Parenting can be one of life's greatest joys.
Also, sometimes it can be really — like, really — hard.
Redditor u/ApprehensiveShock655 recently asked the people of Reddit, "What’s the worst part of having a child?" The answers were honestly really enlightening — and if you're a parent who's struggling for any reason, perhaps you'll find some solace here too:
1. "Worrying about them for the rest of your life."
—u/jbobeffrey
2. "Transitions. From baby to toddler, to little kid to big kid….Time passes by and with it they start growing into independent persons. A parent’s love grows with them, but the feeling of knowing sooner than later they will belong to the world……And we adults posses the understanding that the world is. This can be both beautiful and scary."
—u/oriana5555
3. "I'm only nine years in, but so far it's been the sleep deprivation. Hands down."
—u/tessiegamgee
4. "For me, it's giving up a part of myself that I will never get back, don't get me wrong, I would choose to do it every time, but there is a mourn of a previous self and the sacrifice I need to do to become the best father I can be and that can be hard sometimes."
5. "They’re just always there. On you, behind you, in front of you, just a little speed bump impeding every task. Lol."
—u/Tangboy50000
6. "The constant anxiety that you’re doing enough to shape them to make good choices, a good life, be a good person, and for them to have the life they deserve."
7. "When they cry it feels like someone is stabbing you through the heart. And then they pull out the 'You broke my heart' because you wouldn't let them do something dangerous. It's awful."
8. "The loss of freedom. I can't just...go somewhere. Even with older kids, there's so much planning and thinking and getting ready. I miss being able to just decide to go somewhere, and go there."
—u/poetris
9. "Being hungover on a Sunday morning catering to a three and one-year-old."
10. "The worry that I’m a bad parent that’s doing things wrong."
11. "The future that they'll have to exist in."
12. "Worrying about how the outside world will treat them."
—u/MrAbadeer
13. "Watching them leave home."
—u/Reddit_works
14. "It's like taking a 2nd job that lasts 18+ years with 24/7 schedule with no holidays or sick days."
—u/mouse_rat
15. "Watching them stray down the wrong path and wishing they’d listen to you."
—u/Bigred4x4
16. "From a greedy perspective, you lose a lot of the freedom that you had before you had a kid. It is harder to go out, you can do what you want to do less often by far. You can also lose the time you used to have with your significant other. From a loving perspective, you are always worried about doing a good job as a parent, or being worried about their safety in general."
—u/FoxFireLyre
17. "Boredom. They are so damn boring. How long can you play with a toddler and not lose your mind? Entertaining small kids is so annoying. Once they learn to read it gets so much better."
—u/Why_So_Slow
18. "Having to take care of a sick child when you are also sick. For me that has been the most challenging part so far."
19. "Watching them grow. It’s the most rewarding heartbreak ever."
20. "Stepping on Legos."
—u/Hans_BRICS
Agree? Disagree? Have your own additions? See you in the comments!
Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.