What’s One Thing You Swore You’d Never Do as a Parent… and Now Totally Do?
Before becoming a parent, I had a mental checklist of all the things I’d never do. I’d roll my eyes at parents who handed their toddlers iPads at restaurants or bribed their kids with candy to stop a meltdown. “That won’t be me,” I’d think, confident in my future ability to raise a perfectly well-adjusted human through logic, patience, and homemade organic snacks.
Fast-forward a few years, and here I am: a walking, talking example of “never say never.” Parenting has a funny way of humbling even the most self-assured among us. If you’re nodding along right now, let’s swap stories about the things we swore we’d avoid—but now fully embrace—in the name of survival, sanity, and maybe even a little joy.
1. “I’ll Never Use Screens as a Babysitter”
Ah, screen time—the modern parent’s guilty pleasure. Pre-kids, I envisioned my home as a screen-free utopia where my children would spend their days crafting, reading, and exploring nature. Then reality hit.
One day, during a particularly chaotic week of work deadlines and laundry avalanches, I handed my 4-year-old a tablet so I could take a Zoom call without background noise resembling a zoo exhibit. The silence was golden. The guilt? Immediate. But here’s what I learned: screens aren’t inherently evil. They’re tools. Used intentionally—like during a critical work call or to sneak in a 20-minute nap—they can be lifesavers. The key is balance. My kids still build forts and play outside, but they also know the words to Bluey theme songs. And I’ve made peace with that.
2. “I’ll Never Yell”
I used to judge parents who lost their cool in public. “Why can’t they just stay calm?” I’d whisper to my pre-parent self. Then I had a child who once spent 45 minutes refusing to put on shoes while we were late for preschool. Spoiler: I yelled.
Turns out, parenting is a pressure cooker of emotions. Fatigue, frustration, and the sheer absurdity of negotiating with a tiny human who thinks ketchup is a food group can push anyone to their limit. What changed my perspective? Apologizing. I’ve learned to say, “I’m sorry I raised my voice. I was upset, but I shouldn’t have reacted that way.” It’s not about being perfect—it’s about modeling accountability. My kids now call me out when I slip up, and we laugh about it later.
3. “I’ll Never Bribe My Kids”
Bribes felt like cheating. I wanted my kids to behave because they understood right from wrong, not because they’d get a sticker or a cookie. Then I discovered the magic of bribery during a 10-hour road trip. Desperate times, people.
Here’s the twist: bribery can teach negotiation skills. My 6-year-old now “bargains” with me: “If I clean my room, can we bake cookies?” It’s become a way to set expectations and rewards. Sure, I’d love for her to tidy up out of sheer goodwill, but let’s be real—adults work for paychecks, too. The goal is to phase out rewards over time and celebrate intrinsic motivation… but for now, gummy bears get the job done.
4. “I’ll Never Be a Helicopter Parent”
I vowed to raise independent, resilient kids. No hovering! Then my daughter fell off the monkey bars and broke her arm. Suddenly, “Let them explore!” morphed into “Wait, don’t climb that!”
Protectiveness isn’t weakness—it’s biology. But I’ve had to recalibrate. Instead of stifling every risk, I focus on teaching calculated risks. We talk about consequences: “What could happen if you jump off that swing?” Letting them scrape a knee or fail a task builds problem-solving skills. It’s messy, but watching them grow more confident? Worth the anxiety.
The Bigger Picture: Parenting Is About Adaptation
The truth is, every generation of parents judges the ones before them—until they’re in the trenches themselves. What we call “hypocrisy” is often just growth. We start with ideals, then adjust based on our kids’ unique needs, our own limitations, and the chaos of daily life.
So, to the parent who swore they’d never give their kid fast food but now has the Drive-Thru worker’s order memorized: I see you. To the dad who vowed to avoid plastic toys but now tripped over a light-up unicorn: solidarity. Parenting isn’t about sticking to a script. It’s about writing a new one every day—with coffee stains, peanut butter fingerprints, and a whole lot of love.
What’s the one thing you said you’d never do… but now totally do? Share your stories. After all, the best parenting advice often starts with, “Remember when I judged people for this? Yeah, about that…”
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