Your Happy Childhood

On a scale of 1 to 5, how bad was your childhood?

For the poll, each higher numbered item includes the harmful stuff below it. It's just meant as a guideline... interpret as necessary.

My father was completely oblivious of his inability to finish things or recognize other's feelings. It wasn't fun listening to all the arguing between parents as a result of it.

I voted option 2.

Voted 1. The first 7 years were the best of my life. Parents divorced when I was 2-ish but my father stayed around for years, and there were continuous, 24/7 extreme shouting sessions, slamming doors (we had biiiig tall doors with glass panes, for added dramatic effect), nothing physical though just shouting. I remember a few times the guys from the nearby fire-station knocked on the door to see if there's a homicide going on, then my parents just froze in motion, looked at each other "lovingly" and said 'oh - nothing at all' - then started where they left it, as soon as the firemen were out of the door.
We had bloody (physical) fights with my sister though (she's 6 years older, but I was tougher/quicker) - we did it all in utter dead silence though, so that my mother can't intervene. (She usually found out later anyway, by the blood and torn clothes.)
It didn't strike me as 'abnormal' or 'bad' or anything at all (whereas my sister was scarred for life, as she had some peaceful years before I was born) - I took it as granted. I was encouraged to pursue my own interests (which I had a lot at the time). Had no same-age friends (I found other kids dull, stupid & boring), but had hell of a good times and interaction with my mother & grandmother, and a lot of family-friends.
Then I went to school at 7 and it was a nightmare ever since.

3-4, I'm not sure which. Most older-generation people don't consider what I went through as abuse so I suppose it's a gray area. You should have it as PD parents instead of specifying. They're all their own separate nightmares.

I could only vote for 1 thing, but I'm a 3 & 4 myself...

Happy, Happy, Happy Childhood Days

2 and three till I was about ten.

3 and 4. I left home at 18.
One

2. My childhood was pretty good. Except that most of my "friends" were complete psychos (kitten killer type). And my father was/is an alcoholic so there was/is much drama in my family. After I lost contact with most of my "friends" it was mostly normal life.

Three. I have a narcissist for a mother, and a diagnosed psychopath for a father. He jetted round 6, and she was neglectful other than buying food. I was the bully, and I did whatever I wanted, so for the most part my childhood was fun, somewhat pleasent.

kanin wrote:3-4, I'm not sure which. Most older-generation people don't consider what I went through as abuse so I suppose it's a gray area. You should have it as PD parents instead of specifying. They're all their own separate nightmares.

Funny, I was having the same challenge (as it seems a lot of people were). Apparently, the poll needs a 3.5 option. I was smacked around a bit, but one person's abuse is another's discipline, so who's to say? I went with 3, because no broken bones, bruises, or black eyes.

AsPD/NPD were examples (burgandy, Demon, list goes on), but, yeah, I'm sure your borderline parents came with more than their share of problems.