ADVERTISEMENT

When nothing appears to be going your way and you’ve run out of patience, things can get into your head rather quickly and make you believe that your parenting abilities are subpar. It’s not uncommon to blame yourself for all sorts of things – however, if you catch yourself thinking that, chances are you still have time to improve.

Let’s not forget that most people are doing this whole parenting thing for the very first time, so cutting yourself some slack wouldn’t hurt anyone, but if there are evident signs that include over- or under-involvement, abuse, little to no discipline, or shaming, perhaps it’s time to ring a bell. So, if you want to educate yourself on what not to do when (or if) you decide to have a family, or if you’re simply curious about what others think, this Reddit user has got you covered.

What makes you think, ‘yep, those are sh***y parents?'” – this web user turned to one of Reddit’s most thought-provoking communities, asking its members to reveal signs that indicate that someone’s a bad parent. The thread managed to garner 1.9K upvotes as well as 2K comments discussing different traits and behaviors.

More info: Reddit

#1

“Yep, Those Are Bad Parents”: 30 Signs Of Bad Parenting, According To Members Of This Online Group Heard a mother say to her little girl, “Shut up! I hate your voice.”

man-panda-pig , Henry Burrows Report

Add photo comments
POST
tamrastiffler avatar
Tamra
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And that comment right there will determine what home you're put into when you're elderly.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#2

“Yep, Those Are Bad Parents”: 30 Signs Of Bad Parenting, According To Members Of This Online Group When I hear fathers telling boys to stop crying like a girl. F**k you - men are allowed emotions too you know. I don't think a lot of people realise how damaging that kind of attitude is for the mental health of men in general.

belmakar , Nico Nelson Report

Add photo comments
POST
benitavaldez avatar
Benita Valdez
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh no. Men aren't allowed to show emotions of any kind. They're only allowed to look stoic and grunt; maybe grumble but that may humanize them a little too much.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#3

“Yep, Those Are Bad Parents”: 30 Signs Of Bad Parenting, According To Members Of This Online Group When you see their kids in beauty pageants.

Paperjackwriter , UrbanPromise Report

Add photo comments
POST
abigailshue avatar
memyselfandI
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Is this referring to kids or teenagers? I have a couple of teenager friends who genuinely enjoy being in pageants, and (most likely) weren’t really pushed by their parents into it. Young kids doing it is just weird, but I’d say teens doing it isn’t always bad parenting.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#4

“Yep, Those Are Bad Parents”: 30 Signs Of Bad Parenting, According To Members Of This Online Group Parents who don't believe that their children are bullies.

Pilmenji , Ibai Report

Add photo comments
POST
154079 avatar
LouWolf They/Them
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Honestly this disgusts me, not much does- but if they arent willing to give consequences for their kids actions it can get so much worse ):

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#5

“Yep, Those Are Bad Parents”: 30 Signs Of Bad Parenting, According To Members Of This Online Group Parents who won't let their sons do anything remotely feminine.

Dingbrain1 , Lars Plougmann Report

Add photo comments
POST
dld57 avatar
KiT
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yep. My son one day insisted on getting a pedi and having his toenails painted, he was 10 at the time. He rocked blue toenails for a week and then had enough of them. My friends loved it, his gran not so much. Nobody in our household paid her any attention. His body, his choice.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#6

“Yep, Those Are Bad Parents”: 30 Signs Of Bad Parenting, According To Members Of This Online Group I stopped working retail at clothing stores because I couldn’t stand the way parents talk to, especially, young teenage girls. As someone who struggled with mental illness/eating disorders for a long time, there were so many times I wanted to intervene when a parent said their kid looked horrible in something they were really excited to try on.

I got my revenge this summer tho. There was a teenage girl showing her mom these cute overall shorts and begging the mom to let her get them (they were one of the more expensive items in the store) and her mom just kept saying no, you look ridiculous, you look like a toddler, you look like a train conductor, etc. I approached the girl and said they looked good as hell and if it makes her feel good she should get them and wear them always.

I hate when parents don’t realize how severely their negativity can impact their kids.

sensitivity001 , Mike Mozart Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#7

