What is your worst parenting moment ever?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mine was when DD crawled off our very high bed around 10 months. I was nearly sick with guilt until doctor said she was ok.

I'm just going out on a limb here to guess you only have one and your child is still fairly young.

HAHA. I thought the EXACT same thing. In a few years, this won't even register as an issue.

[Anonymous]

We were running late for church (of all places) and my 4 year old was being INSANE about how she wanted her hair. Difficult and stubborn and whiny. She has really wild semi-curly hair, so it NEEDS to be styled or pulled back. I got it up finally and she pulls it out as soon as we're in the car. I'm SO MAD and start yelling at her and actually insulted my poor sweet child. I was like, "see, now your hair looks really crazy and ugly! Do you want ugly hair? No? Well why did you pull your hair ties out then??" I've felt ashamed of losing my temper and yelling, but this was the lowest of the low.

[Anonymous]

We were in DC after a long day of walking around with our then 6-8 year olds and had just ordered for from a food truck. Sat down on a bench after DH had handed me some water bottles and DD2 asked if she could take a sip from the one on the bench. I said yes, she opened it and took a sip before I realized that bottle had been on the bench before we sat down. We laugh about it now but I felt so bad and grossed out at the time.

[Anonymous]

I didn't register when the moment happened, but one day my 2 yo daughter was pretending to change her stuffed animal's diaper and very impatiently set it on the floor, mumbling crossly as she turned its legs this way and that. It occurred to me that she learned that from the few times I was frustrated with her wriggling and wasn't as gently as I should have been. It stopped me short for sure. I had to very consciously rein in my irritation whenever she did something perfectly normally toddlerish.

[Anonymous]

When all got the flu in 2017.

Myself, DH and DD6, DS3 and DS20mo.

It was terrible and DH and my 3-year-Old were so sick they couldn’t get out of bed.

We called in an emergency sitter service and kept getting denied because we were sick none of the on-call sitters wanted the job.

We have no family nearby and were desperate. We found a young college sitter via FB and just lied through our teeth to get her to come in and help.

We never told her we were sick. I made myself look as presentable as possible. Gave the kids new doses of meds and when she arrived asked her to entertain my 6 & 1-year-Old while we did work from home.

I went into my bedroom and totally crashed next to DH.

I missed calls and texts from her saying she was worried the kids were sick and they were running fever. I slept for 9 hours and the poor thing just stayed and played and figured it out.

We tipped her well but she was clearly unhappy and worried she’d get sick too.

Always felt bad. She blocked my number, which was a shame because she did a great job considering the circumstances.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When all got the flu in 2017.

Myself, DH and DD6, DS3 and DS20mo.

It was terrible and DH and my 3-year-Old were so sick they couldn’t get out of bed.

We called in an emergency sitter service and kept getting denied because we were sick none of the on-call sitters wanted the job.

We have no family nearby and were desperate. We found a young college sitter via FB and just lied through our teeth to get her to come in and help.

We never told her we were sick. I made myself look as presentable as possible. Gave the kids new doses of meds and when she arrived asked her to entertain my 6 & 1-year-Old while we did work from home.

I went into my bedroom and totally crashed next to DH.

I missed calls and texts from her saying she was worried the kids were sick and they were running fever. I slept for 9 hours and the poor thing just stayed and played and figured it out.

We tipped her well but she was clearly unhappy and worried she’d get sick too.

Always felt bad. She blocked my number, which was a shame because she did a great job considering the circumstances.

That's a rough one. I think I would have asked a friend! Not for 9 hours though, but more like 2. Treat it like you are in outbreak. Ask them to pick up clorox wipes and face masks. Everyone wears a mask. She brings a change of clothes that she changes into as soon as she needs to leave etc.

I'd totally help out a friend like this. But if you lie, the poor sitter can't be prepared and take precautions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When all got the flu in 2017.

Myself, DH and DD6, DS3 and DS20mo.

It was terrible and DH and my 3-year-Old were so sick they couldn’t get out of bed.

We called in an emergency sitter service and kept getting denied because we were sick none of the on-call sitters wanted the job.

We have no family nearby and were desperate. We found a young college sitter via FB and just lied through our teeth to get her to come in and help.

We never told her we were sick. I made myself look as presentable as possible. Gave the kids new doses of meds and when she arrived asked her to entertain my 6 & 1-year-Old while we did work from home.

I went into my bedroom and totally crashed next to DH.

I missed calls and texts from her saying she was worried the kids were sick and they were running fever. I slept for 9 hours and the poor thing just stayed and played and figured it out.

We tipped her well but she was clearly unhappy and worried she’d get sick too.

Always felt bad. She blocked my number, which was a shame because she did a great job considering the circumstances.

This isn't a worst parenting moment. This is a worst human moment.

Yikes.

[Anonymous]

I was carrying my 12 month old down the stairs and slipped and fell. He was on my hip and I held onto him but banged/slid three quarters of the way down with his leg trapped behind me.

I put him down on the floor and he started crying and I tried to help him but he wouldn't stop. I yelled to try to get him to stop, I couldn't take it. I put him in his crib in the dark for twenty minutes because I was soaked in sweat from my treadmill and I showered.

