiding it in a box in the garage or something that you know she looked in last week. I've been an avid diarist since I was a child, but one day when I was 14, I was hurting so much that I sat down and coldly tore up all of my childhood diaries slowly to see what it felt like to destroy something sacred (like *&$!). I'd love to have those diaries back. I know how your mother feels, and I don't know your mother, but if you were my daughter, I think I'd understand that you were just a curious child who was then terrified to fix the situation afterward, and I'd be more grateful to have the diary back than upset with you.

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    #34

    “I Will Never Ruin It For Her”: 35 Secrets Daughters Refuse To Tell Their Parents That my husband and I are swingers.

    Even though my mom was a hippie and did all the things that one associates with a hippie (free love, lots of drugs, civil disobedience, etc.) I don't know that she'd understand.

    Or she'd ask too many, very detailed questions about our decision because, well...that's just her.

    Can-Chas3r43 , Osvaldo Coelho Jr. Report

    #35

    “I Will Never Ruin It For Her”: 35 Secrets Daughters Refuse To Tell Their Parents That I voted Republican in 1981. My parents were bleeding heart liberals who dedicated their whole lives helping others. Civil right lawyers who stood against THE MAN, large corporations and republicans.

    My brother convinced me to vote for Reagan. They would not only roll over in their grave, they would climb out, and haunt me for the rest of my life if they ever found out.

    Granny_knows_best , Edmond Dantès Report

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    Tamra
    Community Member
    1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Children grow up to have their own beliefs and convictions and deserve the chance to act on them. I will say that if my son had voted for someone like Reagan or, god forbid, Trump, I'd be disappointed. Disappointed, but I wouldn't harp about it, and I'd certainly still completely love him.

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    #36

    I requested the entire file of my sisters death which includes crime scene photos. I've never told my parents I have these photos. My mum will want to look at them and it will destroy her just as it destroyed me.

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    #37

    My parents eventually came to know I am a survivor of domestic violence and abuse.

    But I have never offered any information about what the abuse was that I endured.

    I don’t see how a parent can stomach hearing that about their daughter.

    I spared them.

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    #38

    I've never told my parents about a r**e attempt (I screamed as loud as possible and the r****t ran away) when I was in high school. My mom was a psycologist working with traumatised people and her usual response to me when ever I complained about stuff, was that I was lucky with my life. So I didn't need to hear "at least he didn't r**e you". I told my girlfriends about it, so it wasn't something I kept to myself.

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    and_a_touch_of_the_’tism
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That’s a s****y mum and probably a s****y therapist, if she gives the same BS to her patients.

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    #39

    “I Will Never Ruin It For Her”: 35 Secrets Daughters Refuse To Tell Their Parents from my mom: I’m queer.
    from my dad: I wanna die sometimes .

    my mom is super racist/homophobic (as much as she claims she isn’t) so i’ve been hiding that from her for like 15 years.

    my dad loves me so much and he’s already lost a child, I feel bad for even wanting to die sometimes bc i don’t wanna hurt him. he’s like the one reason i’m still here. I love him so much and he’s done so much for me even though he probably doesn’t know how much he’s done for me and how much i appreciate him.

    this got kinda sad and emotional and im crying but LOL yeah

    mellywheats , cottonbro studio Report

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    Barbara Kayton
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I believe your uniqueness touches the lives of others, even when you can’t see it. Please know you are worth being here, for everyone- including yourself - even when it is not obvious.

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    #40

    That I had a 3rd miscarriage. She handled the other 2 so poorly so she doesn’t get to know anymore.

    Due-Celebration-9463 Report

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    #42

    I only have 1 parent my dad and that secret is that me and my sister suffered terrible mental abuse at the hands of our aunt and uncle for 8 years who we lived with after our mum died (my dad wasn't around/wasn't able to take us in/we didn't want to live with him) and it's effected us terribly he wouldn't believe me even if I told him it would crush his world completely knowing he left us in the hands of 2 people who he hero worships for having "looked after us" it would also cause a huge argument I feel like

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    #43

    That my partner and I are polyamorous.

    My mom is the child of a family broken by infidelity. Her father was the cheater and he was never sorry. He felt that he could love both women, and he couldn't see that his cheating was a devastating betrayal — that my grandmother would never have consented to that arrangement and was crushed by his actions and his refusal to apologize.

    This is my happiest kind of relationship arrangement, but especially because my partner's currently seeing someone and I'm not, my parents would 100% see it as me accepting abuse out of a lack of self respect.

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    #44

    That I was most likely SA as a young child (4/5). To confirm it I'd have to tell my mum, I don't think she would recover from this. Also that I spent a night in jail.

    ShmlarrieShmladshaw Report

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    #45

    I was groomed by adults on the Internet as a teenager and manipulated into doing sexual acts on webcam with them. It was the early 2000s, these predators were posing as kids in the "teen chat" of a popular local music festival. My parents wouldn't have had the knowledge to protect me. I would do this on the family computer while my brother played upstairs and they were at work. They realistically couldn't have known much better then, but would feel awful about not having protected me.

