Have kids, they said, it will be fun, they said. And when it happens, utter craziness ensues and there’s no emergency exit to go through.
You see, being a parent takes you on a life adventure like no other. And while it’s hard to put in words all the ups and downs of what it's like to raise little daredevils, Bored Panda wrapped up some real-life examples captured on camera that show it as it is.
Mostly absolutely wholesome, sometimes truly crazy, and in other instances, pretty challenging, parenting is not for the faint-hearted, but it surely fills up your heart unlike anything else.
This post may include affiliate links.
No More Animals In The House
Thanks, Apple. I’ll Let Her Know
She's Going To See A Cow Today
To find out more about the challenges of modern parenting, as well as how the coronavirus pandemic has changed the ways parents raise children, Bored Panda spoke with Holly Connors, a lifestyle blogger and a working mom of two girls. After working in psychology for a decade, Connors is now the creator of the “Simplify Create Inspire” project, which helps families make their lives easier. She happily shared some useful and illuminating insights.
Raising kids through the pandemic has posed a variety of challenges for many parents. Holly told us that for some, “it has resulted in increased stress and anxiety due to the uncertainties that come with the virus.”
“Parents have had to make tough decisions around safety, schooling, and childcare while all learning how to adjust their work-life balance. Some of these cautions have remained as parents adjust to the new normal,” she explained.
My Life Is Never Dull, Guys. Never
Some Start Younger Than Others
My 8-Year-Old Is A Jerk And Almost Made Me Burn My House Down
Moreover, many parents had to become teachers overnight, Holly argues, by helping their children adjust to temporary homeschooling or remote learning. “This has caused parents to address their children’s educational needs more than ever and for some parents, this has given a greater view of what goes into educating our kids and allowed them to maintain a more pivotal role in their children's learning.”
I Thought I Lost $350 And Then Three Months Later I Found It In My Four-Year-Old's Room
The Teacher Actually Only Told Him Not To “Make A Habit Of It.” So I Wonder How Many Times Makes A Habit? I Also Wonder If I Should Hide The Popcorn Popper
Do You Have Any Advice For Me?
As if that wasn’t enough, “the pandemic also limited the social life of many families, reducing time spent with extended family or friends.” Holly explained that this can be particularly challenging for younger children since they “rely heavily on social interaction with their peers and is most definitely one of the biggest challenges we found in our household with a child in their first year of formal schooling suddenly learning from home.”
My Daughter Just Said “Here Papa” And Put These In My Pocket. I Have No Idea Which Piece Of Cheap Furniture Is Now Dangerously Unstable
My Sister Sent My 11-Year-Old Nephew To School Today With What She Thought Was A Fresca Packed In His Lunch
My Daughter Has Figured Out How To Change The Picture On My Watch, By Using My Phone. Oh And Apparently She Knows The Password To My Phone
“As a result,” Holly continues, “parents needed to become more creative in finding ways to keep their kids connected and entertained in the changed environment, with extra reliance on technology to fill the gap.” And although technology can be wonderful for this purpose, Holly believes that “it has also been harder to reign in those habits, now telling our kids to get off their devices and go spend time with peers in person again.”
It Makes 1 Hour That They're Looking For Their Car Keys That Their Kid Buried Inside The Sand
My Daughter Is Planning Her First Sleepover. I’m Concerned About #2
Not a proper sleep over without a little demon summoning.
Load More Replies...
I'd be more concerned about what sort of prank she's planning to pull on Tori.
The top half sounds like our girl scouts sleep overs in the 80s. Plus ouija board and light as a feather. This was a private catholic school girl scouts group and we did it at every sleepover.
Number 2 is ummm how should I put this.... should be number 1 cuz of course you want to pillow fight with a demon
my 11 y/o sister comes home from sleepovers and says stuff like "so we tried to summon a demon and basically..."
Isn't praying before sleep and summon a demon pretty much the same thing? And I'm not even joking.
Is that why you summon a demon in the 2nd step. So it can help bake and prank Tori?
a baking demon! That's the kinda demon I'm gonna be with my best friend
Load More Replies...
