Parents are often judged too harshly for their behavior. If their kids eat a meal without any vegetables present, the internet will be in an uproar. And if a little one manages to escape from mom’s sight in the grocery store, other shoppers might assume that she doesn’t care about her kiddos.
Parents are human beings, and they shouldn’t be crucified for every small mistake. But there are some behaviors that are unforgivable and deserve to be called out. Redditors have recently been discussing things moms and dads do that immediately make them look trashy, so we’ve gathered some of their best replies below. Enjoy scrolling through these examples of what not to do while raising kids, and be sure to upvote the parenting choices that would make you raise your eyebrows too!
#1
Not vaccinating.
Image credits: kiley69
#2
Putting their child in a beauty pageant.
Image credits: Advanced-Trainer508
#3
Using their kids to create YouTube channels… And using it as their personal source of income….
Image credits: ThreeBsAndMe
#4
Their children are afraid of them.
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#5
They ignore their kids until other adults have had to correct their kid's behavior.
Image credits: chocolatechipninja
#6
If their kids are bullies.
Image credits: Brian_The_Bar-Brian
#7
The way they treat their child in public.
You know it's worse behind closed doors.
Image credits: hellno-reddit-2025
#8
They film their kids, laugh at their misery, and post the videos on YouTube.
#9
Obese kids.
tsh87:
Agreed.
Chubby kids are fine, even fat kids. But a kid should not be literally obese at like 5 years old. You're the adult, you're in charge of their diet and routine. Their weight should not be getting out of hand.
Image credits: Hiitsmetodd
#10
Referring to spending time with their child/children as “babysitting”. No, that’s called parenting.
Image credits: SuperApplication3086
#11
Smoking in the car with the kids in the car.
#12
Read about 100 of these and I found one that wasn’t mentioned - being in a place that is very loud or with very loud music with babies. I see it often a kid under 5 will be in a room with a loud band for over an hour. The kids always have a concerned look and don’t want to be there.
Image credits: Not_peer_reviewed
#13
Joining a group like one million moms to get things you think your kids shouldn't see banned instead of taking the time to raise your kids yourself.
Image credits: anon
#14
Putting their need to be in a relationship over the wellbeing of their children.
#15
Insulting their children, in front of their children.
Image credits: itsbreexox
#16
They name their kid "X Æ A-12".
Radiant_Bank_77879:
This, but in general names that end up on R/tragedeigh.
Braxxton, McKennslieigh, Addyzn, Wyntyr, Braden Aden Jaden Caden Haden, Nevaeh, etc.
Trashy parents who think of naming as “cute baby names” and not a name an adult will have.
#17
Never sending their child to school.
Image credits: sclarfnuts
#18
When the kid is being babysat by the phone all the time.
Image credits: knuckleyard
#19
Not listening to doctors, health studies, or any recent health info that has come out.
#20
Using the excuse "how am I going to explain this to my children" in regards to controversial or sexual things. Being honest with your kids about the world around them can only help them. Instead parents think it's someone else's responsibility, and here we have 16 year olds who don't know anything about safe sex.
#21
They’re not watching their kid when they’re out in public.
#22
Calling their kids dumb or stupid. Pisses me off.
#23
Soda or juice in baby bottles.
Image credits: KatieeBirdd71
#24
When a parent is so inattentive that their older child is essentially raising the younger children, 24/7.
To the point where the younger child is stuck with a broken leg for two weeks, before getting attention for it. Accidental attention, because the parent was completely unaware of the fact that this is why the child is refusing to walk and screaming in pain every time they're forced to. Just because you *can* have kids, doesn't mean you'll be good at it, or even should.
Image credits: LadyRevontulet
#25
People who hit their kids to teach their kids that hitting is bad.
Image credits: AgainstMenzingers
#26
Threatening them with store employees “sit down or that lady is going to yell at you” I always say who me? Why would I do that?
Scuta44:
The lady in line at the grocery store telling her toddler ‘that man is going to spank you’ while pointing at me.
He had just asked his mom for a candy.
Image credits: Oskie2011
#27
My friend used to tell her daughter, "Why don't you act more like did_it_right's daughter. She's behaving, why can't you be more like her?"
