Parenthood is a challenge where navigating the twists and turns of raising a child in this turbulent world can feel overwhelming. Especially when moms and dads know they play an enormous role in molding their kids’ personalities and emotional and mental health, for better or worse. And while there is no such thing as a perfect parent, most try their best to lift their little ones and give them support whenever they need it.
However, a few are downright toxic and take delight in imposing hurt, pain, and ignorance onto their child. So when Redditor odeus120 reached out to ‘Ask Reddit’ with a question, “What screams trashy parents?”, it inspired people to share their takes online. Suddenly, the thread turned into an illuminating read about how people can tell if their behavior patterns negatively shape their child’s life.
Below, you’ll find a list of these thought-provoking responses about actions parents should steer clear of. So continue scrolling and upvote the ones you agree with. Keep reading to also find an interview with the person who sparked this conversation, odeus120. Then be sure to let us know what other signs of harmful parenting you’ve ever witnessed in the comment section below.
#1
Kids running around a store trashing the place and not a parent in sight.
Image source: makeski25, Hanson Lu
#2
Social media influencers whose entire content is their children. People who publically punish their kids online, parents who give out way to many details about their children giving them lack of privacy. Child exploitation at its finest.
Image source: Rooster-Wild, Ivan Samkov
#3
Having so many that you can’t properly care for them all, or having the older kids care for the younger ones most of the time.
Image source: Express_Topic_4081, Vitolda Klein
#4
Force them into beauty pageants as toddlers
Image source: WuffGang, Jill Wellington
#5
Changing your kids diaper in a Walmart parking lot and throwing the diaper full of s**t on the ground for someone else to deal with.
Image source: Kreema29, RODNAE Productions
#6
Mothers who sees their daughter as competition
Image source: Salt-Direction4885, Jon Flobrant
#7
Kids destroying other people’s stuff/property and the parents are just standing there and laughing like it’s a form of amusement. Once went into a older movie store and there was a child bashing the glass with his ball and throwing the movies all over the floors. The mother (presumedly) let her child continue to do that despite others’ protests including the manager’s. I don’t fault the child, doesn’t know any better. The mother should’ve been asked to leave the store with her son.
Image source: InfiniteWords117, Keira Burton
#8
I lost count of how many parent conferences I had that went like this:
Me: You child’s grades and behavior are horrible.
Them: I don’t know what to do! I’ve tried everything!
Me: Like what?
Them: I took their PS5 away, and their XBOX360, but then they went crazy, so I gave it back to them.
Me: So you tried like nothing?
Image source: Edward_the_Dog, Ron Lach
#9
When I waited tables in college, I saw a mother fill her young toddler’s bottle with Coca-cola. I thought it was just horrible.
Image source: lobsters_love_butter, brokinhrt2
#10
When their kids could literally set the world on fire and they’ll blame anyone else to avoid responsibility.
Image source: Difficult_Shine3675, Anastasia Shuraeva
#11
Parents emotionally blackmailing their kids. Using guilt and obligation to control their children.
Image source: SuvenPan, Zhivko Minkov
#12
Smoking in the car with the kids in the back.
Image source: 2leewhohot, Jonas Leupe
#13
Watching YouTube videos on their phone at full volume without headphones while in a public place
Image source: ColtenLance, bruce mars
#14
There is a kid (maybe 8-10 years old) on the other side of my street right now yelling slurs and telling everyone who walks by to go f**k themselves while their parent sits on the porch smoking weed and laughing. This is a regular occurrence. I’m fairly certain the kid has a mental disorder but the fact that the parent seems to be encouraging the behavior is pretty trashy.
Image source: SternCoats, Scott Webb
#15
Posting videos of your child having a meltdown while you mock them.
Image source: msjammies73
#16
Maybe an unpopular opinion, but ear piercings on kids just past the newborn stage.
Image source: RichardNotJudy
#17
I know not everyone will agree with me on this, but parents buying their kid’s vapes and other things at a young age.
Image source: soundcloudListener
#18
Too many pets. Like…way too many to the point where they don’t really take care of them.
Image source: MintyPastures, Chewy
#19
Making your kids take care of their siblings instead of them having a life.
Image source: hopefulleo2112, Limor Zellermayer
#20
Kids that smell like smoke because their parents smoke indoors.
It was my parents. Everybody hated when we came over because everything we’d touch would smell like cigarettes as well. Couldn’t convince my parents to smoke outside of the home because “it’s their house and they’ll do as they please”.
Image source: bumblingbirdy, Maksim Goncharenok
#21
Babies in the background of twerking videos. It’s just weird.
Image source: Nillabeans, Artem Podrez
#22
Parents that seem disinterested in their kids. They don’t even necessarily have to be neglected (though they usually are). I just find it strange when I see kids very obviously trying to reach out to their parents or creating a bit of a scene in public and the parents are just like, “yeah, whatever” and go back on their phones.
Image source: chipsails, Ksenia Makagonova
#23
Refusing to believe their kid can do wrong
Image source: rippedradiator, Ksenia Chernaya
#24
When the kids are sick and contagious, but the parent(s) want a night out, and don’t tell their childcare provider their kids are sick.
Image source: holdingpotato, Kelly Sikkema
#25
Young children whose teeth are already black and rotting from lack of care.
Children in dirty/smelly clothes – not from a child playing outside as kids do, but legitimately filthy, unwashed, clothes.
Kids running wild in public with no attempts to reign them in.
Image source: WrongRedditKronk, Ketut Subiyanto
#26
Alowing your children to become obese, its child abuse, simple as that. No reason a 12 year old should be 180lbs.
Image source: aup123, Charles Parker
#27
When I see a 5 year old in nothing but a diaper, and a pacifier to shut them up.
I’m not saying those are always indications of it. But when I show up to babysitting job. And there’s a clearly-to-old for a diaper kiddo greeting me. I’m probably going to meet some trashy parents
Image source: anon, Jana Sabeth
#28
Having a favorite child
Image source: Available_Dress1405, OPPO Find X5 Pro
#29
Cussing out their school-age kids, especially out in public.
Image source: Constant-Bet-6600
#30
Babies with pierced ears
Image source: metzgermeister87, Carla Schizzi
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