Having children is no easy task, and the responsibility that comes with it is huge. After all, you’re raising an entire human being. But as important as that role is, it’s pretty clear not everyone is cut out for it.
You only need to spend about 15 minutes scrolling through online parenting communities to see that for yourself. The things people discuss there, along with some of the opinions they share, can feel like they belong in a horror movie. It’s honestly wild.
Mom groups, in particular, seem to exist in a category of their own. We’ve rounded up some of the most unhinged things they’ve posted. Scroll down to read them and upvote the ones that left you speechless.
#1 Air Fried Placenta Anyone?
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#2 3 Years From Now: Why Did My Son Move Out And Go NC? I Did Nothing Wrong
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When something goes wrong with parenting, it’s pretty rare that parents immediately get the blame. Usually, it’s the children who are painted as the problem. Ungrateful, disrespectful, impossible to deal with—that’s the kind of thing you hear about them, and plenty of people are quick to agree.
Parents, meanwhile, tend to get a lot more sympathy. And look, it’s not undeserved. They’re the ones sitting through the sleepless nights and the tantrums, keeping the house running, spending their money on clothes and food and school fees, and trying to make sure their kids have a decent shot at life.
#3 Placenta Dunk Tank
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#4 Daycare Is A Conspiracy
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But as much as all of that takes out of a person, it doesn’t mean bad parents don’t exist. Plenty of them do all of those things and still manage to hurt their children in serious ways.
When that happens, they need to be held accountable, and that includes when they’re out here posting unhinged things in online parenting groups. Because when bad parents never get called out, it’s actually the good ones who end up with the bad reputation.
The parents who are genuinely trying, who love their kids and occasionally make mistakes like any normal person would, get lumped in with people who are causing real damage. The truly bad ones deserve to be named for what they are.
#5 75 Cents An Hour For Babysitting
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#6 This Seems Like A Healthy Relationship
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#7 A Whole New Level Of Delusional
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Now, as Healthline notes, “bad parenting” is an emotionally loaded term and genuinely hard to define. That said, we can still identify behaviors that cause real damage to children.
The most obvious ones involve neglect or direct physical violence, things that affect a child’s wellbeing in ways that are impossible to ignore, and that can sometimes even result in criminal charges. In those cases, the child’s safety needs to come first and professional help is essential. But those are the extremes.
#8 Freebirther Fighting CPS Because 5 Year Old Tested Positive For THC “But It’s Because CBD” and Kid With No SS/BC
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#9 I Wonder Why This Isn’t Working
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#10 Please Don’t Do This
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A lot of harmful parenting is far more subtle, and often comes wrapped in good intentions. Take discipline, for instance. Too little of it, and children are essentially left to figure things out on their own.
Sharron Frederick, LCSW, psychotherapist at Clarity Health Solutions, told Healthline that this can lead to injuries and raise a child who simply doesn’t understand boundaries. “Children look to parents to define what boundaries are and the consequences that can occur if the child crosses those boundaries,” she says.
#11 She Got Ripped Apart In The Comments
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#12 “In Total Embarrassment” I Couldn’t Imagine Why
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#13 Do You Mean “School”?
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Being too strict, on the other hand, comes with its own set of problems. Parents who go this route often believe they’re raising well-behaved, responsible kids, but what they frequently end up with is a child who is fearful, anxious, or rebellious.
In these households, rules are absolute, punishments are harsh, and there’s no space for the child to have any say in how those rules are shaped.
A minor slip-up might mean a beloved toy gets thrown away or destroyed, with no negotiation and no nuance. Kids who grow up in these environments tend to feel completely powerless.
#14 Yes, Hitting A 6 Month Old Baby Is A Good Plan
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#15 Mama Gotta Have A Life Too
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#16 There Is Just So Much To Unpack With This One
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Then there’s shaming. Parents who do it often think they’re being motivating. Telling a kid “why did you only score 90 instead of 100?” feels like pushing them toward something better. And maybe it works in the short term. But it comes at a cost.
According to Healthline, children who are continually shamed can develop deep issues with perfectionism and a persistent fear of failure. Yelling, harsh criticism, and physical punishment all fall into this category too.
#17 Maybe Use Real Birth Control?
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#18 Some Things Should Stay Private
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#19 What Kind Of Logic Is This
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Something a lot of parents don’t think twice about is commenting on their children’s bodies or eating habits, usually out of genuine concern for their health.
Sometimes parents don’t even say anything negative at all and actually compliment their child’s appearance quite a bit. But even well-meaning comments can cause real damage over time.
