Becoming a parent is a life changing experience. Suddenly, you are responsible for a whole other human being, and your new full-time job is to give them the best life you can. So you read stacks of books, attend parenting classes and try to soak up as much knowledge as possible to be a great parent. Maybe you even join a few Facebook groups to gain insight from other parents and to be part of a community. It’s nice to have other moms help you find the cutest and most affordable kids clothing without spending hours scouring the internet. Other parents can also provide some support when you just need to vent about the struggles of raising kids. There’s just one thing to be wary of in online parenting groups: they seem to be a breeding ground for crazy people.

Flooded with anti-vax posts and complaints about talentless toddlers, these parenting groups are painfully cringey. The silver lining, however, is that these groups have inspired the hilarious Mom Group Drama subreddit. r/Sh*tMomGroupsSay has 300k members, and shares countless screenshots of ridiculous posts on parenting groups. Their description says they’re “here to judge the ‘No Judge’ culture of the internet mom groups”, and we can’t thank them enough for their service. Enjoy this list we’ve compiled of some of the best recent posts, then check out Bored Panda’s previous publications of crazy parenting posts here and here.

More info: Reddit

#1 I Don’t Have A Problem With Extended Nursing, But Omg Still Using Months?

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It’s important for new mothers to feel they have a safe space to ask questions and share their feelings. That place, however, does not need to be an online group. These controversial mommy groups have even sparked discussion from former members who have had enough. In 2020, Chelsy Theriault, creator of the blog Motherhood+Mayhem, published a piece on Filter Free Parents titled “6 Reasons I Hate Mom Facebook Groups”. She explained that at first glance, these groups seemed like a great community to be a part of. Over time, however, she realized that the groups “tended to be a crutch for mothers who either didn’t really want to deal with motherhood issues or didn’t want to (or have the courage or personal strength to) come up with their own solutions to parenting challenges”.

#2 Breastmilk Isn’t Curing Her Son’s Leukaemia

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Chelsy went on to say that these Facebook groups invalidate mothering instincts. “It seems that many moms, instead of assessing a situation and formulating their own solution, immediately run to Facebook to seek advice.” Similarly to how Google seems to have killed many peoples’ critical thinking skills, these mothering groups have squashed some parents’ abilities to make decisions. Chelsy recommends that mothers follow their instincts and skip seeking out help for every minor question that pops into their heads. She also adds a bit of advice a good friend gave her following the birth of her daughter to reassure anxious mothers: “If you don’t drop them or sit on them, you’re doing great.”

#3 Fuck You And Your Privacy. I’m Gonna Show 53,000 People Your Picture And Tell Them You Got Your Period Today!

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#4 You Can’t Even Count On Your Own Parents After You Have A Baby

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The next concerning reason Chelsy cited for disliking these groups is that moms seek medical advice in them, rather than going to a real doctor. “I know of a local mom Facebook group in my area that had to put a stop to mothers posting pictures of their children’s rashes and other visible physical ailments,” she noted. Even pregnant women post asking for health advice for themselves, but it’s unlikely many people in the group are actually medical professionals. And with only a Facebook post describing symptoms to go off of, they probably couldn’t be of much help anyway. If you are concerned about your own health or your child’s health, please seek out someone with appropriate credentials. Don’t just take the word of Cindy from Ohio who is spending 7 hours a day on Facebook during her maternity leave.

#5 My Friends Are Also Pregnant And I Dont Feel Special. How Dare They Ruin My Experience

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#6 I Can Weaponize Your Toddler, Dm?

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Along the same lines, Chelsy points out that many mothers ask questions that could easily be solved with a quick Google search. “We’re moms. We’re busy. We don’t have time to do the Googling for other moms.” Next she notes her annoyance about posts that begin with “Okay, mamas, let’s talk [enter topic here]”. “Every time a post starts with this statement, all I can picture is some tacky infomercial tempting me to purchase some cheesy product,” Chelsy adds. Just cut to the chase. “For some reason, introducing a post with ‘Let’s talk -‘ seems pushy and impersonal.” 

#7 No Fatties Allowed!

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#8 That’s Not The School’s Problem

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#9 Get The Hell Out With This Nonsense

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Next, Chelsy comments on the odd habit some mothers have of displaying their shortcomings to gain pity and attention. She gives an example of a mom asking if she’s the only one who forgets to leave money from the tooth fairy, followed by multiple “haha”s and a face palm emoji. Of course she’s not the only one. Moms are not perfect, and Chelsy empathizes with the pressure mothers often feel. “I think these moms are simply looking for pity or for someone to console them and convince them that they are not a horrid parent. Perhaps they are trying to displace their mom guilt or trying to make light of their mom fails.” “Either way,” Chelsy adds. “It drives me nuts.”

