What's the biggest mistake you've made when parenting?

spanking my kids...

I think we all go through those times being a parent. But you have to remember something important here: A Parent is only human too, and we do make mistakes. I don't think that makes you a bad parent at all.

I've done exactly that sending my daughter to school and she threw up in class. I felt so awful and should've got the worst parent award right then and there. Another time, my daughter got sick at school and was in the nurses office for 1 1/2 hours before I checked my phone for missed calls. I felt less than an inch tall because thats one of the reasons I'm a stay-at-home mom so I can always be there when my children need me. I'll explain the missed call...I got this new phone and hadn't got it figured out yet. The ringer was on low and it doesn't keep reminding you of missed calls like my previous phone. Needless to say I got another phone because if I miss a call I want to be reminded of it because of the above scenario. All parents make mistakes and when I went to pick her up she said it was ok, I explained the phone problem to her, she said at least you did come and get me. I still feel bad thinking about that!

I don't know if this qualifies as "bad parent" but I have certainly regretted it often enough. My son is 2 1/2 and still can't sleep through the night without one of us in the same room as him. If we had just let him cry two-years-ago, we would all be better rested now. Even now though I can't stand for him to cry so hard because ti does make me feel like a bad parent even though I know i am doing what is best for him.

I think what I feel most bad about is yelling too much. Sometime's it breaks my heart to remember the look's on their faces when I've yelled.

I think the biggest mistake that I've made as a parent is underestimating my daughter's intelligence. She is only 13 months so I pretty much thought I had everything under control until that one day I walked away for 2 seconds. I ran fro the living room to the kitchen to grab her a drink and before I knew it she had climbed from her high chair and fell on the floor. My husband is a paramedic and I had to call the rescue...with him on it. She was fine but between her crying and my crying I don't know who was hurt more...her head or my feelings. I felt so awful...like the WORST parent. I will never underestimate her again...so I guess our mistakes serve as learning tools.

Shortly after my daughter started walking, she was in the kitchen with me and I didn't make sure the basement door was closed. A couple minutes later, she disappeared and, when I found her, she was standing right at the edge of the steps. Before I could grab her, she was tumbling down them. Fortunately, outside of a few bruises, she was OK.

I have made tons and have only been a mom for 7 years. If I had to choose I would say I wish I would've pushed my daughter harder to try different foods when she was younger. She has anxiety disorder and would not try new foods, she was afraid of anything new, she didn't like new textures, even right down to the brand. There was a certain way everything had to be. Now at seven she is better but still has a very limited menu. I think if I had been more persistent on her trying new things maybe she would be eating more now. I guess we all make mistakes and there are many more to come.

well im not a parent yet so i dont know anything abt it

When my son was a baby I use to give him nyquil so he would sleep-but I don't feel bad about it-even though most ppl will probably think otherwise-he knows & we joke about the fact that he hates liquid medicine now but when he was a baby he drank it like candy.

Sometimes I wish they came with a manual. Like some of the others have already said here. We all make mistakes even the best of parents. I know I did, and my own parents did. It is hard though not to feel guilty, but I have never been above saying I am sorry to my kids when it is appropriate. One screw-up was when I thought my youngest was faking being sick to get out of a class she hated, and sent her to school. Two hours later I got a call she threw up in class ... and yes I felt terrible about it. ... :(

i am toilet training atm and have made heaps of mistakes. i just do not cope well with poos in the knickers. i do not scold her but she can tell i am not happy. she came out the other night after getting up from bed like 10 times and i just growled and put her straight bak in bed, i felt really bad after because it turned out she was feeling unwell and had pooed in her night nappy and she just wanted me to change it. the other thing i feel really bad about is that she has learnt that i do not wake up in a good mood in the so she will sit in her cot for up to an hour and not wake me in the morning. i think thats so sad that she is afraid to wake me. i do not spank her but i suppose i have told her off for waking me in the past..poor child, thats what kids do. Tanika.