As any mum knows, parenthood is an amazing experience, but not without its trials and tribulations.
So it comes as no surprise that that a survey looking at parents’ top 50 challenges found sleepless nights, tantrums, trying to be patient, chores and food battles came out on top.
The report, commissioned by DryNites asked 2,000 mums what they found the toughest tests of parenting to be, and the results were a real mixed bag.
Common parental worries including childcare, illness and sibling rivalry all made a top ten appearance, while 48% of parents found their child’s school years stressful, 14% of whom reported they felt the strain even more than their child.
Lower down the table, socially awkward situations caused some mothers to worry including having the ‘birds and the bees’ chat and knowing how to react when your child swears for the first time.
Do you agree with the top 50? What do you think was missed out? Let us know on our Twitter and Facebook pages or leave a comment below.
1. Sleepless nights/sleep deprivation
2. Tantrums
3. Having patience
4. Keeping on top of the household chores
5. Getting children to eat the right foods
6. Potty training
7. Sibling rivalry
8. Juggling childcare
9. Give your child what they want without spoiling them
10. Getting children to clean their teeth properly
11. Dealing with an ill child
12. Leaving your baby for the first time
13. Getting a baby to sleep through the night
14. Getting a baby/child to sleep at night
15. Not constantly worrying and wrapping your child in cotton wool
16. Getting children to do their homework
17. Encouraging your children to concentrate and work hard at school
18. Tackling bullying
19. Going back to work after having a baby
20. Keeping an eye on your child 24/7
21. Encouraging your children to be friends with the right crowd
22. Getting into a routine with a new baby
23. Trying to stop children spending too much time in front of a computer/TV
24. Bed-wetting
25. Getting a toddler to stay in bed
26. Getting time off work when your children are ill
27. Your child’s first day at nursery/pre-school
28. Your child’s first ever day at school
29. Teaching them the value of money
30. Dealing with other people’s opinions on your parenting skills
31. Having to answer constant questions, even when you don’t really know the answer
32. Keeping a lid on bad language
33. Getting to school on time
34. Other competitive mums
35. Helping children to take the right path through their education
36. Keeping your children in clothes that fit when they outgrow things so quickly
37. Teaching them that fighting and hitting is wrong
38. Finding time to do your child’s reading homework every night
39. Keeping an eye on what your children are looking at online/watching on TV etc
40. Children sitting exams
41. Trying to convince doctors to listen and take you seriously
42. Your child’s first day at secondary school
43. Leaving your children with a babysitter for the first time
44. Remembering to fill in all school paperwork
45. Preventing children from smoking
46. Explaining birth, life and death
47. The Birds and the bees chat
48. Coping when you’re child’s first pet has died and knowing what to say
49. Knowing how to react when they use their first swear word
50. Clingy children
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