“My Kids Will Eat Whatever We’re Eating!”: People Are Sharing 30 ‘Parenting Fantasies’ That Just Didn’t Work Out
Nearly every soon-to-be parent has a pretty clear idea of how they will raise their kids. Some fantasize about a screen-free childhood, while others imagine their kids agreeing with every word they say. But the truth is, nothing changes their approach to parenting more like actually having tiny humans coming into this world. Because as every experienced parent knows, reality quickly kicks in when you have to deal with their shenanigans all day, every day.
Well, writer and illustrator Aubrey Hirsch can relate. A few days ago, she took to Twitter to ask fellow moms and dads about the parenting fantasies they gave up on "swiftly and completely" after having kids. She kicked off the thread by revealing her own dream that quickly got shattered: "My kids will eat whatever we're eating!"
Her question resonated with hundreds of parents who wasted no time offering their own hilarious experiences. We at Bored Panda have gathered some of the best responses from the thread, and we hope you'll find comfort in knowing that ditching your ideals is not that big of a deal. Scroll down to read these funny and relatable tweets, and be sure to share your own stories with us in the comments, we’d love to hear them!
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Yup. They haven't eaten ANYTHING good for them for ages. Then......just eat any old c**p as long as it's food. Very worrying time. It does get better.
While welcoming the little ones into this world is extremely rewarding, raising these tiny bundles of joy is far from an easy task. Sure, it's easy for parents to come up with certain ideas while they are expecting and fantasize about what kind of role models they would be to their kids. But even the most level-headed people feel confused after how much children can turn their life upside down. Luckily, that doesn't stop them from doing everything in their power to do what’s best for their kids.
Mom had one on me in the 80's because I was a wanderer and without fail would always either get lost or hide. It saved her alot of anxiety with me
I was about 3 or 4. Was also the 80s. My mom worked at a sears in a mall. Took us one time to pick up something and her boss gave us candy. I asked for another piece and she snapped at me. I felt so ashamed I hid under a desk. They had mall security and just about everyone searching for me until my brother pointed me out. Out came the leash from then on lol.
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I've used them in crowded places, the ones with a backpack. A toddler can be surprisingly fast and unpredictable, and with no notion of risk. I'd rather have a toddler on "a leash" than a missing toddler...
I don't understand why people find this to be "cruel". You keep your child safe as you know they're close to you instead of wandering off god knows where, and they can't get away from you. Compared to these stupid dumbass parents that let their children run rampant in parking lots where drivers are just as stupid.
Yes. Reins for children are a good thing. They run into the road and DIE. Keep them safe.
I don't get why so many people get shamed for using them. They are (quite literally) a life saver. Some kids will go through a phase, or will always, be the type to just FLY if you let them. My niece has special needs and for a long time, she couldn't comprehend a lot of dangers. A so-called 'leash' was a much better option than letting her run out into traffic.
Honestly I've never seen anyone getting shamed for this
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I had a leash! Otherwise, I'd bolt too fast to be caught. My dad was a world-class hurdler and I apparently inherited his speed as a toddler.
I used to feel the same. My mum bought a monkey backpack with reins and I told her I would never use it. Well I ate my words. My son ended up needing it big time and I don't regret it. A tethered child is better than a dead child.
I used the dog to train the kid. Gave her the lead as soon as she could walk, the dog heels perfectly, so the kid stayed close. All the stuff she pulled, running away wasn't one. Wish the dog had chores, it would be too easy.
Had a lady get up in my face for having oldest on one. We were at the Texas Renaissance Festival with literally thousands of people over like 10 acres. I'm a bad mom, treating him like a dog, should be ashamed, child abuse, blah blah blah. I got back in her face explaining he likes to run off (he was 3) and had gotten lost before. This let him run, but kept him safe and close. Then told her that I guess she would rather have her child snatched than safe. She was all indignant. Then I pointed out that her (I'm guessing 7yo) had just gone into a shop while she was busy berating me and not watching her kid. Had to show her which shop.
