30 Parenting Fantasies That Just Didn't Work Out For People Once The Baby Actually Came Along

Parenting dreams can look very different before the baby arrives. One minute, everything feels simple, and the next, real life is laughing at every plan.

That is exactly what happened when writer and illustrator Aubrey Hirsch shared her own parenting fantasy on Twitter and asked other moms and dads which ideas disappeared fast after kids came along. The replies were honest, funny, and painfully relatable.

From veggie battles to bedtime chaos, these are the parenting expectations that did not survive contact with reality.

1. Even if you can make other children obey, that doesn't mean you can do the same with your own offspring.

clhubes

2. They thought she would be a more sophisticated eater.

DawFfraw

3. This would be a truly humbling moment for most parents.

KirsteinRummery

That fantasy did not last long.

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

Some parents learned that even the best intentions get crowded out fast.

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

Bedtime, apparently, is where the real negotiations begin.

And it gets messy in relationships too, like the AITA couple arguing after one partner adopted a puppy without discussing it.

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

And once survival mode starts, the old rules go out the window.

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_

That is one rule that sounds easier than it is.

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

In the end, parenting rarely matches the fantasy, and that is exactly why these replies hit so hard.

Kids have their own personalities, their own timing, and their own way of rewriting every plan.

For more family chaos, read how a struggling dad’s dinner lack of planning sparked conflict. A struggling dad sparks chaos at dinner time due to lack of meal planning.