45 Sincere Replies From Parents Revealing The Disappointments They Have About Having Children

Being a mom or a dad is for the strongest of us

Maryjane

• Published in Interesting
• November 5, 2023

Although parenthood is regarded as one of the most wonderful blessings life can give you, the difficulties that come with it are frequently unnoticeable to outsiders (unless kids occasionally have public meltdowns).

It's very uncommon for someone to become the only parent in their social circle because many people choose to have children later in life or not at all. Though it's acknowledgeable that having children may occasionally feel a bit alienating and alone.

But it's important to build the social circle that you need around you, not at the expense of severing relationships with friends and family who are childless unless, of course, you want that as well. Being a parent is tough work for the strongest among us; there is a lot of pressure to be a great parent, loneliness when you are the only one with children in your social circle and even emotional tiredness.

Parents and other adults who are responsible for children are expressing their harrowingly honest experiences in this Reddit thread despite the fact that they all wouldn't trade their current circumstances for anything. Tag along with me as we explore these 45 honest responses from different parents.

1. "The emotional pain of watching your children go through something almost unimaginably difficult knowing that your best efforts may not be enough to save them."

2. "Knowing that I’ll never truly be free again. I will worry about my child until the day I die."

3. The child version

4. "Relentlessness"

Kids don’t stop, they don’t go away, they always need to be fed, and cleaned, and entertained. They are always there, for 21 years+, they are always there. Every single day, every single hour. Kids are always there.

5. "The worry that something horrible will happen to them. Sickness, kidnapping, getting lost, etc"

6. "Kids have an incredible ability to get really sick during the most inconvenient times."

7. "Figuring out 3 meals, 8,000 snacks, 1,000 activities and settling for the fact they won’t like, want or do any of them"

8. "The worst part of being a parent is realizing that you're never going to be perfect for them."

You're only human yourself. You're weak, you're tired, you're fallible, just like them. And as such, you'll do/not-do something and you'll blow it out of proportion and crucify yourself, and you forget that you're just still human too.

And in that moment, in that lapse in judgment, you'll regret yelling at them, you'll wish you played with them a little bit better, you'll regret getting frustrated and impatient, and you'll regret criticizing them. You'll miss them, wherever they are, whoever old they are.

The worst part of being a parent is that you can't save them from yourself. It's all in the game of life, and every second of it takes effort and thoughtful energy. Some days will be better than others. This too, shall pass.

9. "The guilt when you have to stand up to your kids and discipline them. It's never fun to see them sad."

10. "The sleep deprivation."

I'm serious, it wrecked me. I was already suffering from postpartum depression, and I was both breastfeeding and dealing with an unhelpful partner. I didn't sleep much until the baby was about a year old.

Cognitively and emotionally, it destroyed me. I made stupid mistakes at work and as a parent. I didn't trust or like myself -- or the baby.

That's the number one reason he's an only child. I can't handle the lack of sleep. He's an amazing, creative, hilarious 15-year-old now; I love him and I love being the mom of a teenager. For one thing, he sleeps through the night.

11. Letting them fail

12. "Endless, thankless drudgery."

The house is always disgusting. Everything you cook is garbage. Nothing is ever done, and everything you do is wrong. Constant expenses. Neverending judgment from total strangers about what a piece of s**t parent you are.

13. Explanations

14. "Honestly, it is the lack of a few minutes to yourself for contemplation."

15. "They naturally learn all your bad habits"

16. Raising them

17. Mental health problems

18. "No/little free time"

19. "The constant fear"

It may not always be at the front of your mind but it's always there. Are they ok, are the feeling sick, happy, sad. What are they not telling me. Are they safe when they go out. Do they understand I'm not trying to be a complete a**e, will they be ok when I'm gone.

20. "The fear. Anything could happen, at any moment, that would completely destroy your world."

21. Point of view

22. "Loving someone so much, yet, sometimes you want to just beat the s**t out of."

23. "Do you like doing things? Say goodbye to doing any of those things."

24. "Laugh. ‘It is the best of times, it is the worst of times’"

25. Making mistakes

26. Sick

27. "Being able to do seemingly next to nothing to console them when they see something traumatic."

28. Dealing with them

29. "It depends what you are already lacking in life. Don't have a lot of money? Wait until daycare bills add up. Don't have a lot of free time or get much sleep? Welcome to being a zombie for a few years."

30. Lack of sleep

31. Constant fear

32. Tragic

33. Quotes

34. "Not me, but my best friend told me the thing he hates the most about being a parent is just not having any money for him to spend on his wife. Before they had kids, he would surprise her with little gifts every now and again and it would make her so happy. Now he's starting to feel bad now that he can't do that anymore"

35. "The fact that horrible things can happen to them and it will ultimately be your fault."

It continues...

36. The connection

37. The freedom

My kids are 1 and 3 years old and although i love them to death and would never want to lose them again I do sometimes miss my freedom. When i see how easy it is for ppl who dont have kids to do things such as travel or pursue hobbies i get kinda sad and wish i could still do those things too.

38. Packing lunch

39. Former self

40. Listing them out

41. Concept of death

42. As simple as that

43. Wavelength

44. Relationship strain

45. Sick days

It's common for parents to get lost in the chaos of motherhood and fatherhood, but it's crucial to make time for yourself to engage in activities you enjoy, including playing sports, hanging out with friends when your children aren't around, engaging in artistic endeavors, or going on dates. It's about putting yourself first and being a little selfish sometimes.

But still, we are parents, and we can't love our kids less.

Maryjane