The 9 worst parenting trends

Do you remember utterly ridiculous baby cage trend that blinked in and out of existence in the 1930s?

Because parents thought this was a good idea:

Picture: Fox/Getty

While this bright idea swiftly died out, here are a number of parenting trends that continue to live on, as recent thread on reddit has discussed:

1. Taking youth sports too seriously

Just refereed a game today, some old dude called me a f--king a--hole and had two parents (one white one Hispanic) start yelling racial slurs at each other and almost start throwing punches. It was an under 18 boy’s game and guess what? The kids were perfectly fine until the parents started acting up.

- Pericles69420

2. Never saying ‘no’

Parents never telling their children 'no' and refusing to set any boundaries.

Listening to eight year olds throw fits in public and being rude to family and strangers (at top volume) is not endearing in any way.

- DG4z

3. Not teaching manners

My favourite is, 'But Jimmy doesn't know any better!' No s---, that's why you have to teach how to behave.

- akiomaster

4. Planning your child’s day, down to the minute

Parents who fill up their kids schedules so they have zero downtime; school from six to four, after school study and extra school/tutoring from fouer to five , piano lessons from five to five forty-five, softball from six to eight on Tuesdays and Thursdays, cheerleading on Mondays and Wednesdays, Gymnastics Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, piano practice from eight to eight forty-five, homework from eight forty-five to nine thirty, bed. Rinse and repeat.

Oh if you get less than an A- you're grounded.

Knew a girl whose schedule was like that. Complete wreck.

- PandeanPanic

5. Intimate pictures of your children all over social media

Sharing pics of your kid in the bathtub and doing bodily functions is not okay…it's gross. I don't think your kid's blowout diaper or 'first poopy in the toilet' is funny or cute. I don't want that on my timeline.

- MaddieKate

6. Having your children stay up late with you

People having their kids stay up with them until the wee hours of the morning. By 11pm they are cranky, fussy, and clearly tired.

Put. Your. Kids. To. Bed.

- covok48

7. Making your child finish their plate

I am so much fatter because of this.

- Obi_Wan_Johnson

8. Junk food as a reward

I think the point is not to link good behaviour with unhealthy food surely?

I would have thought re-enforcing good behaviour is good as long as you don't go overboard and throw a party every time they get something right.

- bubblegrubs

9. Public shaming

Publicly shaming your kids. If you do that s--t you are an a--hole and a disgusting human being.

- Prannke

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