Parenting is an adventure you begin with little idea of what to expect. You can watch others parent, you can read about childhood development, but you just don't know what your kid is going to be like or what kind of mom or dad you will be until you bring that bundle of joy home.
Trying To Get Along
Unless you're one of those perfect nuclear families with a white picket fence and a cute little dog, you probably have or know a family with siblings that don't always get along with one another. While some kids grow up to be best friends with their brothers or sisters, there are always those moments when fighting is inevitable.
Take these two characters. The younger one, a little girl, is fighting off tears. Her big brother doesn't seem too happy either. What's a mom to do with two fighting kids? Make them share a t-shirt that forces them to spend some time together. We give her a gold star for parenting!
#6 Shows you what's actually going on when it's a little too quiet.
Safety First
Some novice parents are overprotective of their new babies. And others are more likely to just wing it and hope for the best. This enterprising dad might fall somewhere in the middle of the spectrum.
Dad's clearly interested in carrying his toddler safely and has made the unconventional decision to place the child carefully in his long dreadlocks. OK, but we doubt that carrier has been approved by any consumer product safety groups. It seems to be working for this father-daughter duo, though. She actually looks pretty secure in the hair-holder.
Just Desserts
Everyone knows that multitasking is just a part of life when you welcome a baby into your home. You change diapers while talking on the phone. You fold laundry on the couch while monitoring your infant in their baby swing. You cook dinner and soothe your crying baby while bouncing him in your arms. There's very little time that you have for yourself.
Well, this dad is the king of multitasking. Not only is he bonding with his infant, he's also treating himself to an after-dinner snack. So what if the baby is doubling as a flat table surface. A man's got to do what a man's got to do.
Swing Time
Sometimes you just want to relax after a long day at work. You know you should be spending time with your children, but you really want to just kick back and enjoy a drink. So what's a dad to do? Well, this guy came up with something he probably thought was an ingenious idea. He came up with a plan to spend time with his daughter while enjoying a nice cold brew simultaneously.
What did he do? He tied a rope to his daughter's swing that reaches far enough to his table. So he can sit back and enjoy his beer while gently swinging his daughter from a distance.
Whatever Is Convenient
It's true that dads seem to take more risks with their children than moms. It's got to be the testosterone. And they certainly don't possess a mother's instinct. Take this guy who's on a nice hike with his family.
As you know, if you go on a long walk with a young child, eventually that child is going to get tired. He or she won't be able to walk the entire time. So what's a dad to do? The obvious answer is to pick the child up. The not-so-obvious answer is to pick the kid up by the back of their overalls.
Appreciate Everyone Who Helps Your Kids
The old saying is that it takes a village to raise a child, and that certainly seems to be true in a lot of cases. Grandparents, friends, neighbors, and teachers all contribute to a kid's wellbeing.
This mom found a hilarious way to let her son's teacher know how much she appreciates the help. She had a special wine label made that reads, "Our child might be the reason you drink so enjoy this bottle on us." This could be a cute idea for anyone who helps out with your kids and enjoys the occasional glass of wine.
An Early Introduction To The Animal Kingdom
In Kansas, a mom named Angie Widener took her three kids to the zoo to get up and personal with the animals there. While she was tending to her two older kids, a stranger approached and gave her some startling news.
“Um, ma’am, there is a lemur on your baby,” the person told Widener. Sure enough, a ring-tailed lemur was in the stroller, right on the sleeping baby's head. “I was shocked, but the zookeeper assured me she was safe, so my two older daughters and I got a few laughs and we snapped some pictures,” Widener later told Huffington Post.
Learning To Recognize When Your Child Is Hungry
Hey, feeding a child is one of the most important things a parent does. So it's vital that we learn to recognize when a kid is hungry and wants/needs to eat. Some kids cry or whimper until they're old enough to talk.
This girl's parents have it easy. Not only is she walking around carrying a plate and not just one, but TWO spoons, but she's also pressing her face against the glass door with an expression that just can't be mistaken. I'M HUNGRY... GIVE ME FOOD.
Don't Be Afraid To Experiment With New Looks
Hey, it's never too early to learn which makeup looks work for your new baby. This parent decided to experiment with eyeliner on their daughter, with hilarious results.
