You’ve probably heard your parents jokingly remind you how challenging it was to raise you. And now, if you’re a parent yourself, you truly understand their struggle. If you’re not quite there yet, don’t worry—there’s plenty of content online to give you a taste of the chaos and humor of parenting. Some of this content is downright hilarious and incredibly relatable. Take, for example, the Instagram page pregnantchicken, which is famous for its funny memes about pregnancy and the rollercoaster of new parenthood. So, sit back, take a break from the chaos, and prepare to laugh—or maybe sympathize—with these spot-on parenting moments.
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And the dad too. In what kind of 50s universe do y'all live where only the mom is sleep deprived and had 12 hard months and not also the dad?
I have been saying (yelling?) this for years. (Snarky nay-sayer)“Oh, the baby doesn’t even know it’s their birthday - it’s just for the parent…whinge whinge sneer”. F*****g YES IT IS! You survived four first year of parenting that kid - congratulations! You celebrated the s**t out of it!!!! Whenever I am at a kids’ birthday I always offer the parents a “Happy mum/dad-iversary”
Actually, add on the actual pregnancy as well and we're talking 21 months of sleep deprivation and living under a dictatorship.
When our first child turned one we had a massive bash to celebrate the fact that we'd made it through a whole year of being parents. Oh yeah and our daughter was there too lol
To be fair, a party for a 1-year-old is stone simple. Put kiddo in the high chair, sing the song, and let him face-plant into a little piece of cake!
That's why there's a Mother's Day every year, along with International Women's Day, Woman's History Month, etc.
Then again, a one-year old doesn't know what's going on, so why waste it on them?
Load More Replies...Agree fully. You have kids together. Take care of them together. It´s normal that when my wife is out house I continue to take care of them.
When people have a new baby, watch how many people ask the woman “who’s looking after the baby?” when she goes back to work, vs how many ask the man that question.
The kids usually aren't crazy about, though. He doesn't do it like mom does!
Hmmm…your experience with fathers is different to mine.
Load More Replies...Aubergine:the large plant of the nightshade family that bears eggplants. Also, typing "aubergine" gives an eggplant emoji as a suggestion on my phones keyboard. Hmmm.
In the UK we call eggplants "aubergines" that's why the eggplant emoji comes up.
Load More Replies...While many of us might have pulled all-nighters in college or at work, the sleep deprivation that comes with a newborn is a whole new ballgame.
Those sleepless nights hit differently when you’re soothing a tiny human who just can’t settle down because their sock fell off or they’re suddenly hungry again.
My kids were all great at 2-3. I think sass peaks around 10, though, and so far one adolescence was ... not great.
Imagine the light at the end of the tunnel, where you've lived through all of that (you can do it!) and can sleep in whenever you want because your kids are grown and have their kids to live though. You can eat cake or ice cream for breakfast, stay in your pajamas, just be lazy--because you made it to retirement! Enjoy those grandkids, because you really can send them home and not have to deal with the day-to-day c**p because you're not the parent--you're the GRANDparent and that is carte blanche to spoil them & let them get away with minor stuff because we are technically SUPPOSED to! (yes, i'm enjoying my retirement exactly like this & just had a great day with some of mine!)
In general, toddlers don't make sense because we insist on thinking of them as little humans. They're not. They may be people, but they're not humans as we think of humans (meaning adults"). Their brains work in such different ways than those of adults, they live in a very different world than adults, both physically and emotionally, and they are often trying to fit basic logic in a world that doesn't work by basic logic or had logic based an axioms that the toddler does not know.
well, when you put it that way, it does make me look at it in a different way. don't know if i'll be able to check a crying grandkid's diaper now without lol'ing though
As a new parent, you quickly take on a new full-time job: diaper duty. And it’s not always straightforward.
Whether it’s a diaper blowout at the most inconvenient moment or realizing you’re down to your last wipe, every day brings a new challenge.
You should be. Babies are great, but terrible bosses. Offer zero PTO days.
And you're expected to be on call 24 hours a day. I think I should go to HR.
Load More Replies...i would say that men couldn't do it, but there are PLENTY of them that have had to--we ALL rock! keep doing the damn thing, you got this
I have the same question about older kids. It's hard to get through a day of teaching without asking this at least once!
Toddlers are fine for the most part. It's when they get old enough to talk back...
It's like having a very short drunk in the house, bumping into things and spoiling for a fight
You sound like someone who has had to say "put your shoes on" more than you would have liked in one sitting 😁
Load More Replies...Get up that early noon is another planet away. Must be noon now? Nope it's 8.
