Mom and Dads Spill Harsh Truths About Parenting That No One Talks About

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Ely Bulnes • Writer and Editor
Nov 8, 2025 2:00 PM EST

Parenting is a wild ride; it comes with love, chaos, and way more mess than you ever thought possible. But behind the endless diaper changes, bedtime tantrums, and Sisyphean battle with sticky surfaces, lies a truth almost no one talks about: the quiet ache of watching your kid grow up. One moment, they can't survive a day without you, and in the next, they're managing life on their own. Maybe a part of you is relieved that they no longer depend on you so much,  but at some point you realize that another part of you misses it more than you ever expected. 

In this thread, dozens of parents share the unspoken realities of raising children – the fleeting stages, the hidden emotional tolls, and the sudden absence left by the kid who used to always hold your hand. Here, moms and dads voice the universal truth that parenting doesn't just change your life; it changes you. If you're a parent who wants to be in their feels today, look no further than down below. 

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  • 01

    Parents, what is an "unspoken" reality of parenting that people simply don't talk about, but everyone knows is true?

    Cheezburger Image 10573017856
    via mihailomilovanovic from Getty Images Signature

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    ScopeCr33p The younger they are, the more they want your time. The older they are, the more you want their time
    via u/ScopeCr33p
  • 03
    mightyrj This straight up goes along with the days are long but the years are short." I try to remind myself of this especially when the rough days happen.
    via u/mightyrj
  • 04
    SahjoBai My kid is almost 14. I remember when he wanted to snuggle up and read books or talk about Pokemon all the time. Like a little barnacle. Now I'm stoked if he'll chat for a bit or let me take him out to lunch. It's wild.
    via u/SahjoBai
  • 05
    GenerallyBread A kid's perspective here. This might not be true for everyone, but in high school I hated my parents. 5 years later, my mom is my best friend. I've never been more stoked than I am to visit them this weekend
    via u/GenerallyBread
  • 06
    kotom Each stage they grow into, you lose the version you knew and loved before. It's not that you don't love the new version.. but sometimes I miss my little toddler buddy who thought I was cool.
    via u/kotom
  • 07
    My son is a preteen now and sometimes I miss younger versions of him like an old friend I haven't seen in years.
    via u/kotom
  • 08
    Cheezburger Image 10573017344
    via kali9 from Getty Images Signature

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 09
    If you do it right, the goal is to have them be independent people who can function without you. You give everything to them
    via u/kotom
  • 10
    for years with the intention of them leaving, but even knowing that, each one of those steps they take away from you is bittersweet.
    via u/kotom
  • 11
    We have a good relationship and I hope we maintain that where he'll want to spend time with me as an adult, but even if he does, he'll be busy with his own life and I need to accept that.
    via u/kotom
  • 12
    hypermagical20 "Parenting is teaching someone you can't live without how to live without you."
    via u/hypermagical20
  • 13
    Grungemaster Weird Al Yankovic said in an interview on NPR recently he wished he could have every version of his daughter at every age of her life in the same household at the same time and I relate to that so hard.
    via u/Grungemaster
  • 14
    Cheezburger Image 10573018112
    via Winnie Bruce from The Winnie Collection

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 15
    alaraja My two favorite things in this world are: 1. Being with my kids; and, 2. NOT being with my kids.
    via u/alaraja
  • 16
    Ventaria When you're not with your kids, you start thinking about them and about time going by so fast. Then you are with them, and you get overstimulated.
    via u/Ventaria
  • 17
    WhatAGoodDoggy I love an errand that takes me away from the house
    via u/WhatAGoodDoggy
  • 18
    Just_here2020 Getting toddlers to do things is like convincing your drunk roommate to do something. Emotions high, attention low, timeline long
    via u/Just_here2020
  • 19
    caligaris_cabinet One minute they're laughing and running around. The next, they're lying on the floor crying because their ball rolled into the next room.
    via u/caligaris_cabinet
  • 20
    alexthegreatmc Sometimes, you won't like your kid. You'll love them because they're yours. But they're their own person with an individual personality. Sometimes, that personality sucks.
    via u/alexthegreatmc
  • 21
    C
    via Hakase_ from Getty Images Pro

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 22
    boozeride Having a kid is like having a little broke best friend that thinks you're rich.
    via u/boozeride
  • 23
    YaBoyfriendKeefa Seeing the shift in your parents who recognize becoming a grandparent is an opportunity to do better where they f up with you is a trip. There will be many a time that you watch your parents interacting with your kids and think to yourself, "who the hell is that?"
    via u/YaBoyfriendKeefa
  • 24
    Did you have a grumpy dad who yelled a lot? Maybe a mom who was a total control freak? They don't live here anymore. This is grandma and grandpa's house now, and you don't know them.
    via u/YaBoyfriendKeefa
  • 25
    SereniaKat When they get to teenage years, you have to start letting them solve most problems themselves (not really bad ones though), when all you want to do is charge in and fix it for them.
    via u/SereniaKat
  • 26
    unknown_anaconda Knowing when to step back and when to step in is one of the hardest but most important parts of being a parent. You can't prepare them properly for adulthood if you don't give them freedom and responsibility, appropriate to their age and maturity, to make their own mistakes, and fix them. It is a constant balancing act.
    via u/unknown_anaconda

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toddler married with children fatherhood motherhood funny parents relationships parenting raising teens advice dad raising kids mom parents
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