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There are over a thousand books written on parenting, but nothing can prepare you for the real thing. Magical, exhilarating, confusing, and downright funny, kids always manage to surprise their parents who can just sit back and document their own feelings for posterity. 

Parents on Twitter share their hilarious, relatable, and wholesome thoughts and experiences about having kids. So get comfortable as you read through, upvote your favorites, and be sure to comment your own thoughts and stories below. We got in touch with educational psychologist, best-selling author, and TODAY show contributor Dr. Michele Borba to learn a bit more about raising a child. 

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Terran
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Just tell the kid you need to go to the doctor and probably wait there for hours.

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Bored Panda got in touch with educational psychologist, best-selling author, and TODAY show contributor Dr. Michele Borba to ask some questions about parenting, particularly with troubled children, and she was kind enough to answer our questions. Firstly, we wanted to know if there were cases where a child’s bad behavior was not a result of poor parenting. 

“Yes! Too many reasons for misbehavior: need for attention, boredom, fatigue, hunger, not sure of expectations/fear, or the environment doesn’t support the child,” she shared with Bored Panda.

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50 Honest And Unhinged Tweets From Parents Who’ve Seen It All (New Pics)

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Naturally, we wanted to hear her thoughts on what resources parents should look into if they are struggling with keeping their children in check. “We do know that parent training works, the caveats: the training needs. To understand child development the parent must be committed to learning and change. It is possible but it needs to be done in small nuggets with consistency.”

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“I love the parent training approach that teaches new behavior management in chinks like a tantrum and then discuss or try to apply that one strategy at home. and then go back to learn the next and next steps. Breaking change into smaller more manageable pieces and putting each step to practice is more likely to reap positive results.”

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Of course, there are, unfortunately, enough cases where the parents really are at fault, so we wanted to know what are some common mistakes new parents make when raising a child. “We forget to recognize how stress mirrors down to our children. We need to watch our own selves. Kids are copycats!” she shared. 

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James016
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sounds like my son. He reminded my wife that she promised to buy him a specific toy when she gets paid tomorrow. She promised him about 3 and a half weeks ago. Tomorrow they are going to buy this toy. Also he can never remember where he puts the thing he was just holding.

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“Too often we react, not respond, to a child’s misbehavior. Calm responses instead of reactive yelling get better results. I tell parents to watch for reoccurring problems. Or sometimes we are most likely to get upset and then plan OUR new response to our child’s misbehavior. It’s hard to think about calm responses in the heat of the moment.”

#17

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The Sassy Wife
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am soooo not looking forward to school traffic. Morning school traffic is the worst 🙄

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“We often don’t have a thought-out response to misbehavior that lets children know what we want them to do instead. So they continue with the same inappropriate behavior. We fail to pass on our new behavior plan on to others who care about your child or see them regularly. Grandparents, your parenting partner, the daycare workers, teachers, etc. if you all respond the same way to misbehavior the child is more likely to change their behavior. Consistency counts!”

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“We forget to reinforce the child’s good attempts. “Thanks for stopping to listen,” or “I appreciate how you picked up your toys.” We’re far more likely to point out what the child is doing wrong and forget to share what we appreciate. Kids act how they see themselves. We fail to Identify the misbehavior - the aggression, talking back, rudeness, etc.”

#22

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Tempest
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My uncle passed away when I was 4-5 years old and was buried in a cemetery that we had to pass by every time we traveled between my grandma’s house and ours. When driving past the cemetery my sister and I would roll down the car window and scream “Bye uncle *name*”. Looking back I don’t think we kids understood what a cemetery is.

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“Watch the pattern and track it without the child knowing you’re doing it. I always suggest parents put a calendar in front of them. Then mark the time and place the behavior occurs. And what is there? Kids don’t misbehave all the time. Tune in and you'll see a pattern that you may miss. Like: It’s every day at 3. Maybe the child missed the nap. Or it’s on Tuesday and Thursday when the new daycare worker is there.”

#27

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GrillMeASalmon
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We all have a nearby corner store with blue slurpees... we just need to find it.

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"Who does the child not misbehave with? Watch how the adult responds to the child and adopt that response. Make sure to teach a replacer behavior. Some kids get in the habit of misbehavior. And we assume they know what to do instead. Don’t assume. For instance, Instead of their rude response, stress “please” or “thank you.” But SHOW the new behavior in a calm moment, don’t lecture or tell it. Kids learn behaviors better by showing not telling them. And then practice practice practice until the child adopts the new behavior. Sometimes we try to teach too many new behaviors and it backfires."

