#SorryNotSorry Parenting Confessions

We know. Parenting is the hardest, most rewarding job on Earth. It’s also insane. Sometimes I feel like I’m competing in the Hunger Games: Me vs. my son, Jack, 7. 

But I’m not a fighter, so sometimes I just wing it. Even though I live to coordinate what I wear and match, Jack has major issues with clothes. He’s not into “crunchy-hard” jeans. He doesn’t like “fancy” tops with buttons. Sweaters are “too itchy.” If he could wear his custom-made super hero cape with a “J” and lightening bolt on the back, barefoot 24/7 — he really would.

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Christine Coppa’s son in his cape playing catch with his friend. (Photo: Christine Coppa)

The kid wears loungewear every day to school, often with an arm full of Rainbow Loom bracelets he made all by himself. So, yeah, I threw a handful of clothes in the air and waved the white flag sock, telling him to wear whatever he wanted.

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Coppa’s son dressed for um, soccer practice, who won’t leave home without all those rainbow loom bracelets.  (Photo: Christine Coppa)

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When he emerges from his room in baggy sweatpants, a superhero PJ top, and a zip-up hoody, I roll my eyes and walk him to the bus stop. If the clothes are clean and weather appropriate … I’m #SorryNotSorry — and so are these parents from an informal Facebook poll.

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“My 3-year-old daughter, Lane, is a really picky eater,” Laura P. But mom has a sweet trick to help her daughter clean her plate (that she admits, some of her “mom mob” friends look down on). “For every bite of something healthy, like baked chicken or a green bean — she gets one mini M&M. Yes, I’ve gone through an entire tube in one sitting, but I don’t care because I’m killing two birds with one stone: dinner and desert: Done.” #SorryNotSorry —Laura P.  

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Deena and her daughter. Hard to believe mom doesn’t like purple glittery sneaks. (Photo: Deena J.)

“Shoe shopping with my daughter is a nightmare. On our last trip for sneakers she pulled [the most] horrendous pair of offensive, light-up, glittery purple sneakers ever made off the shelf. I made stern eye contact with the salesman and said, Oh bummer. They don’t have your size.” To make up for this, this cool mom got her daughter a funky pair of purple Doc Martens. #SorryNotSorry —Deena J.

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Kelly and her app-loving son. (Photo: Kelly J.)

“When my son and I meet my childless girlfriends for dinner out somewhere, I give him my phone to play games the whole entire time. I hardly ever get to see my friends and well, I see my kid every day.” #SorryNotSorry —Kelly J. 

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“At the end of the day if I’m exhausted, I baby wipe my 4-year-old son’s entire body and skip bath-time altogether. He’s gone to bed having not brushed his teeth too.” #SorryNotSorry —David D. 

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“My wife and I like to eat at a local bar and grill at least one night a week,” says Kevin D. “If there aren’t any tables we sit at the bar with our 6-year-old and encourage him to order a ‘cocktail.’” Kevin says his son wavers between Shirley Temples, OJ with a cherry, or special apple ‘spritzers’ (apple juice and club soda.) “My wife and I both drink but trade off on who drives home. If it’s my turn to drive, I have one beer and my wife indulges in wine or martinis. We’ve gotten weird looks from adults for choosing to sit at the bar, drinking and calling our kid’s drink a ‘cocktail.” #SorryNotSorry —Kevin D.

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“As a single mom, I planned to see Insurgent (Divergent Series) during my 3-month-old’s nap-time. It was an afternoon daytime showing, but I still got the stink eye from a few movie goers. I didn’t see the harm and would have left if she started crying, which she didn’t. What’s the big deal? It’s only a Si-Fi thriller with cursing and killing and freaky hallucinations, haha.” #SorryNotSorry —Jill C. 

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Amberlyn and her daughter. Looks too light out for bed. Tick tock! (Photo: Amberlyn C.)

“When we turn the clocks back I pretend that it’s bedtime at 7 p.m. instead of 8 because it’s dark out. That means bath and stories happen right after dinner and I get an extra hour to relax.” #SorryNotSorry —Amberlyn C.

“I lied about my child’s age on a recent trip to meet my wife who was in San Diego on business. The airline’s rule is you have to buy a ticket for a child over 2. My daughter had turned 3 about four months prior. I didn’t mind letting her sit on my lap for the 6-hour flight and if anyone questioned her age I was prepared to lie.” But that didn’t happen. This dad lucked out: “There was an empty middle seat in our row, that she mostly slept in for the entire flight while I watched free movies.” #SorryNotSorry —Robert J.

Share your #SorryNotSorry parenting moments here in the comments section or tweet us @yahooparenting @ChrissyCop80 #SorryNotSorry

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