These ‘Bad Moms’ Are Revealing Which Parenting Rules They’ve Been Breaking
Being a mom is tough. They say you're not supposed to let your kid have too much sugar or sit in front of the TV for too long, but sometimes you just have to do what you can to get through the day. You can't be a perfect mom all the time. Speaking of which, we've just about had it with mom-shamers. Let other people raise their kids as they see fit.
Keep reading to see what parenting "sins" these moms confessed to.
Time For TV
Reddit user butterfliesfloat wrote, "I let my kids watch TV. Do I let them watch it for hours on end? No. But sometimes it's easier to just sit them down in front of Peppa Pig or Daniel Tiger while we get something done. Especially now that daycare is closed and we're WFH."
Fast Food Is Okay Sometimes
Reddit user oneeyefox wrote, "I let my kid eat fast food. It's not every day, but truthfully, it's probably about once a week that I get her a Happy Meal or stop by Little Caesar's and get a $5 pizza. She's healthy and I cook most of the time, so I don't feel guilty."
Plastic Toys For Days
Shiveryslinky wrote, "Screen time. So much screen time. And plastic toys! When I was but a naive pregnant woman, I swore it'd be all wooden toys that would enrich her mind and very little TV... She watched Frozen twice yesterday and had rice pudding for lunch. Parenting is difficult AF."
Cursing Is Okay
UFOmama wrote, "I let my kids say curse words if they stub their toe or something minor, we all start laughing and they forget they are hurt quickly. Once they are 10+ they get a tiny cocktail or wine on holidays or celebrations."
Going To Daycare
Sun_shine24 wrote, "When I have a weekday off, I still drop my kid off at daycare for a few hours. I use my free time to go grocery shopping, clean the house, and take a nap. I'm a nicer, more patient mom when I’m not completely exhausted, and my time with the kid is more meaningful when I’m only focused on them instead of household chores."
Juice In Moderation
AmongWilderFlowers wrote, "I let my kid drink juice sometimes. I don't think juice is inherently bad, but the way some people absolutely FREAK about not giving their kids juice is beyond me. My kid likes apple juice. Big whoop."
She Has Her Own Tablet
Reddit user Witty_Koala gives her child some screen time. She wrote, "My 4-year-old has a tablet that she gets 1–2 hours of time on each day. Lots of Khan Academy Kids and PBS Kids shows/games."
Give Them Some Freedom
Reddit dad Oliver_Green wrote, "My kid's got a TV in her room solely to watch Bob Ross at bedtime. She's allowed to cuss as long as she doesn't use words as weapons. She gets way too much screen time. Gets "chocolate milk" (Carnation instant breakfast) at bedtime for the extra calories and protein. As long as she's in bed and quiet, we don't actually care whether she chooses to read all night long rather than sleep. She teases us, gives advice, and she is treated as an equal in the home as much as possible. We're not her friends, but we try to respect her autonomy when we can."
Popcorn For Dinner
Reddit user and mom Queenoreo wrote, "Did we watch Monsters, Inc. 8 billion times? Yep. Did they eat apples, popcorn, and cheese for dinner more than a reasonable amount? Yep."
When Life Gives You Lemons...
Reddit user that-1-chick-you-know wrote, "I've broken just about every rule I set for myself when the boy was born. But he's happy, healthy, well-adjusted, and smart. So I refuse to feel bad if he watches Toy Story for the 80th time (not in a row) or has a glass of lemonade."
Pajama Day Every Day
Reddit user fairfielder9082 wrote, "I let them run around all day in pajamas if they want to. I usually draw the line at leaving the house like that. I wouldn't, either, so I feel like that is still a decent boundary, I want them dressed when we leave... After age 2 that is. Before age 2, as long as you don't have a goose egg in your pants, and ya know, you're wearing pants, let's go."
Not A Parent Yet
Reddit user whyyougottabedumb wrote, "Not a parent yet, but I'm planning a once a semester/year tradition where my husband and I do whatever it takes to sneak our kid out of school early so we can have a parental play date at the movies or museum, as well as every now and again having a midnight run for ice cream where you 'don't tell dad.'
"I've been dreaming of those moments for 10 years and I'm so excited to introduce some spontaneity I never grew up with to my children."
Long Hair, Don't Care
Reddit user tripperfunster wrote, "I let my kids decide how to dress and how long their hair should be. Fun fact, both boys had very long hair for years and it drove my father CRAZY."
