There's this growing sentiment in modern parenting that we should never lie to our children, that, if we do, they may one day grow up to resent us for giving them an unrealistic view of the world. Maybe, just maybe, that desire for a more realistic and grounded approach stems from the fact that we were raised being told that we could be whatever, whoever, and wherever we wanted to be when the reality is that all of those things cost money and if you don't have enough money to go, be and do ever…

Imagine the kind of level of desperation one would have to exhibit to draft a Santa Wish List letter as a 12-year-old child in order to get expensive Christmas gifts. These are the kinds of letters to nonprofit organizations where billionaires purchase Holiday gifts for underprivileged kids. These are the kinds of organizations that are meant for children in need, not fully grown choosing beggars with a whole lot of audacity.

It's no secret that part of being a parent is messing up. Ideally, like in all things in life, we learn from our mistakes, but there are some parents out there who will never learn and who are practically walking red flags as a result of how they treat their kids. As these folks on Reddit pointed out via this r/AskReddit thread, there are countless signs that you or someone you know may be a trashy parent. Whether it's yelling at your kids in public or refusing to believe your kid could possibl…

Part of being a Dad means falling flat on your face a million times over and getting back up to do it all over again. On the other hand, part of having a Dad means getting embarrassed a million times over, only to have it happen all over again the next day. Yet somehow, Dad Jokes operate in that strange space where fathers have a chance to get away with being annoying, and, on special occasions, they may even make their kids crack a smile. Now, of course, their kids won't actually admit that th…

Just because you don't know how to parent doesn't mean you can just dial 9-1-1 on your five-year-old! Seriously, what was this impatient Karen thinking when she thought the best way to discipline her child for stomping around the room was to call the police five times and have them deal with it? News flash: all five-year-olds have the occasional behavioral fit, and if you really need a second pair of hands, consider working with her teachers or a professional. Otherwise, you're wasting time and…

There's a moment in everyone's adult lives when you realize that you have started to take on your parents' mannerisms for better or for worse. These mannerisms could range from the way in which you like to organize your kitchen cabinet to the phrases you use when you're frustrated at your partner (or even worse, your own kids). Of course, it's inevitable that we are going to take on the attributes of the people that surround us especially when we're young, no matter how hard we try to avoid it.…

We all know someone in our lives who made a questionable choice when naming their child. Some people like to be “original” without realizing that they are potentially scarring their baby for life by trying to be cool and different. Don't get me wrong: every so often, there's a unique baby name that genuinely works. But nine times out of ten, the bold baby names are a full swing and a miss. And guess who's stuck with that name for life? An innocent kid! Below is a compilation of some of the most…

These parents had a great arrangement with their kids regarding rent, until they actually talked about their financial situation . Living with your parents used to be the kind of thing that lots of people only did until they were in their late teens or early twenties. But these days, it's more common than ever to live with your parents well into adulthood. Millennials and Gen Z know this all too well, since both generations are living with their parents way longer than previous generations. Whi…

There are infinite ways to parent a child, which means there are also infinite mistakes to be made.

Something tells me these parents absolutely did NOT ask for this craziness! Look, I am the last person to talk to when it comes to parenting advice. That being said, I know enough to know that most parents simply cannot anticipate what the experience will actually be like. No matter what kind of parent you are, there always seems to be a period of disillusionment from a picture-perfect vision of what having a family will look like versus what it actually looks like. If you thought it was going…

Whatever it takes to get your kids to clean up after themselves!

The sibling relationship may be one of the most complex: two individuals who have interacted and competed throughout the entire duration of their challenging developmental years. These years of ever-shifting emotional conflict can foster incredibly strong, near-unbreakable bonds; or can form two individuals who can't stand to be in the same room as one another. Jealousy is one of the main contributors to the latter result; oftentimes, one sibling may begin to feel resentment toward their family…

Parenting is exhausting; at its worst, it's like a marathon that you run uphill for 18 years with no water stations and no end in sight. That's why it's a godsend when you can find someone (whether a bribed family member or paid caretaker) who can take your child off you for a few hours. Of course, for some parents, this whole time is spent worrying whether or not the child is alright and being adequately cared for — others still might be able to enjoy their time but be relieved when they retur…

Well… at least he hasn't been saving for very long! Plenty of time for him to recoup from this devastating loss. If his allowance (which appears to be larger than my paycheck) doesn't cut it, then the trust fund should certainly help out. There's a lot going on and a lot to unpack with this one.

Hey, if it works, it works...

There's nothing that guarantees failure like setting unrealistic expectations. Anytime you expect too much of anything you're dooming yourself to be unhappy with whatever the outcome is.