Parenting is like trying to nail Jell-o to a wall–just when you think you’ve got it, something changes. The online platform Grown and Flown understands this all too well. With relatable posts, expert advice, and practical tips, it offers help on parenting tweens, teens, college students, and young adults. But we couldn’t possibly cover all that it offers, so we’ll focus here on the humorous insights it shares on its Instagram account. The content hilariously captures the chaos, triumphs, and surprises of raising older kids, blending humor with wisdom that provides a reason to laugh. Or a few!
More info: https://grownandflown.com | Facebook | Instagram | X
This post may include affiliate links.
Despite all the struggles mentioned in the pictures, the vast majority of parents say their role is enjoyable most (58%)–or all (25%)–of the time, according to Pew Research Center findings from 2022.
Similarly, parents feel that raising kids is also rewarding most (44%)–or all (36%)–of the time.
Mothers and fathers are pretty much equally likely to say that being a parent is enjoyable and rewarding, but a larger share of mothers than fathers say parenting is tiring (47% vs. 34%) and stressful (33% vs. 24%), at least most of the time.
Grown and Flown was created by moms, wives, and friends Mary Dell Harrington and Lisa Endlich Heffernan.
Everything began while they were working alternate Tuesday mornings at their children’s school. After Mary Dell made the coffee and Lisa poured it, they bonded over the changes happening in their lives as their eldest sons were "on the threshold of walking out of [their] thresholds."
Now, they cover a wide range of issues related to parenting teens and college students, such as high school, college admissions, and lessons learned from other parents and grandparents.
Baby was 17. In the 60s, that was still considered a minor. So, technically, Johnny could've been ARRESTED.
The two collaborators also published the book Grown and Flown: How to Support Your Teen, Stay Close as a Family, and Raise Independent Adults.
Mary Dell and Lisa jokingly said they speak in hushed tones when writing about their kids because, one day, they might retaliate by creating a website of their own.
According to a recent survey conducted by the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, 66% of moms and dads feel the demands of parenthood sometimes, or frequently, leave them feeling isolated and lonely, while nearly 40% felt as though they have no one to support them in their parenting role.
"Loneliness has been shown to affect both your physical and mental health,” said Kate Gawlik, DNP, associate clinical professor at The Ohio State University College of Nursing, a researcher on parental burnout and the mother of four young children. “So anything from cardiovascular disease to depression, anxiety, cognitive decline, even your immune system can be affected when you're lonely."
These humorous posts might not solve all your problems, but if they can help you connect with others and lighten the load, even just a little, then they’re definitely worth it.
Forcing people to watch baseball is against the Geneva convention.
My cousin and I came straight home after a concert when I was only 19 or 20, she was 21. Her mom asked why we were home so early and not at the bars and why I hadn’t found a fake ID by then 😂 Damn we were good kids. And this was after seeing Motörhead, Primus, Metallica, Cheap Trick, Eddie Money…ya know, all the crazy ones.
Yesterday my daughter told I have double chin, and the way my second chin hang is hilarious
My sister and I learnt very quickly not to say we were bored in my parents earshot.
I read the first tomato "to-mah-to" so it was very confusing... had to go back and re-read it as "to-may-to" and then it all made sense :)
My daughter teaches college classes. She’s always saying this. If half the class shows up, she considers herself lucky.
I read the book before I saw the movie when I was about 10 years old. I’ve seen the movie at least 50 times. My husband bought me the book for my 50th birthday. I still haven’t reread it because I would like to go back into the ocean one day.
Careful, you could be charged with money laundering... i'll see myself out :)
One thing I find irritating about my dad is when there's something wrong with my clothes, he asks it as a question (e.g. "Is your shoe untied?") even when he knows it's true, so I just automatically assume the answer is no until proven otherwise.
My middle child, older daughter, didn't talk til she was past two. She would yell for whatever she wanted. ( Had two older step kids). I finally put my foot down and told everyone, if she wants something let her ask. First mistake. Once she started talking, she never quit. She would have entire conversations with herself because everyone else tuned her out. Cue about 16 years later and we talked her into taking her nieces home, about a twenty minute drive. She got back and said "Megan didn't stop talking the whole way," Megan was also the middle child. My husband and I looked at each other and just laughed.
My son has recently got into Harry Potter, during the week he came up with his own slightly tweaked names of the books, so we have: 1) The Stone of Philosophy 2) The Secret Chamber 3) The Azkaban Prisoner 4) The Fire Goblet 5) The Phoenix Order 6) The Prince of The Half Bloods 7) The Hallows That Are Deathly.
No posts talking about family-specific language? Wild. After lockdown, my family practically came up with our own version of English. (Lots of weird words/phrases that don't make sense to anyone outside our house. 'No thoughts, only yoats' - I have no useful comments/opinions to add. 'Goop the cat' - Give Glory her meds. Just a few things I could think of off the top of my head!)
my father is the only person in the world I've ever heard say "get off it" to mean "shut up"
Load More Replies...A kids take on the world has always been so different than that of their parents, But there again, so was their take on the world at that age as well.
My middle child, older daughter, didn't talk til she was past two. She would yell for whatever she wanted. ( Had two older step kids). I finally put my foot down and told everyone, if she wants something let her ask. First mistake. Once she started talking, she never quit. She would have entire conversations with herself because everyone else tuned her out. Cue about 16 years later and we talked her into taking her nieces home, about a twenty minute drive. She got back and said "Megan didn't stop talking the whole way," Megan was also the middle child. My husband and I looked at each other and just laughed.
My son has recently got into Harry Potter, during the week he came up with his own slightly tweaked names of the books, so we have: 1) The Stone of Philosophy 2) The Secret Chamber 3) The Azkaban Prisoner 4) The Fire Goblet 5) The Phoenix Order 6) The Prince of The Half Bloods 7) The Hallows That Are Deathly.
No posts talking about family-specific language? Wild. After lockdown, my family practically came up with our own version of English. (Lots of weird words/phrases that don't make sense to anyone outside our house. 'No thoughts, only yoats' - I have no useful comments/opinions to add. 'Goop the cat' - Give Glory her meds. Just a few things I could think of off the top of my head!)
my father is the only person in the world I've ever heard say "get off it" to mean "shut up"
Load More Replies...A kids take on the world has always been so different than that of their parents, But there again, so was their take on the world at that age as well.