Co-Sleeping Is Fine
Reddit user lillyanne42 wrote, "Co-sleeping. My son's 3, and I absolutely don't care if he still sleeps in my bed, and my daughter was just born last month and now she does to lol."
A Coffee Buzz
This Reddit user wrote, "I let my 2-year-old have some of my coffee on occasion."
Do 2-year-olds even like coffee? Apparently, this one does. This brave parent is letting her kid have even more energy.
Dessert After Dinner
Reddit user Regina69Phalange wrote, "I let my son have a 'treat' after he finishes his dinner. More often than not, it’s a processed sugar treat."
We all deserve a little bit of dessert after dinner.
Take A Sick Day
Reddit user taxchick63 wrote, "My daughter is grown now, but when she was in school, once or twice a year, I would call her in sick so she could get extra sleep (usually for cramps or just general exhaustion from test week)."
A Sticky Kid
Reddit user cherrytraashpanda wrote, "I let my kid be sticky/snotty. She hates having her face wiped unless it's bath time, and I honestly hate fighting her to try and wipe her face. So if we're kicking it at home, she’s sticky until it’s time for her evening bath."
Moana To The Rescue
Reddit user itsacursestupid wrote, "We have watched Moana three times already this week. But it keeps my kid happy and entertained while I get a few chores done."
Sometimes, Moana comes in handy.
Because I Said So
Reddit User gothcig wrote, "Not me but my mom. Her 'bad mom' rule was if I asked why I couldn't do something and she couldn’t come up with a reason besides 'because I said so,' I got to do that thing. I got away with some questionable things based on that. Even now at 30, when my mom asks me why I have certain experiences, the reason is often 'because I couldn’t come up with a good reason not to do it.'"
Cookies For Breakfast
Reddit user strawberryblondioes wrote, "I shared a peanut butter cookie with my 13-month-old for breakfast this morning. He gets a very balanced diet, so why not enjoy a special treat with him occasionally?"
Swearing Is Okay Sometimes
Reddit user edwardcantordean wrote, "I let my kids curse as long as it isn't being used as an attack, and as long as they don't do it in front of grandma-aged people or anyone younger than them."
Kids Have To Learn What Good Music Is
Reddit user Ravendarkeid wrote, "I let my kid (10) listen to explicit music. I'm a huge fan of Wu-Tang and I bought him a shirt from one of their shows. He was curious, so he asked if he could listen to some of their music. He ended up really liking them."
Only In The Car
Reddit user nummashelbs wrote, "I let my 5-year-old sing the swear words in songs when we are driving in the car together. He knows he's only allowed in the car and it's so funny listening to him sing Kesha in the car on full blast."
So Much Screen Time
Reddit user knifewrenchh wrote, "Screen time, for sure. I won't even tell you how much my kid gets. But we still read books, play with toys that help him work on fine motor skills and cognitive development, go outside, and all kinds of other stuff to balance it. So if he wants to watch Incredibles 2 yet again, I’m okay with it."
Colorful Hair
Reddit user Smal_Issh wrote, "I let my kid bleach and dye her hair a funky color every year at school starting in grade 1. We did blue, pink, orange, teal, green, yellow, and purple over the years."
A Mental Health Day
Reddit user RoseQuartzThorns wrote, "My mom would come pick me up early from school if I was having a bad mental health day and asked her to get me. That could be seen as a 'bad mom' thing to do because kids are supposed to go to school every day and stay the entire time. It was nice, though, and it definitely helped me feel less overwhelmed. I'm definitely going to do that for my kids."
Dress To Impress
Reddit user breentee wrote, "I let my kids pick out their own clothing every day. I know it drives my mother-in-law crazy because I don't care if their clothes are matching or if they are wearing a shirt with stains on it that they love to school. I feel it helps them have a sense of self and I hope that one day it will make 'fashion rules' just seem needless to them so they can just wear whatever they damn well please. It also saves me the headache of having to help them pick out outfits every day. As long as it's okay with the school dress code, I honestly don't care."
Free-Range Kids
Reddit user paddletothesea wrote, "I allow my children to run around the neighborhood UNSUPERVISED. No, I do not know where they are, yes I have an idea...yes I trust them, no I am not worried they are going to get abducted. They are 7 and 9."
No More Bedtime
Reddit user spaghetti skeleton wrote, "I often let my kids (11 & 15 girls) stay up as late as they want, and sleep as long as they want. This used to apply just to select weekends and holidays, but this summer I kind of gave up a little."
