*Sits down in leather recliner chair, pulls glasses down to tip of nose, looks at you and speaks with a german accent*, white hair showing wisdom rather than age, with a sage and compasionate like compsure *
Are you sitting comfotably? Great. So, tell me about your relationship with your parents. What is your strongest memory in regards to them. Would you say you had a happy childhood?


* that I won't try to recreate in text form
( G/PP 💩💩💩💩💩&#128, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 11:29, 113 replies, latest was 15 years ago)

I had a fantastic childhood.
My parents are brilliant. I love them dearly.
( JeffTheDogFucker Can you dig it?, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 11:37, Reply)

You want to shag your mum
You are Bert AICMFP
( TGB checking Off Topic is still shit at, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 11:37, Reply)

Grrr.
That has just cost me a fiver.
( JeffTheDogFucker Can you dig it?, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 11:39, Reply)

Wait a sec, are you saying that bert's ex girlfriend is his sister _and_ his mum?
*Tries to work it out*

So, Bert's mum must have had sex with bert's grandfather in order to produce bert, and then after 20 odd years, he started to "care very deeply" for her so stuck his willy in her fanny.
( G/PP 💩💩💩💩💩&#128, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 11:42, Reply)

It's actually possible to become your own grandfather.
There's a song somewhere about it, but I can't be arsed to look.
(Bear Pookie The Frankly Challenged. Halloween is coming to town., Wed 22 Sep 2010, 11:46, Reply)

Are you thinking of Back to the Future?

(Tugnut Ex of this parish, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 11:50, Reply)

I know the one, I can't remember the logic though eaither.

( G/PP 💩💩💩💩💩&#128, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 11:55, Reply)

Your sister is your mother,
Your father is your brother,
You all shag one another,
The Norwich Family...
(Tugnut Ex of this parish, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:11, Reply)

I did have a happy childhood
strongest memories are probably of my mum cooking, and despite my dad being stressed a lot from work, and not a lot of fun much of the time, I remember him best either at the helm of a boat, or doing woodwork.

in fact, my strongest memory of my dad is him being on fire after a garden bonfire went awry.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 11:42, Reply)

This pea explains my experiences on the parent front:

www.b3ta.com/questions/helicopterparents/post519195
(lkjshaglkasjdhglkhjz lkcvl; g;aodh;owih, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 11:44, Reply)

Your parents helicoptered you?
Edit: Christ, sorry, I probably should have read that before making facetious jokes. That sounds horrendous.
(LongJohnBaldry, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 11:45, Reply)

No worries.

(lkjshaglkasjdhglkhjz lkcvl; g;aodh;owih, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:01, Reply)

Jesus.
That is awful.
( JeffTheDogFucker Can you dig it?, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 11:47, Reply)

Nah not so bad. Glad I didn't fall for your encouragement last night & open the rioja - did you move on to a second bottle of wine?

(lkjshaglkasjdhglkhjz lkcvl; g;aodh;owih, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 11:48, Reply)

Yeap.
Had the second bottle of wine and a gin and tonic before falling asleep on the sofa.

I woke up this morning, still on the sofa at 6am.

Oddly, I feel absolutely fine.
( JeffTheDogFucker Can you dig it?, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 11:50, Reply)

Perhaps you've yet to sober up

(lkjshaglkasjdhglkhjz lkcvl; g;aodh;owih, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 11:59, Reply)

I feel good.
I wouldn't be in a rush to get behind the wheel of a car, granted. But I feel fine.
( JeffTheDogFucker Can you dig it?, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:01, Reply)

Bloody hell.
I don't really know what I was thinking posting this thread now, that's horrific on so many levels.
( G/PP 💩💩💩💩💩&#128, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 11:52, Reply)

Gonz - I wouldn't have posted it if I wasn't ok about it so don't worry about your post at all.

