Parenting is hard, and no parent gets things 100% right. If they did, the world would probably be a total utopia, with few maladjusted kids and even fewer maladjusted adults.
As kids grow up, there's bound to be friction, especially as they push the limits of their parents' authority. And it's important for parents to remember certain things... there are some truths all parents need to accept, whether they like it or not.
People shared their thoughts after Redditor GarlicCookies asked the online community,
"What are some truths some parents refuse to accept?"
"Children are not..."
"Children are not your property, nor your employees."
Vinaguy2
This is a big one. Children are not an extension of you. You do not own them. They are their own people.
"The older your children get..."
"The older your children get, the more autonomy you need to grant them."
hotheadeduser
Few things are more frustrating for kids than still being treated like a child despite having other responsibilities.
"Life is pretty short..."
"There's a time when you need to let your kids make mistakes, so they can learn from them. Life is pretty short, so if they have a goal, let them go for it."
Vulcaype
You can't protect your children from the world, this is true. If they don't learn how to fail gracefully and keep going, life will only grow more complicated for them.
"That you don't..."
"That you don’t get to relive your life through them."
JoshNIU22896
Children are not an extension of you! Support them!
"That sometimes their kids..."
"That sometimes their kids have valid opinions and instead of interrupting them and pulling the 'Because I said so' and 'That's just how it is' cards, they could listen to their child and make them feel heard instead of suppressed."
LifeHarvester
When a child feels like they're not heard, they do a lot to conceal how they really feel from their parents.
"If you judge..."
"If you judge your children too much they will learn to hide things from you."
Bigstar976
And they'll get very, very good at it, too.
"It will continue..."
"Your child’s mental health doesn’t care about your worries of looking like a bad parent if you get them help. It will continue to get worse the longer you neglect them."
an_ineffable_plan
This is huge. A child's mental health is absolutely more important than what the neighbors, your friends, or your other family members might think.
"There is a good chance..."
"Your kid is an individual. There is a good chance that their interests, hobbies, and passions are going to be different from yours. Support and encourage your kids to be themselves and not a mini-you."
whateverimtootired
Kids who are alllowed to be themselves will flourish!
"You as a parent..."
"You as a parent are responsible for teaching your kids proper manners and common decency. Not their teachers/tutors/babysitters/etc."
TrinxDMorrison
School is not a daycare center. More parents should remember this. Some of them don't appear ever to have learned it.
"That you are not responsible..."
"That you are responsible for your kids. Yes you need to feed them, clothe them, provide shelter, love them, etc. It's amazing how many parents don't want to do some of those or feel like it's a burden to do those."
wmjsn
This is true. Once you have a kid, you've signed up to do this, whether you like it or not. The parents who feel like it's a burden to do these things only hurt their children in the long run.
Chances are, there are people in your life who could benefit from these tips. And it's quite likely that you have some experience with this of your own, because no one's parents get it right.
Have some advice of your own to share? Feel free to tell us more in the comments below!
Want to "know" more?
Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.
Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again.
@LeeMerrittesq/X
@bob_moss/X
@jelanijones/Bluesky
@Aurkayne/X
@sadcommunistdog; @froglok/Bluesky