I knew he had to go to the doctor but when I picked him back up he was completely calm and didn't really cry but still seemed in pain. I just held him carefully.

I feel so awful for all of this. He is 10 now and the sweetest kid. I don't know what I was thinking not just taking him to the doctor right away. Or yelling to him or leaving him alone. My daughter (4) was in the room too. I was under horrid stress from an escalating abusive marriage and just couldn't take anything else.

I got better and eventually left ex but I feel so bad. My son has a high pain tolerance and I also feel like that's my fault, because I left him alone in awful pain when he was one.

Then to top it off he had to go in to the hospital three times in the first few days. For x-rays and different cast solutions. Then after the cast came off his foot was a blistered and red from walking in the cast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly none of this kind of shit sticks with me. My worst parenting moment is when I lose my temper, yell (like my mother) and feel like a piece of crap for yelling at a kid. Luckily it’s only been a handful of times but man I can do better.

I agree. I have a kid with sn who really pushes my buttons. It’s in anger that I feel I’ve been a bad parent not when I’ve made an honest mistake.

+1

[Anonymous]

My kid threw up in the middle of Harris Teeter aisle - he was acting normal moments before, no reports of sick kids at preschool, so I was caught off guard. My other child dropped one of those styrofoam Tropical Smoothie Cafe cups full of blueberry smoothie in Safeway and it shattered and splashed everywhere. Both times I just stood there, helpless, trying to flag down a store employee and comforting a screaming child, feeling like a total jerk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When all got the flu in 2017.

Myself, DH and DD6, DS3 and DS20mo.

It was terrible and DH and my 3-year-Old were so sick they couldn’t get out of bed.

We called in an emergency sitter service and kept getting denied because we were sick none of the on-call sitters wanted the job.

We have no family nearby and were desperate. We found a young college sitter via FB and just lied through our teeth to get her to come in and help.

We never told her we were sick. I made myself look as presentable as possible. Gave the kids new doses of meds and when she arrived asked her to entertain my 6 & 1-year-Old while we did work from home.

I went into my bedroom and totally crashed next to DH.

I missed calls and texts from her saying she was worried the kids were sick and they were running fever. I slept for 9 hours and the poor thing just stayed and played and figured it out.

We tipped her well but she was clearly unhappy and worried she’d get sick too.

Always felt bad. She blocked my number, which was a shame because she did a great job considering the circumstances.

You're lucky she didn't call CPS when you didn't answer the phone. I would have assumed you had overdosed in there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I told my non-athletic son one day after a soccer game, that his play on defense was "surprisingly not awful." I can't believe I said it that way. My kids use that phrase all the time to make fun of me.

Eh. I once told my daughter, when she was riding a bike she'd grown out of and her knees were out to the side, that she looked like a clown riding it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When all got the flu in 2017.

Myself, DH and DD6, DS3 and DS20mo.

It was terrible and DH and my 3-year-Old were so sick they couldn’t get out of bed.

We called in an emergency sitter service and kept getting denied because we were sick none of the on-call sitters wanted the job.

We have no family nearby and were desperate. We found a young college sitter via FB and just lied through our teeth to get her to come in and help.

We never told her we were sick. I made myself look as presentable as possible. Gave the kids new doses of meds and when she arrived asked her to entertain my 6 & 1-year-Old while we did work from home.

I went into my bedroom and totally crashed next to DH.

I missed calls and texts from her saying she was worried the kids were sick and they were running fever. I slept for 9 hours and the poor thing just stayed and played and figured it out.

We tipped her well but she was clearly unhappy and worried she’d get sick too.

Always felt bad. She blocked my number, which was a shame because she did a great job considering the circumstances.

You're lucky she didn't call CPS when you didn't answer the phone. I would have assumed you had overdosed in there.

I was thinking the same thing. You're lucky she didn't call the police.

This is just an exceptionally terrible thing to do to someone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid threw up in the middle of Harris Teeter aisle - he was acting normal moments before, no reports of sick kids at preschool, so I was caught off guard. My other child dropped one of those styrofoam Tropical Smoothie Cafe cups full of blueberry smoothie in Safeway and it shattered and splashed everywhere. Both times I just stood there, helpless, trying to flag down a store employee and comforting a screaming child, feeling like a total jerk.

No big deal. My kid puked on the train. We both kind of stared at her pile of puke. Some guy in army fatigues leaned over and spread newspaper over it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just an FYI, homeless people are not inherently dangerous. Even homeless people drinking beer.

Give me a break! I would absolutely keep a closer eye on a homeless man openly drinking (which is illegal) next to a playground. Mental illness is much more prevalent in homeless people. This is common sense.

Me too. Single man at playground drinking? Sketchy.

It's not sketchy. It's wholesome. Watching children play reminds them of a better time, a more innocent and hopeful time. You know a big part of why they drink is to numb the feeling they're given by people like you - like they're not worthy of the space they take up. I worked in homeless outreach for over a decade.

They drink because they have underlying mental health issues which is also why they're homeless. Not coincidentally also why I don't let them play with my kids at the playground