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I hope that everyone agrees that not vaccinating your child is an ill way of parenting. Other parenting trends like letting kids do whatever they want and run amok like there’s no tomorrow are also questionable. But the subject matter is delicate, since we also like to believe that for the most part, parents know what’s best for their kids. Or do they?

Well, these two threads from Ask Reddit will shed some light on common parenting styles that are not necessarily healthy. In fact, people claim they’re everything but. “What is the worst parenting trend to date?” someone asked a while ago, and just recently a similar question popped up: "What parenting 'trend' do you strongly disagree with?"

Below we selected some thought-provoking arguments people shared in response to the questions. Also, let us know what parenting trend you don’t agree with in the comments below!

#1

Someone Asks “What Is The Worst Parenting Trend To Date?” And People Give 40 Perfectly Blunt Answers Y'all need to cut this anti-vaccination s**t out like right now. Vaccines save lives.

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MarmotArchivist
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This deserves it's place on top of the list. With the other things you'll have rude and uneducated kids that become entitled adults, but at least they get to become adults.

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There are as many parenting styles as there are parents, and there’s no universal recipe on how to raise your children. But because the current generation faces unprecedented challenges, it also requires tact and special behavior from parents to be able to keep up with the changing times and the increased demands of parenting and child-rearing.

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#2

Someone Asks “What Is The Worst Parenting Trend To Date?” And People Give 40 Perfectly Blunt Answers when ppl posts videos online of them punishing their kids. ex: “dad shaves girls head for txting boyfriend.” what in the sick hell kinda sh*t is that? and nobody seems to have a problem with that or thinks about how incredibly traumatic it’s going to be for that child. and the parents who do this literally make me sick. who is that for even? what are you trying to prove by humiliating your child in front of possibly thousands of ppl or more. ppl like this deserve to have their kids taken away. sorry not sorry.

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#3

Someone Asks “What Is The Worst Parenting Trend To Date?” And People Give 40 Perfectly Blunt Answers Not teaching manners with other people's pets. You want to pat my dog you f**king ASK, then you introduce yourself to her (back of your hand to sniff), THEN you may pat her. DO NOT harass her. My dog is a sweetheart but she is an animal and she is at exactly the right height to bite your little darlings face off and then its my fault and my dog dies because you couldnt teach your brat some manners.

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/55fsjc/what_is_the_worst_parenting_trend_to_date/d8afsh8/ Report

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Kimi Tomminello
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This should be so much higher. I have kids. I have dogs. One of my dogs LOVES kids. Loves being ridden like a horse (120lb german shepherd) and having small children climbing all over him. The other one is terrified of kids, luckily he has a very mean bark and isn't confrontational. He puffs himself up, barks as loud as he can and retreats backwards while barking. It's enough to scare them off. It's the parents not the kids or my dog. *EDIT* hey look it's number 2 now 😁

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The coronavirus pandemic and political turmoil and war we see in Europe right now, as well as the inflation reaching sky highs all bring their own kind of uncertainty. For this reason, many parents are reevaluating the common parenting tactics previous generations took for granted.

Communicating trauma and being open about difficulties is one such new trend we see among parents. Another new style emerging is that more and more parents choose to provide their kids with experiences instead of material gifts. This is how you create memorable experiences and establish a better bond with your kid.

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#4

Someone Asks “What Is The Worst Parenting Trend To Date?” And People Give 40 Perfectly Blunt Answers Not teaching basic manners and giving them a ridiculous sense of entitlement.

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Laura Edwards
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes! That kid is your diamond, great! He/she is a pain in my butt. I do not live your diamond.

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#5

Someone Asks “What Is The Worst Parenting Trend To Date?” And People Give 40 Perfectly Blunt Answers Shielding children from the natural consequences of their actions. They don't learn from their mistakes and the consequence price tags are so much higher when they become adults.

MissElphie , Allen Taylor Report

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Fitz_N_Fartz
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How I was taught and how I taught my daughter. Do not be afraid from making mistakes, just make sure you learn from the experience in not repeating them.

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#6

Someone Asks “What Is The Worst Parenting Trend To Date?” And People Give 40 Perfectly Blunt Answers I hate when parents get mad at me for telling off their kids. I work in hospitality and we have a bowl of mints at the bar with tongs to grab them out. One night these three kids, all under age 10 but old enough to know better, just started diving their hands into the bowl. I told them politely to use the tongs, then I told them off when they ignored my request. The parents got mad at me instead of their kids, even though their kids just made me throw out a whole bowl of mints. If you're incapable of disciplining your child properly, don't get upset when someone else does it for you.

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LagoonaBlueColleen
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

YES. It takes a village to raise a child and parents should expect that village will need to reprimand your kid once in a while.

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But no matter what new trends emerge in parenting, one very common flaw will probably outlive them all. And you guessed it… it’s spoiling kids. In fact, over half this survey of 1,125 parents with kids between 4 and 10 confessed that they spoil their children too much. Another 2 in 5 go even further, saying they’re sometimes “embarrassed by how selfish their child acts.”

Spoiled kids don’t get to know and feel what it is like to be grateful, as gratitude is not something that children acquire automatically. It needs to be nurtured, in an age-appropriate way, but the more they get used to getting their way easily, the harder it is to turn them around.

#7

Someone Asks “What Is The Worst Parenting Trend To Date?” And People Give 40 Perfectly Blunt Answers Parent of teens here! All of my kids have had a friend that stayed the night at our house because the friend missed curfew at home and wasn't allowed in the house. I don't get it. Punishing the kid for missing curfew is totally acceptable. But not letting them in their own house in the middle of the night? What good can possibly come from that? My own kids rarely missed their curfew but when they did, they knew that they could come home, to a safe place, and face the consequences the next day.

notcreative1001 , Mike Hauser Report

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GirlFriday
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I agree with this 1000%. I woke up one morning and saw the neighbor's kid asleep on the porch. When I went to see if he was OK, he told me he missed curfew and was locked out for the night. That is so horrible!

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#8

Someone Asks “What Is The Worst Parenting Trend To Date?” And People Give 40 Perfectly Blunt Answers Gender reveal parties.

sunfloweries , kgroovy Report

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Tamra Stiffler
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I get that parents-to-be are excited about their new lives and as long as they aren't setting fires or making a huge mess of things, then go for it. Just understand that most people aren't nearly as invested as you are in your future child's sex. This would be the second most boring social event, right behind the baby shower. Only my opinion.

Vetus Vespertilio
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I disagree with Tamra. Gender reveal parties are the first most boring social event.

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JensenDK
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As a mother of a transgender son, these things makes me giggle. When people say they're expecting a girl, I think 'yeah, that's what you think' 😉

Carmen Robaldo
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My girl is not into any of the usual girly stuff. If I wanted a 'girl' I would be very disappointed. Instead I am grateful to have a child who is happy as she is and won't be trying to keep up with societal norms.

