15 parents share the worst part of having kids.

We hear a lot about the value of parenting.

The miraculous feeling of looking into a new baby's eyes, the Kodak moments when kids have their 'firsts,' the tender moments when a young child expresses their love.

And when they're older, the surreal satisfaction of realizing just how cool of a person you raised.

But it's helpful for new parents, parents-to-be, and those idealizing a life they haven't lived, to also be honest about the painful., frustrating, and hard parts.

In a popular Ask Reddit thread, parents got honest and shared the worst and hardest parts of having kids.

1. From FindingPace:

The days drag on, but the years fly by.

2. From nakedreturnsthe1st:

The constant anxiety that you’re doing enough to shape them to make good choices, a good life, be a good person, and for them to have the life they deserve.

3. From Infiniski_Gaming:

When people ask me this I say. You know those video games where you have to escort a character to a destination without them being attacked. That's parenting. Those missions are a pain in the a*s.

4. From AardvarkAndy:

You have to feed them like every day.

5. From Anom8675309:

Watching them make the same mistakes you did even though you told them not to make those mistakes.

Little Jimmy...if you borrow a bunch of money, those people are going to want it back and if they don't get it back they'll take stuff you won't want taken.

6. From mrbuh:

It's incessant. It never stops. You never get a day off. Going from having two days per week to relax and do whatever to literally never having a moment free from responsibility.

7. From aslplodingesophogus:

Losing them. I lost my 14-year-old daughter to suicide in 2020. It’s the worst pain and you can’t imagine it until you are in it. I’ll never be the same and if I didn’t have my son I’m not sure I’d still be here.

8. From Quizzical_Chimp:

Having to deal with their total lack of self-preservation. They are creative and come up with all kinds of ways to try and kill themselves, keeping ahead of the game is exhausting.

9. From tessiegamgee:

I'm only 9 years in, but so far it's been the sleep deprivation. Hands down.

ETA: I'm not still sleep-deprived. My kids sleep great now at nearly 9 & 5. But that was the hardest part of parenthood for me so far.

10. From MrsLouisaMercury:

Having to take care of a sick child when you are also sick. For me, that has been the most challenging part so far.

11. From poetris:

The loss of freedom. I can't just...go somewhere. Even with older kids, there's so much planning and thinking and getting ready. I miss being able to just decide to go somewhere, and go there.

12. From um_chili:

Yeah co-sign on 'constant worry.' Having a kid is like having a little piece of your heart running around in the world. When they're sick or get disappointed or just feel sad, it's worse than having it happen to you.

Yet at the same time, you need to let your kids work through those things to learn to handle them. If you give into the worry and try to shield them from everything, you risk creating harmful co-dependence. So it's a constant struggle. But worth it!

13. From catchmeifyoucannon:

The strain on your marriage/relationship. We thought we were completely prepared since our child was planned. Then you add the responsibility and stress and the take away sleep. (Didn’t sleep through the night for 9 straight months).

We were at each other's throats every single day. We finally got ourselves figured out and are good now.

14. From glenman1882:

Your life's no longer yours. By the time you get home from work, sort tea, sort kitchen, get them in bed you've about an hour before you gotta go to bed to start it all over again.

Edit: When I say tea I mean dinner/supper, not a cup of tea.

15. From Royalking23:

For me, I just really like to be alone sometimes. Before kids, I would just go downstairs and watch a TV show, play PlayStation, or play guitar and my wife would do her own thing as well.

Now, I have maybe one hour of alone time (sometimes none) every couple of days. It’s at 11 at night and I’m tired as f*ck then and the next day.

It’s the hardest part for me. Love them to death, but it’s hard to be “on” all the time with work and them when at home.