“Yep, Those Are Bad Parents”: 30 Signs Of Bad Parenting, According To Members Of This Online Group When they don't realize that their kid (no matter how small) is a full person with their own feelings and instincts and journeys in life and just dismiss anything about their kids that they don't understand or want to be true

morebunniespls , Rishabh Mathur Report

#8

“Yep, Those Are Bad Parents”: 30 Signs Of Bad Parenting, According To Members Of This Online Group Infanilising children. Kids are not stupid. They know what's up. Also parents who rule by fear, you can see it when the kids flinch too easy

anon , ~Pawsitive~Candie_N Report

Add photo comments
POST
cali-tabby-katz avatar
Lakota Wolf
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was raised by a mother who abused both my dad and me - physically, mentally, emotionally, and verbally. I'm adopted and she basically only adopted me to be a sibling to my parents' bio child. When I didn't turn out to be a "perfect little girl" (around age 5), the beatings started. She even used knives on my dad and I occasionally. She even threatened me with a gun once when I was 7. I'm 40 now and I still go into "shutdown" mode whenever anyone yells at me (or around me). My mom is 79 and my sister tells me I'll "regret" not spending time with her once she's dead. Yeah, nope. My sister never even got hit or screamed at. She's the golden (biological) child.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#9

“Yep, Those Are Bad Parents”: 30 Signs Of Bad Parenting, According To Members Of This Online Group I was having lunch in McDonald's one time and heard a mother scold her very obese 4 year old to "finish his mayonnaise".

All judgement aside, I was eating there to. But maybe don't force a kid to eat mayonnaise.

rcowie , Mike Mozart Report

Add photo comments
POST
amcgregor7419 avatar
Tams21
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Forcing a child to eat *anything* is not good and in the worst case risks them developing an eating disorder.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#10

“Yep, Those Are Bad Parents”: 30 Signs Of Bad Parenting, According To Members Of This Online Group Parents who dismiss their child's emotions

Aphrodite70 , Pixabay Report

Add photo comments
POST
bryleegalloway avatar
RandomFrog(He/They️‍️)
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My parents just get mad when I try to talk about my problems then when I cried they tell me to stop.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#11

If your kid is dirty. And I don't just mean juice on their face or some grass stains on their clothes. I mean when the child has obviously not been bathed in days/weeks.

Also, if a child has bad manners and the parents do nothing to correct them. You are raising rude and inconsiderate people.

lostmysoultothedevil Report

Add photo comments
POST
amcgregor7419 avatar
Tams21
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The first one is obviously not okay on any level but the second one is subjective and really depends on the values someone was brought up with. In my family, good manners at dinner meant simply not burping or farting too often. My husbands family expected good posture, no elbows on tables etc.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#12

“Yep, Those Are Bad Parents”: 30 Signs Of Bad Parenting, According To Members Of This Online Group Your child's school has a costume day with the theme "dress as your favourite character from your favourite book". The other kids come as Winne the Pooh and Harry Potter and Anne of Green Gables.

Not your kid.

Your kid comes as Mr Grey from Fifty Shades of Grey.

You ARE a s****y parent.

SuzyJTH , Mike Mozart Report

Add photo comments
POST
michellecraft avatar
Miz Chelle
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My daughter's stepmother took her to see 50 Shades of Gray 2... at 13!!!!!!! WTF

View more commentsArrow down menu
#13

“Yep, Those Are Bad Parents”: 30 Signs Of Bad Parenting, According To Members Of This Online Group child is sweet smart and extremely hard working but has ADHD. The child does her best in school but does not do well because she just does not learn the way they teach. She is constantly grounded while siblings who get similar grades but have no learning disability are not. This girl is reading constantly and is great in English and history, basically rewrites her siblings english papers. But because she struggles in Maths and sciences she is seen as good as her siblings. This child is constantly put down and her dreams discouraged because she's not "good" enough in school to succeed.

_Beachbum_life , Allison Meier Report

#14

“Yep, Those Are Bad Parents”: 30 Signs Of Bad Parenting, According To Members Of This Online Group I used to work in a discount variety store. This unwashed, often barefoot woman would often come in with her kids. I thought she was nice enough, until one day her daughter innocently asks if she can buy a lolly, and the mum went OFF. Screamed at this 7 year old kid about how they can't afford it, and I'm not lying, she called her child a c**t. Screamed the word. In public. Her kids were always so well mannered, but they were usually dirty. I felt so bad for them.

mftittysprinkles , AdmlCrunch Report

Add photo comments
POST
onezs_girl avatar
Alison Hell
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'd be calling social services to do a welfare check. If she's fine with that behaviour in public imagine what goes on behind closed doors. So often no one does or says anything and kids are being abused, right this very second that you are reading this. Please speak up if you see anything amiss. ❤

View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#15

“Yep, Those Are Bad Parents”: 30 Signs Of Bad Parenting, According To Members Of This Online Group Went to a farm/corn maze last week and got to witness a man yelling at his ~5 or so year old child for crying. He made him sit in the corner of this barn and kept screaming "JUST STOP CRYING" every 2 minutes. He eventually got up with him, dragged him by his arm and screamed and sweared in his face less than an inch away. I don't know what this kid did or why he was so mad but f**k dude, yelling in their face like that especially in public is just disgusting

heimdaall , samer daboul Report

#16

“Yep, Those Are Bad Parents”: 30 Signs Of Bad Parenting, According To Members Of This Online Group When I hear them talk to elementary age kids like adults...

