Most parents can’t help being proud of their children. They love sharing those little moments as much as the big milestones & funny habits. Then the years pass. Suddenly, they feel differently. We spoke to some parents about child habits that they regret bragging about. Here are eleven of them. Which ones do you wish you could take back?
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock.
Learning to read before kindergarten
Your kid could be tracing letters one day & reading the cereal box out loud the next. It’s such an important step that you’ll brag to the neighbors about it, but then you realize you can’t spell out words in front of them anymore. Your kid knows what “C-A-K-E” & “I-C-E C-R-E-A-M” mean. Now there are no more surprises.
Always saying “please” and “thank you”
Getting a preschooler to use their manners feels like you’ve won the parenting lottery. That is, until they start reminding you that you forgot to say please. Or how they won’t take anything from a family member until they’ve said “you’re welcome” just right. Who’s really in charge here?
Clearing their own plate after meals
At first, seeing your kid clean their own plate after meals is charming. Those little footsteps to the sink & clink of their dish are utterly adorable. You can’t help but brag about it. Then one night, you realize they’ve scraped an expensive meal into the trash because they’re done now. They’re happy to dump drinks mid-meal and put spoons in the dishwasher before you’re done.
Putting shoes away in the right spot
It’s adorable when your kid tucks their sneakers neatly by the door & you tell everyone else about how tidy they are. But then they start “helping” by putting everyone’s shoes away. Your little one puts them in random spots, and by Monday morning, your work flats are under the trampoline. Thanks but no thanks.
Helping fold laundry
Getting your kid to fold laundry sure is slower. But it’s something you want people to know they’re capable of doing. You’ll soon find that their folding becomes a little…overzealous. That good blouse you had? It’s creased all the way through. Clean socks? They’re in the toy bin. And somehow, everything smells faintly of crayons.
Brushing their own hair
Independence in a kid is great, and especially when they do things like brushing their own hair by themselves. Then you notice they’re brushing with the same brush they used on the dog. They might even brush after breakfast so half a Pop-Tart is tangled in the back. Either way, you realize you probably shouldn’t have bragged about this. They didn’t have it quite together.
Packing their own school lunch
It’s natural for your heart to swell the first time you see your kid pack a sandwich & apple. It’s even more natural for you to tell other people about it. But you probably don’t want to tell them how their ‘lunch’ was a pudding cup & two cheese sticks, along with a ketchup packet. It’s three granola bars and nothing else other times. How nutritious.
Waking up without an alarm
You’re so excited that you don’t have to drag them out of bed that you tell everyone how your kid’s independent enough to wake themselves up. And then Saturday morning rolls around. They’re in your room at 5:45 AM, fully dressed & asking what’s for breakfast. Who cares if it’s still dark? They’re up and you’re up. Get cooking.
Cleaning up toys without being told
You’ll probably be amazed to see that your kid’s bedroom floor’s clear. It’s enough to make you tell all your loved ones how organized your child is. And then you realize where everything is. All the dolls & Legos, crayons & old food, are stuffed into the same bin. Doesn’t seem so tidy anymore.
Writing their name early
The first time your child gives you a piece of paper with their name on it, you’ll show it to everyone. It doesn’t matter if they’re your neighbors or the cashier at Target. But then you see the name everywhere. It’s on the coffee table & the bathroom door, along with a suspicious number of pillowcases. Maybe you spoke too soon.
Counting to 100 without help
It’s a real achievement when your kid can rattle off the numbers all the way to 100. You’ll probably brag about it to anyone who can hear. And pretty soon, your child is doing it in the car & in line at the store. They’ll do it at bedtime when you’re trying to leave the room. It’s not as cute anymore.
Like our content? Be sure to follow us.
