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Hugs, giggles, and their first I-love-yous, whopping bills, tantrums, and a constant state of worry – parenthood is a rocky journey that will reward you one day and make you contemplate your choices the next. 

It’s a common occurrence to feel exhausted and burnt out; at the end of the day, it’s not your usual 9 to 5 where you eagerly await tapping out on a lovely Friday evening, knowing that you’ve got a couple of days to spend in your own company. 

Caring for a child can suck the life out of you, especially given how the modern world expects you to juggle a million things at a time. It’s a demanding job that needs your complete dedication; however, it’s crucial to realize that everyone feels the weight of parenthood at some point or another, so don’t beat yourself up over it, and get ready to have a little fun with these parenting memes. 

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It goes without saying that becoming a parent is a tremendously difficult experience.

You may compare it to sailing into a storm on a shaky ship, or riding a rollercoaster – you know, bumpy and filled with twisty paths.

Now, of course, it’s also a very rewarding thing, but in addition to the deepest sentiments of love and joy, being a parent may cause you to feel the most worry, stress, frustration, wrath, and hatred you have ever felt in a relationship with another person.

But what’s a better way to remind yourself that you’re not alone than to look at some memes? Average Parent Problems is an Instagram page that dedicates its postings to, well, parenting and its universally experienced problems. The page currently has over 458K followers and is run by an influencer called Ilana Wiles.

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Let’s learn a little more about the creator of the page! Ilana describes herself in the following manner on her blog, Mommy Shorts: “I’m a working mom from NYC who writes a blog instead of sleeping. I have two daughters. Harlow is seven years old and Mazzy is ten. If you think you have more adorable children, Mazzy and Harlow will challenge your children to a cuteness contest. Where everyone will automatically tie. Because pitting our kids against each other is totally NOT COOL. (Although I do it all the time.)”

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The blogger then added: “I worked as a creative director in advertising for over 15 years before I quit to focus on Mommy Shorts full-time in November 2013. Using this blog to earn a living is more work than I ever imagined but nothing beats the flexibility of running your own business when you have kids.”

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Chris Hooley
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Got my first mobile (cell phone,) in about 1995/6. We could text, but it was multi-tap. (What's that? Ask your parents.)

RafCo (he/him)
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

SMS protocol was created in 1984, but didn't became available in Europe until 1993. By 1997 it was pretty standard for plans in Europe to treat SMS messaging as a low cost alternative to phone calls. In the US however, SMS messaging was charged at higher rates than phone minutes until around 2005-2010. This meant that this joke works really well in the US, but less well in Europe. I started a company in the US built around SMS messaging in 1997. At the time, everybody in Europe was using texting in place of phone calls, as it was much cheaper for the phone companies, and so they offered better rates. We built a marketing company that would allow customers to register for SMS based coupons or SMS exclusive deals for sports tickets. Unfortunately, we were about 10 years too early for the US market, and the company failed. It's not worth getting 10% off your Pizza Hut pizza if you have to pay $1 for the coupon to be delivered to you. I built the whole system in PERL.

Trophy Husband
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We could text, it was just called a pager and we only had 10 characters. Then you had to memorize a hundred codes to figure out the message. Way more fun than what they get today.

Liz Rogers
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And here I am thinking the 90's wasn't THAT long ago. My youngest (18) likes to tell me half her siblings were born in the 19 hundreds 😆.

Rita Rose
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's funny!!!... I'm pretty sure the first text was sent in 1992!! Though very rare and expensive

Phil Amylon
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Posting a joke thats at least 5 years old as if your kid said it is a thing, I guess.

Duncan
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Uh sms text by phone was invented in 1984. So we could text back then. You probably forgot.

Mary Peace
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not that it wasn't POSSIBLE, just that it wasn't done very much. I remember that I wasn't doing it, because I didn't even have a mobile phone!

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Data from a 2020 poll by diaper-rash firm Boudreaux’s Butt Paste shows that just 12% of parents feel ready when they have their first kid, and most of you would probably agree that such a figure isn’t particularly shocking.

The idea that people can only be ready for children after checking off certain items on a checklist has been floating about for a very long time. And while it’s unquestionably true that having a degree and a stable and well-paying career, being in a secure relationship, and owning a home will allow you to handle parenthood better, there’s one aspect of this notion that is a little faulty: you will never truly be “ready” to have kids.

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It's sort of similar to how you’re already considered an adult, but despite that, no matter how many birthdays pass, you simply never feel like one.

Time will tick, and chances are that you won’t ever wake up and suddenly feel like you’re finally in the right position to tackle parenthood. 

For instance, most individuals choose to delay having children until they are financially stable – however, let’s face it, there’s no such thing as “enough money,” unless you’re one of the Kardashians of course. Now, this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t get prepared at all; it just means that there isn’t a clear checkpoint for that.

You can never know enough, which is another important aspect to remember. Most people have no idea what they’re doing with their lives, let alone what they should be doing and/or how they should care for another human being.

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Headless Roach
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Be careful where you keep the stash though, Easter bunny search reveals all your secrets

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We’re all learning as we go, and let’s not forget that every child is unique, so you won’t be able to find a manual that will provide you with all the advice you need to make the process smooth and easy. Do whatever you see fit, read as many guides as you want, and take however much time you need – but do it with confidence and don’t compare yourself to others.

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kitten levels tokyo
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes, I can tell them apart. How? I’m their mom… (One twin has a giant magic marker “X” on their chest…)

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Bored Panda hopes that you’ve enjoyed this humorous yet very relatable ensemble of parenthood memes! Give Ilana a follow and don’t forget to let us know which post resonated with you the most.

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Pedantic Panda
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Spend months teaching them to walk and talk, then years telling them to sit down and be quiet.

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Cassandra Wee
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My parents keeps my daughters artwork from aged 6months old to this day when she is now 8! 😑

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kitten levels tokyo
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

For people with no kids the most relaxing thing in the world is to watch parents run around like crazy people.

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*Displayname*=idk
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Same with siblings. When my siblings went to bed it was game time. You get to eat all the snacks they want to eat just because you could.

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*Displayname*=idk
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I never understood much about boy bands, or why people obsess over them. Like, they are just people who sing songs with their bros..?

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*Displayname*=idk
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2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My mom told us we were not allowed to play that anymore. (cause we were too "loud") EDIT: Why are people being so mean about my grammar. Grammar is not my strong suit, so why judge me? I say the word "cause", because I was raised with that word. I see nothing wrong. And what good does being mean do? And just know that some people don't take bullying well. I have been bullied practically my whole life, and I will not let it continue. It helps nobody. Also @gas station cola, if you are so concerned about grammar why don't you become a grammar teacher, maybe fix your first letters of your username to a capital letters.

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