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.
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No More Animals In The House
Thanks, Apple. Iâll 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
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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 âMake A Habit Of It.â 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 âHere Papaâ 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. Iâm Concerned About #2
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.
I'm trying to understand the downside of your house smelling like warm waffles.
My cats peed in our floor vents. I wish it was maple syrup. I forgave them, they were clearly trying to help us minimise our energy bill.
Better than the place Iâm currently in where it smells like mildew and burnt toast.
My dad put put his smurf figurines in the space heater, resulting in a blue bar of melted smurfs
I'm stuck on the OP's profile pic... Bipolar Bear could be a new version of The Incredible Hulk. Bill Bixby was one of my first crushes when I was young.
We were having a party for friends at our house. My 4 year old was in bed and got up and spit in the electrical outlet in his room blowing the power out. Fun times.
I rent, and have 4 kids. Pouring cute smelling shing down the registers is logistically cheaper than the house totally burning down because of a Glade candle. From the owners mouth..đ€·
My dad used to be to scared to leave the room so he'd just pee in his vent in the middle of the night
Of all the things that a kiddo might choose to introduce to an HAVAC system, I must admit, pancake syrup is at the top of the most desirable. Is it bad that I can name at least 20 things that are firmly at the bottom?
My brother poured syrup all over the sofa cushions and stacked them on the floor because he wanted pancakes.
Not a bad idea, really, if you have forced air. (Ants though...)
Waffles smells better than some smells which have been known to emminate from vents.
i mean, is the smell of waffles all that bad? could have been worse, I heard a story of one little shitspawn pissing in their houses vents so...
having the whole house smelling like waffles isn't the worst thing in the world.
But then you no longer want waffles, even if you, your spouse, and/or your children have really liked them before.
Load More Replies...My cousin poured a whole thing of fish food into a fish tank. Guess who never saw fish again?
Our cat once pooped in the tumble dryer, which had a similar albeit less tasty effect.
We had a dog get car sick into the car's vents. Every winter after that for a few cold morning it smelled like that sick dog... For years.
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 Doesnât 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, itâs the 2yo who does this. Then the 3yo comes in to tattle, âSchisterâŠâ
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 Doesnât 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 Wifeâs 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 Friendâs 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 âIâm Going To Lay On The Couch And Maybe Get A Quick Napâ. 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. Itâs 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 Iâd make a bad parent, my anger wouldâve gotten in the way first and I wouldâve treated my kids like how I was treated growing up
More evidence we were all jerks at some early stage of our lives
Iâm 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 Iâll be sad when my mom dies. Ha, nope! Hopefully these parents have better ways of dealing with their kids and theyâll 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 shĂŻt. 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 housesâŠweâve now put them on a small allowance to start teaching about money (theyâre 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 đ
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 minorâŠas for the Nuggets? Well, thatâs 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 doesnât matter how careful you are. Theyâll 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 itâs 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 donât 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 Iâd make a bad parent, my anger wouldâve gotten in the way first and I wouldâve treated my kids like how I was treated growing up
More evidence we were all jerks at some early stage of our lives
Iâm 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 Iâll be sad when my mom dies. Ha, nope! Hopefully these parents have better ways of dealing with their kids and theyâll 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 shĂŻt. 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 housesâŠweâve now put them on a small allowance to start teaching about money (theyâre 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 đ
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 minorâŠas for the Nuggets? Well, thatâs 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 doesnât matter how careful you are. Theyâll 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 itâs 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 donât need long.
Load More Replies...