People Getting Real About Regretting Kids (Yep, It Happens)

All my kids have special needs, and honestly, I wish I’d stuck to my gut and not had any. Life’s been nonstop fighting schools and just plain exhausting. Sometimes, I’m just worn out being worn out.

Got pressured hard by my husband and mom to have a kid, even though I said no. The kid’s great, but parenting always feels like you’re running a marathon with no finish line. I’ve lost my freedom, my patience, and honestly, none of the "cute kid" perks help with the burnout. Tried everything - therapy, meds, you name it - but the truth is I just hate this parent gig.

I regret giving up my life to raise my kids and getting caught up in their pain like it’s my own. It’s heavy, but hey, it’s not their fault - it’s all me. I just wish I’d known how tough this would be.

My mom confessed she kinda regrets having us. She loves us, but with the world the way it is, she wishes she’d decided differently. Basically, parenting jitters about the future vibes.

I don’t really regret my kids, but I feel a bit like I messed up by sticking with a culture and arranged marriage that boxed me in. Sadly, it’s left me feeling disconnected from parts of myself and worried about what my daughters will face in this cycle.

I’m terrible at this parenting thing. My kids aren’t happy, I’m not happy. Even my relationship is crumbling under all the stress. I keep thinking I made this mess for myself and man, I’m so over it.

Having full responsibility for someone else’s emotions? Hard pass. And everything in life got way harder since I had kids. I was raised super religious, so it felt like no choice - just follow the script. Glad I’m no longer religious, but here I am, anyway.

I had mental health struggles my whole life, but postpartum took them to a new level. I never click with that warm fuzzy parent vibe other folks talk about. Most days, I just fake it. If I’d known, no way would I have signed up for this.

Because honestly, my kids can be super annoying and not the sharpest at times. There, I said it.

Parenting changed me, but not for the better. I’m stressed, overwhelmed, lost my happy-go-lucky vibe, and feel like people only see me as a parent now - not me. Plus, it wrecked my marriage in ways I never expected. Kids are the cause, but not the victims here.

My 8-year-old girl is autistic, which means every day is a careful strategic mission. From planning outings like a military op to sleepless nights, it’s nonstop work. Sometimes I think life would be way easier without kids.

I’ve been raising my 18-year-old solo after my ex lied about contraception. Never wanted kids, but love her tons and try to be the best dad I can. Would I do it again? Honestly, maybe not. But no regrets about showering her with love.

I regret not knowing how much work kids are before I had mine. I love them, but if I could, I’d learn to adult - like cooking, cleaning, budgeting - before diving into parenting. Parenting folks, you’re superheroes.

The moment they handed me my kid, a wave of "what did I do?!" guilt crashed in. I knew life hadn’t been easy, and felt like I’d just passed the tough ride on. It’s gotten better, but there’s still anxiety about what’s ahead.

I regret bringing my kids and grandkids into a world where poverty feels permanent. Life wasn’t always like this - I even owned a house once! But now, it feels like the future only gets tougher.

Writing this from my basement, hiding from endless "mommy, mommy" calls. Love my kids but miss freedom, friends, and financial sanity. Having an autistic son means life’s a constant juggling act. I tell everyone: kids are optional. Society forgets to say that.

I don’t regret my son, but I’m just not cut out for parenting. I’m socially anxious, find kids tough to connect with, and I'm lazy. We’re one and done. We also feel we owe my son an apology for bringing him into such a chaotic world.

I have two kids who argue, won’t eat my cooking, and don’t help out. They’re entitled and always "right." I’ve sacrificed so much for them and I’m just done. Parenting exhaustion is real, folks.

Had a kid with my ex who turned out to be a terrible person and awful parent. Should’ve known better. Should’ve said no.

More I go on, more I realize I’m not cut out to be my kids’ mom. Mental health tanked, house is chaos, and I’m broke. I miss life before the kids more than the kids themselves, honestly.

The system doesn’t help parents, there’s economic pain, stigma, climate doom, and fewer reproductive rights. Regretting having kids isn’t just about feeling tired - it’s about knowing the future looks even tougher.

I’m autistic and super noise-sensitive - babies and toddlers do *not* mix well with me. The daily stimulation is a grind. But he’s getting more fun every day, so I just gotta survive this phase.

Love my daughter to bits, but I miss making life decisions just for me. Adulting just got way more complicated.

I love my kids but warn my daughter: don’t marry or have kids. From pregnancy risks to daycare costs to no village, it’s tough. Plus, no job loves parents. It’s a tough world to bring kids into.

I can’t give my kids the life I dreamed of. Executive function? Burned out. House is messy (like, really). If I knew this would happen, I wouldn’t have had kids. I hate not being able to give them better.

I regret parenting every day. Pressured by my parents to keep my son, lost my freedom, lost my hobbies, stuck in a cycle of therapy and school troubles. Now I’m also caregiver for my mom with dementia. Parenting feels like a job I never wanted but can’t quit.

Kids are like locusts: huge resource hogs who show up, consume everything, leave a mess, and then vanish - until next time. It never really stops.

Regret isn’t about not loving my kids. It’s about fear – that I can’t always protect them from the awful world, and I wonder if they’ll blame me someday. It’s a weird fight between wanting to keep them safe and needing to let them grow.

The world isn’t great, and my kid’s generation will likely have it even tougher - less money, fewer homes, more work. Love her tons, but the future? Not looking too shiny.

I wanted my kids to grow up like I did, surrounded by big family and all that. But I ended up feeling pretty alone raising them. Husband worked hard but still made time for fun, and my mom checked out early. None of my kids want kids, and honestly, that’s a relief.

I never wanted kids but gave in to other voices. My kids are awesome humans, but *I* don’t like parenting. So yeah, I don’t regret my kids, but I wish the parent part was optional!

Wanted kids, had a horrific birth that wrecked my body and mind (hello, PTSD). I’m a not-so-great parent now, and if I could go back, I wouldn’t do it. Sorry, my English isn’t perfect, but the feels are real.

I think life would’ve been better if I just lived for me. No regrets about my kids, but sometimes, I wonder.

Some days my kid is a little tornado who accidentally oils the mop and leaves me sore. I love him most days, but sometimes I just question everything. Honest parenting includes regret vibes now and then.

My daughter’s not mine biologically, but I’m her only dad. If I’d known marriage wouldn’t last, I wouldn’t have adopted. But I love her and try to give her the best, even if sometimes I wish the whole parenting thing wasn’t on me.

Love my kids tons, but one was conceived on birth control and the other non-consensually. Doing it all solo is tough - I always wanted the family support, but that never showed up.

Oh man, I miss when my screw-ups just affected me, not a tiny human. That’s the real deal about parenting.

I don’t regret my kid, but I wish I could put her on ice for a couple of days to get some freedom back. Babysitters are great and all, but you still worry. Even with money and age on my side, I long for the good old before-times.

Had three kids (one surprise). Life with toddlers while pushing 40 is like a prison with no parole, especially with no family nearby for backup. The 4-year-old is a handful and probably on the spectrum. The baby’s chill, and the preteen is a weird favorite. By 9pm, I’m totally wiped. Parenting is tough when the economy’s harsher than ever.

Pregnant with my first at 36 and boy, the pressure from family is real. Honestly regret the whole pregnancy thing so far - it’s draining everything from me.