THAT would make my skin crawl.
#28
I knew a girl who was talking about changing her daughter’s diaper and used the word ‘p**sy’ when referring to her infant daughter’s genitalia, which has always struck me as horrifying.
#29
When you say something like "If you don't stop doing X then we are going home." and then when they don't stop, you don't go home.
Worse is when they are throwing a fit and you try to bribe them to stop doing something. *kid screaming* "do you want X?" *kid nods and you give them the thing* Congrats, you just paid them to throw a fit next time.
#30
Living through your kid. Your kid is not you. (Seriously, that should be told to every parent, right along with the "don't shake the baby" speech you get at the hospital.) And your kid is not a vector through which to either relive your glory days, relive your dreams, or make money.
#31
When they bring them to the bar with them… and often.
#32
I just posted this not 10 seconds ago.
I work as a cashier at the register closest to the door. I naturally look up when someone leaves or come in. A woman and her son come in, the son is annoying the mom so much she has to buy aspirin. He asked for a candy bar, she wouldn't respond yes or no but, "shut up!"
Each time he asks he gets closer to the door, after like the 4th he opens the door. I glance up, he sees me and pretends to put the candy back. After he pretends he puts it in the hand opposite of me so I couldn't see. He again opens the door while I'm ringing the mom up, making me look up again for the second time.
Second time the mom looks up as well, sees the son trying to steal and proceeds to yell.. at *me*. Saying I'm a racist, that I'm profiling her son because he's black, saying that I'm call her a bad mom for thinking she'd let him steal.
Actually lady, I wasn't but you seriously are. All you did in the store was tell him to 'shut the f**k up' and then took his side when he was clearly trying to leave with the candy.
(Side note: kid comes in with his grandmother and cousins a lot. They regularly leave while she's paying to eat in the car so I assume that's what he would of pulled)
No, I don't not like your son because he's black so don't tell him that it's why I 'profiled' him. I don't like *you* because you think screaming at me is going to get your way over on my management, that playing the race card is going to seal the deal and now your son is afraid of me because he thinks I hate him. *YOU* made it about race, teaching him that all white people are ignorant now from this one instance.
#33
I used to work in a bookshop (r.i.p Borders), and remember seeing this sweet looking kid pestering her mum for this picture book. The mum just turned to the kid and yelled "I'm not reading to you. You're having a DVD instead."
This was like 2006, so DVDs were way more expensive than picture books. Broke my heart. Poor kid just wanted her mum to read her a story, but the mum just wanted to dump the kid in front of the tv.
I think about it all the time. That kid had no chance. I bet she's grown up to be just like her mother too.
#34
Punishing all their kids for something one kid did.
#35
No follow through. They are behind you at the ice cream stand, the kids is being a s**t stain, mom says "If you don't stop you won't get ice cream." Kid doesn't stop, mom threatens the same thing, 4 more times, and the kid gets ice cream anyway.
Tip from a guy who's doing his best to raise 2 non-a******s: Follow. Through. If you don't, you're setting a bunch of bad examples at once. 1) Your threats are worthless. 2)The behavior isn't that bad anyway. 3) The kids runs the show.
#36
When the kid is a terror in public and the parent's approach is to either let the kid run wild or just shout at it.
#37
Here's a list of things that a former friend and his wife did:
1.) Named the kids after Norse Gods. Yes it was a weird race thing so don't at me. I'm pretty sure he was friends with me because I was one of the non threatening non whites.
2.) Discipline was non existent.
3.) Neglect to fix a window that the kids accidentally broke because that money would have come out of the Playstation budget.
4.) Refuse to buy a more practical vehicle that suited family needs because a truck was more "manly."
5.) Openly have screaming matches in front of the kids.
6.) Generally just not be nurturing.
7.) Spend all their money on frivolous things instead of essentials for the kids.
8.) Don't even try to cleanup around the house. Some mess is understandable especially with three young kids, but they pt in zero effort.
9.) Didn't vaccinate any of the kids.
10.) Just negligent as s**t.
11.) Get multiple visits from child protective services and don't listen to any of the recommendations.
#38
Using excessive profanity in front of their kids or telling inappropriate stories in front of their young children.
