Parents share 'bad parenting' tips that are actually good parenting in disguise

Is parenting bad? No! But several times parents feel the pressure of failure. Sometimes circumstances do not allow them to explain their stand and they end up being labelled as bad parents.

Several such examples are seen on social media, where parents have shared their experiences with 'bad parenting'. On Reddit, several users have come forward to share what they considered bad parenting but was actually good parenting.

Disappointment is not always bad

"Letting your child be disappointed sometimes. Teaching children to handle disappointment helps build resilience," writes one user.




Failure often gets a bad rap, but it’s one of the greatest teachers. Letting children experience failure—whether it’s losing a game or not completing a task on time—can help them understand accountability, perseverance, and growth. Shielding them from failure might spare temporary discomfort, but it can rob them of the opportunity to learn resilience and adaptability.

Letting kids taste failure can teach them life lessons

"Giving your kids enough space to fail and then try to figure it out on their own," writes another user.

Watching your child struggle with a problem can be difficult, but rushing in to save the day isn’t always the best approach. Letting kids face challenges and work through frustrations helps them build problem-solving skills and confidence in their abilities. While it’s important to offer guidance and support, stepping back can empower children to find their own solutions.

Exposing children to discomfort can help them learn necessary skills

"Allowing kids to experience discomfort and situations of conflict and confrontation so they can develop the necessary skills to process and navigate said conflict, and with your guidance before and correction after - learn to compromise when necessary and resolve conflicts effectively," writes a third user.






Many parents think that their children should always be entertained. Letting them get bored is a far cry from neglect, it's a gift. Boredom promotes creativity, problem-solving, and independence. When children have nothing structured to do, they invent games, explore their surroundings, or plunge into imaginative play. It is through self-driven exploration that children develop cognitively and emotionally.

Not being a helicopter parent is not always good

Not being a helicopter parent. Letting your kids figure things out for themselves, not mediating every argument, letting them have unsupervised but safe play with friends, says one user.




Helicopter parenting, though criticized, can be beneficial when implemented carefully. Close parental involvement ensures that children receive emotional support and guidance during critical developmental stages, fostering a sense of security and confidence. Parents who are highly engaged often provide structure and set clear expectations, which can lead to better academic performance and disciplined behavior. This would enable helicopter parents to monitor their child's activities, identify potential problems at an early stage, such as bullying or risky behavior, and address them accordingly. Such an approach can instill strong values and accountability, helping children navigate challenges with a supportive foundation.

Treating siblings differently

Now this is a critical concept for every parent. While parents always make sure to treat all their kids equally, many people say this is not good parenting in real and instead say treating siblings differently might look like bad parenting but is good one in disguise.

One Reddit user explains, "I don't mean having a golden child and a scapegoat. I mean tailoring your parenting to the needs of individual children - one child might be ready for certain responsibilities at an earlier age than another. One might need more support for their social life than the other. I think you have to be open to changing that if it's causing feelings of unfairness, but overall, fair doesn't mean equal."


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