“Oh you have it tough!? Well f**k. I worked a s****y day and had to come home to you!”

My neighbors

dedredcopper , SmartSign Report

Add photo comments
POST
reneeasuega avatar
Ren <3
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hate when adults say that kids dont have it rough. Of course they could be acting dramatic, but if something is really happening and you dont pay attention, when you finally do it may be a bit too late.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#17

“Yep, Those Are Bad Parents”: 30 Signs Of Bad Parenting, According To Members Of This Online Group About eight years ago I worked at a summer camp and had a nine year old girl in my group, she was tall for her age and skinny like a lot of 9 year old girls, really pretty girl. But she would stop herself from doing normal things like eating s'mores and say things alluding to the fact that at home her mother calls her fat (she's no where near it) and restricts her diet.

It broke my heart. She hadn't even hit puberty and was a charming girl and she was being bullied by her own mother. I spent my week coming up with an outline of things to report to CPS. Not that they could really take her away, but a paper trail is worth it if things ever got worse for the girl.

I really hope that girl has turned out alright. She didn't deserve that.

squiderror , woodleywonderworks Report

Add photo comments
POST
lianna_bolt avatar
Lianna Bolt
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My mom had eating disorders growing up, & it trickled from her, to me. She would sit across from me at the dinner table & watch every bit I took. Then the, “don’t you think you’ve had enough?” comes out. To this day I struggle to eat in front of people.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#18

“Yep, Those Are Bad Parents”: 30 Signs Of Bad Parenting, According To Members Of This Online Group When they passively tell their kids "no" but don't actually do anything to stop it when the kid misbehaves. One of my neighbor's kids is like this, and I hate having her over because her mother just lets her wreak havoc.

flooferdoofer , SHVETS production Report

Add photo comments
POST
amcgregor7419 avatar
Tams21
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah this not only doesn't help but probably even does harm. If a child hears "no" but there's no further action or consequence if it's ignored, the child literally gets the message that no doesn't mean no. This is confusing for the kid when later at home no suddenly does mean no and difficult in school when other kids are trying to set boundaries.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#19

“Yep, Those Are Bad Parents”: 30 Signs Of Bad Parenting, According To Members Of This Online Group Parents who bring little kids to R rated or inappropriate movies. It's s****y on multiple levels.

creepysnowflake , Amy Ross Report

Add photo comments
POST
bryleegalloway avatar
RandomFrog(He/They️‍️)
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There isn’t an age limit?? like I feel anyone can come into pg13 even if they’re like nine, but if it’s M or R there definitly needs to be a 15+ rule or sm

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#20

“Yep, Those Are Bad Parents”: 30 Signs Of Bad Parenting, According To Members Of This Online Group Seeing fizzy drinks in baby's or toddler's bottles makes my teeth itch. They don't need the sugar or the caffeine, or simply that much non milk fluid

Edit: there's a few comments asking what kind of drinks I mean. The incident that inspired this was an 8 monthish old with a cola type drink, ie high acid and high sugar, plus caffeine. Carbonated water is different but may have a weird pH so it's worth checking the label imho. Plus heavily gassed liquids are not ideal on anyone's stomach.

wotsname123 , Ivan Radic Report

Add photo comments
POST
benitavaldez avatar
Benita Valdez
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In the lovely US there are idiots who put Mountain Dew in baby bottles! I really hate my country

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#21

“Yep, Those Are Bad Parents”: 30 Signs Of Bad Parenting, According To Members Of This Online Group Your little badass kids acting up isn't cute, don't encourage the s**t.

radpandaparty , Nicola Barts Report

Add photo comments
POST
holschrk avatar
Bec
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I knew someone who thought their elementary school was being ridiculous because her little boy was in trouble for looking up girls skirts and trying to kiss girls. No, this is not cute and not ok. Teach your kids that the body is inviolable - no one should be able to touch you or force you to do something without your consent

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#22

“Yep, Those Are Bad Parents”: 30 Signs Of Bad Parenting, According To Members Of This Online Group Today I took my son out to The Science Cube. A little 2 year old fell over right in front of me. His mom said, “that’s what happens to bad kids”. I wanted to strangle her, but I just glared at her as she walked away.

CatchingRays , Barney Moss Report

Add photo comments
POST
stefaniepatterson avatar
BluEyedSeoulite
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Just gross. Kids that age fall down all the time when running. 2 is still a toddler!

View more commentsArrow down menu
#23

“Yep, Those Are Bad Parents”: 30 Signs Of Bad Parenting, According To Members Of This Online Group Yesterday in the grocery store I was standing in the checkout line behind a man with 2 kids — looked like a 5 and 7 year old.

