"Can't you just sleep when the baby sleeps?": The Worst, Out-of-Touch Parenting Tips That Moms and Dads Are Tired of Hearing from Childless Friends

Author image for Ely Bulnes
Ely Bulnes • Writer and Editor
Jul 20, 2025 4:00 PM EDT

It is an annoying fact of life that the self-proclaimed "cool aunts" of the world, whose experience with children is limited to occasional bouts of babysitting by watching Netflix while the kids nap, are the ones that think they have the whole parenting thing figured out. Not only that – it's like they'll implode if they don't constantly chide you with unsolicited advice on how to raise your own kids. Their parenting tips are a mixture of how they imagine they would parent a hypothetical perfect baby and old ages-old advice that maybe worked in the 70s. 

If you havent't gotten enough completely useless advice from your child-free friends in real life or random strangers on public transportation, scroll down for even more completely useless tips. Sure, you won't learn anything new or helpful, but you'll be undoubtedly entertained by the absolute gall of some people. How could they be so wrong with so much confidence?

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  • 01

    What out of touch parenting "advice" has your childless friends given you?

    Cheezburger Image 10530817792
    via Зображення користувача Lesia Sementsova

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

  • 02
    Unsolicited advice is inevitable when you're a mom. I try to take it with grace because I know most of the time people are just trying to be helpful.
    via u/sixfingeredman7
  • 03
    The only time it irks me is when it comes from my friends that either don't have kids yet or know they will never have kids.
    via u/sixfingeredman7
  • 04
    Things like: "You don't need to bring so much stuff with you everywhere. The kid will learn to adapt!"
    via u/sixfingeredman7
  • 05
    And "Does he really need a nap? If he's tired he'll sleep!"
    via u/sixfingeredman7
  • 06
    Or II You don't need to leave so early all the time. I stayed up past my bedtime all the time when I was a kid. Seriously what's the worst that can happen?"
    via u/sixfingeredman7
  • 07
    And my personal favorite. "Just teach him to eat what ever you eat"
    via u/sixfingeredman7
  • 08
    gold_fields "Dinner is at 8 - just bring the kids with you!" as a parent to a 2 and 4 year old I would rather di..
    via u/gold_fields
  • 09
    longhairedmaiden If I had a dollar for the number of times I had to explain that my kids had a bedtime and that was too late for dinner...I'd be able to afford the number of berries they inhale in a week.
    via u/longhairedmaiden
  • 10
    milliemillenial06 Yes I love this one...people are like dinner starts at 7:30! Umm...I need that dinner to start around 5:30.
    via u/milliemillenial06
  • 11
    puppypyrite87 Not advice, but more so being completely unaware that when they say they are going to show up at a certain time and don't, it Is with the entire day. f
    via u/puppypyrite87
  • 12
    porcupinefarts My parents do this when they visit and it drives me insane. They have no concept that other people exist, let alone children that are either waiting on them to show up or are hungry for food that was allegedly on the way.
    via u/porcupinefarts
  • 13
    Cheezburger Image 10530824704
    via Melpomenem from Getty Images

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

  • 14
    navelbabel My dad who raised two children calling to tell me he's in town (surprise!) and will just "stop by later" then being mad when he stops by and it's baby's naptime.
    via u/navelbabel
  • 15
    SecretaryNaive8440 I'm too strict about bedtime. This happens with my own parents. Especially when I told them it's too late to go to dinner at 7pm since kids get to bed starting 7:30pm One time I let them take the kids to dinner at 7pm. They realized I'm quite reasonable.
    via u/SecretaryNaive8440
  • 16
    Relative-Jeweler-257 Not advice, but I had a friend ask me 6 weeks postpartum if I was back to running yet....um, no...
    via u/Relative-Jeweler-257
  • 17
    sixfingeredman7 OP Yup. Got some big judgement for not going to a birthday party ...for a 35 year old ...in the city 2 hours away.... 3 weeks post partum
    via u/sixfingeredman7
  • 18
    gargoylie My daughter was 6 months old and a friend of a friend told me I should put her in rec basketball so she can socialize. I just smiled and said will do!
    via u/gargoylie
  • 19
    FemmeSpectra I would pay to watch 6 month olds play basketball tbh AA
    via u/FemmeSpectra

  • Seriously, have these people even seen a baby? I understand not being a parent, but have they ever interacted with a small child?

  • 20
    Complex_Activity 1990 At Thanksgiving my son wouldn't try sweet potatoes or stuffing. My SILS said they're going to make their future kid eat everything.
    via u/Complex_Activity1990
  • 21
    They don't understand that children are not robots and have their own opinions and can make their own choices about food they like/ don't like.
    via u/Complex_Activity1990
  • 22
    Cheezburger Image 10530824448
    via Maria Sbytova from Maria Sbytova

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

  • 23
    eleyezeeaye4287 I'm sad to admit I thought this way too before having kids. My picky toddler has quickly humbled me and I apologize for my past self.
    via u/eleyezeeaye4287
  • 24
    Same-Cattle-3672 "They'll just fall asleep if they're tired" really gets me. And the classic "can't you just sleep when the baby sleeps?" Ah yes, and I'll do my tax return when the baby does their tax return, hoover when the baby hoovers...
    via u/Same-Cattle-3672
  • 25
    RU_screw As someone who traveled with my kids. recently and got stuck in the airport due to a bad delay, I can attest that they do not fall asleep when they're tired. They run more.
    via u/RU_screw
  • 26
    Low_Scene_716 My sister is a dog mum and constantly compares my parenting techniques to dog training techniques. Tbf quite a lot of them work!
    via u/Low_Scene_716
  • 27
    Cheezburger Image 10530824192
    via Prostock-studio

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

  • 28
    frugal-lady As a dog mom turned actual mom, can confirm... my husband and I have often compared our baby to our dog when she was a puppy
    via u/frugal-lady
  • 29
    Free_butterfly_ "Don't baby proof the house; house proof the baby."
    via u/Free_butterfly_
  • 30
    navelbabel "Just teach them not to touch stuff". Ok well it took me like 3 months of constant repetition just to achieve that with a single item- the dog's food- so guess I'll cook and shower when she's 4.
    via u/navelbabel
  • 31
    gamecubebugg << Cant they just sleep in the car? >> no, they will wake up and think it was a nap when we get home lol. << You let your four year old watch tv?? » sue me Helen I'm pregnant and I need a nap
    via u/gamecubebugg
  • 32
    muststayawaketonod "Just bring her with you!" When my childless friends ask me to come to bar or a party. Like what?? Not only is that a terrible idea for my 4 year old, but I will also have zero fun. I'd rather be on the couch eating snacks alone all night than partying.
    via u/muststayawaketonod
  • 33
    dreamsinred "You're not uncomfortable enough yet to go into labor". I was SO uncomfortable, but was smiling through it to avoid complaining constantly to my friends. I went into labor a few hours later!
    via u/dreamsinred
  • 34
    madommouselfefe I have 3 kids and I have a few things that have been said over the years that boil my bl_d.
    via u/madommouselfefe
  • 35
    1)" just put them down and they will go to sleep on their own." Said by my Child free friend, about my 12 week old baby. I just laughed and told her we done sleep train before 6 months.
    via u/madommouselfefe
  • 36
    2) "it's a short drive, so you won't need to bring the car seats." Said by my husbands cousin. It wasn't a short drive, and my 8, 4 and newborn WILL be in their car seats.
    via u/madommouselfefe

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