I'm more concerned about the consumption of whatever they churn out in the kitchen and poor Tori's mental health in the morning, if I'm being honest here!!
No sleepover is complete without summoning a demon, though it's not usually the second activity on the list! Demons are much more responsive between "watch a movie" and "Prank Tori". And I'm speaking from experience people. P.S. You forgot to include "light as a feather, stiff as a board" Pfffft. Amateur.
i relate to this child, i was constantly making to-do lists for the random stuff my friends and i got up to
I would be too. There are two “m” in “summon”, you’ll have to have a talk with her. “You have to spell to spell”, as the old saying goes. Can’t spell it? Don’t do it. That’s what I was taught.
Mum writes the stuff. Can spell "breakfast", "challenge", "stories" etc, but can't spell "summon" Bless.
We always had Seances, and scared the c**p out of each other.
I want to know what Tori did. Maybe she didn't summon the demon properly.
I love the try and pull a all nighter 😅 you may have a party animal in the making
You can draw your own quija table and ask the spirits! Take a big white paper, and a glass, draw circles around the glass and write all the letters of the alphabet in the circles. Then you all ask the board one question. Then you all put your index finger on the glass and amazing! It will spell out the words you were asking for!
What little girl didn't try and summon a demon?. I know I did. I also know it never worked unless you can call our friendly ghost Albert a demon.
Do You Have The Ratio Of Syrup Per Vent? Asking For A Friend
A stray cat got in my attic through the garage and sprayed everywhere. Every time the ac or heat came on it smelled like male cat p*ss for a year. It was impossible to find exactly where it was coming from. I'll take the syrup over this any day.
With more and more things fighting for our attention these days, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed as parents. Holly argues that “we are all overstimulated and most of us are guilty of neglecting self-care.”
Luckily, she has some very useful advice to spare. “The simple act of taking time for yourself each and every day can have a huge impact, along with well-being basics such as getting enough sleep, eating well, drinking lots of water, and moving your body,” Holly said.
My 10-Year-Old Nephew Told His Mom He Doesn’t Know How His Phone Broke. He Just Woke Up And It Was Like That. A Few Days Later She Finds He Posted This On Youtube
Ok, You Have Piqued Our Interest
I Thought I Had Put Socks On My Son This Morning. Turns Out They Were Gloves. My Mother-In-Law Sent Me This
Another tip from Holly for overwhelmed parents is “setting up routines and schedules in the family home can also make a big difference in managing the overwhelm.” She gave some examples: “a cleaning schedule to keep on top of your regular household management tasks, a meal plan so you know what is for dinner each day and can streamline your grocery shopping and giving your kids age-appropriate chores to lend a hand around the home.”
Importantly, kids who do chores are gaining independence, responsibility skills, and confidence, Holly said.
And finally, “it can also be helpful to practice gratitude and mindfulness each day, as these techniques have been proven to help reduce stress and increase happiness,” the author of “Simplify Create Inspire” said.
Two-Year-Old Daughter Bathes Daddy's Laptop In Soap And Water Because It's "Too Dirty"
The Things You Deal With As A Waiter
Tell Me You Have A Three-Year-Old Without Telling Me You Have A Three-Year-Old
In my house, it’s the 2yo who does this. Then the 3yo comes in to tattle, “Schister…”
We also wondered if there are new parenting trends and styles emerging, and Holly said that the ongoing impact of the global pandemic has certainly changed the way many parents approach parenting.
“We are seeing a shift in priorities, with more focus on family time and mental health for all members of the household,” she said.
“Many parents are also reevaluating their views on education, looking for alternative approaches to learning such as homeschooling that may better suit their children or taking the leap and traveling as a family, and digging deep into exploring their home country (or abroad),” Holly concluded.