(lkjshaglkasjdhglkhjz lkcvl; g;aodh;owih, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 11:56, Reply)

If it helps, it's great to see that a lifetime of horrors isn't always a death-sentance of abuse.

( G/PP 💩💩💩💩💩&#128, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:01, Reply)

Thanks. I was single when I wrote that post - the gf I am with now is great when it (very occasionally) rears it's ugly head.
The weirdest thing recently was when my mother tried adding me on Facebook a couple of weeks ago! Very odd when I have refused to have anything to do with her for many years.
(lkjshaglkasjdhglkhjz lkcvl; g;aodh;owih, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:03, Reply)

Probably doesn't realise when she added you that it could cause distress.
There are a lot of people, esspeically the non-tech-savy, who on facebook add everyone they've ever come in contact with; good or bad.
( G/PP 💩💩💩💩💩&#128, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:08, Reply)

It was more weird than distressing. I blocked her obviously. I suspect she may follow me on Twitter using a different name but nothing I can do about that except be careful what I post

(lkjshaglkasjdhglkhjz lkcvl; g;aodh;owih, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:10, Reply)

Are you stroking a large fluffy white cat?>

(Bear Pookie The Frankly Challenged. Halloween is coming to town., Wed 22 Sep 2010, 11:45, Reply)

Like Mr. TheDogFucker here,
my childhood was idyllic. One of the reasons I was reluctant to become a father for so long was that I felt (quite correctly) that I would be unable to give a child of my own the wonderful upbringing I was so lucky to have.

It all went to shit when I was 18, sadly - my father's now on marriage no.3, my brother's an alcoholic, my mother's a lesbian*, my sister has HIV and my own child comes from a home that was ‘broken’ before she was even born. No wonder I am such miserable old cunt.

*I don’t object to this at all but am not looking forward to explaining to my daughter why she has three grandmas.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 11:46, Reply)

That does explain some of the misery.

( JeffTheDogFucker Can you dig it?, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 11:49, Reply)

Nature v nurture argument there
I loved growing up - my Mam and Dad are cool and didn't stop me from doing stuff or badger me into working at school. Basically, if I fucked it up, it was my fault
( sporters I’m sincerely gratitude to you, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 11:50, Reply)

Three grandmas = more presents

( TGB checking Off Topic is still shit at, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 11:50, Reply)

True.
Every year it'll be a toy doll from one. The other two will gift a trip to a foundry or something.
( JeffTheDogFucker Can you dig it?, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 11:54, Reply)

That would be a great present.

( Bartleby A dead man on vacation, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 11:57, Reply)

A foundry trip would be cool.
Or a visit to a lesbian jeans factory.
(Bear Pookie The Frankly Challenged. Halloween is coming to town., Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:02, Reply)

Wait a sec, what Bert was saying about your sister having HIV was true?
What a vile man he is.
( G/PP 💩💩💩💩💩&#128, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 11:53, Reply)

that is what made him such a horrible cunt

( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 11:56, Reply)

And all this time I thought he was joking...
What a cunt.
(LongJohnBaldry, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 11:58, Reply)

^^ This

(Reverend Fister "a disciplined fuckwit", Wed 22 Sep 2010, 14:02, Reply)

Bert really shouldn't have posted that - it's Monty's choice alone if he chooses to mention it.
I think this is why Cr3 banned him again.
(lkjshaglkasjdhglkhjz lkcvl; g;aodh;owih, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 11:57, Reply)

Sheesh catch up Gonzarooney
Bert was created by mixing Bono's hair in a large vat of devil sweat with a pope hat
( TGB checking Off Topic is still shit at, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 11:57, Reply)

have you heard this one?
you don't have to be good at anagrams to know that Pope Benedict is an epic bent pedo
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:00, Reply)

My favourite:
The pope was recently interviewed by GQ magazine. When asked what his preferred grooming products were he replied "Haribo and Smarties"
(lkjshaglkasjdhglkhjz lkcvl; g;aodh;owih, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:04, Reply)

