Awkward Parenting Situations

When you dream of having kids, you are likely imagining the first steps the baby takes, or the hugs you’ll get, or when your kid starts school. You have an idea of what parenting will be like, and in reality, you are missing huge chunks of what it’s really like. While there are a lot of really good times, there are also plenty of tough and awkward situations as well - you’re going to encounter some things you never imagined.

We’ve talked about the adventures of poop with kids, and there are plenty of wild times with this. Obviously, be prepared to clean up throw-up from walls and caked on to the bed because your child doesn’t wake you up in the middle of the night. Be prepared for plenty of blood as well - bumping heads with a friend or simply falling down and biting a lip or tongue will happen on more occasions than you’d like.

But beyond these kinds of gross out situations, there are a lot of awkward situations that you’ll end up in as well. Many of them will involve bodily fluids and functions that occur with both you and your child. For example, you’re at the playground and your child is going on playing quite well by themselves. They go down the slide and leave a big streak of poop along the slide. Awkward as you clean up the best you can and quickly leave the park.

You’re at the store, you’ve got two kids in tow, and you’re getting everything that you need. Suddenly, you feel the urge to go to the bathroom coming on, and it’s not going to wait. You rush to the public restroom, and all they have are standard stalls (no handicap stalls or family restroom). You’re now cramming a couple of kids in a stall with you as you try to use the restroom - you hope no one else comes in while you’re in there.

Of course, your kids likely aren’t going to stick in the stall with you (especially a toddler and older) so now you’ve got a child running around in the bathroom, looking under stall doors at other people, and who knows what else. You’re trying to get them to stop, but also trying not to yell so as to not bother other adults in the bathroom. To an outsider, you might seem crazy, while you’re probably completely embarrassed.

These situations are funny to look back on after the fact, but they are often embarrassing and mortifying in the moment. You feel like a failure as a parent, and you really don’t want others to see your face. You’re not alone though - parents everyday go through these absolutely embarrassing moments with their kids. While non-parents may not understand, the other parents around you do.

Sometimes kids seem like they’re making fun of you on purpose. They probably aren’t, they’re just too young to know better. Toddlers like to get undressed and pull their pants and diaper down. While this may be kind of funny at home, it’s far less funny when it happens at the playground or in the store. Your child may decide they want to pee right there as well...oh what fun.

Having kids isn’t always convenient - you’ll be put in plenty of awkward and embarrassing situations. Do your best to clean up as needed, and simply move along. Life will go on.