Parenthood is one of the most exciting yet also testing phases in one's life.
You devote your once-careless lifestyle to a tiny human that you must protect and guide into this big harsh world, and although it's a tremendously rewarding thing – it's easy to get overwhelmed.
Unforeseen circumstances, sleepless nights, temper tantrums and burnout will visit your household frequently – and since most folks tend to suffer from good old "parent guilt," it's crucial to remember that every kid is different and that, in reality, everyone's just winging it.
Nothing will ever make you feel as confident as you would like to, as there are no care instructions for your offspring – however, sticking to the "today was hard, but I got through it" mentality works wonders.
And since it's still summertime, Bored Panda has decided to focus on a more lightweight aspect of parenting and gather a couple of posts that sum up what it's like taking care of a kid during this magical season.
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Why summer is the best season? Most will find this question pretty absurd as it's easy to see why life tends to seem a little more exciting during these hot days.
Trips to the beach, the 7AM sunshine that streams through your window, endless possibilities, and that summery breeze that fills you up with a certain kind of energy you don't get on the gloomy cold days.
Of course, let's not forget the main pleasures of all time – barbecues and picnics. The smell of food cooking on a grill is one of the best summer experiences and lying on that warm grass while having something to snack on is simply divine.
Summertime also indicates that your beloved children are on their well-deserved break from school and all the homework, meaning that the household finally becomes one again – unless you ship them to a summer camp or something.
However, if the camp is out of the door, it also suggests that you're now responsible for your offspring's entertainment and that you're bound to endure all the possible boredom tantrums.
Without a doubt, it’s easier to manage your kids' leisure activities during school days, as they've had enough chores that a simple cinema trip once a month is enough to satisfy their cravings; yet when that summer break starts, you know that you're going to have to unleash your inner creativity.
My friends complained of boredom, they ended up washing down walls
"I'm bored" –the dreaded words the majority of parents will hear on the first morning of their child's summer break; and since both parents work in most families, it means that you're now going to have to come up with a plan that'll keep your youngster busy and preferably happy.
In reality, a summer full of pool parties and trips to amusement parks won't work because you'll be swamped with your own work-related tasks – however, assigning a couple of house chores and arranging sleepovers at friends' houses might give you some time to come up with an exciting but realistic "bucket list" for the summer that'll also work with your job's schedule.
My sister calls me old and I am 2 and a half years older then her, not old at all
Now, back to the "parent guilt." Try to remember that social media is full of malarkey.
Everyone wants only the best things for their children – that's a fact – however, don't beat yourself up about not being able to give your kid a summer full of Pinterest-like activities.
Sometimes overscheduling and overcomplicating things is just an unnecessary hustle.
Be there for your little one and set some time aside each day. For the most part, doing something simple like going to the playground or watching their favorite cartoon/movie together is more than enough to make great memories.
My sweet summer child, let me disabuse you of that notion right now. In 1975, someone was indeed selling rocks. And Americans happily bought them. PET-ROCK-6...ab0a4b.jpg
While it might seem that these stress-inducing months will never end, we all know that it’ll be over in the blink of an eye. Kids grow up, and (as cheesy as it might sound) the next thing you know, they've already gone to college. Start making memories, even if it's as simple as taking a stroll to your nearby park.
You forgot the “MUUUUM!! YOU WERE’NT WATCHING! I’ll do it again…” and repeat
I always used to hear "I need a strong pair of boys to help me lift this" at weights camp. And as a girl, I would always go up and help. I got in trouble, but bish I lift more weight than half of those boys. GIRLS ARE NOT THE WEAKER SEX!!!!
This happens every damn year. At school. When we need to give back school books our teacher always says that
Load More Replies...Had a similar issue when my youngest started Auskick last year. Organisers decided they'd do school year level groups *and* a girls group. The girls group had kids aged 4-10. Anyone with eyes can tell you there is waaaay more difference in ability (both mental and physical) between a 4 year old and a 10 year old than there is between males and females of the same age before puberty. It sucked for everyone in the "girl" group. I gave some feedback but wasn't really backed up by any other parents, but thankfully this year it's organised just in year levels. This change is likely because the total number of girls participating this year is a less than a third of what it was last year, so not enough for them to run it as a separate group.