Lastly, Chelsy points out another popular post style on the page: “Pic for attention!” “This is annoying,” she says. “But at least they’re being honest.”

#10 Err…what?

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#11 Two Opposing Cleaning Strategies

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#12 Only Boys Are Supposed To Have Disgusting Habits?

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Luckily for moms everywhere, not every online community is full of infuriating posts and medical misinformation. In 2018, Alexis Barad-Cutler launched Not Safe for Mom Group (or nsfmg) after becoming fed up with the “curated Instagram feeds, filtered momfluencers, and holier-than-thou Facebook mom groups that made her feel worse about her parenting”. “Whenever I would go to my mom groups, it felt like I was having a completely different experience than what my peers were having,” Barad-Cutler said in an interview with TODAY. “I was mired in postpartum anxiety, depression and psychosis, and my baby was really colicky. So it just felt like there was a cellophane between me and the rest of the world — like I was living on a different planet.”

So she channeled her frustrations into writing. But media outlets were not always on board with publishing articles depicting less than picture-perfect realities of motherhood. “That’s where it started — the idea that I couldn’t say these things out loud,” she said. “I wanted to create a community. I wanted a place for people to go and be able to say the things that they’re feeling out loud.”

#13 Comments Are Filled With Moms Saying That Hygiene Is Non-Negotiable As This Will Lead To Health Problems

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#14 What The Krap?!

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#15 I Feel So Bad For This Poor Boy

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Thus, the Not Safe for Mom Group was born. On their website, the group is described as “an online — and IRL— community that welcomes challenging topics around motherhood in a judgment-free setting”. Nsfmg seems like a breath of fresh air compared to the chaotic groups being ridiculed on reddit. Under “who we serve” the site says, “Our community is centered on mothers, those on the journey towards motherhood, those who identify as mothers, the mom-curious, and the folks who support and love moms.” And the reasoning listed for why the site exists is because “tremendous healing can occur when we share our experiences and stories with others. We created this space as a safe haven for messy, uncomfortable dialogue that enables us to to learn and grow from each other.”

#16 “My Doctor Says My 9mo Baby Is Normal, But He Clearly Has Bipolar!”

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#17 My Favorite Is The “Head Situation For Reference”

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#18 Woman Suggests Wrapping An Onion Around A Child’s Ear Because It’ll “Pull Out” The Infection, Just Like Tears!

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While the website has been active since 2018, nsfmg recently began hosting a podcast as well. Episodes feature candid conversations such as “I Begged For Help and No One Listened: Mothering Through Mental Ilness” and “My Ex’s Sinister Secret: A New Mom’s Shocking Discovery”. Barad-Cutler welcomes these difficult topics on her site. “You don’t have to preface anything by saying, ‘I love my baby’ — it is assumed that you love your child,” she explains. “We invite you to curse — we love a good curse word. We welcome a difference of opinion, and we encourage people to use language like ‘folks’ or ‘friends’ — not heteronormative language, because we know that not everyone is married or cisgender.”

#19 5g Did It!

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#20 Vacuum Salesman By Age 2!!!

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#21 To Add Insult To Cringery, This Woman Is Due Any Day Now

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In addition to the podcast, nsfmg’s website also includes a blog, resources for parents struggling with mental health issues or abusive relationships, virtual talking circles “for support in this sh*t-storm”, the opportunity to book private sessions with Barad-Cutler, and a shop (which features a tee shirt proudly saying “NO MORE MOTHERFU*KING MOM GROUPS).

For the ‘anti-mom group’ moms out there, nsfmg seems like an excellent alternative to the run-of-the-mill Facebook groups. 

#22 Seems, She Really Does Not Want A Boy…

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#23 How Old?!

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#24 The Comments Are Filled With Her Explaining The Science Behind It

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Another resource for moms interested in critiquing online mommy culture is the podcast “Under the Influence“, hosted by journalist and mother Jo Piazza. “Under the Influence” is described as “a deep dive into the Mom Internet, a place haunted by aspirational marketing where it feels like every other mom is a social media influencer trying to sell you something… Jo Piazza looks at how we got here, what it all means and how the commodification of motherhood is driving mothers a little insane.”

