For those of you who discovered the joy of tickling later in life...

[lite]

I am one of those people who was introduced to tickling just a few years ago. I saw the thread about "How old were you when you first realized tickling was sensual, and not merely a child's game?" and I realized that I have no frame of reference for that.

I know this topic has come up before, but I was wondering: If you are one of the people who discovered tickling later in life, have you told any of your family members or friends? If you have, how did they respond?

I've told my family members and my closest friends (I think it would be TMI for co-workers). Although I haven't given them every detail of, say, what I do at gatherings, they are all savvy enough to understand that it is a lifestyle choice. With the exception of one friend, every person I've confided in has only had one question: "Are you happy?" When I tell them I am, that is enough for them.

Interestingly, when I told two of my friends that someone was no longer speaking to me because of this change in lifestyle, they both said, "It's your life, you're happy, and it's no one else's f*****g business."

I realize that not everyone wants to reveal this secret to others, and there's not a thing wrong with that. I'm just curious if anyone else has had a similar experience. 🙂

 

[Ayla ny]

I kind of ‘discovered’ it later in life too. it was (wow!) more than five years ago that I first ventured into a tickling chat room. something kind of clicked inside. looking back, it makes perfect sense. but at the time it felt like some kind of incredible revelation. it was everything I had been trying to satisfy... and more. I once compared it to trying to un-see one of those optical illusions. once you see the picture inside the picture... you can never un-see it.

I haven’t told very many people in my day-to-day life (told my ex-husband, and he in turn kind of told my sister. long story.) but absolutely EVERYONE in my life has said that I have never seemed happier.

 

[Oddjob0226]

Why would someone not talk to you becuase you like tickling? That is fa-reaky! I'm not runing around telling people about it on the one hand, 'cause it is a few notches above what others are about in life -on the other hand, sheesh, there's so much worse stuff out there.

Anyway, come sit closer and you can talk to me...... I'll make you talk!

 

[shygirl]

HI MICHELLE! I always new that I liked it my whole entire life. It all became a reality to me about two years ago. I can discuss it freely here on the TMF and at gatherings but outside of that I do not want anyone else to know because its none of there business plus I don't want to risk being ridiculed.

 

[lite]

It's not the tickling, Oddjob...

Why would someone not talk to you becuase you like tickling? That is fa-reaky!

Anyway, come sit closer and you can talk to me...... I'll make you talk!

It's the bondage that goes with it that bothers them (say "bondage" to some people and they act fa-reaky!). BTW, Oddjob, what is it you wanted to talk about, hmmmm? 😀

Hello, PATTY! I really think you should change your name, sweetie...to NOTSHYGIRL!

And Ayla, you certainly seem happy to me...especially when you're giggling! 🙂

 

[Mimi]

I have willingly shared my secret with all of my close friends, and to my surprise, they all accepted it wonderfully, and none of them thought me any more weird than they did to begin with...lol. The only odd reaction I got was from one of my female friends (who is famed for having such severely ticklish feet that she will be in full blown tears within 10 seconds if you tickle her feet), and hers was simply, "You LIKE being tickled? Oh I HATE it!" Other than that, they all were cool, and a few of my male friends even exploit my fetish for tickling by torturing me silly every chance they get..lol

I did not choose to tell my parents, but they discovered anyway. My father was perusing the net one day, discovered the TMF, and discovered that I was an active member here. So one day, I'm moderating in the chat room, and this new-comer to the room says "Hey Mimi, come upstairs a minute. The old bat wants to talk to you." I knew instantly it was my Dad, and I wanted to crawl into a hole and die right then and there. I got up my courage, and went upstairs. My parents confronted me about my 'fetish', and asked why I felt I had to keep it such a secret (this was around the time I was making my arrangements to attend the first SBG gathering in NY. They were curious about what it was that could possibly make me want to travel from Wisconsin to NY for almost a week, and why I refused to tell them the basis of my visit there. They figured it was some big sex orgy I was going to attend). I felt EXTREMELY uncomfortable with them knowing, and worse yet, wanting to discuss it with me, but they had a very cool attitude about it. They both asked why I was so embarrassed about it, and why I felt I couldn't share that information with them (my parents are very open minded, and we've always had a healthy relationship, open to all sexual discussions without embarrassment). I merely replied that I didn't know why, but for some reason I was quite shy about my interest in tickling. They wound up the whole thing by saying "It's ONLY tickling! There are FAR WORSE fetishes out there than that! There is nothing to be ashamed of at all. We're cool with it."