Now, instead of a sweet, toothless toddler, the baby looks more like an evil or angry demon. The photo where she's laughing with her head thrown back is especially disconcerting! She looks like she's plotting against the world. (Note: we don't actually recommend putting makeup on your child, but are glad to see the funny results when one Redditor did so.)
Learn To Unconditionally Accept The Gifts Your Kids Give You
Mom blogger Ashford Evans learned the hard way that kids don't always make the best gift-givers. She returned home one day to find that her bathroom smelled extra clean, like a scent she recognized by couldn't identify. This bar of soap was sitting in her kid's cereal bowl on the bathroom counter.
But it turned out not to be soap at all. As she recounted on her blog, she washed her hands with it and asked her family about the bar in the morning. “'What IS that? Where did you guys get that?' I asked. 'Meeny found it in the boys bathroom at Tae Kwon Do and brought it home,' she happily replied. And that’s when it hit me. It wasn’t some upscale boutique $15 soap I had been caressing for the last 12 hours. It was a urinal cake."
Their Meltdowns Are All YOUR Fault
As we see time and time again, toddlers are prone to having massive meltdowns over just about anything you can imagine. What's especially frustrating (and funny at the same time) is that toddlers are really quick to blame their parents for their total breakdowns.
Here, we see a child having a tantrum on the kitchen floor. But he has a good reason, according to mom: "I forgot to let him hit the start button to the dishwasher. So I'm an #[expletive]parent"
Gettin' By With A Little Help From My Kid
Most new parents could use an extra set of hands. Lots of people put their kids to "work" helping out with little chores or household tasks (like helping mommy feed the fish, for example).
This dad really put his daughter to good use during a trip to the grocery store. He and "uncle Nick" had her carry their beer purchase along in her child-sized cart. The kid doesn't look concerned, just proud of her grown-up responsibility. Wonder if the cashier asked to see her ID...
Upside Down (But At Least Not Inside Out)
One Facebook user reported that her husband was really impressed with their 10-year-old son's new outfit. He particularly found it clever that the onesie came with built-in anti-scratch mitts.
But when Dad went to boast to Mom about his parenting skills, she found that he'd just put the outfit on completely upside-down, with the foot coverings on the baby's hands. As she reported, "He said he thought Lenny's [onesie] was a great design as it had in his words 'added scratch mitts' along with 'easy access for nappy changing'!"
Get Your Quality Time In Whenever You Can
This dad has the whole parenting thing figured out... just go along with your daily business and hold the kid on your lap while you do your thing. Multi-tasking is essential as a new parent!
Dad appears to be engrossed in his video game, but if he wanted his daughter to get involved, but she's more interested in chewing on her controller than watching the action. Still, it's a pretty sweet pic. And mom was pleased by dad's efforts, writing "I am truly blessed that I can feel love this strong twice fold."
A Parent's Revenge
You've got to give this guy credit. He embarrassed himself in order to teach his daughters a big lesson. He must love them very much. Look what he wrote, in sharpie, on the back of his shirt (which is ruined, by the way): "Ask my girls if they still think short shorts are 'soo cute.'"
First, he ruined a perfectly nice shirt. Second, he actually put on a pair of really tiny denim shorts. Honestly, the Daisy Duke look does nothing for him. What it does do, however, is teach his children that it's important to make what he thinks are proper fashion choices.
Dad Photobomb
A recent study revealed that parents continue to worry about their children even when they get older. It doesn't matter what their age, they still cause a lot of stress. Just ask this dad. We're going to assume that it's his daughter that he is spying on. She and her date are posing in front of what appears to be a garage. So what's a dad to do? Leer at them from behind the garage window.
His expression is priceless. You know what he's thinking. His daughter is all grown up and dating and doing God knows what with boys. Good luck, dad!
Sacrifices
While parents sometimes make their kids freak out by spying on them and photobombing their pics, they also make huge sacrifices for their kids. And that often includes accompanying them to places they would never, ever go on their own. Including a concert. Look at this guy, he should be named Dad Of The Year.
This dad knew his daughter wanted to go to a One Direction concert. He didn't want her to go by herself, obviously, so he bit the bullet and volunteered. He also, thankfully, remembered to bring earplugs. Unfortunately, he committed a cardinal sin: he fell asleep at the show!
Best Dad Ever
Okay, there are good dads and there are great dads (and the same goes for moms). Well, whoever came up with this idea deserves a huge pat on the back! Check it out. We all wanted to do this as kids, but what parent would actually let us slide down the stairs on giant pieces of cardboard? Seriously!
