One Thing a Parent Should Never Do Is...

Jessie - posted on 04/17/2010

Thank goodness my child doesn't hate the vaccum or the car wash. She has slept right through both and loves it when she is awake and I vaccum. I guess I would have to agree with most of these posts and say that if your child is 3, a big kid, and is smart enough to go on the potty then make him. Coddling him isn't going to help. If they know how to do and choose not to you need to make them, especially if their diaper doesn't fit well and leaks from all the pee. Also using your child as a pawn is up there as well.

Stephany - posted on 04/13/2010

Great posts, ladies!
In regards to the vacuum cleaner: My kids seemed just fine with the vacuum until I started working part time in the evenings. A few dayss after I stopped working and had to vacuum the carpets (my husband would do the vacuuming while I was at work) my kids became terrified and ran out of the room. My oldest (3 at the time) yelled "No! We're not eating!" I was so confused! It ends up that my husband would use the attachment hose to suck the food off the kids after they ate so he didn't have to vacuum as often! Poor kids, and yet something that my husband defends to this day (and I'm sure most men would think is brilliant!). LOL!

LaCi - posted on 04/13/2010

Got another one for you: do not give kids anything curry if you're going to be the ones changing that diaper in the following 24 hours.

Shavaune - posted on 04/09/2010

LOL I took my van through the car wash the other day and my 2 year old daughter freaked out too. You would of thought we just took a nose dive in a lake or something and were going down. Of course it didn't help that my 3 year old was screaming "Here it comes again Cara!" lol

Emma - posted on 04/09/2010

LOL
I cant think of anything worse than a mini me as i was a complete pain in the butt as a kid i really could live without that !!!

Nikki - posted on 04/09/2010

Ha ha I want a Suzy Sucky Souraus, that's so funny!

I hate it when parents take more interest in her own social life and friends than her children and they are just left to raise themselves.

I also hate it when mother's try to turn their children into mini me's

Emma - posted on 04/09/2010

I did to but my daughter used to freak out where as you can actually vacuum my son and he thinks it just funny
My too have such different personality's so its not surprising they had different reactions.

Terri - posted on 04/09/2010

We vacuumed round the kids since they were born (I mean literally while they were lying on the floor). Great way to get them used to loud noises. My 15 month old doesnt even move now when it comes near her, she just laughs. :)

LaCi - posted on 04/09/2010

I will definitely be making a smiling vacuum cleaner today. ;)

Emma - posted on 04/09/2010

My daughter was scared of the vacuum in till i got a big permanent marker and drew a big smiley face on it and we now call the vacuum Suzy Sucky Souraus, thankfully did not have to do this on my very nice food proseser as she seems to to mind it as long as her dads making Humus in it.

LaCi - posted on 04/09/2010

*sigh* got another one. When you have a kid who is absolutely terrified of the vacuum cleaner, food processor, and other loud appliances, it may be a bad idea to go through an automatic car wash with him in the back seat.. but if you record the screams that follow they could be used in a slasher film. Poor guy had a bad day yesterday.

Emma - posted on 04/09/2010

One we should do is teach our kids the value of money and the reality of what things cost.
I hate it when you have people who are drowning in debt and are on the verge of loosing everything but will go out and buy there kids toys that are way out of there price range.
One thing im very glad my foke's taught me was if you cant pay cash you don't buy it. there is only 2 things you get credit for your house and your car.
Otherwise save up for what you want, i will be passing that on to my kids

Shavaune - posted on 04/08/2010

I think the worst is bailing on your kids. You made them, take some fricken responsibility for at least supporting them financially. I'm really sick of hearing about all the deadbeats out there and the kids who have no real parents because they were too lazy and selfish to either grow up or step up!

Sally - posted on 04/08/2010

A parent should never force their own agenda first. Forget to let a child be a child.

And one of my biggest pet peeves is parents of teens/preteens saying "I can't wait unitl your 18 and out of here." I hate that. I agree with the playing favorites too. My Mother does that to this day.

Amanda - posted on 04/08/2010

A parent should never choose a favorite child. All you are doing is breaking down your own relationship with your children, and pitting them against eachother.

Great posts ladies! The pot referenced posts... seriously!? WTH?

LaCi - posted on 04/08/2010

Let your child play with a CD player, as mine's thumb just got stuck in a groove and I almost had a heart attack lol

Emma - posted on 04/08/2010

1# Lie to your kids- they are way smarter than we often give then credit for.

2#Blindly take doctors advice regarding your children's health, if you don't agree or it just feels wrong get a second opinion

April - posted on 04/03/2010

use an object to threaten the child with, even if he/she does not intend to hit the child with that object

Brandi - posted on 04/02/2010

Force their child into religion. How can someone be genuine about what they think if they were forced to think it and didn't choose it?

Kelli - posted on 04/02/2010

...not get involved in your child's education. It is SO important and if you love your kid, why wouldn't you want them to have the very best in life!?

Shannon - posted on 04/02/2010

Not apologize after you know you were wrong. Kids need to see that we are human too & we make mistakes.

Michelle - posted on 02/15/2010

let your child tell you what's what... or allow a child to be disrespectful to adults.