As the mother of an autistic son, I hated the necessity of the harness/leash, but the alternative was terrifying! My son was such a flight risk, that it also necessitated door alarms and deadbolts at the top of each exit. He's turning 20 this year, and is now a healthy and fairly well adjusted adult...who still struggles with common sense and safety.
Anyone who opposes those leashes has never spent more than a few hours with a toddler MAX hahaha
I think those baby leashes are great. Better than a dead kid or one that gets lost.
We used a leash for our daughter when she was 2 years old and we went on a holiday in the Alps. This saved us from anxiety and prevented accidents. Toddlers are unpredictable and I would never forgive myself if she would fall into an abyss or something like that. Daughter didn't mind it at all. The leash was on a plush monkey she wore as a kind of backpack, and she loved that.
I have the ones where you clamp it to your wrist and the kids wrist so it's not all treating them like pets on a leash when sometimes it gets to be the other way around.
That's the kind(the wrist ones) my mom used for me when I was little(in the mid 80s)🙂
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I never understand why people have a problem with reins it gives the kid a small taste of freedom while keeping them safe. As a mom of 3 very active girls when they were young the reins were a god send
My mother apparently tried one of those once, apparently I figured out various tricks I could do with it that made it more trouble than it was worth.
When my brother was 4 or 5 at Disneyland he ran off and they found him in like for Pirates of the Caribbean, he probably could've used one of those about then
Same child that ate peanut butter. Was good at wandering. Last straw hubby was watching when I was renting stroller at zoo almost got in wild dog enclosure. When she got older we went to a beaper. She was scary good at doing that Scared the life out of me.
It's not cruel it is SAFETY especially when traveling through airports or in large public areas.
I was a leash kid when I was younger. Mine was this monkey backpack and the tail was what my mom held on to.
I was floored when my SIL when she said that she used them. But, she had 3 small children, travelling in Germany to visit their father in the service, so, yeah. You do what you gotta do.
When my oldest was about 2 he disappeared for about 3inutes in the Dallas airport, security said he just likes the pretty phone accessory store.
Toddlers are mini houdinis hell bent on their own destruction....baby reins are a good thing
I said the same until my 2 year old got away from me, bolted into the road and came within inches of being flattened by a speeding semi. After that she had a leash.
I stupidly use to think it was terrible to do that to kids and thought it reflected poorly on the parents until I realized good parents know the importance of being able to contain their child to keep them safe and for the benefit of those around them. The bad parents are the one's without leashes that let their kids run and scream two aisles away from them in Walmart.
As an OT for kids I usually go the route of a weighted backpack but if that backpack also needs a leash then strap it on my friend! Whatever is needed to keep your little one safe. Also it's not like they're gonna use it forever.
Sure that won't lead to any fetishes developing. Not that that's a bad thing! I ain't here to judge. Also, what is it about human genetics that leaves our littlest children to spending most of their day trying to kill themselves?
I'm not sure on that first part but the second question is a good question to ask. It's hard to say, our world is so seeped in tragedy that people don't often see how good life could be. You have some folks who have a really hard life which doesn't always equate to having a strong will to survive. You have some people who are also natural born sad sacks and can't just be happy. You also have some folks who just want to see the world burn and will throw unsuspecting people into that fire for entertainment like if this was hell on earth. It's a really hard question with no one end all be all answer.
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As some one without kids, a leash seems a thousand times better then one of those huge, SUV sized stollers.
Kids are always the set up for you to be what you swore youd never become. But as far as this goes, we instilled the fear of kidnapping in my daughter very early. Now, even at 8, she insists on holding my hand, my jeans pocket, or whatever is available. I got a bungee joggers leash that I clip to my belt loop. She holds it. The moment she let's go, it snaps my leg.
My parent had one in the ‘60s and when we went camping, they would tie us to a tree while they set up the site. 😳🐶
Tried this but she would freak and thow herself to the ground if I put it on her. We came up with a compromise where she held one end and I held the other. She demanded respect from an early age lol
When my daughter was 2, she refused to hold my hand when we were out of the house, but wanted to walk on her own. The leash wasn't used very often, but I was glad to have it.