#20 How Could You Let Your Kid Sleep In Vomit
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#21 I Guess You’re Out Of Luck Then
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#22 Magnetic Boogers
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“As an eating disorder therapist, one thing I know can be an issue is constantly commenting on a child’s body or the way they eat, even if it’s meant to be positive,” Rachel Goldberg, LMFT, therapist and founder of Rachel Goldberg Therapy, told Parents.com.
She advises against saying things like “oh, you look really good in that outfit today” or “that doesn’t really suit your body,” and stresses that negative or judgmental comments about how much a child eats are equally harmful.
#23 Detoxing From Crocs
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#24 No Words
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#25 Where Can I Find Someone Who Will Put A Needle Through My Newborns Very Very Small Ears Because He Isn’t Cute Enough?
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Beyond all of this, there’s a bigger issue that many parents struggle with, which is accepting that their children are their own people. Kids grow up and figure out who they want to be, and that vision doesn’t always match what their parents had in mind.
Dawn Friedman, MSEd, LPCC, a licensed professional clinical counselor specializing in child anxiety, emphasizes that letting children make their own decisions and learn from their own mistakes is how they build the independence and self-confidence they’ll need as adults.
That includes everything from the subjects they study to the sports they play to the extracurriculars they choose to pursue. If you find yourself controlling those choices, it’s worth taking a step back and giving your child some room to explore.
#26 May I Have Some Beer Please, Even If It Hurts My Unborn Child?
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#27 Homeschool Group Comforting A Mom Who Never Taught Her 14 Year Old The Months Of The Year Or His Tables
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#28 Casually Body Shaming Your 14 Year Old Is Wild
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Parenting is hard, and nobody should beat themselves up over every small mistake. But there’s a real difference between the occasional misstep and patterns of behavior that leave children carrying wounds they’ll spend years in therapy trying to work through. Kids simply don’t deserve that.
#29 Please Listen To Your Friends And Save Your Child Years Of Bullying Followed By Years Of Therapy
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#30 You Can’t Eat At Everyone’s House
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#31 School Is Not Designed For Boys
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#32 Breastmilk Isn’t Curing Her Son’s Leukaemia
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#33 The Kid Is 18 Months Old
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#34 This Is Actually Infuriating. That Poor Child
I’m really glad the comments were split between calling this horrendous and rage bait. How can you raise a child for 8 years and not have a single care for them?
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#35 You Might Have A Drinking Problem
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#36 Local Mom Making It Rain
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#37 Complete Trash Trying To Take Advantage Of Refugees
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#38 From My Due Date Group
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#39 Sure Man, You Converted Your Kids Assistant Principal Into A Flat Earther
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#40 I Genuinely Do Not Know What She’s Asking
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#41 I Have No Words
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#42 It’s A Sweet Sentiment, But
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#43 Found In A Local Childcare Connect Group. Overnight Babysitter To Look After 7 Year Old Who Stays Up All Night And Sleeps All Day
I just have so many questions here. Even if homeschooled, why not try to encourage healthy night time sleep? Mac and cheese and hot dogs in the middle of the night?
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#44 Why Is It That People Think Saying “No Judgement” Excuses Their Awful Behavior?
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#45 Wanted: Rich Mom Friends Only
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#46 My Jaw Dropped When I Saw This. Am I The Only One That Thinks Its Slightly Horrifying To Keep Bringing Children Into The World Knowing They Will Suffer Like This?
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#47 Kid Probably Acts That Way Because The Parents Think Swearing And Hitting Is The Only Way To Deal With Others
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#48 Cleaning Products Cause Dyslexia? Hmm
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#49 A Comment In A Group About The Woman Who Gave Birth In The Ocean
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#50 A Really Big Doctor Said It’s Great
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#51 Did Everything Right And Son Still “Caught” Autism
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#52 Pink Pony Club
The comments were all just as confused as me, questioning how we got from point A to point B. Many also explained that there’s a kids bop version of the song she might have heard, or she just could have heard another child singing it. At one point, the OP claimed in the comments that she thought Pink Pony Club was an LGBTQ song, which is how she concluded that the teacher taught it to the kids.
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#53 Am I Wrong Thinking The Mom Should Take Her Daughter To A Psychiatrist?
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#54 I Simply Have No Words. She Knows Those Belts Are For Safety Right?
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#55 Worst. Mom. Ever
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#56 Why Can’t I Tell Other Moms What’s Good For Their Kids?
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#57 Maybe They Don’t Need One Yet?
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#58 Dress Code For Braless Nanny
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#59 Don’t Speak To My Child In A Kind Matter
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#60 Not My Boy
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#61 My “Pureblood” Son
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