30 Parenting Fantasies That Just Didn't Work Out For People Once The Baby Actually Came Along
There's their idealized parent version, and there's the reality version.
Every soon-to-be parent has some idea of the kind of parent they want to be. Some aspire to be the gentle type who finds ways to raise their child without raising their voice or resorting to spanking, while others want their kids to follow their every rule and command.
However, that's only their fantasy. When the tiny humans actually arrive, so many things can change in an instant, and some people might not even get to live out the parenting fantasy they've created.
As every experienced parent knows, you'll never truly know what will happen from day to day. Moreover, each child will react differently and have a unique personality.
One way or another, the idealized version of yourself as a parent that you've envisioned will shatter. There are simply too many variables to count.
When writer and illustrator Aubrey Hirsch took to Twitter to share her parenting dream that quickly fell apart and asked fellow moms and dads about the parenting fantasies they immediately abandoned after having kids, it resonated with many parents. Many of them responded.
From getting their kids to eat their veggies to sleeping when the baby sleeps, here are some of the best answers parents on the internet have shared.
1. Even if you can make other children obey, that doesn't mean you can do the same with your own offspring.
clhubes2. They thought she would be a more sophisticated eater.
DawFfraw3. This would be a truly humbling moment for most parents.
KirsteinRummery
4. It's not negligence; it's more a lack of time and energy.
rmmckenny
5. They may not look great, but hey, they keep the kids in place.
GoldCell2007
6. The terrible twos just manifest in different ways as they get older.
Hari37718110
7. Some things in our lives simply don't have space for kids.
ShannonJCurtin
8. Every caring parent wishes for this.
JiksunCheung
9. Sleepy time is actually time to do more chores.
inexactly
10. There will always be a mountain of chores waiting.
EmilyPopek
11. Parenting can be miserable, and it's okay to admit that.
AE_Hayes
12. Sometimes, peace in the house depends on the sleep schedule being followed to the letter.
amalt
13. Oh no, no, no. The more tired kids are, the more insane they become.
LucyAJayes
14. It's honestly sad how this has become the go-to for many parents just to achieve peace and quiet.
funkentechno
15. You have to pick your battles wisely.
MollyHouse77
16. They will grow up to be different people, and it's both sad and wonderful.
EmEnSpace
17. There is too much you have to invest in this to make it a reality.
rebeccalehmann
18. When survival mode kicks in, there's very little you can do.
Wenders112
19. It can be hard to break old habits.
roch_town
20. There's a technique to do this right, but parents need a lot of trial and error, and education, of course, to get it right.
DoodlesJW
21. Sometimes, you have to lie for your own sanity.
Le4h_says
22. Babies take the crying challenge very seriously.
wnt2know
23. The whole 'don't talk back to me' thing creates a lot of unnecessary issues in kids.
brokeblackgirl_
24. That's great, but how about the teaching part?
katiebudo
25. We're in the age of technology; we might as well get them acquainted early.
Shatonka
26. Plus, do the kids really enjoy being in all that?
NoEmmeG
27. The kids surely won't allow that.
SteTudor123
28. This is probably one of the most unrealistic expectations a parent can have.
JMMBCL
29. Two equals twice.
JonathanQuist
30. Things like food should depend on what's best for the child and their health.
dduncandb
Many parents imagine an ideal life with their kids, but we all know that there are many curveballs when raising children. They're human beings with minds and emotions of their own, so the best thing to do is to adapt.
Just because parents didn't get to live out their ideal versions doesn't mean they've failed at parenting. It simply means they had to do what's best for the situation, and that's okay.