#39
Yelling at them because they don't meet your completely unrealistic expectations. Like, dude, it's a group of 4-6 year old boys, they're not going to sit patiently in their chair for six hours straight.
I'm not saying they should be allowed to do whatever, but I just watched a guy get after his kid pretty hard because he was running around in their yard with the neighbor boys. He also made his kid call him "sir".
#40
Their child can do no wrong, it's everyone else's fault, and they will prove that to you through screaming.
#41
Oh when they overly pride themselves as cool parents.
These are usually the ones without rules, who give the ipad just to shut a kid up, fail to teach their kids integral lessons at home (argument being they will learn when they are thrusted into the real world). Just irresponsible and not attuned.
#42
I work in a medical clinic:
Kids who come in smelling like cigarettes
Kids with dirt under their nails consistently
Kids with ear wax dripping out of their ears consistently
Kids who are 8.9,10 etc years old and don't know their birth dates yet
Parents who don't know what medications their kids are on
Parents who are on their cell phones gabbing when I am calling you back for the appointment (and yes I will absolutely just talk over your conversation)
Parents who don't tell their kids to turn the volume off their electronics in the lobby and when your appointment is starting
Parents who can't be bothered to comb their kids hair ever
Parents whose kids come in with filthy stinky a*s clothes (I've been poor as f**k and once washed clothes in a bathtub, no excuse)
Whole families that have that dirty house cat pee smell
Parents who scream at clinic staff for their errors, or yell at their kids in public
Parents who drop their teenagers off for brand new appointments and then get pissed off we call to them to ask where they are???
Oh I could go on and on...
#43
Telling a crying infant to shut up.
#44
Not treating their waiter/waitress respectfully.
#45
Saw a woman on the bus years ago with two 6-9 year olds.
They were standing up a little bit when they shouldn't have, as kids do, and her first instinct was to go to:
"SIT DOWN OR YOU'RE NOT GETTING ANY CHRISTMAS PRESENTS".
It was June.
Like really, that's your FIRST go to? did you already take away their birthday presents at the bus stop or something?
Image credits: Dawg_Prime
#46
Constantly teasing and calling their kids names as a “joke”.
#47
Asking for help with school clothes, groceries etc. , while never being without cigarettes or new tattoos.
#48
I work in fast food and have seen the worst of parents.
One time a mother, her boyfriend (i don't think he was a husband), and her child, mother and boyfriend got full meals with substitutions and all the extra stuff, daughter got a small fry, and the mother complained about money to me whenever her child asked for a drink. If she didn't buy the damn drink I would've just given it to the kid.
Multiple instances of parents having their toddlers in the front seat with no car seat, oftentimes without even a seat belt.
Parent's allowing their children to touch holiday decor/other people's things in public.
Parents ordering their obese 6 year old a half pound meal large with a shake.
I could go on forever.
#49
8-10 year old kid put on the school bus with 2 cans of red bull.
#50
My cousin has ruined her son. People who meet him think he's "special" because he can't be away from her. He's turning 13 and still sleeps in bed with his mother, follows her even to the bathroom, and has absolutely no friends.
She lets him miss way too much school. If she's off from work he magically isn't feeling well and stays home.
She also lets him do and see anything he wants. The kid was watching True Blood when he was little. If you haven't seen it, people are regularly f*****g each other, tearing bodies apart, and sometimes combining the two. He also has seen all of the 50 Shades movies with his mom.
It's just bad.
#51
When their kid’s teeth are rotten.
#52
Always making excuses for their kids' behavior.
#53
Kids are always dirty looking and the parent has some weird idea that kids don’t need bathing frequently. I knew a lady who only gave her seven kids a bath on Wednesdays. She had some kinda belief that it builds an immune system to be constantly dirty, but go figure her kids were always stinky and sick.
#54
I saw a family in the produce section of Walmart. There was a mom with four to five kids and one of them (a little boy) had a produce bag on his head. Totally on his head, covering his nose and mouth. Out of reflex I said "No" and yanked the bag off his head. The mom glared at me and basically told me to F off. Fine, have fun with one less kid lady. As I left he was putting the bag back over his head...
#55
Letting their young kids curse up a storm and laughing because it's "funny" or just cursing back at them.