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D K
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When I was pregnant in 2009, all I did was send a “it’s a girl!” text who whoever mattered in our lives.

Marco Hub-Dub
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It’s a great way to immediately force stereotypical gender roles and ideas on a newborn. If it’s a boy, blue and trucks and sports stuff. If it’s a girl, pink and soft and cuddly feminine stuff. Just make sure to be consistent. If your boy likes dolls, shut that down and shame him! If your girl is a tomboy, gently steer her into more gender-specific roles. Cajole her into wearing pink frilly dresses. Offer to take her to a princess makeover if she gives up the tank tops and boots. However, if your son wants the princess makeover, shame him and then find good tough manly role models. Buy him a dirt bike, make him play little league. Once you commit to their gender prior to their birth, it’s important to be consistent. Because it’s your job to remind them their physical sex MUST match their idea of their gender. Don’t give them any sign you’d be disappointed or they may mistake that as you wouldn’t love them otherwise. /sarcasm.

Dee Lee
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Right? Aren't we past sexual stereotypes these days? Geesh.... And gender is such a phony construct; let's give it a rest!

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Aliquid
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

or "genital reveal parties"... as they should be called. You aren't revealing the gender, you are revealing the sex.

Cheyanne Pavan
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

EXACTLY! Then again, I guess these people are revealing the gender they intend to enforce on their babies, but that has nothing to do with the actual baby!

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DennyS (denzoren)
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

These are so pointless. I've always thought of this as being a sort of private, intimate thing but now it's for the world to know.

LH25
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So much of what I thought should be private has become fodder for social media, at the risk of sounding like a boomer. Staged engagements with family and friends hiding nearby for example. What's next, inviting people to the conception?

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iseefractalz
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Gender reveal parties are just giving family and friends a glimpse into the myriad of ways, given your personality, character and worldview, in which you are going to RUIN this child. Not if you will, that went out the window the second you had a gender reveal party. No one else cares what it's going to be. Most will continue not caring after it's born. This is a "you" thing.

Morgan Futura
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'd up this one! Your celebration of baby genitals is disgusting

Mary Jeffries
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It’s a sex reveal party. I wish these twits who throw those parties recognized that. The baby won’t know it’s gender for a while yet.

Marty Sunderland
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

These are just idiotic. I miss the days when you used to find out baby's gender when it was born!

Dee Lee
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The baby's sex was revealed at birth, not its gender. Gender is a socially constructed stereotype regarding how one should act depending on your sex.

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Ruth Hempsey
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

All these different parties for occasions are multiplying like flies. All they do is make people spend money. I have a family member who worked in retail for many years and absolutely refuses to acknowledge their own birthdays because they saw how the stores fill up with disposable rubbish for Valentine's day, Halloween, showers for every possible reason to get stuff from friends and family etc. It's like destination weddings. A whole industry making money that people can't afford just for some bragging photos. Makes a person very cynical.

Cheyenne
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Nobody gives a damn about the gender of the expected baby except the expectant parents and maybe the expectant grandparents.

Dee Lee
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They probably care more about the gender presentation than the actual sex, lol!

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Callie Ge
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Such B******t, post the ultrasound picture on the fridge like all the other normal people

Lara Verne
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Gender reveal" parties are just weird, even without causing fire.

Liu Woods
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I read something about how the first woman to do a gender reveal party lives in fear of what she’s created

Marco Hub-Dub
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I wonder if her child came out or presents as transgender. If so, I hope she has a gender re-reveal party!

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Martha Juliene
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The epitome of self-centered. I didn't get to know what my kids were going to be in advance. Sometimes, if you want to know the truth, I was too tired to care. I sure as heck don't want to know what gender your kids are going to be. Anyway, I thought there was no such thing as a fixed gender.

M.
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah, you don't know a kid's gender until they TELL YOU.

MammaG
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They need to stop calling them gender reveals. They’re biological sex/genital reveals, not gender. And WHY DOES IT MATTER? Stop treating boys and girls differently. They are babies, FFS.

Mermaid Elle-Jaye
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

At parties I do for kids we try to teach - NO MORE BALLOONS PLEASE ❤️ 🐢 🐟. I have a small joke for under 10s where I cough and a used balloon comes out, cos I had dinner with turtle friends and all we found were colourful hard to eat jelly fish, and they explain what a balloon is to me 😂 so cute, but seriously please NO MORE BALLOONS I feel like gender reveals added another reason for adding to balloon pollution

Sarah Spencer
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Just obsession with your kids gender at all! You have a gorgeous baby on the way. Bloody great! Congratulations! But let's not get over excited about what gender they are, or obsess over having just the right pink or blue baby nonsense and toys and clothes and whatever - why do we still feel the need to make such a big deal and treat different genders differently? Aren't we past that yet?

Bored Phoenix (he/they)
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

as a trans guy, i hate them. no one cares what genitals your child has. at the very least do it with like a cake or for gods sakes use biodegradable glitter and NO FIREWORKS! even better, don't use pink or blue - just say you're having a boy/girl

Pidge W
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Imagine having a huge gender reveal party only for your kid to be trans.

lib
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

honestly it shouldn’t matter to you if the baby is a boy or girl at birth because that could change. be happy/wish for a healthy child!

Nay Wilson
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i watched a gender reveal video a few days ago. 20 odd people in a garden each biting into a cupcake trying to find the colour at the centre. surprise surprise it was the last person who had the coloured cupcake. it was so dull

Key Lime
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As the parent of a Trans Man, I can tell you that Gender Reveals can happen at any time.

Beachbum
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes! I was so hoping this would be on this list!!! I freaking hate these things!!

Stephanie Goadsby
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The first time I heard the term gender reveal party was a story on the radio. I just assumed it was some kind of celebration about a person revealing that they decided they were going to go through the process of becoming the other gender. It was only after listening to the full story that the reality dawned on me. Woke times or what?

Lene
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I never understood gender reveal parties.... in my country (Denmark) ppl just ask you if you know the sex yet (if you are expecting...)and you just answer that question. It doesn't need to be a party. It can be a yes/no-answer. Also, baby showers.... what is that? There are sooooo many other opportunities for getting presents for mom and baby. In my family, the grandparents have given our kids a little present when they met them the first time. And then again at the name giving-ceremony. And then again at birthdays and Christmas. I just do not get it. At all.

Cheyanne Pavan
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Gender" (really genitalia) reveal parties are just ridiculous & there's no logical reason for them. The baby shower exists to help give first-time parents things they'll use to care for the child (diapers, clothes, bath & feeding essentials, with larger gifts like high-chairs and car seats typically coming from close family). We don't have a baby-naming ceremony, but people usually bring a small gift when they first meet the child. After that, it's like you said, grandparents give gifts to the children at birthdays and Christmas.