This is fantastic. It's ever kid's dream. It was probably the dad's dream too because he wasn't allowed to do it as a child. So he becomes his kids' hero in one fell swoop simply by deconstructing a cardboard box and laying it down on the stairs. Genius.
A Parent's Rules
Every kid grows up with rules. Sometimes they have to do chores, and sometimes they're not allowed to do certain things, such as stay up past their bedtime. Well, a parent occasionally needs to get creative when it comes to convincing their children to do certain things.
Take these clever parents. They know exactly what drives their children: the ability to get online. So what do they do? Make a sign instructing them to complete certain tasks ("make your beds, vacuum downstairs, and walk the dog") in order to get the coveted WiFi password. They are incredibly smart, and innovative, parents.
Watch What You Say
A parent knows he or she has to be careful about what they say around children. They pick up everything. And they're a lot smarter than their short stature suggests. So don't be surprised when they regurgitate something you said in passing. One man remembers a particular incident from his childhood that his father probably wished never happened.
Via Reddit: "When I was 5 or 6, we were at my dad's company picnic. I was introduced to his boss and I told him, 'My daddy says you're a son of a [expletive].' My dad's coworkers fed me ice cream all afternoon."
Mixed Signals
Some parents have the best intentions, but their actions don't always have the intended effect. Take this mother. She wants her daughter to be open to all possibilities regardless of her gender. So what did she do? She bought her daughter both cars and dolls. After all, children should be able to play with all kinds of toys without worrying about being stereotyped.
But some girls will always love pink and tiny play kitchens and toys that make them feel, well, girly. So this mom has to deal with a daughter who pretends her cars are dolls that like to sleep in very feminine beds. Hilarious!
Dancing in the Buff
One thing that's great about kids is they often dance like no one is watching. They feel the rhythm and just dance! But most parents would prefer that their children keep their clothes on when they decide to jump around and express their enthusiasm for music, especially in a public place.
Via Reddit: "My daughter decided to strip completely naked, nappy and all, in the shop when I had my back turned for about five seconds. I only became aware when a lovely lady tapped me on my shoulder and whispered into my ear, 'Excuse me, love, your child is dancing naked beside the potatoes.'"
Rules And Directions Don't Always Apply To Kids
This lucky little boy got to go on a trip to Atlantis in the Bahamas, where he visited the Dolphin Bay area. According to his aunt or uncle, the staff instructor told the kid to gently kiss the dolphin. Sounds simple enough, right?
Nope. Instead, as we see in this photo that won shared to Twitter, the little boy gave the dolphin an enthusiastic licking instead of a "gentle kiss." At least the dolphin can easily rinse off any unwanted kid spit.
Hilarious, True Parenting Tales
A parent who thinks they will never, ever let their child sit for even a minute in a dirty diaper may change his or her tune when they are sleep-deprived, overworked, and trying not to burn dinner for the second time in a row.
Desperate times call for desperate measures, and sometimes you have to get a little innovative when you just need 20 minutes of sleep! Besides, these kids look like it's all fun and games.
Hey, this dad has a great idea for a joke that won't be revealed to his kid for years. Twitter user @rolldiggity wrote this: "New Parent Idea: 1. Take pictures of you pulling baby out of spacecraft in forest. 2. Hide pictures in attic for kid to find when he's 10."
Perfect! Even this joke will take a decade to pull off, it will be worth it to watch the look of absolute confusion, then terror, on the child's face as he finds out that he might be an alien.
Scare Them Straight
Say you have something in your bedroom that you really, really don't want your kids to see. Or possibly you just want to mess with them a little. That's what one mom did to her Redditor son.
He posted this pic and wrote "If something happens to us, don't even open this. Throw it out ok? Trust me, you don't want to see this...mom." Then again, he added that he'd open it if enough fellow Redditors wanted him to so maybe mom's plan backfired.
When "Open Door Policy" Fails
Many families implement an open-door policy when it comes to using the restroom. One Reddit dad found out the hard way just how badly that policy can backfire in a public place like a restroom. He brought his three-year-old daughter into the stall with him at a restaurant.