    I feel OK about it now, so why bring it up to them.

    I've talked about it with friends and therapists. I guess they did their part by raising me to feel safe being vulnerable with those close to me (friends) and to be someone who is open to seek help (therapy can be really cheap in my country).

    JollyPollyLando92 Report

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    #46

    That I lost my virginity at 14, don’t think my mom would be happy about that.

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    #47

    “I Will Never Ruin It For Her”: 35 Secrets Daughters Refuse To Tell Their Parents I could never tell my mother that the guy she gave me permission to date was actually abusing me emotionally and is just generally not a good person(I was 17 at the time, so I needed her permission. She’s strict.) I cant tell her because it feels like my fault. I begged her to date him, ever since I was 13. She would just be very sad and disappointed if she knew the truth. She brings him up all the time, but she doesn’t know we aren’t in contact anymore so I can’t blame her.

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    #48

    How kinky I am. Mainly bc no parent EVER wants to know that, but my reasoning and proclivity towards kink comes from breaking the cycle of sexual trauma in my family in a way that makes me feel empowered and safe.

    My mom thinks kink is so dangerous and demonized and even light conversations about the subject in general she seems to just not be able to even engage with.

    orionshuman Report

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    #49

    “I Will Never Ruin It For Her”: 35 Secrets Daughters Refuse To Tell Their Parents My fathers p**n completely shaped my early sexuality (from 8 on). He didnt show them to me…. I found them. It made me believe awful things about myself, about women, about him. It led me to thinking somethings were normal and they weren’t. I put myself into sexual situations that weren’t safe or healthy because my dads p**n made me think this was normal. The first time I saw a ball gag was in the mouth of a woman. It took 30 years of undoing this sexual implantation that was entirely started by my FATHER. Who I know think of whenever I’m asked to do something I don’t want to do in the bedroom. He wonders why I’m a feminist…. I mean… should I tell him ?

    Dressed2Thr1ll Report

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    Legen ( wait for it ) dary
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    No, don't tell him. Besides you said "sexual implantation that was ENTIRELY STARTED by my father. I'm not sure if this is your father's fault.

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    #50

    That our upbringing wasn’t great. Both my parents were brought up in really bad situations (mum and her sister were constantly abused by their brothers who were violent and alcoholic. Dad was hit by a car when he was 5 and had to relearn how to do everything (eat, walk, talk) and his parents hated each other and took it out on the kids, lot of violence there too). I think they did their best and compared to their upbringings, ours was great. But we were still hit a lot, not talked to, punished for very little things (touching the tv remote). My mum always says we’re a close knit family and my dad says he’s glad he turned away and didn’t end up the way his dad was. Well, we’re not close knit and my dad was still an alcoholic and abusive. My dad is definitely better nowadays but my mum has spiraled. They both have these ideas about how our family is and I don’t have the heart or desire to shatter it and make them even more depressed.

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    hwatinternation
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My "mother" I think is under much the same delusion. Because the childhood my sisters and I had wasn't "as bad" as hers, I believe she thinks she did well for us. (she didn't, and she brought a guy around us she later said felt sketchy to her, too, and he SA'd us)

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    #51

    Probably that I used fo self-harm myself as a teenager. I have a feeling she knows though.

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    #52

    That I'm nonbinary.

    My mom is alright with a lot of lgbtq+ concepts, but nonbinary genders is not one of them. One of my former childhood friends came out years ago as nonbinary trans, and my mom absolutely refuses to accept it and use their neutral pronouns.

    It's probably the only secret I know I'll never feel safe telling her. I'm lucky that I'm ok with being seen as female, so she never really needs to know either.

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    #53

    My recreational drugs use. My mom is very anti every substance, alcohol, sigarets, weed, all of it. I got friends in uni that sometimes take drugs for fun, they always do it responsibly, weight the exact amount, let it get tested before taking (testing can be done anonymously and free in the country I live in) and read about the short and long term effects and risks. I told my mom I sometimes smoked weed with friends and she got so upset. I'm not telling about the rest.

    NylaStasja Report

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    RP
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Just watch out for the modern stuff. The weed of today is not what is used to be and can have very serious side-effects.

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    #54

    That I f*****g hate their guts and I'm only taking care of them because of some base instinct to not let pathetic old people in declining health rot in the gutter. But every morning that I hear them rustle around in their room and know that they are awake and lived through the night, it makes me angry. It makes me want to scream. And I can't wait for them to die.

    (And no, I cannot put them in nursing care. They f****d off all of their money and all of my mom's inheritance and basically have the proceeds of their condo sale to sustain them for the rest of their lives. If I put them in a home, that money will be gone in 5 years.)

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    Iridian
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Please don't forget to take care of yourself somewhere in there, too.

    #55

    That I was exposed to a lot at the sleepovers I attended and it led to some issues that I had to deal with like Shame and guilt later on.

    ImJustHereLikeY0u Report

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