Haha

( G/PP 💩💩💩💩💩&#128, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:07, Reply)

nice

( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:09, Reply)

Bert in
"massive sociopathic cunt" shocker.
( Kroney, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:00, Reply)

Yup.
She was doing charity work in Namibia, was kidnapped, held to ransom and repeatedly raped.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:10, Reply)

no words
that's terrible, and Bert is the biggest of cunts
( Amberl was stripey and dominated Europe, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:11, Reply)

Huh
I didn't realise the full scope of his cuntishness. I'm feeling a certain tendency toward violence at the moment.
( Kroney, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:13, Reply)

I aged 100 years the day her letter arrived tell me about it.
It’s affected me more than I can put into words. To the point that (utterly irrationally) when I see reports of famine and war in Africa I just think ‘good – fucking die, you animals’. My rational brain is overridden by a seething hatred that I have absolutely no control over.

Kind of explains why I had such a massive problem with Bert, does it not?
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:17, Reply)

I think you were quite mild with Bert considering the context

(lkjshaglkasjdhglkhjz lkcvl; g;aodh;owih, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:19, Reply)

complete explanation
right there
( Amberl was stripey and dominated Europe, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:19, Reply)

I don't think anyone has to justify their problem with Bert
But he did manage to take online cuntery to extreme new heights.
( TGB checking Off Topic is still shit at, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:19, Reply)

This is quite understandable
How is she coping now?
( sporters I’m sincerely gratitude to you, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:20, Reply)

Pretty well.
She’s been happily married to a really, really lovely chap for some years now. Medically she’s doing fine – she’s only had to switch drugs once so far (eventually, as far as I understand it, they all stop working and that’s when you become ill and die), and she is on a fast-track career in the police and is pretty happy. Her life’s less of a mess than mine, actually.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:26, Reply)

Good - sounds like she is cool
This is as happy an ending to this story as you could hope
( sporters I’m sincerely gratitude to you, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:29, Reply)

I'm lost for words old boy.

( Bartleby A dead man on vacation, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:24, Reply)

Explains why I despise the human race, eh?

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:35, Reply)

It goes some way in that direction.

( Bartleby A dead man on vacation, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:41, Reply)

Fucking hell mate
I remember the day it first came up, it was the first time in years I was lost for words.

I'm glad she's doing well now though, that's fantastic.
( Agnostic Antichrist Baltimora, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:35, Reply)

Fucking hell.
That's awful.
( JeffTheDogFucker Can you dig it?, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:16, Reply)

'Ello Monty.
How's you?
(Bear Pookie The Frankly Challenged. Halloween is coming to town., Wed 22 Sep 2010, 11:58, Reply)

Fucking ACE, dear boy. You?

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:09, Reply)

It's all good now
it was fraught when I was growing up, but I can see now that plenty of it was my fault and that since I was the first child it was understandable that they got things wrong with me, that they got right with the others.

Lots of happy memories though. One of my favourites is definitely my dad teaching me how to make jewellery (basic metalwork) and my mother's stories
( Amberl was stripey and dominated Europe, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 11:51, Reply)

All's well that ends well.

( JeffTheDogFucker Can you dig it?, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 11:56, Reply)

precisely
Being ill fixed a lot of things. Put them firmly in perspective- if you die right now, do you want to die still thinking 'they should have done this that or the other' or do you want to have good memories of all of the things they did do for you
( Amberl was stripey and dominated Europe, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 11:57, Reply)

Quite profound.
I'm ill at the moment. I have a cold.
( JeffTheDogFucker Can you dig it?, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:00, Reply)

same. Must be doing the rounds
or just the not wearing socks
( Amberl was stripey and dominated Europe, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:02, Reply)

I have socks on, yet I'm STILL ill.
This isn't fair.
( JeffTheDogFucker Can you dig it?, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:05, Reply)

I had a miserable childhood, which is why I'm such a cunt all the time to people I should love.
Both my parents beat me, and my brothers and sisters. I cannot stand physical contact with them. My strongest memory is being hit with a chair for swearing, when I was about 8.

