Once you become an adult, you realize that parents are humans too. They’re just doing their best with whatever they have, making do with what they got. Every parent raises kids by the seat of their pants, making decisions as they go long. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it’s a gigantic parenting fail. Here are a few that might make you chuckle, a few might make you angry, and some others might hit a little too close to home. All of them deserved a bit of shaming.
Let It Go
Parents want to bubble wrap their children and have them live in a bubble to keep them safe. Most parents, however, eventually figure out that the best way to parent is to allow some degree of independence.
Their kids might get a few scratches and some broken hearts, but they’ll learn how to find their own way in the world. Calling the cops on your adult child because they “snuck out” only makes you look crazy, and makes the world feel sorry for your child
You’re Too Ugly for Anywhere
What does a young girl do when the person that’s supposed to protect her self-confidence — her own mother— is working for the enemy? When you teach a girl that her looks are only worth you shatter her self-confidence, even if she’s gorgeous. Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder, and is always a moving target.
She’ll never feel like she’s good enough or meet every standard. Instead of thinking her daughter’s ugly, this mom could have been showing her daughter she’s wonderful, inside and out.
Turning Up the Heat
You can’t look at this headline and not burn up with anger yourself. Leaving a child in a hot car is, most often, an accident. It’s an accident, however, that can lead to tragic consequences. Most parents are horrified when they do it.
But when a parent expresses no remorse for leaving their child to heat up in a closed environment— and then complains when it happens to her — it can bring out the fiery monster in anybody.
Bad Role Model
One of the best ways a parent can teach a child how to be a responsible and likable human being is through role modeling that behavior. When kids see their parents apologizing, nurturing, teaching, and caring about others they’ll do the same.
Besides, apologizing and explaining yourself to your child doesn’t stop you from being a parent. It’s what makes you a good parent. Treating your children like they don’t deserve respect is a recipe for disaster.
The Puppy Didn’t Do Anything!
There’s something extra disturbing when a parent would unnecessarily punish a young boy and his dog. Taking away a boy’s best friend won’t make him do his homework, it will just lead to a lifetime of therapy.
And how heartless do you have to be to rip a dog away from the only home he knows and put him in a pound, just to make your kid do his homework. There’s a sneaking suspicion that this parent’s cruelty doesn’t end here.
What Would Jesus Do?
To be honest, you don’t really know what Jesus would do, because he never lived in our time period. For all we know, he could have been a hipster, Ivy League philosophy major, with an interest in carpentry and Habitat for Humanity.
His wardrobe could have been North Face, his favorite food could be avocados, and perhaps he could have had a Feel the Bern bumper sticker on his Toyota Prius. And, to top it off, a metal boba straw to protect the wildlife and the environment.
Click a Thumbs Down
There’s some things that shouldn’t be monetized, and a child’s report card is one of them. If you need views, do a toy unboxing with your little one, but don’t put him on the spot with their report card. I
t’s tough enough having to show your parents your report card. Imagine having to share their reaction — and your feelings — with the rest of the world? Some things should be left private, away from cameras, like sitting on the toilet, coming home from wisdom teeth removals, and report cards.
That’s Private!
The only time anyone’s mom should be digging in the trash is to sort out the recycling. Going through the trash to get a glimpse of how their adult child is living is borderline illegal. Is it really worth going through your child’s garbage to see if they’re living off of Funyuns and Diet Coke?
And if they are — it’s their business! High cholesterol and diabetes will not be prevented by harassing your child. It will only turn them into an alcoholic.
Your the Reason for the Apocalypse
Moms love to play the guilt card, whether it’s missing Sunday dinner or forgetting to call each week. They’re extra good at playing the violin and making you feel bad about whatever it was you did. They know us by heart, after all, and can hit us where it hurts.
But when your mother blames the pandemic apocalypse on you, you know it’s some next level guilt trip. You’re basically the reason why the world’s economy came to a halt, hundreds of thousands of people have died, and people started hoarding toilet paper.
The Anti-Rebel
It’s really odd to be the relationship, especially if it’s a parent-child relationship, and definitely if you’re the child. Sometimes kids have to grow up quickly, because they have parents who don’t want to grow up or don’t believe in things like — science. Were you the kid telling your mom you needed to finish your homework instead of going with her to the party?
Did you find yourself cooking your own breakfast because your dad told you breakfast was for the weak? If, so, then you know how this girl feels being an anti-rebel.
