As kids, we don’t fully understand what’s happening around us, especially when we’re growing up. But as we get older, we remember things differently and see them more clearly. Sometimes, we discover hidden secrets about our childhood or our family, giving us a new view on life, just like the people in this article.

In the summer, my dad would wake me up at 9 am, give me breakfast, and then push me out of the house, locking the doors behind me. I couldn’t come back in until the streetlights turned on, except for bathroom breaks or drinks. He’d say, “You’re not sitting around the house all day.” My stepmom didn’t question it, thinking he just wanted me to play outside.

Years later, I realized he just wanted the house to himself to watch hockey games. I never questioned it because the other kids on the street were outside at the same time as me.