Redditors Confess the Reasons Why Parenting Has Made Them Cry Today

Sometimes, we need a good cry. Sometimes, a good cry is thrust upon us.

In the r/beyondthebump subreddit, user Pale_and_sarcastic was having a weepy day, and she wanted to share the cause of her tears. The original poster wrote, "1. Thought about what I would have done should me and my baby had been on the Titanic. 2. Thought about how Chuckie from Rugrats and how that sweet, nervous baby boy needed a mom. That is all. Probably PMSing. Please add yours."

Who hasn't been there? We've all sat around, wondering what we'd do if we were parenting during a major catastrophe, right? I, personally, have freaked out about what I'd do in a zombie apocalypse.

Over 200 parents agreed, sharing their personal reasons for crying.

Like u/laneyj , who empathized with a mother dog and her pain after a totally uncalled-for pup-napping: "I cried while watching 101 Dalmatians. The love and worry mama [Perdita] expressed when losing her puppies just broke me."

Or u/Gloomy-Award-3192, who struggled with the pain of her baby growing up. She did add a happy ending, though! "My daughter used to walk under the table like if it wasn't there at all, I kept telling my husband that I need to film that because one day she'll outgrow it. Today she went to walk under the table and hit her head and it all happened in front of me. I cried. Then I realized that she was wearing shoes and with out them she could still walk under the table like it wasn't there so I can still film her doing that. So I was happy again!"

User u/guessineedanaccount's tears were ones of intense empathy: "Everytime I read about Ukraine I imagine having a baby in a war zone or as a refugee and I can't stop crying."

In fact, fear for one's children was a very popular source of tears. u/MommaJ94 wrote: "Since becoming a mom, almost any hypothetical situation that crosses my mind can make me cry. I've probably cried more these past 21 months than I have ever in my entire life prior to the birth of our daughter. Heck, even HAPPY videos/posts about babies/kids online can leave me in a puddle of tears."

And u/EmbraceLife_890 added, "When LO was still a newborn I heard a coyote outside and started crying because I was convinced the coyote was going to get my baby somehow. She's perfectly sized coyote bait! I was really tired and PPA hit me hard."

This person, u/sythxsytn, had a reason that was hugely relatable: "I cried because i couldn't decide on what to eat because literally nothing sounded good, sat in the CVS parking lot for 30 mins trying to decide and had a meltdown. Lol. 35 weeks."

And u/phildunphy6969 voiced another common theme—the bittersweet phenomenon that is the passing of those long days and short years: "That one day, without my even knowing it, it'll be the last time I hold him in my arms because eventually he'll be too big."

The most awesome part of this thread is the obvious connection born from these vulnerable moments. While social media is pretty infamous for its tendency to breed resentment, comparison, and negative commentary, it's pretty obvious here that it can also foster community. After all, when we're sitting around, crying at a Holiday Inn commercial, is there anything more helpful than the knowledge that you're in good company?

Own those tears, and remember: you're not the only one.