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What am I?

You see my cousins at the park or in a mall. Don't worry, we're not very small.
As a sign of status, inside me was a dividing apparatus.
While their parents looked at me and adored, their children certainly did abhor.
I maximize with what I've got, on those long trips you had a spare cot.

First riddle, but if hints are needed, I'll certainly give them!

[Edit 1]: Seems a little harder than I thought, so where's two hints.

Hint 1

I personally have no wheels upon which to move, but the object I'm a part can play music to groove.

Hint 2

The decade when I was popular for people to flop, that big lady Helen lost her top.

Seems we need another hint!

Think second or third base.

Hrmph, this all but gives it away.

While it itself is not mobile, what it's attached to is.

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  • $\begingroup$ "Abhore"... Typo? $\endgroup$
    – Athena
    Jun 9, 2016 at 6:25
  • $\begingroup$ Whoever downvoted, care to clarify as to why? @RipTide You were right, had an 'e' that didn't belong, fixed it though, thanks! $\endgroup$
    – Trasiva
    Jun 9, 2016 at 14:06
  • $\begingroup$ I think I've got the reference in Hint 2, and I grew up in that decade, but still have no clue. (Rhyme not intended) $\endgroup$
    – Josh
    Jul 28, 2016 at 16:31
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    $\begingroup$ @Josh I really hope someone gets this soon. I didn't realize this was going to be as hard as it was. : / $\endgroup$
    – Trasiva
    Jul 28, 2016 at 16:36
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    $\begingroup$ Well, you're right there, but nzaman already pointed out the 80's part in the comments of his answer! $\endgroup$
    – Trasiva
    Jul 28, 2016 at 16:38

6 Answers 6

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Here's a revised answer after some back-and-forth comments:

Bench seats Original guess: The rear-facing back seat of a station wagon

You see my cousins at the park or in a mall. Don't worry, we're not very small.

Park benches and mall benches.

As a sign of status, inside me was a dividing apparatus.

The whole definition of a bench seat is no dividing apparatus, so I'm not sure. ... or maybe it means the armrest.

While their parents looked at me and adored, their children certainly did abhor.

Maybe because front bench seats are more comfortable, but rear bench seats aren't very comfortable at all?

I maximize with what I've got, on those long trips you had a spare cot.

You could certainly sleep there on a long trip, or use it as storage space, or fit as many people there as you can squeeze.

Hints:

Hint 1

I personally have no wheels upon which to move, but the object I'm a part can play music to groove.

It's inside a car!

Hint 2

The decade when I was popular for people to flop, that big lady Helen lost her top.

Particularly popular in the 80s, I guess, although they still technically exist in Minivans etc.

Hint 3

Think second or third base.

You could "get to second or third base" in the back seat.

Last hint:

While it itself is not mobile, what it's attached to is.

Again, it's part of a car!

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    $\begingroup$ Hah, man Josh, you're so close it's killing me. I forgot about the back seats in station wagons, but this particular thing was also in sedans and convertibles. $\endgroup$
    – Trasiva
    Jul 28, 2016 at 18:07
  • $\begingroup$ I'm surprised that this is even close. $\endgroup$
    – Josh
    Jul 28, 2016 at 18:22
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    $\begingroup$ I still don't know how it fits all the clues, but I'll edit this answer because it was so close. $\endgroup$
    – Josh
    Jul 28, 2016 at 18:43
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    $\begingroup$ Hm, that's a bit underwhelming. I'm a little disappointed about things that seemed to be in the riddle only to create rhymes, like the divider being there as a "sign of status" or children hating it. $\endgroup$
    – C. Woods
    Jul 28, 2016 at 18:49
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    $\begingroup$ I was a kid in the 80s but only have vague memories of even noticing that bench-seating was a thing. Maybe it's because I only had one sibling. Heh. But I definitely have clearer memories of the station-wagon seat (no, sadly, I didn't make it to second or third base in either). $\endgroup$
    – Josh
    Jul 28, 2016 at 18:57
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Tent

You see my cousins at the park or in a mall. Don't worry, we're not very small.

Stalls

As a sign of status, inside me was a dividing apparatus.

Large tents can have multiple rooms

While their parents looked at me and adored, their children certainly did abhor.

Camping

I maximize with what I've got, on those long trips you had a spare cot.

Obvious

I personally have no wheels upon which to move, but the object I'm a part can play music to groove.