And then there’s the crying. Decoding why your baby is upset feels like solving a mystery with no clues. Are they tired? Hungry? Overstimulated? Or just bored?
You’ll run through every possibility, only to sometimes find that they just want to be held while you sway endlessly. By the end of the day, you might be crying along with them—and that’s okay too.
My daughter was 10#14oz I would not have been happy if someone held her by her feet for a photo
Where did the "I'm bored" thing start? If I told my parents I was bored, I'd have a roster of chores tossed in my lap. Born in 1964 here
I really don’t get being bored, I always found something to do. Do some kids have no phantasy at all?
I remember "building" a boat out of a piece of my dad's scrap wood once. I hammered a nail into it and tied a string to the nail. I then dragged the "boat" all around the backyard, while imagining an entire crew (of tiny animals) crewing the boat and the adventures they had. It was literally just a dirty piece of 2x4 lumber with a bent nail and a string. XD But in my mind, it was the glorious ship called "The Golden Crusader".
Load More Replies...Teacher for almost 30 years. I told my kids (including my own) there's no such thing as a boring time, only boring people.
I constantly told my children when going through that stage, "There is no such thing as a boring place, only boring people. If you're bored, do something."
I had covid during my second C-section. The coughing was frickin dreadful. They had literally just cut through 7 layers of my body after a gruelling pregnancy. I was sent home after 1 night in hospital so I could quarantine at home. My marriage was in a desperate state and I was cut off from my siblings (another country). My sister was in hospital with covid and my FIL died. It is a miracle that we all came through it as well as we did.
sneezing after surgery is a newfound level of pain. don't ask me how I know
You're cut open, and your body had to heal like seven layers of flesh. If you sneeze/laugh you risk getting your insides thrown out through the wound
Load More Replies...Feeding a newborn is its own adventure. From struggles with latching to mastering the perfect bottle angle, it’s a learning curve like no other. And the spit-ups? Let’s just say you’ll have to develop a special skill for dodging them.
It's surprising how fast people forget what their kids were like growing up. We repress all that trauma and imagine everything went swimmingly. Same with the previous generation. My mother-in-law, couldn't understand why my sons argued. Her sons got along perfectly when they were children. But my husband remembered fighting with his brother all the time. They still do, so I believe him, not her.
Took them outside tied them to a tree the other side of town maybe, or they could just be lying gits
I never judged them before I had kids. I judged the really evil ones after I had kids and found out that kids could be well behaved. Sure they might fuss and cry a little, but that never annoyed me. The ones who treated restaurants as playgrounds did
Absolutely. We took our kid to all sorts of restaurants. However A, we brought activities, B, we asked to be seated close to the door or close to the kitchen, C, we brought food that we knew the kid would eat if we couldn't find something for them on the menu, and D, we never allowed them to run freely through the restaurant. If they were done and could not sit any more, we found somewhere to occupy them that didn't bother anybody, or we asked for the check, boxes for the leftovers and one parent took the kid outside while the other paid (and gave a great tip). Finally - don't take a kid to a restaurant during nap time, after their bedtime, or if they are cranky.
Load More Replies...Well, unless they're neurodivergent it's not a "meltdown". It's a tantrum. And yes, all kids have those on occasion. It's not about the child's behaviour, so much as the parents' response. If my kid starts behaving in a way that distresses others in a restaurant, we go out to the car. We talk (or don't) and wait until the crisis feeling has passed and then figure out how to do better and go back inside. If it happens again, obviously the child is not in the right place to enjoy a restaurant meal, so we pack up the food and take the brood home. It's not rocket science.
Load More Replies...I took the whole family out for breakfast day after Christmas. Including a 2 1/2, and two 1 year old great grandsons. I immediately apologized to the surrounding tables, gave them all a Xanax, and everything was fine!
Nah, the lack of making your own choices made it horrible for me, there are many things about being an adult that I hate, but the fact that I get to decide everything totally makes up for that. By the way, you can eat dino nuggets and wear footed fleece pajamas as an adult if you like.
Yes! I bought myself a bag of those frozen smiley-face potato round thingies at the grocery store the other day. I still love them. I think next time I get groceries, I will look for dino nuggets :)
Load More Replies...I had the same thought. A pity that we, when young, do not see and feel how good we have it.
Then there’s the laundry. You’ll discover that babies can go through more outfit changes in a single day than a runway model. Between their clothes, burp cloths, and your own spit-up-stained wardrobe, the washing machine becomes your most-used appliance.
It's from a lovely little book called "Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing" and all the pics are like this -- well done and hilarious.
Load More Replies...LOL always loved this one 😂 so true (even though I don't have kids of my own)
She's a twin. And she only has one neurone, which she shares with her brother.
