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Parents play a crucial role in their kid’s development, and while parents often deserve nothing but respect for all the love and selfless care they give to children, sometimes those who are supposed to be nurturing kids might in fact be hurting them.

As the basic needs for child development tend to be delineated as safety, structure, support, and love, there are plenty of intricacies and complex real-life situations where things may go the other way. Redditors referred to the latter answering one Redditor's question and listing red flags and areas that parents need to take seriously and work on primarily for the sake of their kid’s well-being, but also to grow as a person.

More info: Reddit

#1

31 Things Parents Do That Obviously Show They’re Not Doing A Great Job, As Shared Online Taking the Emotions of your child (first crushes, embarrassing moments that they talked with you about, are unsure about, worries they have, etc.) and using it at a family gathering to get a laugh out of everybody. Your child will be so embarrassed because of you and will not talk to you in the future

I‘m 30 and my mother still does this to me sometimes. The difference today is, i will talk back in front of the whole family and suddenly she is embarrassed

Helmane09 , August de Richelieu Report

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#2

31 Things Parents Do That Obviously Show They’re Not Doing A Great Job, As Shared Online parents who believe that their children “owe” them for providing basic care (food, shelter, clothes, etc…)

y2k420juicycouture , cottonbro studio Report

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

This I agree is wrong but I do think that once the kid has a full time job or gets last a certain age (18 maybe?) They should owe their parents money for rent etc if they continue to live in the house

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

Adult children... that's one thing. But when your kid is still a minor it is 100% YOUR JOB to provide for them and acting like they owe you for that makes you a s****y person

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LakotaWolf (she/her)
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My mom's really big on me "being grateful" that she adopted me. Uh? I was adopted at birth. I didn't have a say in any of it. (Not to mention she's been a toxic narcissist my entire life, so WHAT was it I should be grateful for again?) My older sister (who is my adoptive parents' bio child, btw) said before that I "owe" our mom for adopting me.

Stay Off My Lawn
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My mother used to always throw that card at me whenever I stood up to her disrespect. When I was in my 30s she threw that card one time too many and I broke it down for her. You received child benefit on my behalf and spent it on yourself. Whatever you think I owe you, you already took it.

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

We never even thought of making our kids pay rent. We supported them as long as they were studying, and let them stay free of charge, even when they had a job, until they could find an apartment. We just stopped giving them an allowance, as we did when they were studying.

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

Charging something could teach them budgeting, and if you don't need the money, you could put it in a savings account for them as a nest egg for when they move out. :)

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

As a SAHM, I often feel like that stuff is all I have to give my family and it crushes me when they act entitled to have me clean up after them, do their laundry, finish their one for etc. For the record I'm talking about my 19,18,&17 year old kids. I kinda feel like there should be more appreciation or at least help at this point, right??

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

Then don't do it. Let them run out of clean clothes and when they complain, tell them they need to do their own. They make a mess and won't clean it up after being asked? Take the mess and pile it on their beds. They won't wash dishes? Give them a stack of paper plates, utensils and tell them they can only use these unless they will wash dishes. They won't put away their shoes/bags/belongings? Put them in a trash bag and hide it in the garage. Once you stop enabling their behavior, they'll either learn to pull their weight or go without.

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QuinnIsBean (he/they)
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

nevermind the words (though I agree that these things are wrong) what the hell is happening in the image?

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

Lol, or maybe don't have kids if you're not willing to be responsible for their existence......... you all make me sick. This is why people should have to get a license to have a kid.

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

Yeah - try being CF. I am in my 50s and people keep asking me if I regret it yet. No - no I don't. Nothing except a coma would have made me give birth. My hysterectomy was the happiest day of my life.

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

When our adult kids were living with us (not in school), we charged them a nominal rent. We then gave the entire amount back to them when they moved out. It got them into the habit of budgeting and bill paying and then they used it as a security deposit.

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

Its like bro, you chose to have me and raise me, im your responsibility you ain't doing me a favour

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

I moved far away from my parents when I was 20 after working full time and attending community college. Years later, my mother said I was selfish because I wouldn't move back to live with her. She said I owed her. After she died, I found out that my parents "had" to get married; this was in the 1940s. Suddenly, everything became clear.

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

Orphanages also supply food, clothing and shelter and don't ask you to pay them back.

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

I read this differently to some of the comments. My mother would emotionally manipulate me as an adult into doing things which were harmful to me by saying "I fed you and clothed you"

I just work here
Community Member
10 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't think my kids (adults now) owe me, but I do think that family help each other and do things for each other from time to time. Further, I think it is our job as people on this planet to help out other people when we are able.

