Dad faces roasting for claiming babies are boring, kids don't become fun until they're 3 years old: 'Not much for a man to do until they can roughhouse and form ideas'

Author image for Ally Perry
Ally Perry • Writer and Editor
Jan 24, 2025 4:00 PM EST

One of the fundamental realizations that is supposed to come with being a parent is that raising kids isn't going to be a constant highlight reel. There will be times when you feel frustrated, sleep-deprived, and looking for a break. These feelings can often be the most pronounced in the infant stage—after all, this is the time when your child is the least capable and most dependent on you for all their needs to be fulfilled. Unless you have a lot of help, it is probably a time when you can think about little but what your baby needs.

Still, that isn't to say that there aren't enjoyable moments in those first couple of years. Observing a baby grow and interact more with their surroundings is often a part of parenting that moms and dads cherish. This isn't a unanimous opinion, though, and this can become a controversial topic to approach.

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    MARCCOONES
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • This is something that one dad quickly found out after he complained that kids were not interesting from ages 0 to 2. Claiming that parenting his own son had only become enjoyable from the age of 3 onwards and that there was “not much for a man to do” with babies, it wasn't long before his take attracted negative attention.

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    Justin Murphy ❤ @jmrphy Crazy how long it takes for fatherhood to become fun. My son just turned 3 and I almost want to say I'm only just now starting to find this gig fun, like at all. I guess fathers don't talk about this because it sounds bad but 0-2 is pretty boring. Not much for a man to do until they can roughhouse and form ideas.
    via jmrphy
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    Many fellow parents were not happy.

    Samuel Cook @RealSamuelCook Replying to @jmrphy My daughter has been fun since she could stand on her own. She enthusiastically laughs at jokes, helps me make coffee, listens intently when I teach her things. I can't even really imagine this take. I feel bad for you and your child.
    via RealSamuelCook
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    Tainted.Saint @TaintedSaint2 Replying to @jmrphy Well, little tykes from the ages of 0-2 have pretty intensive demands. If you're actively parenting them, you're too busy to worry about how "boring" they are.
    via TaintedSaint2
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    Jude @Judeemma Replying to @jmrphy So "nothing" to do with your kid until you can play fight with them. At age 3. Crazy idea but you could try: Helping look after them, feeding, changing, read to them, take them out in the pram; you know, all those things mothers do
    via Judeemma
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    O Po TheTato Man @PoTheTato Man Replying to @jmrphy You're doing it wrong. Like, I don't have a nicer version of this statement, but if you can't enjoy the world lighting up around them as they discover their fingers, how to communicate, or as they start to understand their surroundings, you're looking for the wrong things to be "fun.” Children, more than almost everything else in your life, are a reflection of what you put into them. If you're excited for each and every little thing that change
    via PoTheTatoMan
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    Dr. Dad, PhD @GarrettPetersen Replying to @jmrphy This is not my experience at all, sorry.
    via GarrettPetersen
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    Lola @thefempire50 Replying to @jmrphy Now imagine you're stuck doing that year after year and not allowed a job outside the home.
    via thefempire50
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    The Classic Wife @theclassicwife Replying to @jmrphy I think you're just a bad person
    via theclassicwife
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    emily may ❤ @emilykmay Replying to @jmrphy yeah it's pretty much full time caregiving for a long time. which dads can do! but it's less fun lol.
    via emilykmay
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    Pedro's BBQ and Audio → @pedrojoe14 Replying to @jmrphy Yup, I'm gonna say it. You're just a bad father. You missed out on some priceless times. Shame.
    via pedrojoe14
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    Back-Up Tambourine Pl... @UpTambourine Replying to @jmrphy Form ideas? LOL Brother, they're forming ideas before they can crawl and are just waiting to be mobile enough to execute all their plans. Whatddyou mean?! LOL
    via UpTambourine
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    The Sisterhood of Ha... @Hanitovrdommes Replying to @jmrphy It's weird that the only thing you want to do with your child is roughhouse with them
    via Hanitovrdommes
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    Larry Farr @FarrLawrence Replying to @jmrphy I played with my 0-2 daughter every day. Just to make her laugh or giggle. I walked her around the block just about every day. If nothing else I spent time with her just to give Mom a break, plus, it was a blast to watch her try things or want to do things. I began building blocks with her. One of her first sentences was "Knock it down?" Which she always enjoyed. She never once appreciated my architectural genius though.
    via FarrLawrence
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    Stephen Pimentel ❤ @StephenPiment Replying to @jmrphy With a well-fitted backpack, you can use 0-2 for rucking. They actually love this, and you get some good cardio.
    via StephenPiment
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    Abraham Ash @Historycourses Replying to @jmrphy "fun" isn't really the point tbh
    via Historycourses
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    illy bocean @IllyBocean [standing there and watching my wife change our baby before putting on another load of laundry and getting dinner started] i guess there just isn't anything for me to do for the next couple of years
    via IllyBocean
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    Liv @oooallen Calling 0-2 boring tells me your wife hates your a
    via oooallen
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    cottage mom era @je2fs A man gazing at his toddler wondering, "What can you do for me, and when can I wrestle you?"
    via je2fs
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    chaos robot @deestiv If you go through 0-2 of your child's life and think there is 'not much to do', you are not actively parenting but waiting to do something YOU find fun. Go and help your wife ffs!!!
    via deestiv
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    spencer lane @spenceralane perfect example of what my wife and i call "uncle dad." wants to be a father but doesn't give a sh about the work
    via spenceralane
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    šlotti @probablynotkgb "not much for a man to do" because the ideal female hobby is cleaning infant vomit
    via probablynotkgb
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    Joe Norman @normonics Twitter guy who logs on every 6 months to bravely reveal he is too selfish to be a good father
    via normonics
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    Mario Ramirez Reyes @ramirezreyes I read to my kid, cooked with him, took him out for walks, taught him how to use a walking bike, took him to the park, went to kid's museums, danced with him, painted and drew, went to the zoo, sat in restaurants and cafes... Just him and I. Before he turned 2.
    via ramirezreyes

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