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Dutchman Callypso
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Millions of kids are born every day, yet so many couples act like they're the first one to ever have babies and making it everyone else's problem... get over yourself, will you? Tell your closest family and friends, literally nobody else cares...

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

When did this even become a thing? It's bonkers. Just another way for parents to be to gouge their friends for more gives. A couple in S. America died a waterfall and contaminate a river that served an entire village. A "custom" which should be shot down right now.

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

YES I HATE THIS. WTF are we supposed to say to "but I spent $x000 on your party how are you gonna pay that back if youre trans"??? I never asked for the party its ridiculous

Martha B.
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They aren’t gender reveal parties, they are genital reveal parties. Gender cannot be determined by looking at sex characteristics. People come to their own understanding of who they are and while gender and genitals usually correspond, that’s not always true and a person might not know that until they are far into adulthood or might know as a toddler.

Lion Whackett
Community Member
2 years ago

I am old enough to have missed the whole gender reveal party thing with my friends. Thank God.

Amanda Evers
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I disagree with this one. It’s important to the parents-to-be, and if they’re important to me, then so is this. It’s like 2 hours out of your whole life. But if that’s too much to ask for, then just don’t go.

Lauren Kallas
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Like who do this people think they are that everyone cares?! I dk I feel like it it’s all so phony & im beyond over these staged “life moments”..

Cheyanne Pavan
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's attention-seeking on the parents behalf and promotes detrimental ideas of enforcing gender on babies who haven't even been born yet.

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Stephen Hutchison
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Especially obnoxious if the kid's one of the one in about a thousand who doesn't have normally developed male or female genitalia at birth, and even worse if they have something different that doesn't need surgery to support them surviving.

Pete from Cali. USA
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A couple I knew were having their first child. I think I attended three or four different types of parties, each time giving a gift. I was so over the birth of their first born before I even saw the child for the first time.

Candace Walden
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm fine with gender reveals, just don't do anything stupid to reveal the gender. And don't always expect a gift. If I bring a gift to the gender reveal, don't expect a gift at the baby shower. JS.

Laura Brown
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Just tell me, "We're having a girl," so I know which yarn to use when I knit a baby blanket...glad you're excited about your kid, but I got other s**t to do.

Apachebathmat
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It’s just so silly to do a gender reveal. It’s either a girl or a boy (at birth) and has been for eon’s. Our idiot neighbours did a gender reveal that they were having a boy… after already telling everyone that it was a boy… f**k trumpets

Jo Johannsen
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am not impressed by gender reveal parties, but calling it a parenting trend seems...excessive?

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

We called the people that wanted to know, my parents, my inlaws , my bestie.. gender reveal parties are just an excuse to have a party and bring attention to yourself.

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

When my mom was pregnant with my lil sis she didn’t do anything like that she just came into the living room and said to my brother and I “Yay it’s a girl!”

Hope Cows&Chickens
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You want a gender reveal? Get a cake. Dont blow sh¡t up. That's literally how one of the big bad wildfires started in California.

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

I'm requoting everyone else here, and they completely backfire I'd the child turns out to be nonbinary, transgender, or even agender

Mbfsc63
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There are SO few good surprises in life. To me, finding out it's a girl or boy when they come into the world ranks right up there.

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

i heard of a gender reveal that was an aeroplane trailing a banner (i cant remember the gender of the child). the plane crashed and the pilot died. all so thousands of strangers could learn someone somewhere was having a baby. its ridiculous

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

I like how political these questions are. Or opinions are, or comments are. Ppl have always celebrated sex of a child ...now all of a sudden in "this" society it's boring or politically incorrect???! Get the heck outta here! This whole whole world is politically incorrect!

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

I think they're ridiculous. Just tell people for crying out loud

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

It's exciting, but mostly just for you. I've been there. I've been the woman who talked only about her baby for the first 6-12 months of his life. But really, there aren't many ppl who are genuinely excited about your kid. They are politely humoring you.

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

If it’s a baby shower, and we are there to support the excitement of a family that is growing, I go and fully support them and bring an appropriate gift. If it is a gender reveal party with more of the emphasis on revealing the gender and not the fact that a baby is coming to enrich the family, I don’t go. I send diapers and a note apologizing for my non-appearance. Whatever happened to being thrilled about having a baby and not caring what sex it was as long as it was healthy? 🥰

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

Why isn't this higher????? No one cares. It's either a boy, a girl. Reveal it at the baby shower. Sheesh.

Nitka Tsar
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hope this trend WILL NOT catch on here! I‘ve heared of some parents doing it, but not too many yet, thank goodness.

Alison Shanahan
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Just wait for the baby to be born. You are taking away all the birth excitement.

L.a. Williams
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes babies are special but the whole have a party just to find out if it's a boy or girl. Like a pre baby shower.

Generation of softies
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

People don’t realize that having a baby shower is just you patting your friends on the back, for having unprotected sex. Just saying.😳

Marty Sunderland
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

One of the magical parts giving birth was finding out whether you had a boy or a girl. So much better than this idiocy.

Sally Barry
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No one cares, but any excuse to 'have a party! yay, cake!'. and make fools of themselves.

Jo Sargent
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

One of life's greatest and last mystery and people are so impatient. Not knowing is the best. You missed out on the greatest reveal party of all.

Svetlana Mitsina
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you don't like gender reveal parties - don't go to them. Parents know that only super close family and friends are excited to find out the gender of the baby. There's nothing wrong with having a party to celebrate whatever the hell i want.

April Dancer
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Once upon a time - not that long ago - you had to wait until the baby was born to find out whether it was a boy or girl. And guess what? We all coped.

kai
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

gender is a social construct sex is assigned at birth and medically there 5 sexes so suck it people who say there are only two

kai
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

watch me my baby's gonna wear whatever they want to hell with the color

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Fat Harry
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. The most asinine, idiotic "contribution" that the US has ever made to the world.

Anna Gabrielle Borbolla-Menare
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Also IQ reveal parties. These idiots who start forest fires shouldn't be allowed to reproduce

Ambry Petersen
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Gender reveal parties should be restricted to close family. For my daughter we just went to visit my in laws and popped a little Ballon with colored glitter and my child's name. Then we sat and visited about everything under the moon. I don't mind doing something cute for a gender reveal, but you shouldn't make a Hollywood production out of it.

Cathy Hurd
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Gender reveal when I had my kids was the obstetrician saying "it's a boy (or girl)" I miss those days

Rebe
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This generally only happens in America. The point is as long as you don't have a genetic reason why it's important or two bedrooms and already have children the only important thing is the baby is healthy.

Allyson
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Does anyone else have a problem with smash cakes??? What a waste, not to mention, pictures of food smeared all over your children and environment is not cute.