Load More Replies...Your kid had better not invite Bethany's kid to its own party, because revenge is a dish best served cold.
I hope they got her a finger painting kit
Load More Replies...Do not invite that child to your kid's BD party. Karma can be a b***h.
Then, as if parenting wasn’t challenging enough, the unsolicited advice rolls in. Everyone—from strangers in line to your distant relatives—suddenly becomes an expert on how to raise your child.
“You’re spoiling them by holding them too much,” or, “Back in my day, we didn’t even have car seats,” they’ll say. It’s best to smile, nod, and remember: you’re doing just fine.
OMG my parents did this but it was for not cleaning my room! (ADHD and craft supplies do not mix well with six year olds who are too busy reading to clean) but i was a little space nerd (still am) and they said that that since his room was so messy he got sucked into a vortex! When i asked how that worked they said it was like black holes, it got too much mass! Anyway i think his name was Simon
Mom: "You older brother didn't listen, and look what happened to him." Child: "What older brother?" Mom: "Precisely."
This doesn't stop at toddlers. I'm pretty sure my sister got upset about this well into her teen years...
"What does THIS button do?" with the energy and eagerness of a golden retreiver that's spotted a tennis ball.
Load More Replies...I work with adults who always want to push buttons, even if they're not sure what it does or if it is time to push the button.
When I was small, my dad made a board for me that had all sorts of things attached…switch for on/off, doorbell that only made a quiet edit. I’m also adhd. ding, dial to turn that slowly ticked down, string to pull through a bar; that kind of thing. Kept me busy for hours and was reasonably quiet. Best thing ever.
Load More Replies...From Tiny Toons : Toddler/ Baby Plucky " I push the button ! " " Elelator go down the hole " ...
And I didn't realize how much I loved doing stuff until my kids decided that they would rather sit and do nothing.
One of the greatest challenges? Getting your baby to sleep—and sneaking out of the room afterward. It’s an art form. You tiptoe like a ninja, holding your breath and avoiding the squeaky floorboard. But if they wake up? Well, it’s back to square one.
When my son came out, he looked exactly like his paternal grandfather. I birthed a tiny japanese salaryman
Somehow my two children looked alike, have two different dads, and look nothing like me.
My mom had that happen with my brother and I. Male nor female, neither look like her or our dads
Load More Replies...Yet amidst all the chaos, there are those magical moments that make it all worth it. The first time they grip your finger, their sleepy smile, or that adorable laugh—it’s enough to make you forget about the sleepless nights and endless laundry.
These little wins remind you that while parenting isn’t always easy, it’s full of love and memories you wouldn’t trade for the world.
Yes! I've never understood gender reveal parties. What a waste of resources. And not to be morbid, but what if the child is stillborn? How would they cope with that? Thankfully, I grew up where the 'gender reveal' party wasn't a thing (1950s)
Load More Replies...That was our "gender reveal". Then we told our parents and siblings, and that was it. Also, Jewish tradition considers it bad luck to do anything celebratory for a baby until it's born. In general it isn't encouraged to think about a fetus as a child. In fact, the name is not revealed to anybody but perhaps the grandparents until the birth, or, among orthodox Jews, in synagogue on the Saturday after the birth for girls, or at the circumcision for boys.
i went into the obgyn when i got pregnant with my oldest. i thought i was 2 months along - i had 2-3 blood pregnancy test and an xray and multiple urine test all negative. the obgyn did a sonogram to check the baby then said and i quote' you are not 2 months along its a girl......'
Granddaughter's gender reveal was the day she was born. Why do we need to know ahead of time?
During the ultrasound the doctor asked if we wanted to know the gender or if we wanted to be surprised and we said if tell us now it will still be a surprise!
My kids: "Mom, Mom, can I? Mom, Mom, Mom! I want ...Mom, Mom, Mom, look at this! MOM"! While Dad is two feet away.
For me it was actually the opposite, but now I see that was weird
Load More Replies...when we ask my dad for something he says go ask your mother. its because she gets mad at him if he says yes.
I tried that and it was proof I was crazy. I went and asked dad because he was right there. He would tell me IDK go ask mom. Then I find mom and ask her and she would ask why didn't I ask dad and I would explain I did but he said go ask you.
As these posts show, parenting is a wild mix of messy, funny, and heartwarming moments all rolled into one unforgettable journey.
So, what’s the funniest or most surprising moment you’ve experienced as a new parent? Share your stories in the comments—we’d love to hear them!
I used to walk my toddler to the park daily to tire her out and then someone told me I was just building her endurance while I run out my own batteries.