No way, my mom used one in me and I hated it more than anyone could understand. I just keep my kids close and keep an eye on them. I could never do that to my kids. I'm so annoyed cause I thought that was over.
You may have hated it but not all kids do. My son loved having the freedom of being able to run around and I had the assurance that he was gonna be safe.
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I did not have a lewsh as a child, and I was wanderer. I most frequently got left behind. I made it home, pretty much everytime. It created an unequivocal sense confidence, but also a feeling of abandonment.
WTF, having young kids on a harness is not a kink thing. It's a safety thing and anyone who does get a kink out of it is sick and twisted and should certainly not have kids.
Load More Replies... A dog leash is not the same as a child harness. Not all kids will happily sit in a stroller, especially at the toddler stage where it's normal for them to want to explore. Some can even undo the stroller clips and escape. Holding hands is not always possible especially if you are already carrying shopping etc. The harness gives the child freedom to roam without being in danger. I used to think child harnesses were cruel and vowed never to use one. But my second child NEEDED it. As I mentioned in my above comment, a tethered child is better than a dead child. I don't live in the US and I worried about being judged but I NEVER got a negative comment.
Load More Replies...Parents all over the world deserve everyone’s respect for bending over backward to mold kind, smart, and simply decent human beings. But every now and then, they inevitably start to feel overwhelmed and even confused by their own actions. So if moms and dads want to keep their minds healthy and create positive relationships with their kids, they should try to set some ground rules and boundaries.
To learn more about household rules and maintaining a healthy balance when raising children, we previously reached out to Dr. Sarah Mundy, Consultant Clinical Psychologist and author of Parenting Through Stories. She explained to us in an interview that one of the main jobs parents have is to guide their kids. They must keep them safe and healthy and support them to engage in life. To do this, they also have to teach them to lead their own fulfilling lives, and setting boundaries is one way of achieving that.
Yep. Or try to travel with kids.... 10x more expensive and with all that extra work. No, I absolutely don't do it as frequently as I thought I would.
I fondly remember the EP-format VHS tape of old cartoons made by a relative who had cable TV. It seemed to have worked.
“It’s important that boundaries and rules are delivered with warmth and empathy,” Dr. Mundy told Bored Panda. “We are helping our children understand what they have been developed — not as a punishment but as a way of helping our children learn. After all, discipline means to teach, not punish.”
Once children become a little older, parents can start to involve them in creating rules themselves. Dr. Mundy said that more authoritative parents often allow autonomy and encourage independence whilst also setting clear limits on their kids’ behavior. “Children with authoritative parents tend to be more confident, have better emotional regulation and find life easier than those who have parents who are overly authoritarian (‘It’s my way or the high way’) or permissive (‘Just do whatever you want’).”
Yeah. This is a total nope. Getting sleep? What is that? Especially on baby #2
However, some kids and teenagers have a rebellious side and often push the limits by misbehaving. While this can make parents' lives a bit complicated, children are much more likely to respect household rules if they understand their purpose and know they were set with good intentions, the psychologist argued. “Have a positive relationship with them,” she said. “The more playfulness you have in your relationship with your child, the more you listen to and support them, the more likely they are to follow your boundaries (with a bit of push and pull, of course!).”
When they are older - yes. Like after the first year. Best way to avoid tantrums. Newborns and babies - no, especially not newborns, it's easier to just follow their cues.
But sticking to the rules is not always easy, not even for the parents themselves. “As a parent, I sometimes set unobtainable boundaries (normally when I’m stressed and my children aren’t listening to me) only to have to renege on them,” Dr. Mundy recounted. She said it’s best to avoid going “in gung-ho” when something isn’t going your way and you’re not as emotionally stable as you want to be. “Such emotional states aren’t conducive to thinking straight!”
Truth. Wearing pants when we're not going anywhere is not worth the fight.
I did them for all 4 of my kids- including twins! Used disposables rarely and appreciated them when I did but loved cloth. I found cloth wasn't too difficult, even when the diaper service we were gifted a couple weeks for closed just when baby#1 was born!