Janet Graham
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The worst modern trend! Just let us know so we can pick an appropriate gift. Beyond that, no one really cares the gender.

Gladys Hayes Southerland
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well, it's another reason to have a party & s long as there's nothing dangerous or illegal, l hope everyone has fun. When we go to other ppl's celebrations, it is to celebrate with them. Sometimes it's fun, sometimes it's totally boring. It's not always abt how you feel.

Adrienne Kushner
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A stupid trend! We were asked if we wanted to know the gender of our child and we said no. It was an exciting surprise on our daughter's first day in our family. I wouldn't have had it any other way.

Jay Weigel
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This. Our neighbors across the road had one and set off some kind of explosive that shook the neighborhood. Yikes!

Bee she/her
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I went to one when my uncle had one for his son. It was low key but pretty boring for five(maybe) year old me

Maggie Dinzler Shaw
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was against it originally but then, what's the harm if you don't get crazy?

commie pinkofag
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A “gender reveal party” is a kind of pre-pogrom, where soon-to-be parents and their accomplices gather to swill box wine and strategize how they will abuse a child before it’s even born. It’s drafting the blueprint for an environment where a child will compelled to meet its owners’ expectations, by any means necessary. The guests cheer and congratulate the abusers on their mindless, hateful, destructive plan. Friends and family leave with their marching orders: whatever the parents have decided this person must be, make it so. And if that person commits suicide at 15, well… just vote Republican and blame The Gay. Burning a rainbow flag is so much easier than taking responsibility for making your child live in years-long hate crime.

Marc Lauzon
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is their business. Disliking it is nosey from you, like yelling from your front porch because kids are playing outside, or neighbor is BBQing and it smells at your place. There is tons of "celebrations" I don'T do because I don't care, I don't go hating on them for that.

Jo Firth
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Gender reveals should be restricted to a medical practitioner's office. Full stop. And then later in the privacy of the home if a gender is mis-assigned at birth.

Agent 8433599
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I do want a gender reveal party, but something really simple, not those pain in the butt ones that are a menace to society

Phoenix On Fire
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No offence but I don't get why some people are so bothered by this. If them having a gender reveal party is not hurting then who cares what they do. If you are not interested, then no one is forcing you to go to they're parties. So how about jjust be happy for them instead of criticising them.

the aftermath is secondary™
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i mean, it places a lot of weight on childrens’ genitals, and also pressures children and minors to be cisgender. also it’s a total waste of money and time because nothing is gained- if people actually cared, they could ask. // addition: it enforces the pink/blue gender-binary stereotypical colors.

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Res Earch
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Being excited about the soon-to-be-born baby is NOT the worst thing a parent can do.

Lady of the Mountains
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They can by fun if they're not too big, and older siblings should definetky be involved

Terilee Bruyere
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think, done small with just close friends and family invited (and NOT posted on social media) they can be fun. It's these huge BS parties that give it a really bad name.

Cin
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We had a very small one, with a balloon that would be popped to reveal the gender. Nothing massive, just a small gathering with a few friends and family. I'll never get why they have to be these massive deals.

Amy Fisher
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why put so much emphasis on the baby’s gender, before the baby is even born? Whatever happened to sending a pregnancy or birth announcement either by snail mail or by email? You can be really creative with those. Save the party for when your kid turns a year old.

Dee Lee
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why put so much emphasis on the baby's sex, before the baby is even born? Gender is just so much socially constructed BS and the very word co-opted by political cultists!

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Rachael Sampson
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Gender reveals are also stupid for the fact that what if your child ends up being trans?

Jackie Laine
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think gender reveal parties are cute as long as your realistic with like what it is. For my gender reveal I just gathered my husband who didn't know I got the results by myself. So my husband are older son and his parents and I put an outfit in a bag and had my son pull it out to show the gender and then we had cupcakes. But my sister-in-law wanted to throw this giant party and then was pissed off at every single person she invited that couldn't come for whatever reason and like refused to speak to them for a year b Like get over yourself no one cares.

PandaRave
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes! But I wouldn’t mind some smaller gender reveal parties with some of those cupcakes

Justme
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My really young cousin kept referring to her anatomy scan as the “gender scan”. Like all they do is tell you the gender - I sobered her up by reminding her that’s also when they can see any catastrophic anomalies too. Life isn’t a fairy tale.

ChimeraBubbles
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ugh, we have to go to one soon. Super excited to have a baby in the family but I just couldn't care less about the gender.

Karina KC
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Disagree. Although I've never personally had one, I find them fun and enjoy the get together.

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#9

Someone Asks “What Is The Worst Parenting Trend To Date?” And People Give 40 Perfectly Blunt Answers Beauty Pageants. I have no problem with them it's just that the age these parents make their kids enter and the s**t they do to try to win like doping them up on sugar and energy drinks. Using spray tans and makeup on kids that are sometimes 1-2 years old! And in the end they extort their child for little to no monetary gain. I've seen parents neglect their other kids in favor of the pagent queen. And in the end you get a spoiled brat that throws a hissy fit and is disrespectful. But who cares, you spent 15k to win 5k and you're on TLC

SkeptikalAnus Report

So in order to find out more about how being spoiled in childhood may affect your adult life, we spoke with Lynn How, the author of “Positive Young Mind'' and life coach who specializes in supporting educators, parents, and children with improving and prevention of mental health issues. She also runs this Facebook teacher coaching group which is an excellent resource for teachers in need of support when leaving, changing their mindset, changing their schools or setting healthy work/life boundaries.

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“Do you know anyone who has trouble keeping their emotions in check when they don’t get their own way?” Lynn said and added that it may be that they were spoilt as a child and this hasn’t done them any favors as they move into their adult life.

#10

Someone Asks “What Is The Worst Parenting Trend To Date?” And People Give 40 Perfectly Blunt Answers "Boys will be boys".

SunflowerSorrow , Thomas Ricker Report

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chaotic_charlie (they/he)
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

this should be used when boys are doing something like putting hot dogs on the slide, not for s3xual h@rassment (edit: ty all SO MUCH for the upvotes!!!)

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#11

Someone Asks “What Is The Worst Parenting Trend To Date?” And People Give 40 Perfectly Blunt Answers Unschooling. I agree that kids should have some sort of say in what they learn - if your kid is really interested in, say, bugs, then by god you take them to every bug museum you can find and buy them all the bug books - BUT kids should have a basic curriculum whether they're interested in it or not. I get that most kids don't like math, or history, or the "boring" classes, but I strongly disagree with the unschooling attitude of "my kid does not want to learn it, so I won't make them."

KnittinAndBitchin Report

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Hex Gurls
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

yea cuz unless they’re gonna live in the woods forever away from society they need to know math and how to write

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#12

Someone Asks “What Is The Worst Parenting Trend To Date?” And People Give 40 Perfectly Blunt Answers Parents never telling their children "no" and refusing to set any boundaries.