Family First, Unless You Think Differently
Look, sometimes you have to let family go. If they’re abusive, harmful, or hurtful, you have to cut your ties. But shutting the door and leaving them vulnerable because you don’t agree with their ideas or lifestyle — especially if they’re your flesh and blood — isn’t self-protection, it’s selfish.
If Fiona can marry Shrek and look like an ogre, and her parent’s still welcomed them (though it took some getting used to) then accepting and loving your tree-hugger son shouldn’t be that hard.
Gold Digger
When Kanye is taking his medication, he knows what he’s talking about. Gold diggers and child support is no joke. Instead of buying Tyco with the money, this lady probably got herself some breast implants and some Louboutins. Meanwhile, her teenager doesn’t even have shoes with soles.
Which makes you wonder if her mother is even feeding her or keeping the lights on at home. Like the wise Kanye says, “Holla we want prenup!”
No, Really, Who’s You’re Favorite?
They might deny it, but every parent has their favorite. This mom, though, was willing to lie for her favorite child and take it to the grave. You have to wonder what else she let her favorite get away with. Maybe her other daughter’s boyfriend wasn’t just “teaching” her favorite daughter math that time they found him in her room.
And maybe her other daughter’s kitten didn’t just “wander” into her favorite daughter’s EZ-Bake oven when they were kids. This kind of favoritism is how psychopaths happen!
You’re Making Me Depressed
With a parent like this, anyone would be depressed. No wonder this girl needs medication, the psychological abuse she must go through is unfathomable. Her mom must play all kinds of other mind games if she’s willing to take it this far. Seriously, though, mental health is just as important and someone’s physical health.
And depression is a serious illness. Withholding life saving medication out of spite isn’t just bad parenting, it’s deplorable and selfish behavior.
What Does This Do With My Education?
Coming out to your parents is a challenging experience, and the hope is that a parent will love their child more than they love their old-fashioned beliefs. Every child wants to be accepted and loved by their parents, without reproach or judgement. Unfortunately, love isn’t unconditional with this parent.
This parent sees their relationship with their child as transactional, and if their child doesn’t give them what they want — even if it means sacrificing their truest selves — then they’ll take away their parental assistance and affection. Unfortunately, these kinds of parents aren’t unique.
High Expectations
At some point, you have to admit that an “A” is just as good as an “A+.” Maybe if your kid is a Mensa member, then you have the right to ask for an A+ grade more often than other parents.
But if you’re kid is simply brighter than most, then an A- or an A is just as acceptable as a perfect score. Besides, asking for perfection each and every time is a sure fire way to create an adult with a billion anxieties.
Death Comes Knocking
Working or living in a funeral home can’t be an easy life for anybody. It’s especially difficult having to deal with devastated customers who are going through a tragedy.
This woman found out that her father was covering up evidence and collaborating with the detectives because the funeral home wasn’t doing well and her parents were desperately looking for more business, by any means necessary—even deadly means. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
Soap-rise
This girl’s dad was very controlling and kept telling her she smelled and that she needed to shower with the special soap he had bought her. She showered multiple times a day until one day, her boyfriend came over and went to the bathroom.
He came back, looking pale and terrified, holding the soap in his hand. It turned out that the soap her dad had given her was sold by a scammer online, who claimed it could remove tattoos. Her dad had always hated her tattoos and was trying to trick her into removing them. Her boyfriend was a doctor and recognized the soap because it had caused chemical burns to several patients who had tried to remove their own tattoos. Luckily, it hadn’t injured her yet but it would only have been a matter of time if her boyfriend hadn’t saved her.
Playing Games
Parents these days have to take creative measures to discipline their children and teach them necessary lessons in life. Burying a games console is certainly unconventional, but it sounds like it did the trick.
What the parents failed to realize is that this kid already had another gaming console in his room, hidden away, so he barely even noticed the Xbox was gone.
Out of Control
People live with their parents for all kinds of reasons. However, just because they provide a roof over your head doesn’t allow them to completely disrespect you and control your life.
If this person is capable of working a job and then receiving unemployment, then they’re capable of handling their own finances, especially when that money is rightfully theirs. What gives this mom the right to decide where her kid’s money is going? This is so not right.
Secret Language
We’ve heard of horrible people who can’t mind their own business yelling at people for speaking or dressing a certain way, but we’ve never heard of someone calling the cops on a person using sign language.
This person is really ignorant or just desperate to call the cops on someone. Either way, they’re not protecting anyone with this kind of behavior. Some people just really want to watch the world burn.
Slapped Silly
Family can be a touchy topic. Even when you try your best, you can’t please everyone. At a certain point, your own well-being and mental health become far more important than satisfying the members of your family.