It has taken me thirty years to try and re-programme myself, and I would never have kids in case I followed my upbringing and hit one of them. I trust myself that much.

I think I would describe my life as "difficult".
( Bartleby A dead man on vacation, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 11:55, Reply)

What was the swear word you used?

( JeffTheDogFucker Can you dig it?, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 11:56, Reply)

"Bitch" as I recall.
Not sure it warrented a chair over the back though.
( Bartleby A dead man on vacation, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 11:58, Reply)

Read my pea above re having kids yourself

(lkjshaglkasjdhglkhjz lkcvl; g;aodh;owih, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:00, Reply)

I don't know if it statistcally significant,
but my parent's 6 children have produced a total of 3 grandchildren.
( Bartleby A dead man on vacation, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:10, Reply)

I'd have nailed your knees to the floor.
Depends who you called bitch though. All good if it was a labrador called Flossie.
(Bear Pookie The Frankly Challenged. Halloween is coming to town., Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:01, Reply)

My mum was the recepient of my name calling.
My dad delivered the furniture.

It was all over quite quickly.
( Bartleby A dead man on vacation, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:03, Reply)

That doesn't warrant a chair.

( JeffTheDogFucker Can you dig it?, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:01, Reply)

at most a small pouffe
obviously not of course. I can totally understand why you wouldn't want to go near them
( Amberl was stripey and dominated Europe, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:02, Reply)

Where's Darth when you need him?

( Bartleby A dead man on vacation, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:04, Reply)

he's a massive pouffe

( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:09, Reply)

I'm selling The Jim Jones Revue
would have mentioned on fb but thought you're probably at work
( Amberl was stripey and dominated Europe, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:18, Reply)

?
I am at work, but can facebook at lunch
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:19, Reply)

didn't realise it was lunchtime
but either way I'm persuading someone to go see them
( Amberl was stripey and dominated Europe, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:20, Reply)

Dining, deck
or wingback?
( Kroney, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:07, Reply)

Oak dining chair. Very well made,

( Bartleby A dead man on vacation, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:08, Reply)

Good. Wouldn't have wanted the chair to get damaged.
EDIT: read this book - www.amazon.co.uk/They-You-Up-Survive-Family/dp/0747584788/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1285153953&sr=8-2
(lkjshaglkasjdhglkhjz lkcvl; g;aodh;owih, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:11, Reply)

I still have it.
In the corner, with a black drape over it.

Edit: Cheers for the link.
( Bartleby A dead man on vacation, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:14, Reply)

I would have burnt it. I still have a lump on the back of my head from a glass milk bottle - can't get rid of it unfortunately.

(lkjshaglkasjdhglkhjz lkcvl; g;aodh;owih, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:16, Reply)

I exaggerate, the chair is my computer chair at home.
Jolly comfortable, and helps my posture. It wasn't personally guilty of assult.
( Bartleby A dead man on vacation, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:20, Reply)

You're right
that was a touch heavy-handed.
( Kroney, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:12, Reply)

My best memory
is of all of us and our dog having a pic-nic every Sunday in the country side.

I wonder what happened to my parents and why they aren't the happy couple they used to be...

Although, that just reminds me of the awfuly loud arguments they had some nights because my mother didn't want to have sex and my father would get furious with her. They used to be very explicit and I remember word by word the things he'll tell her to do and the reasons she gave for not doing them... ay... mindbleach, please...
(Aberracion Life's getting very complicated, but a lot of fun., Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:07, Reply)

At least you had no surprises later.

(porkylips looks better as the sun goes down., Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:33, Reply)

My dad used to constantly belittle me
Mainly as I think he wanted a boy not a boring girl. But he soon found out I could actually help build walls and stuff adn seemed to warm a little. Apart from when he was yelling at me on my drive in fron of a bus stop full of people telling me I was a pathetic mess who couldn't amount to anything. That was fun. On the plus side I'm now handy to have around during breakdowns!

