Parents face a laundry list of struggles daily. For Marion, the biggest hurdle is finding a way to include her children in her plans.

"My time is now a more precious resource, and for me to do anything without my children in tow is a major organisational feat," she told Bored Panda. "And that every conversation with me, as a parent, is through a lens of how something affects Me AND my children. They are the centre of my universe. Not me."

People have their reasons for choosing to become parents. For Marion, it's more about the journey to personal growth.

"Parenting for me has been an internal journey as much as external. It's a chance to forgive myself, learn about self-compassion, and continuously improve."

Anna, a mother of two, had an "easy" time with her firstborn, Brynn. However, she had the opposite experience with her second daughter, Sophie, whom she described as "a good baby until she wasn't." 

When dealing with Sophie, Anna admits to being more lax to avoid meltdowns. But ultimately, she chooses to rely on common sense. 

"Everything I've read says I should be patient and consistent," she told Parents.com. "But patience and consistency are two things you have the least of when your child constantly pushes your buttons."

Other parents find workarounds through compromise. Rachel is a mother of two whose ten-year-old son had been diagnosed with ADHD and autism. She ran into trouble once when her child reluctantly signed up for a recorder concert. 

Rachel did get her son to push through with the performance but agreed to have him wear a soft polo instead of a button-down dress shirt. 

"I had to balance how much to push him with how much he was struggling and whether it was because of his diagnosis or just defiance," she said.

Jen is in a bind with her youngest daughter, Emma, whose fidgety behavior has caused problems within the family. But the mother of five girls also found the upsides to help her deal with the situation better. 

"For instance, we have her sit at the end of the table at a restaurant because we know she's going to want to pop up to go to the bathroom. Plus, we all find value in it: She's also happy to jump up to get more crayons or napkins or an extra menu."

In some cases, children act up with only one parent. Writer Pamela Brill experienced this with her daughter, who is much more relaxed when with her father. 

Brill initially thought she was the problem. However, according to UCLA child development specialist Karen Dudley, the child is more fussy with her mother because she feels most secure around her. 

"The primary caregiver is generally the person with whom a child feels most comfortable expressing his strong feelings," Dudley told Brill in an interview.

Dudley explained that a child's misbehavior could also result from their brain's rapid development. 

"A toddler's memory is improving, so he will remember what he wants more often," she said, adding that young children at this stage are still learning about developing relationships with other people and how far they can test certain limits.

When a child begins to push those boundaries, Dudley advises against constantly giving in. However, she also stressed the importance of giving notice of the sudden shift in dynamics. 

"Every moment of play is your child's work, so you need to give her forewarning of change."

If you struggle with your parenting journey, Marion has some important advice: "Don't underestimate the power of resting." It also helps to ask for assistance when needed.

"The mess will always be there. If people judge you for the pile of dirty dishes and unwashed laundry, then they aren't your people," she said.

"Also, if visitors come by to see the baby, ask them to do some errand or small house task that you won't have the energy for as well. This used to be the way a village worked and is the way humans evolved.

"Our modern societal expectations of everything looking perfect and a mother doing all the things is evolutionarily unsustainable."