After that I was able to be a bit more open with them about it, and was even able to share with them a few of my experiences from the SBG gathering upon my return home. My Dad, who was listening to me tell my Mom about it, said from the other room, "You were TIED UP in tickled? In full bondage? Sounds like TORTURE to me!!" To which I replied "Yeah, Dad. That's kinda the WHOLE POINT!" lol

Every now and then it comes into conversation again. Like the other day, Mom off-handedly mentioned how she heard me giggling my ass off for the better part of an hour the day before. Lazzy and I just grinned knowingly at one another, and my Mom laughed and rolled her eyes. She knew damn well what we were doing. It's still a bit uncomfortable for me to openly discuss with them, but the fact that they DO know, and I do not have to explain myself, or moments like the one I just mentioned, is a bit of a relief 🙂

Mimi

 

[lite]

Mimi's friend who hates tickling...

brings something up that I hadn't really thought about much. I absolutely HATED being tickled when I was younger! I now wonder if I simply didn't know how to handle my reactions to being tickled. It was an excellent way to get me to do (or stop doing) something, and it was also what I would use to get my sister to leave me alone; if we were fighting, she would always win, unless I started tickling her. Then she would stop immediately. 🙂

Thank you for the interesting replies. I'm sure there are others of us at the TMF, but maybe they're just shy (like Patty). 😉

 

[Sunriseticklee]

Being one of the near birth tickle lovers, I can only answer a portion of your question. My family and my close friends found out/ were told recently (within the last 2-3 years.)

My mother was the first person to find out in my family. She reacted badly, mainly because she didn't understand. That isn't to say that she understands now. She has accepted it and she even "pokes" fun of me about it every once in awhile.

I'm relieved because I know that I can honestly say, I'm comfortable with telling my mother anything, if I feel I need to share with her.

My little sister was awesome about it. She actually met some of my friends at a NEST gathering.

Everyone who cares about me knows about it, and I haven't lost any friendships or relationships as a result. Also, whenever I enter an "intimate" relationship, I have no problem with being honest about it. I haven't met one guy who wasn't at least curious.

Of course, like Lite, this is not something I would share at my job. I don't think being discreet about something means you are ashamed of it.

That's it.
Sunny

 

[Double T]

Re: Mimi's friend who hates tickling...

I'm sure there are others of us at the TMF, but maybe they're just shy (like Patty). 😉

Now just a cotten picken minute!

Just WHO are you calln' shy, Missy????

I, too, was fond of tickling when I was very young, but always kept it a closely guarded secret. After all, I was the only one on the planet who felt this way, right? 😀 I was terribly shy about it for quite a while. Finally, when I was about 16, and was sick and tired of hiding it, I told my parents. (My brother and sister already knew). They both said that it was all right, and nothing to be ashamed of (As long as, my Dad added, I din't go jumping on strangers in the park! Quite a card, my Dad was). However, once I told them, I felt the weight of the world off my shoulders. Since then, I've told a couple of close friends, one said it was interesting, and I haven't heard anything from the one I mentioned it to in an e-mail. Well, I'm not going to lose sleep over it. Hope this helped some!

 

[Oddjob0226]

Well, while I blame my mom for "creating" the tickling interest in me, my parents - or any other family members - don't need to be knowing about my extracurricular activies. And believe me, I don't want to know about what they're doing behind closed doors! Ewww!!!

 

[lite]

How you do talk, Double T!

Now just a cotten picken minute!

Just WHO are you calln' shy, Missy????

Since then, I've told a couple of close friends, one said it was interesting, and I haven't heard anything from the one I mentioned it to in an e-mail. Well, I'm not going to lose sleep over it. Hope this helped some!

Would "reserved" be a better word? 🙂

Yes, it did help; thank you. 😉

At first, when my friend stopped speaking to me because of her disapproval of my lifestyle, I was devastated, not because I suddenly felt ashamed, but because I've known her since we were children and I couldn't believe she wasn't going to be a part of my life anymore. Now, although I would still like to be friends with her, I'm not losing any sleep over it. I'm still her friend, even if she doesn't want to associate with me.

 

[crydun]

Most of my friends here at school know about it(that's how I got bunny and bear in here!) Most of them have accepted me anyhow, only a few think it's really wierd and all that. They're just missing out! My family, however, is not privy to this knowledge. You gotta understand. My mom is like Mama Walton meets Judge Judy. There are just certain things I don't share with her. The rest of my family... it's none of their business.

Like lite, I hated it as a youngster as well. I still don't like it when the doctor goes to "poking" around on me. Not into poking. I've only known how good tickling (or talking about it or seeing it or reading about it) could make me feel since April 2001. Before then, it was merely a fascination that I didn't understand the cause for. Thank God for the TMF!!!

 

[4Pawz]

Yeah, I "discovered" tickling later in life as well. I didn't really experience it until just 2 yrs ago.

As far as my family and friends, some know, some don't. Who I tell I want to know, the rest it's absolutely none of their business. Kinda like how you don't talk to every friend and certainly none of my family members about sex (at least I don't ickypoo!) they don't need to know what I am into.

Pawz