If you’re a new parent, you’ve probably spent months (or years) preparing—reading parenting books, listening to podcasts, and following those Instagram moms who somehow make raising kids look like a curated aesthetic instead of a chaotic, sleep-deprived reality. And yet, nothing truly prepares you for what’s coming.
The truth? Parenting is a rollercoaster with no seatbelts. You’ll discover that babies don’t care about your carefully scheduled nap times, that toddlers have the negotiation skills of high-powered lawyers, and that “sleeping in” now means anything past 6 a.m. So, if no one has given you the real talk yet, don’t worry—we’ve got you covered. Here are some brutal truths about parenting that you likely weren’t warned about but should have been.