10 Weird Things People Experienced With Their Friends' Parents

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Parents are an integral part of our lives, shaping us into the people we become. But what happens when other people’s parents turn out to be just as strange and unpredictable as anyone else? Reddit users have shared their stories of the weirdest and most bizarre encounters they’ve had with their friends’ parents, ranging from the mildly amusing to the downright unsettling.

1. The Staring Dad

One user shared a story about their friend’s father, who would stare at them for uncomfortably long periods of time whenever they came over. The father never said anything, but his gaze was intense enough to make the user feel uneasy. It wasn’t until much later that the user discovered the father had a vision problem and was simply trying to focus on their face.

2. The Family Cult

Another user shared a story about a friend’s family who were heavily involved in a religious cult. The family tried to recruit the user into the cult, and when they declined, the family stopped speaking to them altogether. The user was shocked at the extreme behavior of their friend’s family and felt grateful to have dodged a potentially dangerous situation.

3. The Mother-in-Law From Hell

One user shared a story about their ex-mother-in-law, who would go out of her way to make their life miserable. The mother-in-law would constantly criticize their parenting skills, and even went as far as to plant drugs in their home to get them in trouble with the law. The user eventually had to cut all ties with their ex-mother-in-law to protect themselves and their family.

4. The Father’s Weird Hobby

One user shared a story about their friend’s father, who had a bizarre hobby of collecting teeth. The father would ask the user to bring their baby teeth to him whenever they lost one, and would store them in jars in his basement. The user was both grossed out and fascinated by the father’s collection, and made sure to keep their distance whenever they visited.

5. The “Cool” Dad

One user shared a story about their friend’s father, who tried a little too hard to be the “cool” dad. The father would offer the user and their friends alcohol and drugs whenever they came over, and even went as far as to show them his collection of adult videos. The user was uncomfortable with the father’s behavior and eventually stopped going over to their friend’s house altogether.

6. The Grandma With a Secret

One user shared a story about their friend’s grandmother, who had a secret room in her house filled with taxidermied animals. The user stumbled upon the room by accident and was shocked to see a collection of deer heads and other animals staring back at them. The grandmother was proud of her collection and even invited the user to take a closer look.

7. The Superstitious Mom

Another user shared a story about their friend’s mother, who was extremely superstitious. The mother believed in a variety of unusual practices, such as burying garlic cloves in the yard to ward off evil spirits. She would also insist on performing rituals before important events, such as having the family walk around the house three times before leaving for a trip.

8. The Dad Who Loved Animals

One user shared a story about their friend’s father, who had an unusual affinity for animals. The father would bring home all sorts of creatures, from exotic birds to snakes, and keep them in the house as pets. The user was both fascinated and a little afraid of the father’s collection, but respected his love for animals.

9. The Overly Involved Mom

One user shared a story about their friend’s mother, who was overly involved in their school projects. The mother would take over the entire project, leaving the user feeling like they had contributed very little. The user eventually had to speak up and tell their friend that they wanted to do their own work.

10. The Grandma With a Dark Sense of Humor

One user shared a story about their friend’s grandmother, who had a dark sense of humor. The grandmother would often make jokes about death and dying, which made the user feel uncomfortable. The user eventually learned to brush off the grandmother’s comments, but always felt a little uneasy around her.