I get empowering children by giving them a voice in decision-making and the freedom to speak their minds, but general social norms would be nice.

Listening to 8 year olds throw fits in public and being rude to family and strangers (at top volume) is not endearing in any way.

DG4z , Allen Taylor Report

“These children may turn into adults who show less resilience when things go wrong and they may give up easily when things aren’t working out. Also, they want it all and they want it now whereas most adults can tolerate delayed gratification,” she explained.

#13

Someone Asks “What Is The Worst Parenting Trend To Date?” And People Give 40 Perfectly Blunt Answers Videoing kids at their worst moments and then posting it on social media.

Applesintheorchard , Nenad Stojkovic Report

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RandomFrog
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A very distant relative of mine has a YouTube channel with her unschooled kids, and they’re always crying in the back or telling her to stop the camera and it’s just insane that she still posts it

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#14

Someone Asks “What Is The Worst Parenting Trend To Date?” And People Give 40 Perfectly Blunt Answers Taking youth sports too seriously.

I helped with and attended games for years, and can count on one hand the number of times I saw a child lose their temper. Parents lost it all the time. More than once I've seen a parent have to be physically restrained.

Scrappy_Larue , KeithJJ Report

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Iggy
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Those parents need to be banned from attending. They can wait in the car park.

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#15

Someone Asks “What Is The Worst Parenting Trend To Date?” And People Give 40 Perfectly Blunt Answers Ear piercing babies. That pisses me off. Let them decide. Don't put your vanity onto your baby. ESPECIALLY with piercing guns.

spagyrum Report

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Jayne Kyra
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Had my ears pierced as a baby. Now I have 6 in one ear, 4 in the other (including a Daith piercing). And tattoos. Hehe, maybe I can blame it on not having a choice when I was a kid. The rest were my choice and my decision.

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Moreover, “other traits that they may display include a lack of independence as their problems were generally solved for them, an inability to take criticism as nothing they did badly would invoke the appropriate feedback and the idea that everything should just come to them easily without too much work.”

“This last point is also coupled with a huge sense of disappointment when it doesn’t work out. All in all, this doesn’t set a child up to have positive relationships or good mental health as an adult.”

#16

Someone Asks “What Is The Worst Parenting Trend To Date?” And People Give 40 Perfectly Blunt Answers Making a kid finish their plate.

SmoSays , Virginia State Parks Report

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Jo Johannsen
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Also, keep in mind serving size for a 5yo should be much smaller than a teenager or adult. If it doesn't satisfy, let them have a bit more, but never force food on kids.

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#17

Someone Asks “What Is The Worst Parenting Trend To Date?” And People Give 40 Perfectly Blunt Answers taking the door off their room. i have neverrrrr understood this

tundradutches , Family Handyman Report

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CV Vir
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My kid had diagnosed mental health issues, and would often slam the door repeatedly. In a small house, this can be very loud indeed. Along with therapy, etc, we took the door away for a few months. Had a fabric door curtain for some privacy.

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#18

Someone Asks “What Is The Worst Parenting Trend To Date?” And People Give 40 Perfectly Blunt Answers Family vloggers. Growing up in front of a camera can be so damaging for a child. Don't even get me started on the child labour it is - using young kids to earn money isn't good parenting in my opinion.

littlepantato Report

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Bob Belcher
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ryan's toy review. I remember the first time seeing it after my daughter told me about it. I had to explain to her that not everyone gets to go on vacation every month. Now I see that kid and he looks tired and miserable.

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There are many different challenges a spoiled child is likely to face while growing up. “A lack of appropriate boundaries can be very confusing for a child and although on the outside, these children can seem argumentative and rude, this stems from a lack of self-confidence on the inside as they have not been given these tools,” Lynn explained.

“Once their safety blanket of the parents spoiling them has been removed, coping on their own would bring on anxiety which could manifest itself as a tantrum,” she added.

#19

Someone Asks “What Is The Worst Parenting Trend To Date?” And People Give 40 Perfectly Blunt Answers I think those parents who impose a raw vegan diet on their young kids - there is no way that a child can sustain itself on a raw vegan diet - you'd need to be constantly eating to get the necessary calories.

Vegetables and fruit are very high in fibre - both soluble and non-soluble - so you can be very full from relatively few calories compared with even a high-protein diet.

Vegan can be a struggle if the parent doesn't do the research. And a raw diet can be done as an adult, but it would still be difficult.

A raw vegan diet for a young child is basically child abuse.

unknown Report

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Donna Webber
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ohhhhh gaaaawd; a vegan parent; Dont force your kids to eat a sh1tty vegan diet

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#20

Someone Asks “What Is The Worst Parenting Trend To Date?” And People Give 40 Perfectly Blunt Answers Modern day: Parents assuming that once a child hits school age that it's the schools responsibility to raise them. These same parents then get angry when their child is punished by the school.
See this FAR too often.

mrbios , 14995841 Report

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Evelyn Ann
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

One of my best friends is an English teacher to 7-9th graders and..THIS. she doesn't get emails or calls from parents on how to help their kids learn. She gets angry emails about a child getting zeros on grades for not turning in homework. Emails stating "that was obviously A level work, all their other teachers gave them an A". In spelling and grammar there is only one correct way, there is rarely room for interpretation! After ten years of teaching she is rethinking her career choice. Not because of the children, because of the parents. She can't discipline a student who threw a desk at her twice. It's definitely a modern thing, my mom would have dragged me out of principal's office by my ear. This child's parent said she "misunderstood his actions".

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#21

Someone Asks “What Is The Worst Parenting Trend To Date?” And People Give 40 Perfectly Blunt Answers Coddling sons while holding daughters to higher standards.

Ramen_Noodles_4567 , Xavier Mouton Photographie Report

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SCP-3998
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wild f*****g thought here; TREAT YOUR KIDS EQUALLY REGARDLESS OF WHAT SEX THEY ARE. This s**t damaged me and my siblings so much. The son was the golden child, the girls were all but ignored. This s**t needs to stop

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Moreover, Lynn argues that “often these children will have friendship issues as they find it challenging to let others have their own way and they may find it difficult to form positive relationships with other adults such as teachers due to difficulty with conformity.” She concluded that overall this adds up to a childhood that is more challenging than it needs to be.

#22

Someone Asks “What Is The Worst Parenting Trend To Date?” And People Give 40 Perfectly Blunt Answers Posting intimate pics of your kid all over social media.

Now, I have no issue with parents sharing adorable baby pics. Hell, I don't mind you guys sharing a lot of them. When you go through hell and back to carry, birth, and raise the kid, you get a pass on the social media sharing, somewhat.