Now my mum has gone crazy and is telling me I am going to end up living in squalour pissing my life away whilst everyone I know fucks off and I am an inconsiderate bitch. Which is fun.
On the plus side I can come online and bitch at people and they don't take it seriously because it's just the internet.... wait...
( TGB checking Off Topic is still shit at, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:23, Reply)

That doesn't sound brilliant either TGB
I feel all the more lucky for my own upbringing now.
( JeffTheDogFucker Can you dig it?, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:26, Reply)

Mental or Car?

( Bartleby A dead man on vacation, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:27, Reply)

Car
Mental breakdowns I can barely cope with my own let alone anyone elses!
( TGB checking Off Topic is still shit at, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:29, Reply)

Handy indeed!
Between your expertise and Kaol's tard strength, is there any emergency you can't overcome?
(wellgroomedwookiee is a filthy-minded hobgoblin, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:55, Reply)

Probably any that would involve travelling there on the tube

( TGB checking Off Topic is still shit at, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:57, Reply)

But.....but.....but.........you're awesome.

( girlinthehole, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 13:11, Reply)

Hmm, while we're sharing.....Illness aside, I had an excelent childhood.
My strongest memory is... I was in hospital for the first time, the royal free, floor 6, children's ward; one of the best views of London City there is. I was coming up to the end of 12. I was in there for a week having horrific 'investigations'. I had a canular in my arm and had gone through a stomach ache that had lasted two years (the GP said I was trying to get out of school, 'cus a stomach ache was the 'bad back, put me on the social' of the time for kids ).

My Dad took me out to some resturant where we had prawns, massive ones, I'm sure the resturant was one of the finest ones, like michallin star quality, only I didn't know about things like that. I'm not just saying that eaither; everything in my memory was so excravigant. They almost turned me away because of how I was dressed, but we explained that I was from hospital so they let us in. We then went to Harrods, where it was all christmas'd up. Dad got me a jumper, and it was the softest jumper I ever had, i believe I've still got it. It was way to big for me, but we did that 'cus of the canular in my arm. After the main investigation I was there for, it was confirmed that I had Crones, I ran to the bathroom to throw up.

They then put me on an expermental treatment called CT3211, where for two months I could only put in my mouth the forumular (Think of McDonalds thick milkshake, made with off milk and no flavourings; a smell, to me, is vile enough, let alone going through 3ltrs a day) and medically sterial water.... no chewing gum, no tooth paste, no nothing. Once a week I would cheat by having a morsel of a single chip or mars bar off a friend. Then, over the following 6 months, I was introduced back onto food every 2 weeks at first, then 1 week, then 3 days. First up is potato (no skin, no addatives), then marmite, and so on and so on. That first bite of potato was amazing, after 8 weeks. I don't think anyone can taste something so great than that hospital baked potato, no skin, no butter, no salt.

But the memory of the bright lights in Harrods and looking over the view of the city at night will always stick with me.
( G/PP 💩💩💩💩💩&#128, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:28, Reply)

That's awful, yet fantastic
I'm glad that you're able to think of the f good over the bad
( Agnostic Antichrist Baltimora, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:37, Reply)

I must be quite silly
Because you have me in tears.
(Aberracion Life's getting very complicated, but a lot of fun., Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:37, Reply)

What a lovely story : )
(not the crohnes bit of course)
( girlinthehole, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 13:08, Reply)

I have very few childhood memories.
I can't wait to reach my dotage as I may then recall more and may find out why I can't remember now.
I do remember my youngest sister being born. I recall her sitting bolt upright in a very small baby bath and screaming her lungs out as she was cleaned up. Very strange.
(porkylips looks better as the sun goes down., Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:30, Reply)

it's a bit strange
how some people have so many memories of their childhood and others have almost none. I have almost none at all, neither does my brother
( Amberl was stripey and dominated Europe, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:31, Reply)

Because your original parents were part of the MiB
so when they had to flee from evil aliens they swiped your memories.

