I'm a 27 year old male and I grew up with polyamorous parents, although I never heard the term used then. I don't have anything bad at all to say about it, and I'm trying to make a polyamorous marriage work now.
I never had a chance to really talk to them about it, but as far as I know, my parents tried to make a monogamous marriage work until I was about 8 years old (I was their only child). Then my mom started seeing a widower, Carl. He had a son a couple years younger than myself. For the rest of my childhood, my family basically consisted of Mom, Dad, Carl, and his son, Josh, whom I still consider a brother.
Dad and Carl were hetero and Mom was the hinge. They both loved her dearly, and she loved them. Carl maintained his own home, but he spent a lot of nights at our house, and vice versa. We all had weekend barbecues together, and went on short trips and vacations together when everbody could time it right. Carl and my dad helped work on each other's houses (both places were fixer-uppers). It was a really great childhood. Everybody had a good sense of humor and seemed easygoing and content. Josh and I were spoiled rotten. Whenever Carl would buy Josh some toy, he bought the same one for me, and my dad did the same with Josh. Josh and I only live about 100 miles from each other now, and we still talk today about how secure and loved we felt.
I wish I could talk to my parents and Carl, but in they have all passed away in the last five years. Mom and Carl died in a car accident, and Dad died of a heart attack a few years later which I really believe was partly brought on by grief. It's been a tough time, but I've kept busy working while trying to finish my master's. I've also been married for two years to a woman I met in college.
My wife and I have a lot in common and we get along great. Her parents had more of an open marriage rather than poly, and she grew up with that as a norm. The problem, which she acknowledges, is that her relationships with other guys tend to become monogamous until they run their course. She'll meet somone, and remain sexually intimate with me for a while, but then she begins to refuse my advances, even if the guy she's with knows me, likes me, and has no problem with her being with me. After a few months, she seems to get bored with him, and we rekindle the intimacy and romance in our relationship. When she's not in the monogamous phase with someone else, she insists she loves me and wants to grow old with me. My fear is that she'll fall in love permanently someday.
Anyway, I don't want to go on too long. I haven't had much time in my life to participate in forums or anything until now, but I'm really glad I found this one.
senry
I never had a chance to really talk to them about it, but as far as I know, my parents tried to make a monogamous marriage work until I was about 8 years old (I was their only child). Then my mom started seeing a widower, Carl. He had a son a couple years younger than myself. For the rest of my childhood, my family basically consisted of Mom, Dad, Carl, and his son, Josh, whom I still consider a brother.
Dad and Carl were hetero and Mom was the hinge. They both loved her dearly, and she loved them. Carl maintained his own home, but he spent a lot of nights at our house, and vice versa. We all had weekend barbecues together, and went on short trips and vacations together when everbody could time it right. Carl and my dad helped work on each other's houses (both places were fixer-uppers). It was a really great childhood. Everybody had a good sense of humor and seemed easygoing and content. Josh and I were spoiled rotten. Whenever Carl would buy Josh some toy, he bought the same one for me, and my dad did the same with Josh. Josh and I only live about 100 miles from each other now, and we still talk today about how secure and loved we felt.
I wish I could talk to my parents and Carl, but in they have all passed away in the last five years. Mom and Carl died in a car accident, and Dad died of a heart attack a few years later which I really believe was partly brought on by grief. It's been a tough time, but I've kept busy working while trying to finish my master's. I've also been married for two years to a woman I met in college.
My wife and I have a lot in common and we get along great. Her parents had more of an open marriage rather than poly, and she grew up with that as a norm. The problem, which she acknowledges, is that her relationships with other guys tend to become monogamous until they run their course. She'll meet somone, and remain sexually intimate with me for a while, but then she begins to refuse my advances, even if the guy she's with knows me, likes me, and has no problem with her being with me. After a few months, she seems to get bored with him, and we rekindle the intimacy and romance in our relationship. When she's not in the monogamous phase with someone else, she insists she loves me and wants to grow old with me. My fear is that she'll fall in love permanently someday.
Anyway, I don't want to go on too long. I haven't had much time in my life to participate in forums or anything until now, but I'm really glad I found this one.
senry