HOWEVER, sharing pics of your kid in the bathtub and doing bodily functions is not okay. 1) It's gross. I don't think your kid's blowout diaper or "first poopy in the toilet" is funny or cute. I don't want that on my timeline. 2) Pedos are out there, be careful. 3) I know it's hard to imagine, but little Peighsyn is gonna be a big boy someday. In fact, he may even be on social media in the future. His friends (AND EMPLOYERS) are gonna see those gross vomit and poop pics. Not a good idea.

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2x4b523p
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My sister in law keeps posting pictures of her daughters doing everyday kid activities, but what shocks me most are the comments. Every day there is at least one person commenting “wow so sexy” or other version of “sexy” on a picture where her daughters pose for the camera. It’s usually her female friends commenting and she replies things like “aww thank you” or such. Who the hell thinks a 5 year old is sexy? And what mother isn’t alarmed by such comments??

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#23

Maybe not the worst, but my parents forced me to play competitive sports for years when I clearly hated it and I'm still a little bitter. I was horrible at soccer, they even offered me 10 bucks for every goal I scored but I still couldn't do it. As an adult I still shudder a little every time I drive by a baseball field, thinking about how much time I wasted there and the embarrassment of sucking at something and getting laughed at by the other kids. This isn't to say I wasn't an athletic kid, I loved skating, riding bikes, hiking and all that. Parents - if your kid isn't good at a sport, doesn't have any interest in it and obviously has no talent for it, please don't make them do it.

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LagoonaBlueColleen
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My dad and his wife did this with their sons. I kid you not, they were forced to quit hockey and soccer due to damaged knees, shoulders and backs when they were in their teens.

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#24

Not giving kids privacy or personal space. I have teenagers and unless they give me a reason not to trust them, I don’t rummage around in their rooms or secretly read their texts.

Mysandwich44 Report

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FABULOUS1
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't violate my kids personal space. Well they are adults now but still didn't do it while they were younger, but I also don't violate my wife's personal space either. I really dislike hearing people talking about going through their kids and spouses phones, wallets and other things, these people lack boundaries.

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#25

Someone Asks “What Is The Worst Parenting Trend To Date?” And People Give 40 Perfectly Blunt Answers Not dressing your kids like kids.

Also raising your kids on YouTube/Instagram/TikTok before they're old enough to decide how much privacy they want in their lives.

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Jude Fire
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Like , when you decide to give your kid a whole makeover with your makeup and then wonder why they dont like the way they look without it.

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#26

Someone Asks “What Is The Worst Parenting Trend To Date?” And People Give 40 Perfectly Blunt Answers Shielding their kid from failure. There are so many people now that are afraid of failing, so much so, that they don't even attempt something new if they have a hint that they may fail at it.

unknown , Ivonne Lecou Report

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Raven Sheridan
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If a kid can't learn how to cope with failure, they turn into an adult man-child, who falsely claims that they had an election stolen from them!

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#27

Not saying a word about sexuality and shielding children from any sort of affection on tv or in real life.

I can't stress enough how much this has contributed to my intense shame whenever I masturbate and my inability to be intimate. Of course this is a compounded issue for me personally but such a censored childhood was the backbone for all of this pain.

OrsoExplorso Report

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L Melville
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Additionally....using "pet names" for your child's anatomy/genitals and not understanding why this is problematic/dangerous. If your child tells the teacher that uncle Tom licked their "cookie"....the teacher may not understand the SIGNIFICANCE of this confession. Teach kids the proper words for parts of their body.

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#28

Someone Asks “What Is The Worst Parenting Trend To Date?” And People Give 40 Perfectly Blunt Answers Taking your kids to the pub with you on a weekend.

I'm not talking an afternoon lunch with a glass of wine or two. I'm talking about kids being left to run amok in car parks and on pavements while parents sit inside and have a drink.

Look after your f**king kids.

unknown Report

#29

Someone Asks “What Is The Worst Parenting Trend To Date?” And People Give 40 Perfectly Blunt Answers People having their kids stay up with them until the wee hours of the morning. By 11pm they are cranky, fussy, and clearly tired.

Put. Your. Kids. To. Bed.

covok48 , 963797 Report

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Dagny White
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why would you even do that? It was hard for my parents to put me to bed. Sleep is really important, especially at this young age.

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#30

Pushing your kids to bring home flawless reports. Had a friend my sophomore year of highschool (straight A student, extra curricular stuff) with strict parents obviously living vicariously through her- who blew her head off with her dad's shotgun sitting at the kitchen table because it was near finals week, her grades were plummeting and the only boyfriend she's ever had had just broken up with her 3 days prior. I'd like to introduce a new parenting trend; Talking to your kids, listening and understanding.

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whodunnitfan2013
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ugh, my parents had unrealistic expectations for me like the friend mentioned. I almost took my life plenty of times. I even would contemplate suicide when I didn't make my parents look perfect.

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#31

Not knocking “because what if the kid is secretly running a highly illegal business in there” Like please, knock. It will save you and your kids from discomfort.

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Jessica Wood
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Illegal business? What, do they think their teenager is running a drug ring from their bedroom?

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#32

Taking your kid's side when he's being an a****le to strangers. DO your job and educate your kid so I don't have to punch him in the face.

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Meg G
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't think punching a kid in the face is a good idea, even if they are being a little s**t. Some of the posts have anger issues.

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#33

Weird religious homeschooling.

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Jes
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Social skills are not learned through homeschooling. This must be compensated for somehow. It is hard

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#34

Someone Asks “What Is The Worst Parenting Trend To Date?” And People Give 40 Perfectly Blunt Answers Publicly shaming your kids. If you do that s**t you are an as****le and a disgusting human being.

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Madeleine Flowers
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

*If you do that s**t ON PURPOSE you are an as****le. If your kids do something incredibly stupid (like run in front of a moving car, or something like that) then go for it, they deserve it.

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#35

Never listening to your child. The whole children need to be seen and not heard schtick, f**ked up my social skills a whole lot with my parents and people.

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LagoonaBlueColleen
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Same. I was raised to be compliant and always caring about what other people think. Likely why I feel the need to comment on social media on a daily basis. .... sorry for my constant ramblings.

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#36

Someone Asks “What Is The Worst Parenting Trend To Date?” And People Give 40 Perfectly Blunt Answers My aunt and uncle are and have been huge supporters of the "if you just give them a video game then they'll be quiet forever" so my 6-year old cousin has absolutely no social skills and is a difficult, struggling first grader but is alright at playing Angry Birds and Minecraft.

unknown Report

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Stephanie A Mutti
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Tossing a phone to a kid any time there is a wait. I get the desire to keep busy while waiting but we don't learn patience without practice

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#37

Wanting to be "friends" with their kids. It really pisses me off. Parents that won't challenge, question or correct poor behaviour.

I've got three boys to raise and my attitude has always been - I'm your dad. I'm not your friend. I have friends you have friends. We can be friends when you're old enough to buy me a beer and I've done the sort of parenting that means I want to have a beer with you.