“Set boundaries that are realistic and achievable and don’t overdo it. You all need to learn and remember what they are and have time to put them into place. Try to help children learn that what is being asked is fun — and teach them how to do them or do them together in the first instance,” Dr. Mundy suggested. But if you lack the energy to create rules in the first place, don’t beat yourself up. “Reflect upon whether you are asking too much of yourself or your child and whether you need to look after yourself a bit more.”
Navigating the parenting minefield can be overwhelming, nearly every parent can attest to that. Luckily for us, Dr. Mundy was ready to offer some advice on setting healthy rules and finding balance within the family. First, she noted to think about what is important to you as a parent. “What do you hope to teach your child and how will you do this in a way? Don’t go overboard with too many rules — start early with small expectations of tasks that you can do together.” Then, make sure to consider what is meaningful to your child. “What are they able to manage? We often expect more of children than they are actually able to do,” the psychologist explained.
My nephew thinks McDonald's only opens once a week and only during very specific times of the day and it's not the same time every day it's open.
I think the "cry it out" method only teaches them that when they cry for help, no one comes. It's not self-soothing, it's crying themselves to sleep, and they only sleep through sheer exhaustion.
LOVE THIS! the whole 'don't talk back to me' is the worst. the kid is trying to explain themselves, answer sth u literally asked, stand up for themselves, the parent refusing to have a proper conversation + just wants to one-sidedly shout at the kid, or the parent realised they're actually in the wrong/mistaken + can't take it. kids' emotions, feelings, thoughts, rights etc are so grossly dismissed + negated. why are you, the parent, allowed to say your bit + express urself/ur emotions etc but the kid (still learning to communicate, understand feelings, regulate behaviour, learn social skills etc) has to just stay shut up, take a shouting/berated, can't defend themselves, + bottle every thought/feeling up? then they wonder why their kid doesn't want to open up/talk to them, express emotions etc later in life. i'm a firm believer of 'if u wouldn't do it to an adult, don't do to a kid'. u wouldn't yell at an adult + then shut them down. why would u do it to a kid? esp one at ur mercy?
If you’re ready for some new ground rules, start with a few simple ones to share with your child. “If they are older you can develop these together. Make sure you are also happy to follow the rules (when appropriate) and explain why these are important,” Dr. Mundy said, adding that you should try to stick to the boundaries so they would become habitual in your household.
I think of it as distraction rather than babysitting. Sometimes it's the only way I can get anything done!
One is absolutely fine. We didn't even do any until this year for my 9yo, and it's choir (her choice).
“If you come up with struggles in setting these boundaries, don’t panic. Think about why this might be, whether you are being too rigid or too permissive, whether you need more time connecting with your child, etc. Always try to take responsibility for what you did wrong and repair your relationship with your child,” Dr. Mundy concluded.
I can’t stand all that noise. I guess I was one of those parents but it was because I couldn’t handle the noise.
Children will rarely, if ever, be the same as the one before. Oh sure, I wouldn't get myself into a rage if they didn't have a third bottle ready for me the instant my first was done (as was the case with my brother), but I didn't eat a whole lot, so I would wake them in the middle of the night. And where my brother was very strong willed and head strong, I really should have gotten therapy and never did. Never get into a rhythm from your first child for your second.
We have two riles: 1) if you can't say it at Grandma's, don't say it in public. But at home, anything goes. 2) we don't swear *AT* people or animals. "F**k you " is unacceptable, but "F**k this" is okay.
My kids moved back due to Covid etc. I'd never close the house to them. They want to move out and are doing their best to do so. Once they can again, the door will still be open. Their rooms maybe different but we can adjust. When I moved out I never had to go back, but I knew I always could if I needed to. It's a good feeling.
As long as you get the dog a couple of years before the kids. Dog trained and a calm adult by the time kids come, perfect.
My son had crazy eczema. As he'd drift to sleep he'd scratch himself until he was bleeding. His face became infected almost over night. There wasn't anything really safe to use on a baby. Every night I'd hold him against my chest and put his hands on either side of my head. I held him like this until he fell asleep and my husband would move him to his crib. We did this until my husband told me he was getting to heavy to carry. Once he fell asleep he was a very sound sleeper and we'd put mittens on him just incase he did wake up.