After getting hit in the face and enduring horrible insults from their father, this person decided it was probably best not to attend the family event, even if his family member expressed their disappointment. With a father like that, we heavily support this person and their decision.
You Reap What You Sow
Parents do have the right to exert a degree of control over their children. They’re responsible for their care and upbringing, after all, so parents can raise their children how they see fit.
What some parents don’t understand, is that their children will someday become adults. Treating their children with an iron fist will only result in adults who don’t respect or want to be around their parents. Always remember you’re not raising children, your raising adults.
Great Way to Nurture Talent
Children, especially teens and young adults, can frustrate even the most level-headed parent. The perpetual terrrible attitude of most teens can work on every parent’s last nerve. Not to mention the constant sleepiness, the know-it-all attitude, the list goes on. In short, the teen years are filled with landmines.
That said, most parents know when their child has found that hobby that they love. Most parents will try to nurture it and foster it, because finding talent in something a child loves is rare. These parents, though, just don’t care.
Don’t Move to Michigan
Sometimes, parents just don’t have their priorities straight in the way you’d think they do. It can be stressful when your baby leaves the nest, and it’s a wonder moms don’t spend their whole lives worrying about their kids and stressing over what might be happening to them.
This mom is proving there’s a difference between proving you’re right and doing the right thing. She’s more concerned about telling her kid why she shouldn’t have moved to Michigan instead of checking that she’s okay.
You’re Pretending to Be Lactose Intolerant
Sometimes parents just can’t get past what they perceive as an inconvenient child. For them, it was a hassle that their child was sick every morning. Instead of attempting to find a solution, they gave their child the very thing that was making them sick every morning. Imagine having to go to school each day in this kid’s condition.
Not sure if these parents were just not bright enough to put two and two together, but at some point didn’t they try orange juice instead?
Your Money is My Money
Taking on a gamble with your kid’s college fund isn’t just selfish, it’s ridiculous. Maybe there’s a reason that the only money this parent has left to tap into is their kid’s college stash. Could it be that they’ve burnt through the rest of their own money on get-rich-quick schemes?
What makes them think that this is going to be any different? The truth is being a parent sometimes means putting your child’s dreams before yours.
You Could Have Just Stepped On It
Parents aren’t perfect. Sometimes they overreact. But unless the feds are after you, there’s no reason to be using an ax to destroy a cellular phone. Especially if that phone belongs to a regular, text-addicted teenager. There were other options. Take the phone away for a few days. Ground your kid for a few weeks. Make him eat Brussel Sprouts.
But hacking a cell phone with an axe only shows your child you’re a little unhinged. Let’s hope this dad doesn’t get surprised when he’s not invited to the wedding.
There’s More to Learn
This parent totally missed the real reason why children should be homeschooled, the spelling error. The wisdom on this board is all the reason there’s more to school than spelling and math. Teaching acceptance of others, kindness, and respect of facts is not indoctrination — it’s placing a child on the path to being a caring and intelligent human being.
Schools expose children (hopefully) to other cultures and other ways of thinking, rather than sticking to whatever they’ve grown up with. Obviously, for some parents, being kind to others isn’t something they want their child to learn.
Scientology is Not Science
Perhaps this parent is confusing the religion, Scientology, with the school of study — used around the world — called science. You know, facts. That thing that allows people to live longer, created smartphones, sent people to the Moon and enables people to fly on airplanes. Science.
And, unless the science books have changed their content, humans are living, breathing animals. Specifically, warm-blooded vertebrates are called mammals. Humans simply drew the winning lottery ticket and got the big brains and opposable thumbs, letting us lead the way using science.
Half the Trauma is Still Trauma
Terrible parents tell their kids — and themselves — any story to try to justify their horrible parenting skills. Abuse is abuse. Why even do this to your children if you know what the experience was like?
If you know you’re traumatizing your children, even if it’s “not as bad” as your parents treated you, it’s still trauma.
What makes it worse is that these parents know that their behavior is traumatic and yet they continue to inflict it upon their children, expecting gratefulness in return. There’s not an acceptable reason to continue abusive behavior.
Hitting Still Hurts
It’s a hot topic, but most people will agree that spanking children is too close to abuse. The fine line between spanking and hitting is just too fine. And, considering there are other options to teach a child right from wrong, there’s really no need to spank.
What it certainly teaches is that a parent should be feared rather than respected. It also shows the (wrong) lesson that violence is a solution to bad behavior. Spanking might be the way some people raise their children, but the reasons they use aren’t always the right reasons.
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