His tale: "I hear the door to the restroom open, meaning we are now no longer the only two occupants. I hear two guys walk in. As one of the sets of footsteps draw near, my little girl starts to back away from the door and ends up right next to me. She looks down at what's going on and loudly exclaims: 'Daddy!! Look at your little ____!!'" The poor humiliated dad waited for the bathroom's other occupants to leave before exiting.
Learning The Language
Let's face it, most of us will never be able to keep up with our kids' expressions and slang. This can be especially true when it comes to texting and social media lingo like hashtags. Writer Jennifer Scharf hit the nail on the head with her FaceBook post about a shirt her daughter wanted.
"[Things] I never thought I'd say.
8yo: Mom, can I please, please, please get this t-shirt!
Me: No.
8yo: Why not?
Me: Because I don't know what that hashtag means."
Soooo uncool, mom.
Deal With It
Photo Credit: chrissyteigen / twitter
Most people wouldn't react too well if their friends, neighbors, or bosses did to them the things that kids do on a daily basis. But part of being a (good) parent is learning that gross things are going to happen and that you have to deal with them in an appropriate way.
Model/mom Chrissy Teigen provided the perfect example of this on social media. She wrote of toddler daughter Luna: "She just kicked me in the face and then farted in it. The disrespect!!" See, this type of thing even happens to supermodels!
Never Forget How To Embarrass Your Kids
As we've seen, it's not hard to embarrass your kids at any age. It's almost like children were created just for the purpose of finding new and creative ways of embarrassing them.
But it's important not to forget those master embarrassment skills as you and your kids age. Redditor spikeypeach shared this photo with the caption, "What I love about my parents is that after 41 years of marriage, they still know how to embarrass their kids." This hilarious pic is probably treasured by the couple's children!
Hilarious Baby Names
Sometimes you can't help but mess with children's minds; they're so innocent and gullible! But even if you're joking, not everyone thinks you're funny. Just ask this Reddit user who pulled one over on her sister and niece:
"When my sister was pregnant with my nephew, my sister kept the baby's name a secret from my then-four-year-old niece. While babysitting my niece, I convinced her that her parents were planning to name the new baby Homeslice. She announced her new brother's name to everyone in her daycare, random strangers at the grocery store or anyone else who would listen. My sister still hasn't forgiven me for that one."
Potty Mouth
Kids can be really honest, sometimes too honest. It can be very sweet but also very frustrating, particularly if they reveal personal information that you really don't want the world to know. Take this little girl. She wanted to make sure everyone knew why she was late to daycare one day. And her poor mother paid the price with absolute embarrassment!
Via Reddit: "My daughter's daycare had circle time every morning as a way to start the day. Anyway, we were late and walked into the middle of circle time. My daughter said, "We're late because my Mommy had diarrhea."
Social Media Revenge
Sometimes, parents come up with the best punishment ideas, don't you agree? This young girl did something her parents disapproved of, and they got the ultimate revenge. They made her hold up a sign reading, "Since I want to post photos of me holding liquor, I am obviously not ready for social media and will be taking a hiatus until I learn what I should and should not post. Bye bye."
Everyone knows that kids are obsessed with social media. So to taking that away from them is a pretty great idea. Hopefully, she learned her lesson and stays away from booze until she turns 21.
Inappropriate Words
Kids sometimes say the darnedest things, especially in the most inappropriate places. One little boy decided to make a comment while visiting the bathroom at Target. And an employee in earshot thought the interaction was hysterical. The dad, however, was likely less impressed with his son's observation.
Via Reddit: "When I worked at Target, I took a break to use the bathroom. As I'm sitting in the stall, a father and his 4 or 5-year-old son comes in and used the stall next to me. As the father was [urinating], his son goes 'Wow Daddy, your [expletive] looks like a rocket ship!'."
Bedroom "Yoga"
Sometimes a child catches her parents doing something she doesn't quite understand. You know, something that is meant for consenting adults. So how does a parent explain to her toddler that what she witnessed was something quite innocent? One mother decided not to explain the birds and the bees to her very young daughter. Instead, she decided to tell her that mommy and daddy were simply stretching and posing while working out.
Via IdealistMom.com: "The afternoon when you end up frantically teaching your toddler what yoga is because she woke up earlier than expected from her nap and caught you and Daddy doing 'yoga.'"
If You Want To Act Like You Know Everything...
Atlanta-based barber Russell Frederick came up with a hilarious way to discipline his kid. On his Instagram page, he advertises what he calls the "Grownup Kids Special," which is when he gives a kid an old man haircut, similar to what you'd see Mr. Burns or George Costanza wearing.