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#28

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censorshipsucks
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I do this but leave out the insults. Just say "SOON YOU WILL BE DEFEATED!! MWUHAHAH"

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“If the misbehavior continues and you’re not seeing positive results, don’t wait! Seek the support of a professional in child development. And if the behavior continues every day for two weeks, spills over to other areas, or you are too concerned talk to a child psychologist or your pediatrician, don’t wait. We’re seeing an upsurge in depression and anxiety amongst even our youngest children. They won’t come and tell us they feel stress but act it out. Behavior can mean a cry for help.” Dr. Michele Borba is an educational psychologist and author of "Thrivers: The Surprising Reasons Why Some Kids Struggle and Others Shine."

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kansasmagic
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Actually, the first line should read: "5 yo: Mom. Mom. Mom! Mom! Watch this! Mama! Are you watching? MAMA!!! *Begins to cry* MAMA!!! LOOK AT ME!" Rest checks out.

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Pieter LeGrande
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Rest assured, people realise that a real kidnapper would be doing it in a hurry. So just slow down, relax, cry and yell out " I'm never having another child". No one will ever suspect you.

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Sum Guy
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The thing the West got wrong is having the tooth under the pillow. If you did what we do any put in in a shoe under the bed, then you'd be golden

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#48

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María Hermida
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Obvious! And you are very lucky, at least you belong to historical times. When my sister was four of five she told me mom she was lucky because she could see dinos in the zoo when she was a little girl.

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Donkey boi
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Goofy IS a dog. Yes he dated a cow, he also dated another dog, Glory-Bee, but so what? It just means he doesn't discriminate.

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#54

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Shark Lady
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My mother never ever saw beautiful friendship moments between my sister and I. My sister wanted nothing to do with me from the moment I was born and that's still the case 40+ years later.

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#56

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RabidChild
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My 8yo son turned up with about $200. When I asked him where he got it he said he found it. I asked where and he said in my & his grandma's purses. Little brat had been pocketing any loose $$ in our bags - $5, $10 the odd $20 - for months!! I had to explain how that was not covered under "Finders Keepers"

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Bobby
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I got fed up with my son cleaning his room way below my standard(is not high, he's just a slob). Getting upset wasn't good for anyone so I went in and cleaned his room. Then I took pictures. Now we have something concrete to communicate what I expect

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Pamela24
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

One of the coolest people on the internet! Pleasure to see you here, Hank!

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kansasmagic
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is my 5yo. Fortunately, when I ask if he needs any help, he says "No: only mama"!

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kansasmagic
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yep. After my last attempt at an awesome, fun-filled, family vacation, I'm giving up. Next summer it's Great Wolf Lodge (for the kids), and the closest bar (for me). Everyone wins!

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Bored&InSchool
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"watch this grass I planted grow! hey, stay watching at least until friday!!"

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Biofish23
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

For years my small children woke me at the crack of dawn daily. Now they are all old enough that they usually sleep in and if they don't can get their own cereal and quietly entertain themselves. It's wonderful. Except school is set up so that once the kids want to sleep in they have to be at school at 7:30 AM.

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Geoffrey Scott
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My wife, arguing with a 14 year old on room cleanliness. "Why are you arguing with a 14 year old?" Takes the clothes, place in a bag, toss them up in the garage loft. When asked where they are..."threw them out, you abandoned them"..return them in a month. Couple months later...repeat

#94

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TiNaBoNiNa
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You don't have to plan every detail. The best vacations is when you find something unexpectedly wonderful.

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Gourdeous
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Stopped sterilising anything the day my baby crawled into the patio and ate the snail my husband had just stood on. She did at least spit the hard shell bits out though.

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María Hermida
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Just as well he learnt "oh my god", instead of anything stronger. It could have been "for f**k's sake" and then you'd be in real trouble

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Duck
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Haha my dad and I are like this. There will be leftover takeout that I was gonna eat for breakfast and then he eats it before he goes to work in the morning lol

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#104

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Biofish23
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have a photo of my husband laying on the sofa with a potato next to him. It looks like some sort of deliberate joke about a couch potato, but no. Our toddler just really liked taking potatoes out of the pantry and leaving them random places.

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María Hermida
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It clearly not a stick but a piece of art. I've seen much uglier things in contemporary art museums and art galleries

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Belladonna.dreams
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Did you know you can watch the first 5 transformer movies in a day and start the first one over again before bed?

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LavenderHippoInAJar
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Apparently when I was very young my mom had to tell me not to lick eyeballs. IDK if I'm appalled or impressed by my toddler self...

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Geoffrey Scott
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Or...just as they are getting on the bus, me barefoot, sweats all pulled up over my pushed out gut..."Hey April,( she turns) have a great day!" Her head drops...I win!

#122

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