Michael Largey
Community Member
11 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My mother wisely told me "Don't expect gratitude from anyone. And that's not the point, anyway."

Cassidy
Community Member
12 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I agree to an extent. There are a lot of children who have inadequate necessities or sometimes none at all. If you provide your children exceptional food, shelter, clothes it's beneficial for them to see and understand their privilege. My stepkids have all the resources in the world and once they started understanding not all kids are as lucky as them they started taking care of their things and their house without us asking them to. It made them less selfish and more well rounded.

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

These are the same people who think they deserve credit for every breath they take. I'm sure they think they are owed something for not committing murder

J J
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Maybe not owe them for your past but you will always owe them for the possibilities of your future.

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

Despite their complete emotional.dysfunction they are patting themselves on the back for a job well done because we could receive mail in a letter box and didn't die by freezing or starvation

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

And that's one reason why I won't even attend my mother's funeral.

Danish Susanne
Community Member
11 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Maybe you should after all, to make sure, that she really is dead. Sometimes that helps on old traumas.

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#3

31 Things Parents Do That Obviously Show They’re Not Doing A Great Job, As Shared Online Parents who can’t apologize to a child. It’s ok to have human emotions and moment to be triggered or struggling and lash out or be wrong but for the love of all things good APOLOGIZE AND CHANGE.

facekche , Keira Burton Report

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

That's my father. Screaming, insults, misogyny, humiliating me in front of others, accusing me of things that later proved to be not my fault. He never apologized and probably never will. I'm an adult now and he's 70 y. o. I haven't spoken or seen him since 2019.

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#4

31 Things Parents Do That Obviously Show They’re Not Doing A Great Job, As Shared Online Your adult children don’t talk to you and you "don’t know" why.

RushBJ , krakenimages Report

#5

31 Things Parents Do That Obviously Show They’re Not Doing A Great Job, As Shared Online When I was younger I saw a Mother and a little daughter on a train. The Mother was scrolling her Phone and the daughter was bored and started a song. It was very quiet singing and she had a good voice. No problem.
But the mom started to hush her daughter. To stop singing.
Then the daughter asked does her mother love her? Can she get a hug. Something?
Mother just told her to be quiet and kept scrolling.

It hurt me. I wish I could just have stood up and hug that little kid. Show her that she is not alone. That she is loved no matter what.

But 20 something dude hugging little girl in a train seemed to be wrong to me at that time. So I just cried a bit. Silently. And I think about that little girl and how her life is even years later.

I sometimes really hate some parents. Because they seem to be kids themselves. Without any clue about pretty much anything.

kurnimasu , Josh Withers Report

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

A parent drove me to tears that way. I did try to distract her kid, but eventually she sent me back to my seat.

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#6

31 Things Parents Do That Obviously Show They’re Not Doing A Great Job, As Shared Online Pulling the "I guess I'm I'm the worst parent in the world" when approached by their child with a question. Actively making the child feel guilty for expressing their own opinions in an effort to make themselves feel better.

Rare-Criticism1059 , Kindel Media Report

#7

31 Things Parents Do That Obviously Show They’re Not Doing A Great Job, As Shared Online Hearing them say "I'll give you something to cry about" to their crying kid.

TheRadiumGirl , Jep Gambardella Report

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

Unless this happens when the child is obviously using crying and tears for the SOLE purpose of manipulation. There's nothing wrong with teaching your child that crying and tears are valid and important things; therefore, they shouldn't be misused or abused.

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#8

31 Things Parents Do That Obviously Show They’re Not Doing A Great Job, As Shared Online Badmouthing their ex after a divorce to them and turning them against the other parent. Using kids as leverage in general.

faousa , freepik Report

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

I can honestly say neither my dad or mom did this when I was younger...when I hit 14 though, I had already figured out that dad was a POS for cheating on my mom. He never wanted anything to do with me after I turned 14 until he was on his deathbed in 2017 then he had his family try to get me to go see him so he could die with a clear conscience. Nope.