My Son Decided Taking The Labels Off Everything Was A Great Idea
Not To Brag, But My Daughter Has Me Ranked As The 11th Best Dad
Things I Fished Out Of My Subwoofer Today
Graduating From Temple University After 15 Years Working Full-Time And Balancing My Life. Got Married, 2 Daughters, Built A House. Attempted To Make Graduation Family Photo
Parenting Doesn’t Pay Enough
Valentine's Day Pedi From My Daughter! Beautiful
I Found Where My 3-Year-Old Twins Have Been Hiding My Loose Change
My Daughter Had My Wife’s Phone On A Long Car Ride. She Ordered All The Barbie Dream Houses From Amazon
It Was At Exactly This Moment That My Son Realized His Mistake
My Friend’s Kid Got Stuck In Our Cat Tower
I Bought My Kid A Drone For Christmas, The Wife Doesn't Love It
I Was Mowing The Grass And My Wife Texts Me And Says “I’m Going To Lay On The Couch And Maybe Get A Quick Nap”. I Came Back To See My Kids Treating Her Like A Bean Bag Chair
Found My Wife Passed Out Face-First While Playing LEGOs With My Son. Parents Are The Real MVPs
Came Home To My 3-Year-Old "Fixing" My Laptop
Coworker's Kids Left The Van's Door Open Before A Storm
Dr. Caramelito In The Multiverse Of Madness
Smurf Devourer. Son Grabbed Food Dye Off The Counter
My Glasses Finally Came In This Morning. Paid $375 And Decided To Save $80 And Not Get Insurance And My Daughter Got Ahold Of Them 2 Hours After Arriving
I use zenni optical. I have the EXACT black matte frame I got for $12 usd including shipping.
My Kid Tried To Use My Finger While I Was Napping To Sign Him Up For Some Stupid App
Note: this post originally had 134 images. It’s been shortened to the top 40 images based on user votes.
I came here and scrolled down through each and every one to make myself absolutely sure that cat is a correct life choice for us ;p
I can't think of an occasion when a cat is the wrong choice.
Load More Replies...
This post reminded me why I’d make a bad parent, my anger would’ve gotten in the way first and I would’ve treated my kids like how I was treated growing up
More evidence we were all jerks at some early stage of our lives
I’m so glad that most parents/society have changed in their views towards corporal punishment of kids. I would have gotten actually beaten by my mother for doing any one of these things. XD (I was a naughty kid, so I got hit quite a bit.) my sister thinks I’ll be sad when my mom dies. Ha, nope! Hopefully these parents have better ways of dealing with their kids and they’ll have good relationships with them :)
I was thinking the exact opposite! I was spanked a few times (never after the age of three) and that was enough to make me never pull any of this shït. Accidents happen of course, but this collection of out-of-control kids and anger management problems is insane!
Load More Replies...
I feel quite lucky, the worse mine has done is the Apple thing - though I could see them ordering Barbie Dream houses…we’ve now put them on a small allowance to start teaching about money (they’re 5). Haha but still, the curiosity is hilarious
Load More Replies...
When I was 4 I wanted to help my dad who was sanding something in the garage, so I sanded his car. I still remember his face when he saw me 😁
My younger sister did, too. She bounced up like nothing happened. I was screaming for my mom, and by the time Dad made it outside, my sister was up, running around like nothing happened. No broken bones, no concussion. I think my mom had an out-of-body experience.
Load More Replies... My 2.5yo came in crying with a cut toe. He somehow managed to open the LOCKED drawer with the knives and stabbed the life out of two Nugget couches. Thankfully, his injury was minor…as for the Nuggets? Well, that’s 500 bucks down the drain.
Some of these are accidents but I can't understand where the parents are while the kids are doing these things. I didn't leave my kids unsupervised when they were 2 years old.
My 3-year sister got up EARRRRRLY Easter morning and we found her standing naked on the kitchen counter covered in blue food coloring. It wouldn't come off, so she had to go to church that way.
Load More Replies...
Good god. Keep the phones away from toddlers, and teach your kids to respect your things! Seriously, there was no point in my life when I'd have considered "playing " with the c**p these kids destroyed.
People: go and say sorry to your parents and tell they did a good job with you and you love them. Cos chances are you did exactly this same s**t to them when you were a child.
