Posted on Nov 15, 2026 UTC

I have to admit, I'm not a parent yet. But because my friends and siblings have kids, I know some common parenting gripes: allowing your child too much screen time, buying elementary school kids cell phones, not saying no, and much, much more. There seem to be so many different parenting styles, which naturally leads to a lot of opposing opinions. (Such is life.) So although I can't speak too much on the subject, the internet definitely can.

Over on Reddit , adults aren't holding back about some of their biggest parenting pet peeves — the small (or big) things parents do that genuinely give others "the ick ." And honestly, even as someone without kids, I have to agree with some of these. I'm curious if you will, too. Take a look at some of their answers below:

1.

"My biggest ick is when parents give in to toddler tantrums, rewarding unsafe behavior. Yes, they're little terrors, and sometimes you need a break.…