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Random Panda
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't know, my parents were our friends and still disciplined us. There's a middle ground between the two situations described here. I don't like parents like OP.

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#39

Non-parenting. That is, when people have kids but let their kids run wild with zero effort put into actually raising them into functional members of society.

Homeschooling. Frequently it just means non-schooling. Either the parent in question does not have the ability to teach, due to lack of education on their own part, has no intention of teaching with it all just falling back into non-parenting, or it's a deliberate attempt by fundies to keep their kids from getting an education. There are few exceptions.

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MantisGirl15
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Homeschooling, when done right, is amazing. I was brought up homeschooled and I'm in a much better place academically than I would have been had I grown up in public school. Unschooling is the problem, as well as parents who want to homeschool but don't take responsibility for their children's education.

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#40

Someone Asks “What Is The Worst Parenting Trend To Date?” And People Give 40 Perfectly Blunt Answers Infant circumcision. Sorry but unneeded cosmetic surgery performed on non consenting minors is just stupid, useless, and illogical.

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Dianellian
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My first son (34) is uncircumcised however my second son (16)had to be at 3 due to constant infections and pain. Don’t criticise.

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#41

Making your kids a social media account that you run. Children don’t need to be exposed to any of that.

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#42

Not having children wear seat belts & better yet, toddlers weren't in car seats!!

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Luther von Wolfen
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Gen X was raised without seatbelts or bike helmets. That's why there aren't as many of us.

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#43

'Enriching' every single moment of your kids' lives. THAT is how you get burned out parents. Throw the little buggers outside with two sticks and rock. And make 'em share the rock!

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propgamer XL
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why not go outside with em and let em find plenty of sticks. You do it with a dog. Why just throw the kids outside? You miss a lot of fun too.

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#44

Someone Asks “What Is The Worst Parenting Trend To Date?” And People Give 40 Perfectly Blunt Answers Everyone is mentioning modern trends, helicopter parents are bad but not nearly the worst.

In the '20s psychologist John Watson said to never hug or kiss your kids, he also was the psychologist behind the "Little Albert" experiment
There was a doctor in the 1700s that said women's brains were too puny to successfully raise children, so men should be in charge of it.

How about giving some morphine for teething troubles or Laudanum (10% opium and 90% alcohol) to your kids to cure whatever you want!

In the '60s a pediatrician wrote that night time feedings would turn your baby into a socialist. He also said that you can start your kids on cereal when they're 2 days old, and by 9 weeks old they'd be eating whatever the parents ate.

There were the cages that hung outside windows in London to give kids some fresh air.

This stuff is all in the last century or so (well not the women's brains are too puny for raising children, but I just thought that was funny). We've made huge advances in infant mortality and children's health, let's not lose sight of that.

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LagoonaBlueColleen
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My mom was told or read from those stupid Dr. Spock books to never tend to a crying baby, pick them up every time because you could somehow "spoil them with love" and that infants like to "cry to trick parents into holding them". I had many, many fights with my mom when my daughter was an infant and I realized why I have always had a bit of resentment and detachment of her. I don't feel much love coming from her.

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#45

Assuming your kid processes everything the same way you do -- and correcting their behaviors that are preference-based and not necessarily "wrong.

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Hobby Hopper
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Or, teaching them "how to be a man" or "how to be a woman". Ugh! How about teaching them to be a decent PERSON?

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#46

Someone Asks “What Is The Worst Parenting Trend To Date?” And People Give 40 Perfectly Blunt Answers Not letting them make mistakes. With many people, you can tell them not to do something because ___ all you want, but they will never properly get it until they actually do it and ___ happens. Forbidding your kids from doing anything even remotely risky does more harm than good later on.

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Luther von Wolfen
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

With mine, I assess the situation and determine if they are likely to be injured. If the chance of injury is minimal - or if I think they won't get hurt beyond a scrape or bruise - I just let 'em figure it out.

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#47

As a former nanny-permissive parenting passed off as gentle parenting. Children need boundaries!

Also I’m a big believer in letting children be bored sometimes; every moment of their day doesn’t need to be structured with activities. Independent play fosters their creativity.

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James016
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We generally let our son do what he wants in that we don't really structure his free time. If he wants to play with his trains, fine. If he wants to draw on his Boogie Board, great - he is getting really good at drawing trains and Snoopy characters. Now that spring is here, he will be out in the garden running around or in the trampoline.

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#48

Making your kid do tons of extracurriculars, we all want our kids to succeed in life but they deserve to have a childhood and do things they want!

Talk to your kids, explain when they didn't something wrong rather than just screaming at them.

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Shawn Brooks
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have friends whose kids do travel sports. It is all encompassing, every free moment is spent getting ready for the next trip. The whole family sufferers.

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#49

Helicopter parents.

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#50

Using cutesy language/ non- proper terms for body parts, things etc...

I worked in the elementary school system for a while and the amount of cutesy code names parents taught their kids for body parts, especially genitalia was alarming. I understand when kids are young they may not know words for common things (and I'm not taking about kids with learning differences) but your 4th grader choosing to call his penis his "wee-wee" and his mom calls to complain that I'm vulgar when I had to ask him to clarify....parent's need to knock that s**t all the way off.

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#51

‘Aesthetic’ parenting. I hate when parents have to make their kids nursery’s, playrooms etc all aesthetically pleasing with cohesive beige colour schemes and all wood effect. These are the same parents that’ll dress their kids like tiny adults, in incredibly expensive outfits that look dull as all hell and aren’t suitable for running around or doing kid stuff.

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dia patil
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

where is the harm in this? wanting to make your kid look good isn't a crime. just make sure that if they want to change their aesthetic when they grow older, don't force your version of aesthetic on them.

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#52

Always coddling your kid and act like they can never do anything wrong.

Obviously you shouldn't go overboard with beeing strict, but as a parent it is your job to guide them and equip them with whatever they need to success in life.

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#53

Stranger danger. Taught kids to fear strangers and the man hiding in the bushes. When in reality the danger to kids is usually from the people they know. Uncles, teachers, priests, etc.

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LagoonaBlueColleen
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have to disagree on this one. Even as an adult, one guy in a car stopped in front of me at an intersection asking me "where do you live?" and drove off. I got so freaked out I took an extra long way home. My region has a lot of sexual predators, and there's always police warnings whenever they're released from jail but still high risk to reoffend. These are strangers to the victims. I'm not disagreeing that predators are often known to the child, but from experience growing up and from raising my own, I've come to know that there is something to stranger danger and it doesn't hurt to teach kids how to protect themselves and be cautious.

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#54

Oversharing personal pictures and information about their kids online/on social media. Your child is entitled to privacy as much as anyone else and posting all these photos and details about them online isn't a wise decision for their confidentiality and safety.

