Parents responding to an AskReddit question about realities no one warned them of described caring for children while sick, unpredictable disruptions and a lack of rest. Some also said parenting affected their relationships and identity, while bringing joy as children grow.
One parent said that even a decade of babysitting experience did not prevent a meltdown on the first day home with a baby. Another commenter recalled a friend receiving detailed hospital instructions for her C-section incision but little guidance on caring for the newborn.
Other replies noted that siblings can have very different temperaments and that many products marketed to new parents went unused. Parents also described the strain of daily decisions and the worry of watching children face problems.