Open air stage with tent

The decade when I was popular for people to flop, that big lady Helen lost her top

Trojan War; the Greek army lived in tents for a decade

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  • $\begingroup$ I like your line of thinking, but nope. I like the Trojan war reference though! $\endgroup$
    – Trasiva
    Jul 28, 2016 at 15:47
  • $\begingroup$ The other idea was a couch, cousins are benches, bigger ones can be stretched out into beds $\endgroup$
    – nzaman
    Jul 28, 2016 at 16:04
  • $\begingroup$ Sort of on the right track, check out the new hint! $\endgroup$
    – Trasiva
    Jul 28, 2016 at 16:06
  • $\begingroup$ about the only thing I know about 2nd & 3rd bases is that they've got something to do with a sport called baseball :( $\endgroup$
    – nzaman
    Jul 28, 2016 at 16:10
  • $\begingroup$ so, baseball in the 80s? $\endgroup$
    – nzaman
    Jul 28, 2016 at 16:12
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Are you a...

Car Seat?

You see my cousins at the park or in a mall. Don't worry, we're not very small.

Strollers and car seats serve a similar purpose. Neither are small.

As a sign of status, inside me was a dividing apparatus.

I don't quite get this one.

While their parents looked at me and adored, their children certainly did abhore.

Parents love keeping children safe and babies hate car seats.

I maximize with what I've got, on those long trips you had a spare cot.

Car seats have cup holders and more to hold things on long trips.

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  • $\begingroup$ Unfortunately no, this isn't the right answer. You're close though! $\endgroup$
    – Trasiva
    Jun 8, 2016 at 23:26
  • $\begingroup$ My first thought was a stroller, but "cousins" threw me off. $\endgroup$
    – SSung2710
    Jun 8, 2016 at 23:28
  • $\begingroup$ That's going in the wrong direction, haha. $\endgroup$
    – Trasiva
    Jun 8, 2016 at 23:28
  • $\begingroup$ sigh I guess I'll have to keep thinking then... $\endgroup$
    – SSung2710
    Jun 8, 2016 at 23:29
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Guess:

A baby cage? Not VERY small I guess... Almost like a cot.

baby cage Also, apparently back in the day, people (the parents?) thought these things were great, where as people now (the children?) tend not to think it's such a great idea.
I haven't seen one but I bet bigger ones could have heed dividing apparatuses too.

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  • $\begingroup$ Pretty sure this is an act of child cruelty.. Cots already look like elevated prisons with their bars and all but this is like one of those "Come see the freak" sideshows :\ $\endgroup$
    – Xylius
    Jun 9, 2016 at 5:59
  • $\begingroup$ @BrentHackers Nope, wrong line of thinking. $\endgroup$
    – Trasiva
    Jun 9, 2016 at 14:03
  • $\begingroup$ @Xylius My great-parents had one of those, it attached to the window so that the baby could be outside, but contained. My great-grandmother said it was a great way for her to be able to work in the garden, but still let her kids play outside. $\endgroup$
    – Trasiva
    Jun 9, 2016 at 14:05
  • $\begingroup$ @Megaplex Sounds like a very pragmatic, no-nonsense woman. Probably good at puzzles. :) $\endgroup$
    – Brent Hackers
    Jun 9, 2016 at 15:12
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I guess

Record Player (Turntable)

You see my cousins at the park or in a mall. Don't worry, we're not very small.

A carousel could be seen as a cousin of the turntable. You can definitely find those at parks/malls.

As a sign of status, inside me was a dividing apparatus.

I'm guessing the needle arm could be viewed as providing "status" or showing how much of the record has been played and how much remains.

While their parents looked at me and adored, their children certainly did abhor.

Parents listened to records, kids listen to mp3s?

I maximize with what I've got, on those long trips you had a spare cot.

I'm lost on this one!

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  • $\begingroup$ Sorry man, not even close. $\endgroup$
    – Trasiva
    Jul 28, 2016 at 17:30
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Could you be a

Rumble seat

You see my cousins at the park or in a mall. Don't worry, we're not very small.

You see cars everywhere and they aren't small

As a sign of status, inside me was a dividing apparatus.

The rumble seat was a seat that poped-up out of the back of the car

While their parents looked at me and adored, their children certainly did abhor.

Not sure on this one, maybe kids always got stuck with the rumble seat

I maximize with what I've got, on those long trips you had a spare cot.

Normally the rumble seat is down, but on long trips you could pop the cover and have an extra seat or more storage

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  • $\begingroup$ Nope! Afraid not. $\endgroup$
    – Trasiva
    Jul 28, 2016 at 18:30

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