The kids were being goofballs, but not being wild by any means. The dad wasn’t giving them any instructions, except for over and over again leaning down in their faces and yelling, “Shut! Up!”

Every time he did, his little girl looked up at him with these sad puppy dog eyes. Broke my heart.

beardmeblazer , Battle Creek CVB Report

Add photo comments
POST
reneeasuega avatar
Ren <3
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If i was him I would've said sorry and bought them candy

View more commentsArrow down menu
#24

Kids that don't respect service workers.

I work in a pub with a play area, the amount of times I've had to discipline children who are climbing on-top of the play equipment or children being voilent. The kids that talk back to me challenging the instructions I give them s**t me up the wall because you can just tell they are the kids that are spoilt to hell and they can do no wrong.

One time I had 3 different complaints about this pack of 13 year old boys in the play area, (breaking the 10 year old limit) because they where being voilent. I went in and gave them a warning, then later received a 4th complaint from a different table. I went in and tried to kick all the voilent children out but the mother came in and gave me the whole "You dare raise your voice at my children" and "you can't tell me how to raise my children". I informed her of the complaints I had received and her responce was "they are only making their cousins cry so it doesn't matter." I was flawed by her logic.

anon Report

Add photo comments
POST
bryleegalloway avatar
RandomFrog(He/They️‍️)
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There’s was a kid at my middle school who genuinely made a few teachers cry. Everybody hated him but his friend group. He was a homophobic transphobic ableist racist peice of s**t.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#25

“Yep, Those Are Bad Parents”: 30 Signs Of Bad Parenting, According To Members Of This Online Group When the kid smells like cigs. I understand you smoke but have enough decency to make sure your kids clothes don’t reek

JoLabs , Joe Haupt Report

Add photo comments
POST
benitavaldez avatar
Benita Valdez
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am a smoker. Yes I know it's bad but we all have vices. My nephew is 4 and since he was born every time I go see him I bring clothes to change into so that I'm not exposing him to my shītty habit. His mom told me I didn't have to do that anymore and I said " I know. He's out of danger of SIDs but still doesn't need to be exposed. Plus now you have asthma from covid so yeah. Still gonna change". I also usually don't smoke during my visit but if I do, I change back into the smokey clothes and when I'm done, change into the clean clothes again. Also wash and sanitize my hands before interacting

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#26

“Yep, Those Are Bad Parents”: 30 Signs Of Bad Parenting, According To Members Of This Online Group Kids running around wild in public.

My friends and I actually act as spotters for each other during cardio workouts now, in the sense of “spot and stop the m**on kid who thinks it’d be fun to try and run between your friend’s legs in mid-workout while their parents watch and do nothing”.

The dumbass apple doesn’t fall far from the dumbass tree.

PoochyEXE , Jonathan Brodsky Report

#27

“Yep, Those Are Bad Parents”: 30 Signs Of Bad Parenting, According To Members Of This Online Group I rented the a basement bedroom from a woman who would scream at her kids “stop touching me!” When they would try to be affectionate with her. Good times.

forgotmyloginx2017 , Taryn Elliott Report

Add photo comments
POST
lianna_bolt avatar
Lianna Bolt
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

While the mother could have definitely handled that better, I wonder if she was claustrophobic or had issues with personal space. But at the same time, do you really think you’d get any personal space after having kids?? What did she expect?

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#28

I was driving yesterday and this guy had a big car full of kids without seatbelts, this was on a motorway also not just some backroad

anon Report

#29

“Yep, Those Are Bad Parents”: 30 Signs Of Bad Parenting, According To Members Of This Online Group When they sound like a child or preteen themselves telling their kids what to do. Example: "Oh my God, shut uppppppuhhhh"

anon , Taryn Elliott Report

Add photo comments
POST
nadia-callahan avatar
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This morning I just dealt with my stepmom covering her ears and going LA LA LA LA LA because I called her my dad's girlfriend. (Which she technically is, she's not even a stepmom at all)

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#30

“Yep, Those Are Bad Parents”: 30 Signs Of Bad Parenting, According To Members Of This Online Group Parents getting their road rage on while their kids are in the car

the_badgers_of_death , storebukkebruse Report

Add photo comments
POST
the_true_opifex avatar
Katie Lutesinger
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Mind you, my sister and I had a lot of fun repeating something our mother had said in the car and giggling. We even turned it into a game. Mum had memorably growled "get out of the way, ya bomby old Datsun!" We thought it was hilarious and from then on would often ask if the latest person to cut her off was also a bomby old Datsun. (But yeah, that wasn't road rage; more like just road grumbling).

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

Note: this post originally had 35 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.