#56
The condition of their children is a dead give away.
Children with poor mental health, who show crystal clear signs of being ab*sed or neglected.
#57
Bringing their baby out in the cold with no shoes on.
#58
When their kids use places of business like it's their personal playground.
#59
Kids with loud iPads/phones in public.
#60
My son/daughter is my best friend!
#61
Overheard a mum refuse to buy kid yogurt because "it was too expensive"
Looked on the trolly to see several bottles of alcohol in there.
#62
Letting their kids (under 10) watch horror movies or raunchy comedies.
#63
Using your kid to sell an MLM product.
#64
Letting a kid just wear a diaper in public. A child over the age of 3 with a pacifier. A child over the age of 5 still in diapers.
With the exception of kids with disabilities, of course. I don't judge parents when I don't know the situation. But I've had acquaintances, co-workers, friends of friends and such who did stuff like this and I thought they were lazy parents.
#65
You bring your kid to the White House and he starts mouthing off.
#66
Letting their kids walk around in places like grocery stores and hospitals barefoot and/or shirtless.
#67
Not paying child support.
#68
As a teacher, I could tell when the parent wouldn’t do their children’s hair for school or changing them into fresh clothes everyday.
#69
They have indoctrinated their child into their superstition/religion.
Image credits: itsgotelectr0lytes
#70
"Kids up in this b***h" or similar bumper sticker. They almost always drive like s**t too.
#71
They drink every day and see nothing wrong with it or even try to change. Ultimately they will ruin their children’s entire lives and that child will grow to be someone that has trouble navigating relationships, finances, literally everything.
#72
When you look in the shopping cart and they have those gallon jugs of brightly colored sugar water.
#73
Love my dad, but I could definitely tell people thought my dad was trashy
We were clean, always dressed nice (for average farm kids anyways), my dad made sure we were Presentable
...But we used his chew cans for *everything*. This included Jenga, by the way. We actually played Jenga, from his chewing tobacco cans
Why buy dumb blocks for $10?!
He did wash them out very well to be fair, but they were still chew cans. In the hands of kids
Loose nails? Chew can!
Stamps? Chew can!
Want a change purse? No point in wasting money, Leather, I'll wash out a can for ya!
Need to bring those box tops to school? Chew can!
Wanna take some mints from the big bag? Chew can!
We even had some of the ones my grandpa gave him to use. This was a family tradition
My dad strongly believed in Don't Stand Out In Public, but I think that one was so ingrained in him from *his* dad, it didn't register as 'unusual'
They did the job, to be fair, and he knew they fit in your pocket!
People in town got used to it, they knew he wasn't giving us the tobacco in them
But it was always fun, running into a gas station to buy a candy bar (with my own money, cuz I'm a Big Kid), and seeing the look on this grown-up's face, when this little girl pulled out a tobacco can out of her pocket to pay
He stopped chewing inside, after my older brother started to walk, and pulled down his cup. And always made sure to brush his teeth when he came in
But chewing tobacco, and those cans, were a huge part of our childhood. All of our jeans had those rings
Definitely trashy, looking from the outside, but I can respect the recycling .
#74
When you can't find a photo of the child without an orange Kool-Aid mustache.
#75
“Momma bear” when her kids look dirty, ratty, and are sick all the time. You don’t need to be rude or overbearing to be a good parent. Someone that just yells at their kids instead of trying to explain why they are doing something wrong or at least trying to reinforce better behaviors. Basically she’s also a walking MLM billboard on Facebook and spreads misinformation. Let’s just say about Half of my graduated High School class, as a now mid 30’s male.
#76
Red hats are usually a giveaway.
#77
The idea that once your kid turns 18 they're on their own. that's not the norm anywhere but the first world and it stems purely from selfishness or incompetence.
I believe you have a duty to your kids for bringing them into this hellscape, and if you simply don't love them enough to make their life easier then you should admit that to yourself, that you are weak, and a bug.
#78
“I’m not a regular mom.”
#79
I work retail security on the side. Always amusing when a parent shows up annoyed that we inconvenienced them when their kid stole.
#80
They charge their offspring rent to live with them in the family home.
#81
Wearing PJ pants in public tells me all that I need to know about you.