I believe by being a parent your life is by default worse than mine
Call me weird, but I can't get any joy from viewing instances of other people having a terrible day; in fact, if anything - they elicit a degree of stress.
Kids are digital terrorists. I'm glad mine will have to pay for his own stuff.
Nearly 100% of these are "I was a terrible parent leaving my child unsupervised with dangerous objects and now I'm whining about it".
Kids are surprisingly sneaky and creative when it comes to destruction. It doesn’t matter how careful you are. They’ll always find a way. No amount of care or supervision will complete eliminate every chance a kid has to cause trouble. You can limit their opportunities to destroy and cause mischief and you definitely should try to but it’s unrealistic to think you could stop them 100% of the time. Kids are brilliant when it comes to taking advantage of any minuscule opportunity. They don’t need long.
Load More Replies... I came here and scrolled down through each and every one to make myself absolutely sure that cat is a correct life choice for us ;p
I can't think of an occasion when a cat is the wrong choice.
Load More Replies... This post reminded me why I’d make a bad parent, my anger would’ve gotten in the way first and I would’ve treated my kids like how I was treated growing up
More evidence we were all jerks at some early stage of our lives
I’m so glad that most parents/society have changed in their views towards corporal punishment of kids. I would have gotten actually beaten by my mother for doing any one of these things. XD (I was a naughty kid, so I got hit quite a bit.) my sister thinks I’ll be sad when my mom dies. Ha, nope! Hopefully these parents have better ways of dealing with their kids and they’ll have good relationships with them :)
I was thinking the exact opposite! I was spanked a few times (never after the age of three) and that was enough to make me never pull any of this shït. Accidents happen of course, but this collection of out-of-control kids and anger management problems is insane!
Load More Replies... I feel quite lucky, the worse mine has done is the Apple thing - though I could see them ordering Barbie Dream houses…we’ve now put them on a small allowance to start teaching about money (they’re 5). Haha but still, the curiosity is hilarious
Load More Replies... When I was 4 I wanted to help my dad who was sanding something in the garage, so I sanded his car. I still remember his face when he saw me 😁
My younger sister did, too. She bounced up like nothing happened. I was screaming for my mom, and by the time Dad made it outside, my sister was up, running around like nothing happened. No broken bones, no concussion. I think my mom had an out-of-body experience.
Load More Replies... My 2.5yo came in crying with a cut toe. He somehow managed to open the LOCKED drawer with the knives and stabbed the life out of two Nugget couches. Thankfully, his injury was minor…as for the Nuggets? Well, that’s 500 bucks down the drain.
Some of these are accidents but I can't understand where the parents are while the kids are doing these things. I didn't leave my kids unsupervised when they were 2 years old.
My 3-year sister got up EARRRRRLY Easter morning and we found her standing naked on the kitchen counter covered in blue food coloring. It wouldn't come off, so she had to go to church that way.
Load More Replies... Good god. Keep the phones away from toddlers, and teach your kids to respect your things! Seriously, there was no point in my life when I'd have considered "playing " with the c**p these kids destroyed.
People: go and say sorry to your parents and tell they did a good job with you and you love them. Cos chances are you did exactly this same s**t to them when you were a child.
I believe by being a parent your life is by default worse than mine
Call me weird, but I can't get any joy from viewing instances of other people having a terrible day; in fact, if anything - they elicit a degree of stress.
Kids are digital terrorists. I'm glad mine will have to pay for his own stuff.
Nearly 100% of these are "I was a terrible parent leaving my child unsupervised with dangerous objects and now I'm whining about it".
Kids are surprisingly sneaky and creative when it comes to destruction. It doesn’t matter how careful you are. They’ll always find a way. No amount of care or supervision will complete eliminate every chance a kid has to cause trouble. You can limit their opportunities to destroy and cause mischief and you definitely should try to but it’s unrealistic to think you could stop them 100% of the time. Kids are brilliant when it comes to taking advantage of any minuscule opportunity. They don’t need long.
Load More Replies...