Or your parents used to give you booze to get you to shut the fuck up and pass out so they could get some sweet sweet relief from the constant questions and screaming.
( TGB checking Off Topic is still shit at, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:33, Reply)

I vote for both

( Amberl was stripey and dominated Europe, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:42, Reply)

I remember very little
about my early years, but I also remember goint to see my kid brother after he was born.
( Kroney, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:39, Reply)

My relationship with my Dad is still good, I'm actually moving back in there next month for a few months
Get some debts paid.

My Mum died when I was 8. It's difficult to say I miss her, as I'm not too sure which memories of her are mine, and which are other peoples.

My strongest memories of my childhood are of knocking my Mother's tooth out (oops), her vomiting in a hospital bed (funnier than it sounds), and one night, having a strange man with a familiar voice come to tuck me in. Turns out my Dad had decided to shave his beard off, freaked the shit out of me! I'd never seen him without this before, you see.

Yes, I had a happy childhood. At the time, I was the youngest of 6, and we'd often play sports with each other, football, cricket, etc. My teacher at school once marvelled at a 7 year old who could execute a perfect sliding tackle, but couldn't kick a ball straight. Yep, pretty happy, even if we were dirt poor.
( Agnostic Antichrist Baltimora, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:33, Reply)

Oh man I can't help myself.......
EEEEEEEEEEMMMMMMMMMMMMMOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
( TGB checking Off Topic is still shit at, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:42, Reply)

How is that emo?
Normally I'd be amused, but I'm just confused!
( Agnostic Antichrist Baltimora, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:52, Reply)

You're up early,
I expect that's why.
(wellgroomedwookiee is a filthy-minded hobgoblin, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:55, Reply)

Ever seen that episode of family guy
where Peter meets a kid from school who now owns a funland? And it flashes back to them bullying him in school?
( TGB checking Off Topic is still shit at, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:56, Reply)

Ahh, I get you
I'm Al Funland
( Agnostic Antichrist Baltimora, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 13:41, Reply)

My dad died an alcoholic
when I was 20, he left my mum for his other woman when I was 11.

So pretty normal, really. My step-dad's the best possible person I could ask for to look after my mum, though. He takes her nice places, buys her nice things and lets her play Star Wars Galaxies as much as she wants, which is a lot.
( Kroney, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 12:42, Reply)

My real father left my mother and three kids when we were very young and my brother had just died.
But I don't judge too harshly. I think it effected my sisters more than me. I've always been very insular so maybe that's the reason. We still visit him a few times a year and today I bought him a lovely print for his birthday. My first step-father was strange and strict but I don't remember anything too harsh happening to us. My mother made some terrible mistakes with partners and I think my choosiness is me trying not to emulate her. Neither me or my sisters have been married and maybe that's a good thing.
( girlinthehole, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 13:06, Reply)

My Dad was an over bearing bullying sort of a bloke who I was mostly scared of.
My Mum was (and indeed is) very loving but poorly educated with a slightly limited world view.

My Dad would denigrate much of what we did and my Mum would comfort us by telling us that it was ok to be rubbish, rahter than by saying that we weren't.

Mind you, my Dad was working very hard to build a business that did provide for us. And hisDad had been a trawlerman, who he saw little of and learnt no parenting skills from. My Mum was one of 13 children (though only 11 made it through childhood)and as one of the older girls, spent more time looking after the younger children than she did in school.

We generally either repeat or wholly reject our parents "errors". I'm generally much softer with our girls than my partner, though I still retain the ability to be a five star bully (ISO 9001 approved) to others if push comes to shove.

Right, it's all back to BGB's thread for cuddles all round.
(Cave Duck, Wed 22 Sep 2010, 13:25, Reply)