I did unlimited background tv for a while, but I found that it actually made my anxiety worse. Now it's no tv/movies during the week and in the morning, it has to be a podcast or soft music.
I didn't believe them when they told me how much I'd miss it. Miss not having room in my own bed? No way! Six months later, still miss it.
I didn't even have the energy to make baby food as a stay-at-home parent 🤷♀️
This is so highly individual. My daughter is 9 and has always been highly independent. My son is 3 and needs constant involvement.
What ever happened to bringing crayons and paper with you to a restaurant?
Yeah, I don't tell my kids this kind of stuff either. It just doesn't make any sense. Why not just tell them flat out that sitting too close to the tv is bad for their eyes?
My daughter's 9 and never did like to be read to. My son is 3 and LOVES to be read to.
No human under the age of 5 is reasonable or rational. It's just the nature of the beast. It's best just to start laying the boundaries and let them test the limits. It's more about my willingness to stay firm on the rules.
Taking movie turns solved that problem for us. If I want to watch something my kid doesn't, she can play or read or draw or do something else. Mostly, though, she just watches the movie and often finds she actually liked it.
Bought a play pen/activity centre thing with the idea it would be handy to place the little one in there to chill out while parents Get Things Done. Turned out he hated it and refused to stay inside even a couple of minutes, so it ended up being used as a secure compound for all the things we wanted him to keep away from.
I never explicitly forbade Disney Princesses, but I'm supremely grateful my daughter appreciates Sleeping Beauty for the dragon.
If she's with them from the start, she will love dogs. Did everything right. She does like dogs, but she's a cat person, although the dogs adored her and the cats didn't even like her when she was a baby (normal, babies are loud).
The girl avoided your indogtrination! The cats and their loyal slaves shall take over the world! MEOWAHAHAHAHA!
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There is no manual for raising kids. Like adults, kids are all different. You have to adjust your parenting for each child.
I commented this on one of the comments earlier, but never have any expectations from the get go, except that your child will hopefully be healthy. This will make you be able to roll with the punches better. If you have a line of expectations in your head, especially the stricter ones like not having any electronics in the house, you're setting yourself up for a horrible time. Just as your child will be learning how to live and enjoy life, you'll be learning how to be a parent. Just takes a step at a time (or sometimes a 30 yard dash, but that's besides the point).
"Because I said so". If that's your best argument then you've failed. My step-daughter will have a generally intelligent conversation about why or why not and she'll keep grinding away until I fall back on that. I did (she's now an adult and gets adult consideration) encourage discussion but dang...
Honestly, I'm thinking of just going back to our ancestral genes and bringing them everywhere with me. Sleeping with them, eating with them, and overall doing everything with them until they eventually start to wander. At that stage, I'll let them join me in what I'm doing, but they will want to play with other kids. I think babies cry so much because they aren't supposed to be just left alone in the forest. Aka crib. They'd be eaten. So they cry as a self defense. I believe that taking them everywhere will fix this until they're old enough to explore on their own. But, who knows, I could be totally wrong.
And by take I mean carry. I will carry them weather it be by backpack or piggy back, or side hold. Body to body contact as it is in the wild.
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I think most important thing is that as a parent you don't try to be perfect and know from the start that you'll mess up. And that's okay. No parent is perfect. As long as you do your best to raise your child to be a decent person and raise them with love and respect, you're doing a great job. And doing your best is all you can do. There's no guarantee that your child will actually turn out decent. Some people break contact with their parents even if the parents really did raise their children with love. Or turn out horrible and selfish. As a parent you'll always find that you could have done certain things better. And fat chance your children will hold certain things against you. It's normal. I hold things against my parents. My children will hold things against me. My grandchildren will hold things against them. But, one may just hope love and forgiveness is enough.