Yep, all you are doing is making them fitter for the next time
Load More Replies...I'll be honest, having a young Belgian Malinois dog is similar to this. Except he eats everything, including random stuff on the ground XD And I can expect to see it in his poop the next day...
Lol same with my golden retriever, who wants me to throw the ball for him 24/7 😂
Load More Replies...Raised my daughter to be strong and independent, and so she moved out of the country right after college. Proud of her? YES! Miss her like crazy? Also YES!
I have one of these. She's my rock star! I don't get to see her often anymore and I miss having her around. But she's a triple threat and making an awesome life for herself.
It was the opposite with my sister- she found most new things 'spicy' including the chicken nuggets from one fast food place but not the other (in that case it might have had pepper?). Mind you, mum has always had a hard time when we don't like something she does. I have a taste/smell aversion to mangoes because she made me drink a mango smoothie, even though I didn't like mango, and I threw up. Now even the smell at the shops makes me gag.
Why do parents make kids eat things they don’t like?? And I’m not talking about letting them just have candy and dino nuggets or something. If the kid eats a wide variety of healthy foods, why force them to eat a particular food they hate?
Load More Replies...With some kids 'it's soicy' won't deter them. 'It has alcohol in it' works better
Nope. Put glass of rose on top shelf. 4YO comes to me telling me how much she likes lemonade. Turns out she dragged over the table, put a chair on that, a stool on the chair, and then climbed up to share the 'lemonade' with her 2YO sister🫣
Load More Replies...we always had to try things - 3 bites was the rule. didn't like? don't have to finish it. I'm sure we tried some things over and over. we either started liking them or not. but we all had 3 foods we never had to eat - mine were liver, onions and sweet potatoes. love sweet potatoes now, only eat raw onions (but I cook with them). STILL hate liver and any kind of organ meat
Yeah what is it with these Oreo milkshakes and kids? Do they put some kind of addictive d***s in them?
This picture is missing the bike/truck/scooter/toy lawn mower that you also need to carry home. Because the kid insisted on bringing it with them and promised they would ride it home.
I heard someone say that we should stop using the word awesome for things kids do, because it might give them unrealistic expectations of their worth or something. But I do think it's awesome if a child actually washes their hands or ties their own shoelaces.
If you were the right age at the right time, “awesome” is permanently baked into your vocabulary.
Load More Replies...It was good when my nephews were little (4+), they could go in and play Lego etc for at least an hour before my step sister woke up.
I was a young mother, just 19, but decided right then and there if he could crawl from the bedroom to the living room dragging his toys, then he could drag them back at the end of the day. I never had to pick up after that boy - all his life he took care of this things. It's what I taught him!!!!!!!!
I used washi tape and made a line on the floor in the hallway.. bedroom and playroom toys stay one side of the line and lounge room toys stay on the other side.. it worked while they were toddlers 🥹😂
And you haven't had a chance to notice it, hence no chance to buy new, I got it.
Wtf, can only be 'murica where new mothers are kicked out so soon after giving birth I hope, oh and other underdeveloped countries as well I guess..
It's our health insurance plans that don't want to pay for 1 min longer than necessary
Load More Replies...Can it be ok to not "have this" though... why can't we just offer moms/new parents more help instead of just telling them "you got this"? It feels less like encouragement and more like a backhanded "you're on your own, don't expect me to care about your struggles."
The back sign: automat rewards w bby fill-u. uies S on uhul iou pot in this. Can anyone actually read this?
Automated rewards with every fill up. Saves 5 on what you put in this.
Load More Replies...Nah that's just Pete Davidson. He always looks like that for some reason.
Load More Replies...I'll be honest, bedtime stories were one of my favorite things to do with my son. All was quiet, both snuggled up together, and we'd enjoy a couple of stories, where I'd do different voices for each character. Parenting can be really hard sometimes, but my advice is to really hang on to those good moments. Because they *will* pass, along with the tough times, and then you find you're watching your 20 year old son walk out the door to live his life. It's how it's supposed to work, of course, I know it is. Just feeling a bit sentimental today, don't mind me!
Never had bedtime stories. Just “be quiet and go to sleep!”
Load More Replies...Mine always had a finger or up to a whole hand in her mouth the moment we want to take a picture lol
Ooooooooooh I learned never ever offer a "bribe" to my child. I never said to any one of my six children, "If you (fill in the blank), I will give you (fill in the blank)." If bargaining is introduced, it rapidly descends into some kind of bidding war.!! Trying to outbid ONE kid is a headache. Trying to outbid SIX kids is a.nigjtmare!!. I never.began the process.
You know if a friend of mine said that, I probably would. Just for fun.
