Secrets. They carry a huge weight on them. They exist to reveal the truth about a characteristic, a person, or a situation that is unknown or forbidden. When secrets are shared between people, they create an unbroken trust between those involved and are something that makes a family close-knit and connected. But what happens when family secrets are kept from other members of the family? These secrets can lead to confusion, anger, and resentment for those who have no idea why they were kept from them in the first place.
What secrets do your parents keep from you? Do they know things about you that you don’t want them to know? Or do they just refuse to talk about their past? If so, why?
There are a lot of secrets that family members may keep from us for a variety of reasons. Some secrets may be embarrassing or uncomfortable, while others may just be too personal for us to understand. Think about relatives who you don’t talk to anymore because they went to prison; or even someone in the family who was addicted and recovered by going to an ibogaine treatment clinic or somewhere similar, it’s not something that is often talked about at family gatherings. Sometimes our parents have decided not to tell us certain details because they don’t think we’re ready for them yet.
Whatever the reason, it can be tough to pry information out of our parents. But sometimes it’s worth trying because there are some really interesting and unique stories hidden within their family history.
A List Of Common Family Secrets
There are some family secrets that are better left unsaid. But what happens when these secrets get out? Secrets can cause tension and conflict within a family, and often lead to hurt feelings and misunderstandings. Here are a few common family secrets:
- One family member is secretly gay or lesbian.
- One spouse has been unfaithful to the other.
- There is violence or abuse in the family history.
- A relative has a serious mental illness or addiction that is not known to others in the family.
- The parents had an affair years ago and are still married to each other, but their children do not know about it.
- There is a dark secret involving one of the children that nobody wants to talk about.
- Something embarrassing or criminal happened on behalf of one of the members of the family at some point in time, but they’re not sure how to tell their friends or relatives about it without getting into too much trouble themselves.
- There’s something going on with one of the siblings that nobody knows about yet, but they’re worried it might come out at any moment.
Telling Your Secret To Your Kid
Many people believe that telling their kids about their embarrassing moments is a way of building trust and creating lasting relationships. However, there are some secrets that parents simply can’t bear to tell their children. Here are five secrets that parents keep from their kids:
1. Their parents have had affairs
This might be the most painful secret for a parent to reveal because it undermines the trust they have built with their child over the years. If a parent has had an affair, they may feel like they can’t trust themselves or their partner anymore and may not be willing to share intimate details with their kid.
2. They’ve struggled with addiction or mental health issues
This could include anything from alcoholism to bipolar disorder – any form of addiction or mental health condition can negatively affect a relationship with one’s child. It’s important for kids to know that no matter how hard things get, their parents will always love them and want the best for them.
3. They’ve been in jail or prison
Children of incarcerated parents often learn about crime, punishment, and rehabilitation at an early age, which can have a big impact on their views of authority figures and relationships within families. It’s tough enough for kids to deal with one parental separation; adding in the fact that one or both parents are behind bars can be devastating.
We all know that family is important, but sometimes we forget to take the time to really appreciate what they have done for us.
By exploring the stories behind these secrets and learning from them, we can begin to understand ourselves better and hopefully build stronger relationships with our loved ones.