20+ Parents Reveal Their Honest Parenting Regrets & It's Eye-Opening

Parenting isn't easy and there are a lot of things you learn along the way. Some of those lessons are harder to learn or have more lasting consequences than others but parenthood is bound to teach you a few things. These parents got really honest and shared some of their parenting regrets over the years both big and small.

Getting Ready

When you're expecting a baby, there's a lot to do! Set up the nursery, tell all your loved ones, stock up on baby clothes and supplies... the list seems to go on forever.

Some parents even go the extra mile and start researching by talking to other parents they know, going to classes, and cracking open a parenting book or two. After all, it's not all instinct. This person said they really wished they'd taken the time to prepare more.

Small Regrets

It's not just the big things you regret when you're a parent. Sometimes, you just regret an offhanded comment or the way that you explain something.

This person said they regretted the way they handled a nightmare for their toddler. Kids tend to take things a bit literally, so saying the bugs were "in her head" didn't sound quite as comforting as it was supposed to. It's good to hear she's recovering well from the misunderstanding since then.

Whose Baby?

When you're expecting a new baby in the family, you have to make sure everyone in the household is prepared. That includes any new older siblings.

When this family was preparing their toddler for her new baby brother, they might have made a slight mistake in the wording. After a lot of work on family roles and boundaries, they regretted using the words "your baby" to explain the situation to her.

Wishing for More

Sometimes, you might look so forward to the future that you might miss the exciting events unrolling right in front of you.

This parent warns new parents to not get caught up in the excitement and to savor the moments they have when their kids are little. They regret not taking the time to appreciate the little things when their kids were young and rather focused on everything that was ahead for them. Soon, they were missing those younger days.