Oh god same, especially if the mother was at the shower and we focused on them 😂😂
Load More Replies...I was "slower than a snail with arthur-itis."
Load More Replies...I just think oversized bows are cute. I couldn’t care less if it was on a boy or girl 😂
It's crazy how important we think it is that everyone knows a baby's gender. It doesn't matter at all, because you have no idea yet whether a kid will end up like "girly" things or "boyish" things, and have a "girly" or "boyish" personality, but somehow we cannot stand not knowing a baby's gender. People will even suggest undressing a stranger's baby to find out whether it's a boy or girl.
My mom was in the "EVERYONE needs to know my child is a girl!!!" camp. I was covered in bows, dressed only in dresses, etc. all the time. The only colors she dressed me in were pink, lavender, and light yellow. She named me "Crystal Joy". Then when I got old enough, I climbed trees, played in the mud, captured/dug up every insect I saw, and loved toy cars (and hated dolls.) Nowadays I wear men's Costco-brand cargo shorts and men's jeans and I keep my wallet on a chain clasped to my beltloops. She despairs of me daily. XD She's STILL mad that I didn't turn out "girly". I'll be 43 in February and she's still mad XD When I look back at my baby photos, I get the weirdest feeling - like "that's me, but that's not ME."
Load More Replies...It's pre-emptive revenge for all the mischief the kiddo will perpetrate when she's a toddler!
Once when I was a kid, my mum tried to get me to wash by singing a song from Blue's Clues, and I sassed her with "That's TV, not real life!"
i get out the trash bag and start putting toys into it while saying if you arent going to take care of your toys ill give them to someone who will. works on my oldest. my youngest is autistic he doesn't react, but he will start picking up toys when he sees me or his sister doing it.
The schools have consent forms for posting photos and it's done on private classroom groups. Get the stick out of your a**!
Load More Replies...I remember the agony. Was 9 months pregnant in July, and stuck my feet into ice baths as often as possible
July and August in Florida. No one was going to tell me I couldn’t wear those two light, comfortable sun dresses multiple times a week.
Load More Replies...I would pay a year of ra$berry money for my kids to tolerate some $0.99 veggies like cucumbers or carrots. I would come out so far ahead in that deal.
I sometimes think that the clearest evidence that I am some kind of mutated freak is the fact that I love veggies and prefer them raw XD Brussels sprouts, cucumbers, bell peppers, cauliflower, yes please. Even as a child I loved vegetables. Apparently I could be handed a carrot as a toddler and that would guarantee my parents 10 minutes of peace while I gnawed on it. When my mom would peel cucumbers for salads and go to throw the peel away, I demanded the peel because I wanted to eat it. From what I have heard of children, I cannot possibly be normal XD
Load More Replies...My sister's is the equally expensive (here in Australia) mango. For my brother, well I don't think there is any fruit he won't demolish as soon as soon as he sees it (goes for most veggies too).
Tuesday they love strawberries, so you buy strawberries. Then on Wednesday they hate strawberries and want grapes. So you buy grapes...At least it forces YOU to eat fruit.
Na- uh. Rhea was looking through the eyes of love.
Load More Replies...My daughter woke me up at 3am every night starting around 7 1/2 months pregnant. I had a premonition she would do it once she was born as well. I gave never wanted to be less psychic or “tuned in” than I was for that.
One of mine was born with long nails. In his newborn pics, his face looks all scratched up just from him scratching his own face.
It’s all the food! Idk how we all survived without pumpkin seeds and avocados and fresh raw fruits, veggies and nuts at least 3 times/day.
This is me, throwing my kid into the car seat to drive her around for an hour praying she goes to sleep then after 90 minutes in the car calling the husband to carry her upstairs and pray no one within a five mile vicinity so much as sneezed before we could get her inside in bed. It worked 25% of the time. Yes I’m aware I did it wrong. Doesn’t help knowing that.
Thos was my reality for like 6 months, you do whatever it takes!
Load More Replies...A friend of mine used to put her baby on the top of the washing machine. Got a load of clothes washed and the baby asleep. Was a win/win situation.
@MariyaNocas Jeez, that caught me off-guard. Since when is BP Tinder?
@MariyaNocas I know someone perfect for you! He's in supermax at Silverwater Gaol but when he gets out of solitary he may be up for parole. He loves taking care of women, loves them to pieces! Literally.
@MariyaNocas Jeez, that caught me off-guard. Since when is BP Tinder?
@MariyaNocas I know someone perfect for you! He's in supermax at Silverwater Gaol but when he gets out of solitary he may be up for parole. He loves taking care of women, loves them to pieces! Literally.
