30 Parents Who Went Too Far And Got Shamed For It

Now, some of us have heard our parents joke about how they’ll install security cameras in our rooms if we can’t behave ourselves. Well, that’s exactly what one Reddit user’s mother did. Fortunately, the internet user didn’t give in. They wrote online that they’re doing something about it: “I've got into the account she’s using for the camera and disabled playback and sound recording. I'm also trying to move the camera to a point where it doesn't actually see anything.”

“If you haven't done anything to provoke [putting up] cameras or helicopter parenting, then I'm pretty sure you can call CPS [Child Protective Services] and they will help,” the Redditor told Bored Panda some advice on what to do in situations like this one.

Meanwhile, Redditor CHIEFXx posted how their mother asked for a 600 dollar loan, even though they work a minimum wage job.

“My advice for others dealing with the same [crap] is to just push through it. If you know you’re right then you’re probably right. Don’t get pushed around, stand up for yourself and make your feelings known, regardless of how your parents may feel,” the Reddit user explained their thoughts to Bored Panda.

Another mind-boggling case of ‘insane’ parenting happened to Reddit user TheCityKitten, who couldn’t believe that their father was tracking them while they were out on a date.

You’d think that stories like these were rare, but that’s not entirely true. Turns out, there’s a whole community on Reddit called Insane Parents that chronicles just such events. The subreddit describes itself as “a weird place where you can post those crazy parents who post in those woo-woo anti-vax groups on facebook and do things harmful (directly and indirectly) to their children.” The group’s description also states that it’s a place for both support and laughter.

Bored Panda talked to the head moderator of the subreddit more about the community itself — mynameisethan182. According to the Redditor, the subreddit “started off just as a one-off comment” on one thread.

“From there it kinda morphed into what it is today. This weird chaotic place where people can post about their real issues and hopefully some awareness can be raised about some of the darker sides of the internet.”

When asked what the most insane stories about parents the moderator has come across, he replied that it’s “two cases of mothers giving their children bleach,” while “the proper authorities were alerted, given the information, and did nothing to stop it.”

“If you can — reach out to a trusted authority member (teachers, principals, professors, etc.),” mynameisethan182 gave advice to kids dealing with ‘insane’ parents. “If you can, document what is happening; however, things do get better. There is always the opportunity to get away from these people and cut them out of your lives. Whether it is joining the military at age 17 or 18 or any other available option. You can get away from it.”

“I wish more people knew about certain issues kids are seeming to face today. There are parents who seem to think it is okay to track their children — it is the most common thing I see. It causes nothing but problems and resentment,” the subreddit moderator remarked. “You may think you're doing the right thing, but you're not. You have to trust your kid and allow them to make mistakes. They cannot grow into fully actualized people without those mistakes. Your job is to guide them and to be there to pick them up when they do make those mistakes.”

We can understand why kids would be ashamed of their parents when they monitor them or ask for ridiculously large loans. But why is it that kids are embarrassed by their parents in general? Well, Fatherly writes that this embarrassment usually starts appearing between 9 and 13 years of age, right when a major shift in attitude occurs. As kids become more independent and try to figure out the ‘rules of the game’ in society, they reject what their parents stand for.

Meanwhile, Empowering Parents suggests that parents shouldn’t take things personally when kids act up and should give their offspring some space grow. And, whatever happens, we can all agree that setting up cameras in someone’s room should be avoided at all costs.