“My Parents Cared More About Them Than Me”: People With Poly Parents Share What It Was Like

13.

“My father had three wives, my mom being the youngest. Things were pretty okay as a child — it was pretty neat having three moms. If I couldn’t get something from one of them, I’d ask another. Seriously. Having lots of brothers and sisters was pretty chill, too. Although, in retrospect, I probably didn’t get the individualized attention I may have needed as a child. My dad and I both agree on this point nowadays.”

“Anyway, my blissful existence changed around the time I was 14/15. We woke up to find that wife #2 had moved herself and her children out in the middle of the night. These were my sisters and brothers. We were devastated. My parents tried to protect us from a lot of the fallout, but it was pretty inevitable.

I’m 30 now, and don’t really have any relationships with my half-brothers and sisters from either wife. My mom and dad now remain happily married in a monogamous relationship, and I have my two full siblings to love on. As I’ve gotten older, though, I’ve learned that the household wasn’t as happy as I thought it was. There was a lot of resentment to go around, but no one was forced into anything either. Everyone went into it as consenting adults.

I don’t know if it’s affected my view of love. So long as there is consent among ALL parties, and open communication if someone wants to do it, I really don’t care.”

—throwaway13i432o