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10 of the worst parenting trends of all time

From baby cages to never saying no - did people really think these parenting trends were good ideas?
parenting trends

parenting trends

Parents have a hard job raising kids. And what with so many opinions on the ‘right’ way to do it, it’s pretty tricky seeing the wood for the trees. Reddit asked people to share their most hated parenting trend and the results were varied.

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From overindulging them to never saying no – which is your most hated parenting trait?

Never saying no

“Parents never telling their children ‘no’ and refusing to set any boundaries. I get empowering children by giving them a voice in decision-making and the freedom to speak their minds, but general social norms would be nice. Listening to 8 year olds throw fits in public and being rude to family and strangers (at top volume) is not endearing in any way.”

No consequences

“Shielding children from the natural consequences of their actions. They don’t learn from their mistakes and the consequence price tags are so much higher when they become adults.”

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Baby cage

“There were the cages that hung outside windows in London to give kids some fresh air.” (In the 1930s.)

Video game system

“My aunt and uncle are and have been huge supporters of the “if you just give them a video game then they’ll be quiet forever” so my 6-year old cousin has absolutely no social skills and is a difficult, struggling first grader but is alright at playing Angry Birds and Minecraft.”

Hockey mums

“Maybe not the worst, but my parents forced me to play competitive sports for years when I clearly hated it and I’m still a little bitter. I was horrible at soccer, they even offered me 10 bucks for every goal I scored but I still couldn’t do it. As an adult I still shudder a little every time I drive by a baseball field, thinking about how much time I wasted there and the embarrassment of sucking at something and getting laughed at by the other kids. This isn’t to say I wasn’t an athletic kid, I loved skating, riding bikes, hiking and all that. Parents – if your kid isn’t good at a sport, doesn’t have any interest in it and obviously has no talent for it, please don’t make them do it.”

Thinking non parents’ opinions are irrelevant

“During the harambe mess, a friend of mine told someone that his opinion was irrelevant because he didn’t have kids.”

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Forcing food

“Making a kid finish their plate.”

Oversharing

“Constantly plastering your kid’s pictures all over social media. Most are ok, if a bit much, but someday your kids are not going to appreciate the picture you took of them on the toilet during potty training with the caption “little aieydenne was constipated today.”

Indigo children

“Indigo children. Just stop, your child isn’t a special star child. Those are tantrums, nut up and be a parent, not a carpet.”

Overindulging

“Over indulging their children (spoiling them). You want an iPhone at 7? Here, have it. You need a new laptop at 9? Here, have it.”

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