My parents divorced when I was 11 in the early 1970s. I lived in a very nice WASPy town in NJ and my Mother was fortunate enough to get the house and a comfortable alimony payment to support us. The town still had a stigma about divorce at the time. I remember the town's private swim club did not want to grant my mother a membership for the family because my father was no longer a town resident. My narrow outlook on the world changed when my Mother joined PWP for single parents (divorced or widowed) and my sheltered world opened up tremendously. I met kids from other nearby towns who were Jewish which was my first time meeting any kid who was not a Christian. The town I grew up in had not one Jewish, Hispanic, or Black families. Once a month PWP would meet on a Sunday and do a group activity which could be bowling, roller skating, or a trip to NYC for biking in Central Park. I learned that my Jewish contemporaries all had tutoring for the SATs, which was not common in my town. My Mom picked up on this and I got one too which enabled me to score very well on the SAT and get into a top school. I would say that my exposure to kids from different backgrounds allowed me to be more accepting of others and of myself when I realized I was gay.

All these years later I am grateful my Mom joined this group and all the great experiences we had along the way. This also helped me feel not so different by meeting other kids of single parents, because at the time I was growing up it was still a silent minority in my town.

I also messed around with my first boy while on a PWP camping trip. It was a nice first time.

Was anyone else a member of PWP and do you have any special memories?

by Anonymous

reply 5

May 7, 2020 6:19 PM

Yes, and I also enjoyed fooling around with you on that camping trip.

by Anonymous

reply 1

May 6, 2020 11:23 PM

My cousins' parents were divorced around the same time and belonged to something similar and I was jealous that they did all these fun things on Sundays. I had chores to do around the house and had to listen to my parents complain about each other. You had the better deal.

by Anonymous

reply 2

May 7, 2020 1:22 AM

It sounds like a swingers club, OP.

by Anonymous

reply 4

May 7, 2020 3:46 AM

It was for the parents, no doubt

by Anonymous

reply 5

May 7, 2020 6:19 PM