Topics Parenting

Is it normal to regret having kids sometimes?

Mostly.Normal for most people

Yes—many parents sometimes regret the demands or loss of freedom that come with having kids. Those moments don’t automatically mean you don’t love your children or that you’re a bad parent.

Parenting can be exhausting, relentless, and very different from what you pictured. It’s possible to love your kids and still miss your old life, resent the work, or wonder what you were thinking on a particularly rough day. You’re not the only parent who has thoughts like that, even if people don’t always say them out loud.

A passing feeling is different from being overwhelmed by regret most of the time. If it’s sticking around or making it hard to cope, tell someone you trust or consider talking with a counselor—you deserve support, not judgment.

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