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#9

31 Things Parents Do That Obviously Show They’re Not Doing A Great Job, As Shared Online Mothers who sees their daughter as competition

skunk_weed , Barbara Olsen Report

#10

31 Things Parents Do That Obviously Show They’re Not Doing A Great Job, As Shared Online Refusing to believe their kid can do wrong

FlashyWay420 , Jep Gambardella Report

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

or the opposite. refusing to believe that their kid can do anything correct or have any accomplishments. both are bad

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#11

31 Things Parents Do That Obviously Show They’re Not Doing A Great Job, As Shared Online Zero interest in the kid. Doesn’t care what they do or what happens to them as long as they don’t inconvenience them.

ploteapuck , Vlada Karpovich Report

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

Just as long as that kids can get them that sweet, sweet Child Tax Credit each and every tax season until they turn 18.

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#12

31 Things Parents Do That Obviously Show They’re Not Doing A Great Job, As Shared Online Someone who treats the child from their old marriage like s**t because they're no longer with that child's parent.

Mr_MojoJojo_Risin , cottonbro studio cottonbro studio Report

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

...especially when the genes show up all too clearly in/on their faces and they subconsciously argue with their ex-partners (it never worked anyway, hence the divorce) instead of having a sensible discussion with their children...

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#13

31 Things Parents Do That Obviously Show They’re Not Doing A Great Job, As Shared Online Yelling at the kid for every trivial thing.

lagrossetruie , peoplecreations Report

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

My mother again. I got yelled at and even slapped for things like dropping a spoon on the floor or spilling a few drops of milk. I hated her and quickly learned to walk on eggshells.

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#15

31 Things Parents Do That Obviously Show They’re Not Doing A Great Job, As Shared Online The kid is morbidly obese and the parent feeds them nothing but fast food and soft drinks and says "he won't eat anything else".

Gullex , Karolina Kołodziejczak Report

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#16

31 Things Parents Do That Obviously Show They’re Not Doing A Great Job, As Shared Online Having a partner who dislikes or mistreats their children.

PaleHorseBlackDog , William Fortunato Report

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Vinnie
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A mother divorced the father because he constantly berated their children. She then married a lovely family friend. He said of his stepson, "He has problems with math. He gets the answers right, but the teachers want to see the process. I'm an engineer - we don't care how someone gets the answer as long as it's the right one." I was impressed and learned something from that: sometimes the second spouse is a much match for the kids because the parent got to see how they treat the kids.

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#17

31 Things Parents Do That Obviously Show They’re Not Doing A Great Job, As Shared Online Do not seek for psychological help when your children obviously need it because you personally don't believe in "all that stuff".

Hellodie_W , Gustavo Fring Report

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

Somewhere down the line, those kids are going to pay dearly for their parents' refusal to get the help they need. If Fate is willing, the situation will be reversed.

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#18

31 Things Parents Do That Obviously Show They’re Not Doing A Great Job, As Shared Online Talking trash about your kids in front of others

JureIsStupid123 , Brett Sayles Report

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

My mother. I was 16 and had a crush on a guy in the neighborhood. Soon after she found out, I became the laughing stock of the extended family, because "the boy was flirting with her and she was enjoying it, like a dirty b***h". I was 16, for f**k's sake.

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#19

31 Things Parents Do That Obviously Show They’re Not Doing A Great Job, As Shared Online Punishing kids with haircuts, less food, less attention, or taking their door. Especially for things like asking too many questions or "talking back" just because they didn't understand something and wanted a real reason or explanation on why they had to do/could not do something

Maxx_1000000 , Linda Jones Report

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

I agree partly. As long as it's not directly related to that. The actions of the child should have natural and logical consequences though. The child repeatedly wastes food just so their siblings don't get it? Regulate how much food they take, forcing them to take smaller portions and eat them up before they can have more is the reasonable consequence. The child slams the door all night, using it to terrorise the whole household if they don't get their way? Take the door away and exchange it with a privacy curtain is legit. Actions have consequences. And if a child uses freedoms to terrorize everyone else, taking the thing away that's used to do the terrorising is legit. It should be given back if the child shows betterment though. Yes, and sometimes less attention, especially for throwing tantrums or other, regular misbehaviour can be a legitimate discipline tactic. I can't see any legit case of cutting hair for punishment thought.

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#20

31 Things Parents Do That Obviously Show They’re Not Doing A Great Job, As Shared Online Ironically, never thinking you're a bad parent.

AdhesiveCum_ , Andrea Piacquadio Report

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LooseSeal's $10 Banana
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Eh, I know I'm not a bad parent and I've never thought of myself as one. I am a very good parent who will make mistakes.

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#21

31 Things Parents Do That Obviously Show They’re Not Doing A Great Job, As Shared Online Not caring about their feelings . Like hello they are humans too .