Im not saying this isn't sexist and stereotypical, but surely a smaller ball would require more accuracy so it would be a compliment to their skills? Princesses is definitely a problem though
"Princess" is a huge problem. Also, his kid is 10. Not 20. There's not a huge difference in size & strength in ten year olds.
Load More Replies...Smaller footballs are more difficult to control and are even used by coaches to train new players. You couch is accidentally training the girls to be better than the boys at the game.
Or maybe he does know and that is his plan. He may have a daughter and really wants to make the girls better. My dad was a softball coach and he did anything (with in proper care)to make my sisters team better.the princess part maybe he wants to make them feel more special than they already are.
Load More Replies...People say women are weaker but most of us bleed for 7 days and some even create a whole human in their bodies.
That's such a s**t argument, ignoring the fact that we're talking about prepubescent children for a second, the female body is made to do that stuff, it has a month long menstrual cycle that ends with excretion of dead cells. It's not like you have a gash on yoru arm and you're just letting it bleed for a week, and treating it that way is a gross misunderstanding of the human body. How about we don't mock people for things they cant control?
Load More Replies...Funny how lots of men on here don't see an issue. I'm the person officially coming to tell you that that is sexism in it's systematic form. Women pointing out sexist actions and men trying their best to justify them. That's sexism at it's core. That's how sexism survives in our culture. Stop arguing. You are the problem. Make a change by actually listening. The message here is THIS IS SEXISM.
Saying this as if it isn't a stereotype perpetuated by all sides of the gender spectrum is part of the problem, you probably wouldn't imagine my mom was like this, or my sister's ballet coach who wouldn't let me join because "boys cant wear tutus". Or my grandmother who'd be the only making a comment when my sister dared not to wear a dress for once. Sexism doesn't just go both ways, it goes the same way.
Load More Replies...I have smaller hands than a man, I'd hope they'd offer me a smaller football for a gym class. Even with laces for grip those things are huge and unwieldy
His kid is ten. A lot of people seem to be missing that. At ten and under, there isn't much of a difference.
Load More Replies...Bored Panda hopes that you've enjoyed this chucklesome ensemble of relatable parenting tweets! Remember to cherish all the significant and seemingly insignificant memories you make with your kid, and let us know if you've got anything exciting planned for the summer.
Dude, summer laundry is AWESOME. Fewer layers, lighter fabrics. And that's assuming my kids are wearing more than just underwear.
Lol, next thing you know they'll come running inside panicking about missing the bus
Maybe they keep asking weird questions that you can't answer, so you feel as if you know nothing.
I feel the same way except I’m the kid who’s bored and “surfing the web” for stuff to do after my usual stuff
Watch "Risky Business", and do everything that you wife won't kill you for! lol
that means it was a good vacation, that’s how i feel, and i’m a teen!
It's like the opposite of a mime. One surprises you because there's no narration, the other surprises you because the narration never stops.
Note: this post originally had 34 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
I love summer break with my kid. I'm lucky though there's so many fun inexpensive things to do where we live and I have the privilege of time to go do those with him. We get really long dark winters with not a lot to do so we make up for it in summer. Not that he doesn't drive me bananas frequently. But at least I'm having fun while he's doing it.
Loved summer as a kid. Showed my kids all sorts of fun stuff!
Load More Replies...When I was a kid, the only guidance we were given was "Be home by the time the streetlights come on."
This reminds me of when my little brother broke his foot 90 minutes into summer. I asked him what he was going to do all summer, as all of the camps he signed up for were sports camps, and he said "idk, chores?". I couldn't stop laughing!
I love summer break with my kid. I'm lucky though there's so many fun inexpensive things to do where we live and I have the privilege of time to go do those with him. We get really long dark winters with not a lot to do so we make up for it in summer. Not that he doesn't drive me bananas frequently. But at least I'm having fun while he's doing it.
Loved summer as a kid. Showed my kids all sorts of fun stuff!
Load More Replies...When I was a kid, the only guidance we were given was "Be home by the time the streetlights come on."
This reminds me of when my little brother broke his foot 90 minutes into summer. I asked him what he was going to do all summer, as all of the camps he signed up for were sports camps, and he said "idk, chores?". I couldn't stop laughing!