Dad Can’t Manage To Keep Toddler From Mom So She Can Study – “You’re Being Outsmarted By A 2YO”

Parenting can sometimes present us with incredible surprises, revealing us to be completely different from who we are, or who we usually think we are. Sometimes, a tough guy turns out to be completely helpless when dealing with a toddler, while a great professional realizes that work and parenting are completely different things.

Our story today, first shared by the user u/khazef, clearly demonstrates that even an experienced parent with their second child can suddenly feel completely helpless if the toddler is too eager to get their way. Or, well, if the dad secretly refuses to put in the effort to solve the problem…

More info: Reddit

Parenting isn’t an easy thing, even if you’re an experienced parent – and this story clearly proves it

Mom studying at home while dad struggles to keep toddler away to help her focus on work and studying.

Image credits: Freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)

The author of the post and his wife have two kids, 8 and 2 years old, and the youngest daughter actually sparked this problem

Dad struggling to keep toddler away from mom so she can study while managing household responsibilities.

Text showing a husband explaining he cannot keep their toddler away from mom while she studies upstairs in their room.

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Text excerpt about a toddler cleverly finding ways to reach mom while dad tries to keep the toddler away so she can study.

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Toddler crying and resisting as dad tries to keep child from mom who is studying at home.

Image credits: The Yuri Arcurs Collection / Freepik (not the actual photo)

The author’s wife studies at home in the evenings, and the kid does her best to be around mom during these hours, by hook or by crook

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Dad struggling to keep toddler away from mom studying at a desk with books and a laptop in a cozy home setting.

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Text on whiteboard showing a dad explaining toddler's nighttime routine to support mom studying without interruptions.

Dad struggling to keep toddler away from mom so she can study, showing playful interaction and family bonding moments.

Image credits: Freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)

The dad vows he tried numerous times to keep her away from the mom when she’s studying, but failed literally every time

Text on a plain background saying wife spends time with toddler but her program requires extensive study.

Text describing a toddler expressing misery when mom is home but dad can’t keep the toddler from her study time.

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Dad struggles to manage toddler preventing mom from studying as child cleverly outsmarts him at home.

Text about a dad struggling to keep toddler from mom so she can study while managing house tasks and cooking.

Dad struggling to manage toddler from mom so she can study while the child cleverly interrupts and demands attention.

Image credits: khazef

The man offered for the wife to go to campus to study, but she refused, so the man took this online, seeking advice

The Original poster (OP) says that he and his wife have two kids, aged 8 and 2, and it was the younger girl who unwittingly became the cause of this whole story. The thing is, the toddler does her best to be around her mommy literally all the time, and when she’s left in dad’s care, but knows mom is home, she really does him a disservice.

The author’s wife continues her studies at the university, and in the evenings, when she’s studying, her daughter tries her best to get upstairs to see her mom. She always manages to outsmart her dad – for example, by telling him she needs her potty, which is upstairs. As a result, it’s quite difficult to keep her away from her mom.

The spouses usually divide up the household and family responsibilities: in the morning, when the man works, the wife takes care of everything, and then it’s the husband’s turn. He cleans the house, cooks, washes the dishes, and picks up the elder kid from school… but, according to the OP himself, it’s impossible to manage the youngest kid while his wife is studying.

The man has repeatedly suggested that his wife go to campus to study for school, but she keeps refusing, insisting that she prefers studying at home. And so, now the original poster has decided to take this online, hoping that perhaps one of the netizens will offer some sensible and rational advice in this situation.

Dad struggling to keep toddler from mom who is studying, showing how a 2-year-old can outsmart a parent at home.

Image credits: Drazen Zigic / Freepik (not the actual photo)

“Of course, children of any age can be incredibly cunning and resourceful in their quest to achieve what they want, but that doesn’t mean they can easily outsmart an adult,” says Irina Matveeva, a psychologist and certified NLP specialist, whom Bored Panda asked for a comment here. “Especially when doing this repeatedly, on a regular basis.”

According to the expert, it’s more likely that the man would prefer his wife’s presence not distract the child. Moreover, he himself admits that when his wife is not home, their daughter behaves quite calmly. Therefore, the father is essentially trying to solve his own inconvenience by having his wife sacrifice her comfort.

“I think this is a rather selfish approach. So if this father is truly experienced in parenting – and by all appearances, he is, and seems quite conscientious in everything concerning family and everyday life – then he should ask himself about this. And if he honestly answers that the problem is more a matter of his inconvenience, then it won’t be a problem to solve it himself,” Irina Matveeva summarizes.

In fact, most people in the comments on the original post also criticized the author, claiming that he’s likely trying to weaponize his incompetence, subconsciously not wanting to solve the issue himself. “You’re being outsmarted by a two-year-old,” someone wrote quite sarcastically. “That’s not your kid being ‘creative,’ that’s you being complacent and letting it happen.” So do you, our dear readers, also agree with this?

Most commenters, however, suspected the man of just weaponizing his incompetence and urged him to be smarter than the toddler

Alt text: Dad struggling to keep toddler away from mom who needs to study, showing he’s being outsmarted by a 2-year-old child.

Comment on dad being outsmarted by toddler, highlighting dad can’t manage to keep toddler from mom so she can study.

Reddit user suggests dad use a fake mommy leaving trick to manage toddler so mom can study without interruption.

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Screenshot of a Reddit comment about a dad being outsmarted by a 2-year-old toddler while trying to help mom study.

Screenshot of a Reddit comment discussing the challenge of a dad managing a toddler while mom tries to study at home.

Screenshot of an online comment discussing a dad struggling to keep toddler from mom so she can study.

Comment criticizing dad for not managing toddler while mom studies, highlighting toddler behavior and parenting challenge.

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Reddit user comments on dad being outsmarted by a toddler while trying to keep child from mom studying.

Dad struggling to keep toddler away from mom who needs quiet time to study while managing daily childcare routines.

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