Bubbly_Ad_165 , Gustavo Fring Report

#22

31 Things Parents Do That Obviously Show They’re Not Doing A Great Job, As Shared Online Kids were never told “I love you”

catgirl1230 , Josh Willink Report

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

this is not a "show, don't say", this is show and tell!

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#23

31 Things Parents Do That Obviously Show They’re Not Doing A Great Job, As Shared Online Putting soda in a baby bottle

yeti_beard , PhotoMIX Company Report

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

I also had to do it once. I had no choice. I went to a costume party as a »japanese manga fetus« and I simply didn't want to have to be pushed back and forth to the booze and beverage buffet in my hand-felted neon incubator......🤭

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#25

31 Things Parents Do That Obviously Show They’re Not Doing A Great Job, As Shared Online Toddlers running around in super, super full diapers- to the point where they are almost falling off the kid, while the parents obliviously drink beer....

toomuchswiping , William Fortunato Report

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

There doesn't have to be beer to make this trashy. It can also be a matter of silent "I changed the LAST diaper" pettiness between the kid's parents/guardians. I've personally witnessed it and made a point of cbanging the nibblet diapers myself when I'm around. I do NOT take care of potty training/trained kids though. Your kid has poop in their crack, that's on YOU. Standing kids are way more complicated to help clean up, and I already got my own kid through that stage. All done!

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#26

31 Things Parents Do That Obviously Show They’re Not Doing A Great Job, As Shared Online My daughters teacher called one day to tell us our daughter was bullying another student so relentlessly that he was afraid to come to school. We talked to our daughter and she had no idea what we were talking about. Whenever we asked the teacher for the students name she actually gave it to us, Turns out I know his mother from high school. So I called her and talked with her and at first she had no idea what I was talking about. Then she suddenly remembered everything and told me this long story about how her son is afraid of my daughter blah blah blah.

I talked with one of this lady’s friends a few days later and she told me that this lady confessed to her that she just doesn’t get enough sleep, always misses her alarms in the morning, and just doesn’t get up to take her kids to school. Her first instinct when the school called her to talk about absences was to blame my daughter for bullying her kid.

Viking-16 , Mikhail Nilov Report

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

This happens more than people realize. Thanks to this sucky parenting, teachers and staff have YET ANOTHER thing thrown on their plate: lookout for signs and talk of bullying. A threat of being fired and/or jail time if even the slightest talk of bullying isn't reported and, God forbid, it eventually leads to something horrible. (If you don't believe me, check out the bullying policy in Davidson, Sumner, and Robertson County in Tennessee.)

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#27

31 Things Parents Do That Obviously Show They’re Not Doing A Great Job, As Shared Online Passing out drunk on the neighbor’s lawn while the kids are trying to trick-or treat (coworker did this)

Roseliberry , Darya Sannikova Report

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

Inappropriate but I did chuckle a little at the mental image of this scene.

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#28

31 Things Parents Do That Obviously Show They’re Not Doing A Great Job, As Shared Online Complains every day at work that they can’t afford to take care of their kid properly. Blaming her own parents that they don’t help out enough.

Also complains about being hung over every day and brags about buying a PlayStation and a puppy.

PaulVarjakJr , Anna Shvets Report

#29

31 Things Parents Do That Obviously Show They’re Not Doing A Great Job, As Shared Online Saw a little girl of about 4 or 5 walking into a pizzeria with her parents that were arguing. Her hair was so matted it was starting to dread in the back. I had my teen daughter with me. We both just wanted to take the little girl home with us.

Edit to add: the parents had an aura of being active [illegal substances] users. This wasn’t accidental matting. I felt terrible but I guess the good side is that they were together. I hope the parents get the help they need.

Altruistic-Target-67 , Elliot FZ Report

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#30

31 Things Parents Do That Obviously Show They’re Not Doing A Great Job, As Shared Online Kid’s diet is soda and fruit snacks

lemmywinks11 , Marcelo Verfe Report

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

The thing I HATE is water and fruit are cheaper and easier to give to the kid than soda and fruit snacks. The whole excuse of money and/or convenience isn't really valid.

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#31

31 Things Parents Do That Obviously Show They’re Not Doing A Great Job, As Shared Online Dumping the whole container of candy into their kids' Halloween bag.

GDviber , Daisy Anderson Report

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

I always dumped candy into my kid's bag.. at my house, before we left. Like priming the pump, gotta get them started.. 😆 But I think this post meant at other people's houses? I don't know..

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