On the topic of mommy blogging, Piazza told TODAY, “It’s a multi-billion dollar industry that gets ignored because women are doing it and it’s a ‘mom thing’. But they’re building these huge platforms and I say it all the time: If they were men, they’d be on the cover of Forbes because they’re building mini media empires.”

#25 I’m Sure The Hotel And Other Guests Would Appreciate That

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#26 Raise A Prodigy Who Will Fail At Life As An Adult

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#27 Hearing Is Overrated

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Despite how much wisdom raising children can bring, being a mother does not automatically make someone an authority on health, wellness or even parenting. Be cautious of what overbearing mothers are posting in online groups, and find a community where you actually feel safe to express your parenting concerns. But if no online group makes you feel at home or you’re simply not a parent, you might as well get a laugh out of the Mom Group Drama subreddit. We certainly did.

Be sure to upvote the photos you find most egregious and let us know in the comments if you’ve ever witnessed questionable parenting posts online!     

#28 It Can’t Possibly Be Covid, Right??

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#29 Moms Trying To One Up Each Other By Comparing The Size Of Their Babies’ Penises In Their Ultrasounds

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#30 This Post Feels So First World

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#31 This Was Posted To My Facebook By A Family Member, These Morons Are Getting So Exhausting

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#32 This Is What The Admins To Mom Groups Drive

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#33 Warning From Local Mom Group

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#34 Won’t Someone Please Think Of The Karma!?

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#35 Let’s Paralyze The Baby Right After Birth!

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#36 Looking For Preschooler Appropriate Energy Drinks

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#37 It Sounds Like You’ve Got A Pretty Smart Kid

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#38 This Might Be The Best-Worst Thing I’ve Ever Seen In Fundie-Crunchy Mom Group Hell

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#39 I Don’t Even Know Anymore

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#40 Found This Gem In My Local Mom Group…

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#41 …is This A Thing?

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#42 Insane People On Facebook

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#43 Homeschool Group Comforting A Mom Who Never Taught Her 14 Year Old The Months Of The Year Or His Tables.

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#44 Maybe Because That’s Illegal

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#45 It’s Gross Karen. I’m Also Pretty Certain It’s Illegal To Feed Unsuspecting People Your Bodily Fluids.

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#46 Egg Fast Keto Mom Group

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#47 “Disappointing And Frustrating” Yikes

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#48 Unassisted Pregnancy Group- If Only There Was Some Building Where You Could Go For Help?

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#49 Informing Me Of Medical Risks Is A Death Threat

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#50 Parents Play Sneaky ‘Hide The Sausage’ In The Bedroom They Shared With A Toddler, 10 And 12 Year Old

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#51 Looks Like It Was Tailor Made For This Group

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#52 I’m Not Going To Listen To The Doctor Because There’s Not Enough Evidence

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#53 Local Mom Wants A High Schooler To Watch 3 Kids For A Week. For $2.97/Hr

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#54 You’re So Close

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#55 And Only One Person Broke The Group Rules And Recommended The Er

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#56 Now We Have To Be Sexy After Giving Birth Too?

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#57 So Now We Naming Kids After *checks Notes* Eyeshadow Palettes?

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#58 How Dare You Expose My Daughter To Grave Stones (Sticker) During Spooky Season!!! “Wow Ok” Has Me Dead

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#59 I Want To Smack This Parent

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#60 Actual Question On A Sephora Product

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#61 “My 6 Y/O Nephew Is A Little Fatty And I Hate His Mom, So I’m Going To Buy Him A Thinly Veiled Insult Instead Of A Gift He Would Enjoy”

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#62 Found One In The Wild In A Bst Group

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#63 Gonna Go Out On A Limb Here And Guess She Didn’t Get The Tetanus Shot Either…

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#64 Teen Wants A Second Baby But With No Baby Daddy Involved This Time

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#65 3rd Grade Lunch? Better Pack That Breast Milk

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#66 Y’all I Had To Log Off After This One

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#67 Freebirther Goes Mask Off (A Mom Asked If She Should Birth In A Hospital Due To Baby Having Covid-Induced Myocarditis)

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#68 My Mother-In-Law Is Making Me Gag A Little. For A Bonus, Her Current Husband Has No Biologic Children Of His Own

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#69 This Seems Like The Worst Thing Ever

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#70 Her 3yo Can Count To Infinity And Is Smarter Than The Majority Of The Us

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#71 Found This One In The Wild….