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Lil' Roo
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Totally agree. When your kid is older, if they shall decide they want privacy (not be on social media), they don't get that choice because their parents over-shared the kid's life.

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#55

Zero negative reinforcement, and talking out / negotiating every disagreement with the kid. Sometimes the answer is just plain “No.”

I watched my friend spend 15 minutes patiently explaining to her five year old over and over again that she didn’t have any candy for him, and he needed to wait until they got home to where they had candy. None of her explanations satisfied him. He just fake cried harder and harder the more she pleaded with him and explained how sorry she was. I was like why tf are you even saying you’re sorry?? He’s not going to die if he has to wait a few minutes for candy. By the time she finished bargaining with him for 15 min, they could’ve gotten home already. It was so painful.

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#56

Not letting your kids walk to and back from school. Somehow "freerange" is a trend. In Europe, at least France, it is the norm as it SHOULD be. Then you don't understand why you get irresponsible obese kids in the US. Let them go outside, let them exercise, let them experience.

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Kimi Tomminello
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Car culture in America makes streets very dangerous for people to navigate a adults, let alone children. Where I live in the US out kids are outside from whenever they wake up until sundown still but cities here aren't like that.

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#58

Rewarding your kids for EVERYTHING. I'm all for giving your child something special if they got an A+ or something along those lines, but rewarding your child for everyday tasks such as doing homework and eating without complaining is a horrible idea. These are things they should be doing anyways! If my experience as a nanny has taught me anything it's that this trend only spoils your child.

Edit: I'd just like to clear something up. Let's take me for example. Growing up I didn't get rewarded for doing normal day to day things like reading, practicing my instrument, doing homework, setting up the table, eating my dinner....etc. I don't mean to be arrogant but I was a pretty easy child, rarely did I ever complain about doing these things because they were simply expected of me, just like they were expected of my mother as a child and so on (plus I knew there were consequences if I didn't) I didn't have any friends who got little rewards all the time so to me it was normal.

Now, I've taken care of two sets of kids who I believe were spoiled beyond belief because of this system, unless they get a reward they refuse to do anything that is asked of them, I mean ANYTHING. Meanwhile, a few years back I took care of some kids without this reward system and they were an absolute delight. Never had to repeat myself twice, they did what was asked of them. Forgive me if I'm wrong, it could be like some of you are saying, it depends on the kid. I can assure you though, I won't be following this trend anytime soon.

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#59

Over coddling and doing everything for your kids instead of giving them some responsibility and letting them fail or struggle a little bit. I think it’s called “lawnmower parenting” and some parents even do these things with their adult children:

1. Calling the teacher every time your kid gets a low grade

2. Helping with homework too much

3. not giving kids any age-appropriate chores

4. Red-shirting your kids

5. Calling your kids employer on their behalf to call in sick

6. Doing everything for your kids like cleaning their room, doing their laundry, picking up after them, calling to make all their appointments, etc

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#60

Sheltering them from music that they don't want them to listen to. like for example, the parent only allows radio Disney. What if the kid who is 8 doesn't like it? That's not fair to the kid to not be allowed to explore and get their own taste. Glad my mom never sheltered

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Luther von Wolfen
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was at a 3rd grade "dance" once and they played "Gangnam Style". All the kids were just jumping around with cake. It was hilarious.

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#61

Gently asking kids to do s**t they have ZERO capacity to do or even understand. Your kid won't move out in front of the store door, and it's not the next customer's fault that they fell down because they were in front of the door. Stop letting your kids run around restaurants like you're renting the f**king place and TEACH THEM TO SIT AND EAT WITH THEIR F**KING FAMILY.

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Kevin Felton
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is situational. If you're at a Chuck E Cheese then you should expect to share your dining experience with a bunch of snot faced kids. But if you're at a restaurant that doesn't include a play ground children shouldn't be there until they're old enough to understand basic table manners.

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#62

Letting your child become obese.

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dia patil
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

there's a huge difference between "body positivity" and "you are killing yourself by calling your unhealthy habits 'normal'".

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#63

Indigo kids. Parents believing that their children have super powers because they are acting like brats. Sure, let's not only tell the bratty kids that they are better than everyone, but let's also put them with the other brats. I'm sure this won't end badly.

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#64

The absolute f**king venom if someone disagrees with your parenting choices. There's no such thing as a simple disagreement any more.

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L Melville
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

By the same token though...I may not AGREE with everyone's parenting choices....but unless it's illegal/abusive to the child, it's not really my call.

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#65

I hate it when parents let their 6 year old walk their 3 foot tall dog and they can't control it so it goes around licking people everywhere.

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#66

Using tracking devices on your kids car or phone. Sorry but that's creepy and only [messes] up their ability to trust anyone.

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Benita Valdez
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah there's a difference between invading their privacy and checking up on them because they're not responding or late. As long as it's done respectively then I see no problem with GPS on kids. And some situations may call for checking their phone but as long as you're not doing it just to invade their life without just cause then it can be ok; just cause isn't if they're lying about studying and went to the movies for example

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#67

During the harambe mess, a friend of mine told someone that his opinion was irrelevant because he didn't have kids.

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Megan Curl
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Harambe Mess: a 3 yr old fell into Harambe’s (a gorilla) enclosure, and when Harambe started to drag the boy around, Zoo officials had to euthanize the animal. Don’t know what this has to do with not having kids.

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#68

I’ve seen videos of parents letting their child’s be free spirits. The child chooses what to eat, when to go to bed, and how much school work to do. One video a child had ice cream for breakfast and was “homeschooled”.

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LagoonaBlueColleen
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's okay to give your kid choices but don't give them total free-range like they know what's good for them.

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#69

The thing the Kennedys did where they lobotomized their daughter without anesthetic is probably up there.

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#70

I work at a childcare facility and the parents with younger kids dose their juice and milk with Miralax. Daily. It’s so freaking weird and it’s NO WONDER they’re having issues pooping. They have no idea what it feels like to naturally do it.

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#71

Parents being scared of children. Your kid will be a f**kup if you think you need to be their friend. When I was a boy I was showed tough love, but it gave me skills I needed. Stop letting the kids be in control.

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Candace Walden
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't know about tough love, it depends on how far it goes. You can have a good relationship with your kid without being their friend. My mom was never my friend. I'm all for tough love if it is not abusive like beating them (I said beating, not spanking), locking them out of the house, depriving them of things they need, not just want.

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#72

That hideous rat tail at the back of toddlers' heads.

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Madeleine Flowers
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You mean a ponytail? When hair gets long enough it's better to have it and have other people call it a hideous rat tail than have long, annoying hair getting in your eyes and face.

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#73

The “boy mom” thing. It seems to have started out as a cute meme but now seems to be a cultish parental style rooted in Oedipus complex weirdness that I can’t quite understand and don’t really want to.

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