Frederick's idea went viral and he has shared that it was actually a pretty effective method of getting his son to get his act together. His son had to endure teasing from his classmates for the embarrassing haircut, but Frederick has said that it pushed his son to try harder in school and since then his grades have dramatically gone up.
She Turned Her Back For A Second
It can be pretty tough for busy mothers sometimes. Between taking the kids to school, their extracurriculars, and other things that require parenting, they do still have a household to keep up.
This mom probably knows exactly how that feels. Already exhausted from a long week of her other responsibilities, this mom still had to get dinner ready for the family. But this meant leaving her children to their own devices and what that led to was a messy disaster. Hey, it happens. At least they left Mom alone for a second!
This Mom Knew Better
All parents know the struggle between wanting to play with and entertain their kids, but know that it can be exhausting trying to keep up. This mother of two knew better than her husband did.
She hilariously captured him playing with their two boys but looking a bit like he's now finding himself in a tricky situation with them climbing all over him. Mom said it ever so poignantly: "Your mistake, my love, was getting down on their level." Once you're down there, good luck getting back up! At least the kids are having fun.
It's Quiet... Too Quiet
It looks like this mom ended up in a messy situation. Apparently, she wasn't even aware her baby could produce such a disaster! Mom reminded her followers of the popular saying: "Worry when your child is so quiet or concentrating on something."
It's true! Babies constantly need attention, but there are those odd times when they aren't asleep but are eerily quiet or you notice they have a very stern look on their face. That usually means they're up to something in the potty department. Hopefully, you notice before it's too late!
A Useful Tool
This dad's way of getting his son up close and personal with the raccoons is a little unconventional, if not dangerous. But caution aside, we're sure this dad is confident enough to know he would never actually do anything to harm his child and probably has a tight grip on him.
The lesson here might be that you can always get a boost if you need to. Or maybe it's the fact that being kind and nurturing to nature will reap many rewards. Whatever the lesson is, let's just hope that this kid doesn't learn that this is a normal thing and that putting yourself in harm's way is something everyone does.
A Taste Of His Own Medicine
It's heartbreaking for any parent to know that their kid is out there being mean to other kids. Parents never want to find out that their kids are the bad ones. But when this mom found out that her son was being malicious to a peer online, she went ahead and did the same thing to him.
She not only banned her son from using Facebook, but she went so far as to write a post from his page exposing his friends to what he has done. She also shared an embarrassing fact about him so that he feels the same humiliation he inflicted on someone else.
It's Called Multitasking
New parents know they have a big responsibility in raising a baby. But sometimes that conflicts with how their lives were before the baby came around. This means fewer trips to the gym to focus on yourself and instead focusing on the needs of your newborn.
Perhaps this dad was a bit bored just watching the baby be a baby and decided that he might as well make this precious time productive for both of them. This prompted him to strap on the baby carrier and get a little work out in. It seems effective, especially if you have your moral support strapped to your chest!
If It Works, They'll Do It
Parents of infants know how difficult it can be to bring their little ones on shopping trips. Between getting your errands done, you still have to have your parenting radar on high alert to avoid potential public tantrums.
These parents were at IKEA and anyone who's been to IKEA knows how stressful that can turn out to be. Luckily, there are whole sections of the store that look like rooms in a house. These parents must have noticed their kid particularly calmed down after passing one display, so they let him be while they got their shopping done. Hopefully, they didn't forget him there.
The Herd Mentality
This parent shared this picture on Reddit saying that it was their first time hosting a kids' party. Apparently, they might have found it a bit overwhelming but they found a pretty effective method of gathering all the kids up and keeping them all in one place.
Of course, maybe they could have found something more productive for the kids to do instead of placing them in front of the television. But most parents know this is one foolproof way to get kids to stay calm for at least 30 minutes. Looks like a fun party, indeed.
Let Them Be Themselves
Some parents have to learn that sometimes the best thing they can do is back off and let their kids to their own thing. This parent did exactly that when their daughter asked if she could go out and walk the dog.
Although the parent didn't quite agree with their daughter's outfit, they could only try to control her wardrobe decisions for so long. This parent has given up trying to get her daughter dress in a way that society would deem "normal," but eventually they decided that they're just going to let their daughter express herself in her own way.