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#72 Blood Transfusion, Or Death? Decisions, Decisions…

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#73 It’s What They Came Out Of

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#74 After This She Asks Which Essential Oils Works For Covid

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#75 This Response To A Mom Asking For Speech Therapist Referrals

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#76 Not Sure If It’s Been Posted. But What The F

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#77 The Entire Room Was In Awe Of My Placenta!

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#78 Ouch!

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#79 I Found This Gem Today

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#80 Probably Shouldn’t Listen To The Voices

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#81 I Can’t Believe Facebook Is Free

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#82 How Do I Detox My Baby?

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#83 I Am At A Loss For Words Here. It’s Totally Believable That Your Pyramid Scheme Products Miraculously Cured Your Child’s Stomach Bug

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#84 Mom Actively Working Against Doctors To Save Her Preemies’ Lives. Breasmilk Is Better Than Vax Right? Right?

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#85 These Name Posts Are All So Ridiculous And Cringe. This Is The One That Made Me Leave The Group

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#86 Trash Parent Using Her Kid To Pedal Her Own Political Views

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#87 When Extra Just Isn’t Extra Enough, You Make Shit Up.

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#88 Anyone Want A Playdate With My Adult Child?

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#89 Saw This And Just Knew It Belonged Here

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#90 Thats More Than 3 Pagents A Month If They Start When She Was Born! Of Course The Poor Thing Doesn’t Want To Out Her Sippy Cup Down Shes A Baby!

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#91 Toddlers Supporting A Home Birth Alone, Great Idea!

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#92 I..just Have No Words….

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#93 Mom Says What She Really Thinks About Her Teenager

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#94 Haha I’m So Toxic

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#95 Huh????? I-

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#96 This Was In A Disney Group…. And Yes She Continued To Argue About How Child Birth Isn’t Gross

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#97 Guess I Gotta Go Outside And Hug Trees

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#98 If Only There Was Some Kind Of Professional Trained For This

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#99 Holier Than Thou Family Take On The Half Time Show. Either A) Your Under Age Ten Kid Didn’t Actually Say That, Or B) You’ve Already Introduced Them To Strippers. Embarrassing For Mom Either Way

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#100 I Hope She Doesn’t Find Out You Can Adopt Dogs For Free From A Shelter

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#101 We Love Us Some Obnoxiously Spelled Names And Unknown Acronyms

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#102 Don’t Take Your Baby To The Doctor In 3 Years. It’s Fine, And Pediatrician Recommended!

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#103 My Son’s Classmate Gave Him A Crystal. We Must Notify The School And Police

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#104 $12-15 For 11 Hours/Day With 3 Children Under 5…

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#105 Can I Just Cross Out The Bits That Don’t Fit My Version Of Reality?

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#106 You Don’t Breastfeed? Straight To Jail

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#107 Her Profile Says “Holistic Mama Bear No Incurable Diseases”

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#108 I Don’t Know What An Appendix Does But I Do Know The Doctors That Are Trying To Save My Child Are Just Quacks

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#109 “You Can Say You Are A Mom Or Dad”

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#110 Mother Nature Has A Plan For All Those Other Mothers To Die I Guess

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#111 I Was Banned From This Group For Telling Her To Go Get Checked Out

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#112 Op‘S 5 Year Old Child Has Covid, Ox Reads 91, Not In Hospital

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#113 Ah Texas…

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#114 The Mother Of The 8mo Who Can’t Lift His Head Up Posted *this* In The Freebirth Group Back In January

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#115 Y…..yes???

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#116 Given To My Daughter Through A Mom Group

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#117 I Wonder Why This Isn’t Working…

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#118 Tl;dr Can Anyone Lend Her Some Money So She Can Catch The Bus To Go Steal Gifts For Her Kid?

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#119 All Of Our Shoes Stink, It’s Just The Way It Is!

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#120 The Actual Fu..?

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#121 That’s Not How This Works, That’s Not How Any Of This Works…

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#122 I Wonder Why She Can’t Find Another Baby Sitter

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#123 Translation: You’re Probably Dumb, Also I’m Not Asking For Much, Only To Completely Rely On You Every Single Morning While I Go To My Real Job. Also Why Can’t Helping Me Just Be Your Hobby You Spoilt Brat?? My Baby’s So Sweet Isn’t That Payment Enough? Ok I Guess I’ll Pay You “Side Money”

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#124 This List Of Diaper Themes From My Cloth Diaper Buy/Sell Group Is… A Lot…

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#125 Common Core Is Definitely Part Of The Leftist Agenda

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Source: boredpanda.com