Bad Parents and Lazy Parenting: Stop Excusing Your Child’s Public Tantrums
Your Child Isn’t Tired. They’re Just an Undisciplined Little Tyrant.
Ah yes, the bad parents of the world, armed with their bottomless bag of excuses. "He’s just tired today." "She’s a free spirit." "Oh, he’s just full of energy!" Love, your kid isn’t tired. They’re a bratty little dictator with zero discipline, and you’re the hapless assistant enabling their reign of terror.
When I say "bad parents", we’re not talking about the shit 2012 film or popular horror game. This isn’t a tale of suspense or psychological thrills, nor is it some deep-rooted parenting fail that requires therapy or an Instagram reel about their "big emotions." This is real life, and the only horror here is lazy parenting in action.
7 Signs of Bad Parenting: Public Tantrums and Parenting Fails (And What to Do Instead)
The Supermarket Meltdown
- Your child is sprawled in the cereal aisle, wailing like they’ve been personally victimised by Kellogg’s.
- Excuse: "She just really wants Coco Pops!"
- Solution: Say no and walk away. Don’t engage. If they continue, remove them from the shop. No negotiations, no rewards.
The Seat-Kicker on a Plane
- The passenger in front of you is gripping their armrest like they’re bracing for impact.
- Excuse: "He’s just got so much energy!"
- Solution: Firmly say no. Redirect with a quiet activity. If they keep kicking, physically stop their legs. Be consistent.
The iPad Zombie
- Your kid is glued to a screen, eyes glazed over, mouth slightly open.
- Excuse: "It’s the only way to keep them quiet!"
- Solution: Limit screen time. Engage them in conversation, a book, or an activity. Teach them to function without constant stimulation.
The Restaurant Table Climber
- Your child is scaling furniture like a caffeinated spider monkey.
- Excuse: "She's so strong, can't sit still!"
- Solution: Sit them down. Set rules before entering. If they climb, they leave. Take them to a park later to burn energy.
The Endless Negotiator
- You’re pleading with a ketchup-stained gremlin over one more chip.
- Excuse: "If you’re good, I’ll buy you a treat!"
- Solution: Set expectations. No bribes. Bad behaviour = no rewards. Follow through with consequences every time.
Turning Every Public Area into a Playground
- Your child is darting through crowds like a sugar-fuelled tornado.
- Excuse: "He’s an independent soul!"
- Solution: Hold their hand or keep them beside you. If they can’t behave, they sit in a stroller or leave the area.
And, the big one:
7. The Public Tantrum in the Middle of the High Street
Your child is sprawled on the pavement, screeching at a frequency only dogs can hear.Instead of trying to reason with a three-year-old like you’re in the middle of a UN peace summit, try the following:
Step 1: If they scream, remove them. I know, wild concept.
Step 2: No iPads, no sugar bribes, no "one last warning." Just a solid 'no' that actually sticks.
Step 3: Ignore the looks from other parents. We’re not judging you for disciplining your kid—we’re begging you to.If any of these sound like your child - you’ve blatantly been employing lazy parenting. But the good news? It’s fixable. Just do your bloody job.
What Bad Parents and Lazy Parenting All Have in Common
Bad parents and lazy parenting share one common trait: lack of accountability. These parents refuse to take responsibility for their child’s behaviour, blaming external factors instead of setting boundaries. They rely on bribes over discipline, prioritise short-term peace over long-term respect, and constantly make excuses instead of corrections.
They often use phrases like, "He’s just expressing himself," "She’s too young to understand," or "Boys will be boys," rather than addressing poor behaviour directly. They fail to establish clear rules, allowing their child to rule the household with demands and tantrums. Lazy parenting is about convenience, not guidance. If setting a boundary is "too much effort," they simply let their child do as they please.
And when all is said and done, bad parents raise entitled kids who become entitled adults. Without structure and discipline, these children grow up thinking the world should cater to them—because at home, it always did.
Why Does Your Child Behave for Everyone but You?
If you’ve ever Googled "Why does my child behave for everyone but me?", I have a simple answer: because they know you’re weak.
Your child has figured out that certain adults demand respect while others can be steamrolled like a wet paper towel in a hurricane. They’re perfect angels at school, nodding attentively at their teacher, saying "please" and "thank you" at their mate’s house, and then BAM—as soon as they’re with you, they go full Exorcist mode. Why? Because they know you’ll cave faster than a Jenga tower in an earthquake. They know that when you say "no," you actually mean "yes, if you whine long enough."
This happens because you’ve conditioned them to believe that your words hold no weight. They know that when their teacher says, "Sit down," it’s not a request—it’s a command. When you say it, it’s just the opening bid in a long, drawn-out battle of wits where they always win. The problem isn’t their behaviour—it’s your lazy parenting and inability to enforce boundaries.
You’re not the authority figure—you’re currently a glorified butler who pays the WiFi bill. Fix that before you end up raising an adult who thinks consequences are just a concept in movies.
Right now, you’re not raising a child, you’re raising a tiny manipulative lawyer who knows exactly which button to press to get what they want. Bad parents, this is your doing.
Helicopter Parenting vs. Free-Range Parenting: Two Sides of the Same Problem
There are two kinds of modern parenting disasters:
The Helicopter Parents
Monitoring their child’s every move with a GPS tracker, writing 5-page emails to their teacher about "emotional well-being," and stepping in whenever their kid so much as sneezes wrong.
The Free-Range Parents
Proudly letting their bratty kid treat Tesco like an Olympic training ground, knocking over cereal boxes while they sip their overpriced oat milk latte.
Both approaches are absolute bollocks. One creates kids who need a therapist every time someone tells them no, and the other raises entitled kids who think the world owes them a round of applause for simply existing.
Children need boundaries, discipline, and the ability to navigate the world without either constant surveillance or total anarchy. Somewhere between military dictatorship and Lord of the Flies, there’s a middle ground called basic discipline. You know, teaching kids that they can’t just scream, demand, and throw food in public without consequences.
Instead, we get bratty kids, entitled kids, and disrespectful kids who grow into adults that demand promotions for doing the bare minimum. Bad parents, you’re not just making life hell for the rest of us—you’re creating the next generation of grown adults who throw tantrums when a barista gets their oat milk ratio wrong.
Conclusion
Parenting is about raising a functional, respectful human being—not about avoiding tantrums at all costs. Lazy parenting leads to entitled kids, public meltdowns, and a generation that can’t handle the word ‘no.’
Bad parents rely on bribes, blame tiredness for bad behaviour, and let their child rule the household. Meanwhile, helicopter parents micromanage every move, and free-range parents let their kids treat public spaces like a jungle gym. The result? The rest of us suffer.
The solution is simple: Set boundaries, enforce consequences, and stop making excuses. Kids need discipline, not negotiations. They need parents, not pushovers.
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