People Are Sharing The 'Parenting Fantasies' Just Never Panned Out (20 Tweets)

I think it’s pretty fair to say that no matter how level-headed you are about having kids, they’re going to knock you on your butt and surprise the crap out of you. Constantly.

So, sure, we have some myths surrounding parenting — “no phones!” “healthy food only!” — but once those kids are in your life, it’s pretty tough to maintain all those aspirational fantasies.

Aubrey Hirsch recently started a thread asking parents what “parenting fantasy” they just tossed quickly and the answers will make you feel so good about yourself. It’s okay to ditch the ideals!

1. False

2. Cannot keep it up

3. Sleeping!

4. RIP, Brunch

5. Read everything

6. TV time

7. Screen time is important

8. Extracurriculars

9. Going out to eat

10. Toy type

11. Just do it

Before kids:"I will always explain my reasoning behind decisions that affect them"

After kids: "What do you mean WHY? Because I said so that's WHY"

"I'm too tired for this, do what I asked and do it now"

"GET YOUR LISTENING EARS ON" (not sure where this phrase came from lol) https://t.co/KHH50rdKXs

— Andy Seaton (@ASeatonSpatial) June 8, 2022

12. Valid feelings

“I’ll just validate their feelings and after a short chat, they’ll come around to my way of thinking and agree to do the thing I am asking them to do”
(I do validate all feelings. It just does nothing to further the cause in the moment) https://t.co/cIiMjRbGP9

— Joanna! 🪬 (@DoodlesJW) June 8, 2022

13. Don’t talk back

“Don’t talk back to me.” My boys can express their feelings, feel the full range of their emotions, including anger, and tell me if they dislike something I’ve said or done to them and we work through it together as a family. I teach them effective ways to communicate https://t.co/N915ykJoPs

— Dasha | Financial Activist (@brokeblackgirl_) June 8, 2022

14. Peppa Pig

Fantasy: this home will be a no screens analog sanctuary of creativity and learning

Reality: please just let me go to the toilet do you want Paw Patrol or Peppa Pig https://t.co/Bf1eJm5Wnr

— Jiksun Cheung (@JiksunCheung) June 8, 2022

15. Education!

"Only toys with purpose! They will never watch my phone when we're at a restaurant! The TV that they watch, it will all be educational and intelligent. And their clothes! Only really good clothes, in a moral sense; no fast fashion for them! And they will *never* wear Crocs!" https://t.co/TzR8zQQOgT

— James Smythe (@jpsmythe) June 8, 2022

16. Languages

I’ll raise three bilingual kids.

— kathymc (@katiebudo) June 7, 2022

17. Just eat

Same. Same. He's there now at 12 but I laugh at my younger mother self. All those smell jars, all those early first foods and then Hello 2 – chicken nuggies, cheese sticks, and apple slices!

— Dr Jenna Sindle (Taylor's Version) (@JennaSindle) June 7, 2022

18. Bedrooms

My kids will sleep in their own rooms/ not sleep with me.

— Penny Dearmin (@pennydearmin) June 7, 2022

19. Sleeping

As a nanny, I had an uncanny ability to make any child take a nap in their own bed so naturally I assumed this would be something I could do for my own child. Lol.

— Lucy Huber (@clhubes) June 7, 2022

20. Same, but different

I will be a better parent than my parents were. Nope. Just fecked it up in different ways.

— Prof Kirstein Rummery👩‍🦯🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🧘‍♀️👩‍🎓 (@KirsteinRummery) June 7, 2022

People Are Sharing The ‘Parenting Fantasies’ Just Never Panned Out (20 Tweets)