Your kids will eat what everyone else eats as long as 1) you don't cave in and give them another option, and (2) you don't eat weird s**t that normal humans don't eat, like Natto and overly spicy stuff. I hear people complain about this s**t and then ask them what they make that their kids won't eat... and it's like... no s**t, I wouldn't eat that garbage either.
Children are people and are learning just like you!!! :) Thats what i love about the little boogers. Cant wait to be a parent someday.
The reality of having a child, if you don’t want to change anything in your life or love your freedoms, don’t have kids! It’s a choice to have them as well as everything that comes with. A lot of people have them for selfish reasons and then don’t do justice to the child, as it doesn’t turn out how they imagined.
When we found out we were having twins I thought "yay" this is going to be so easy. How hard could it be to care for one more tiny nugget? NOT! I was so wrong! I'm not sure how I survived the first 6 months but somehow I did. By the way, I already had kids and my twins were a complete surprise. They are 13 now.
If she's with them from the start, she will love dogs. Did everything right. She does like dogs, but she's a cat person, although the dogs adored her and the cats didn't even like her when she was a baby (normal, babies are loud).
The girl avoided your indogtrination! The cats and their loyal slaves shall take over the world! MEOWAHAHAHAHA!
Load More Replies... There is no manual for raising kids. Like adults, kids are all different. You have to adjust your parenting for each child.
I commented this on one of the comments earlier, but never have any expectations from the get go, except that your child will hopefully be healthy. This will make you be able to roll with the punches better. If you have a line of expectations in your head, especially the stricter ones like not having any electronics in the house, you're setting yourself up for a horrible time. Just as your child will be learning how to live and enjoy life, you'll be learning how to be a parent. Just takes a step at a time (or sometimes a 30 yard dash, but that's besides the point).
"Because I said so". If that's your best argument then you've failed. My step-daughter will have a generally intelligent conversation about why or why not and she'll keep grinding away until I fall back on that. I did (she's now an adult and gets adult consideration) encourage discussion but dang...
Honestly, I'm thinking of just going back to our ancestral genes and bringing them everywhere with me. Sleeping with them, eating with them, and overall doing everything with them until they eventually start to wander. At that stage, I'll let them join me in what I'm doing, but they will want to play with other kids. I think babies cry so much because they aren't supposed to be just left alone in the forest. Aka crib. They'd be eaten. So they cry as a self defense. I believe that taking them everywhere will fix this until they're old enough to explore on their own. But, who knows, I could be totally wrong.
And by take I mean carry. I will carry them weather it be by backpack or piggy back, or side hold. Body to body contact as it is in the wild.
Load More Replies... I think most important thing is that as a parent you don't try to be perfect and know from the start that you'll mess up. And that's okay. No parent is perfect. As long as you do your best to raise your child to be a decent person and raise them with love and respect, you're doing a great job. And doing your best is all you can do. There's no guarantee that your child will actually turn out decent. Some people break contact with their parents even if the parents really did raise their children with love. Or turn out horrible and selfish. As a parent you'll always find that you could have done certain things better. And fat chance your children will hold certain things against you. It's normal. I hold things against my parents. My children will hold things against me. My grandchildren will hold things against them. But, one may just hope love and forgiveness is enough.
Your kids will eat what everyone else eats as long as 1) you don't cave in and give them another option, and (2) you don't eat weird s**t that normal humans don't eat, like Natto and overly spicy stuff. I hear people complain about this s**t and then ask them what they make that their kids won't eat... and it's like... no s**t, I wouldn't eat that garbage either.
Children are people and are learning just like you!!! :) Thats what i love about the little boogers. Cant wait to be a parent someday.
The reality of having a child, if you don’t want to change anything in your life or love your freedoms, don’t have kids! It’s a choice to have them as well as everything that comes with. A lot of people have them for selfish reasons and then don’t do justice to the child, as it doesn’t turn out how they imagined.
When we found out we were having twins I thought "yay" this is going to be so easy. How hard could it be to care for one more tiny nugget? NOT! I was so wrong! I'm not sure how I survived the first 6 months but somehow I did. By the way, I already had kids and my twins were a complete surprise. They are 13 now.