Jennifer - posted on 02/15/2010

smoke or drink during pregnancy and should never smoke around their child or drink excessively. I think if you love your unborn child that much both mam and dad should give-up smoking if they smoke.

Rose - posted on 02/14/2010

Blow off their kids for a piece of ass. Ignore them when they are trying to tell you something important.

Terri - posted on 02/13/2010

put the parents expectations on their children just because they didnt succeed in whatever, eg: football, ballet, beauty pageants. Let kids be kids and follow their own path.

And I agree Susanne, arguing is a part of life and sometimes kids will see it. Kids fight all the time so they know that parents do too. As long as there is making up involved and apologies made.

Susanne - posted on 02/13/2010

I have to say my husband and i argue in front of the kids all the time and it doesnt worry them a bit they know we make up and its not as if we get nasty or anything. I grew up in a house where my parents only argued once in my whole life i was about 11 and i was sure that was it they would be getting divorced etc. Arguing is part of family life.

Melissa - posted on 02/12/2010

Krista-

I so agree with that. And same with me, I never saw my parents fight, then at 10 years old they got divorced! But they always fought after that!

Erin - posted on 02/12/2010

... Badmouth your child's other parent in front of them. No matter how useless/pathetic/irresponsible you may think they are, they are still part of your child, and words can't be taken back.

Krista - posted on 02/12/2010

I actually remember reading somewhere that arguing in front of the kids is not harmful, as long as the argument is respectful and is an argument, not a fight, and as long as the kids also see you make up afterwards. It teaches them that yes, sometimes you can disagree with someone you love, and you can make up and move forward. I never, ever saw my parents argue OR fight, so it was even more of a shocker to me when they announced that they were divorcing.

Megan - posted on 02/12/2010

fight in front of their children. Being a person from a somewhat broken home its not appropriate in my opinion to fight in front of your children it should be a private matter between you and your significant other and not in front of your children

Amy - posted on 02/12/2010

give in because it's "easy". it'll make it harder later.....

Amber - posted on 02/11/2010

...start b**th fights on who's wrong and who's right.

Nicole - posted on 02/11/2010

burden their children with their adult problems.

Melissa - posted on 02/11/2010

These are all good!

...wipe their child's mouth with the rag from the sink!

It is so disgusting, they stink, they are covered with germs, maybe even from raw meat, it's just gross. Use a paper towel or clean, un-used, rag.

Susanne - posted on 02/04/2010

Thats what i couldnt get over she was so happy about it and said well theres nothing wrong with my baby and she went on to say i am a good mother because child protection came round and they didnt take her away. I was gobsmacked i would be mortified if child protection had to visit my house not proud that they deemed me not quite dangerous enough. I couldnt get over her attitude at all she must have been thick to even post about it.

Alison - posted on 02/04/2010

There was a thread about cannabis in pregnancy on cafemom. I was shocked at how many people in the poll thought it was ok. I was even more shocked at how many women actually admitted to doing it and justifying it in their posts.

Susanne - posted on 02/04/2010

Did you see the post on here about the woman who smoked cannabis all through her pregnancy and in the same room as her daughter? Then she had the nerve to get upset when everyone went nuts on her. She really thought it was ok it didnt matter.

Nikki - posted on 02/03/2010

i know i was like did you see what she just did? they are like yeah so...i got up and left. i talked to them later about it and told them that it probably wasn't a good idea for her to be doing that at the age of one hell any age they shouldn't be doing that!

Krista - posted on 02/03/2010

Yikes, Nikki! That IS pretty bad.

Nikki - posted on 02/03/2010

do drugs in front of your child...a couple i know would smoke marijuana in front of their daughter all the time and by the time she was one she would do what she saw. i was at their house and we were hanging down in their basement, their daughter went and found where they kept their pipe and put her mouth on the part where she saw mommy and daddy putting theirs. my jaw dropped when i saw that, i couldn't believe it!

Alison - posted on 02/03/2010

Smoke in the same house or car as their children.

Amanda - posted on 02/03/2010

parents should never endanger their child's life because it is convenient for them, i.e. turn the carseat forward facing when baby is 6 months because he screams when he is rear facing.......

Susanne - posted on 02/03/2010

One thing a parent should never do is dictate to other parents how they should bring up their child unless that child is in danger

Nazia - posted on 02/02/2010

can make a big list of donts- but thing i would never want to do is: getting too close to ur partner infront of kids, as they might end up doing this with friends. i hv seen one 5yrs boy hugging a little girl n kissing her too hard.

Ashley - posted on 12/09/2009

force a child to conform to gender specific toys... my son loves to "mother/father) his stuffed toys and sometimes likes to play with his girlfriends' dolls I think it is cute but have gotten flack over it! he still loves cars and building blocks and his tool set!

Heidi - posted on 12/09/2009

What a good topic, but I can't think of just one thing...there are many things you shouldn't do, and all the ones listed is a good start! I have to agree with all of you.

Esther - posted on 12/08/2009

I'm with Dana & Traci. Never belittle your kids or call them names.

Dana - posted on 12/07/2009

Belittle their child, in any manner.

Kaylie - posted on 12/07/2009

Drink and drive... especially with the children in the car.

Charlie - posted on 12/07/2009

Ignore basic human rights of a child just because " im the parent " .