10 Things Parents Used to Brag About That Would Be Cringey Today
Things that once passed for proud parenting moments now read more like cautionary tales — and many didn’t age well.
- Alyana Aguja
- 4 min read
Parenting trends reflect the times, and what was once a source of pride can quickly turn awkward under modern scrutiny. This list revisits real examples of things parents used to brag about that would be uncomfortable or even irresponsible today. As we grow in awareness of childhood development, safety, and media influence, it’s easier to see how cultural norms shift — and how some habits, in hindsight, deserved to be left behind.
1. “My kid never cries—they’re tough!”
Xavier Mouton Photographie from Unsplash
Parents once wore this like a badge of honor, thinking stoicism in children meant they were strong or disciplined. However, we now know that emotional expression is key to healthy development, not a weakness to be stamped out. Suppressing a child’s emotions can lead to anxiety or detachment later in life.
2. “He can recite beer brands at age 3!”
engin akyurt from Unsplash
It was once considered hilarious to show off how a toddler could name Budweiser, Heineken, and Coors by their logos. These moments were often caught on VHS and replayed with laughter during family gatherings. Today, we’d call it what it is — early exposure to adult content with zero context.
3. “She’s already dieting—so mature!”
Providence Doucet from Unsplash
Parents, especially in the ‘80s and ‘90s, sometimes bragged about their daughters counting calories or avoiding carbs like it was a sign of discipline. The toxic praise around body control started young and fed into disordered eating patterns. These days, we recognize how damaging it is to praise children for restricting food.
4. “He’s got a girlfriend in kindergarten!”
Terricks Noah from Unsplash
People used to swoon over toddlers “in love,” throwing around wedding jokes and nudging each other during playdates. It seemed cute, but it forced adult concepts of romance onto children who just wanted to share crayons. Today, we’re more mindful of letting kids define their own friendships without pressure.
5. “We spank—none of that soft parenting here.”
Arwan Sutanto from Unsplash
A spanking used to be seen as a mark of good discipline, and parents would even trade tips on how to do it “effectively.” Corporal punishment was seen as loving toughness, not violence. However, with decades of research now showing its harmful effects, it’s a parenting hill few are proud to die on anymore.
6. “He’s on the computer all day—future tech genius!”
DESIGNECOLOGIST from Unsplash
Back in the early 2000s, excessive screen time was framed as a sign your kid was ahead of the curve — learning to code, maybe destined for Silicon Valley. However, most of those hours were spent playing Runescape or clicking pop-up ads on LimeWire. Now, we talk more about balance, not digital babysitters.
7. “She watches Jerry Springer with us!”
Possessed Photography from Unsplash
Daytime talk shows filled with screaming matches, chair-throwing, and scandal were once family TV staples, oddly enough. Parents would laugh and say, “She loves it!” about their seven-year-old watching chaos unfold. Today, it’s hard not to cringe at the normalization of toxic media as bonding time.
8. “He’s never had a sick day—perfect attendance!”
CDC from Unsplash
Schools handed out perfect attendance awards like Olympic medals, and parents bragged about sending kids in even when they were coughing up a lung. Illness was no excuse — “tough it out” was the motto. Post-pandemic, that mindset feels reckless, not commendable.
9. “She knows all the lyrics to Baby Got Back!”
Senjuti Kundu from Unsplash
Parents once gleefully recorded their kids dancing and singing to wildly inappropriate lyrics without batting an eye. These videos made their rounds at family reunions and early YouTube. Today, we’re more aware of how early exposure to hypersexualized content can shape a child’s worldview.
10. “We don’t do seatbelts—he loves riding in the front!”
Giorgio Trovato from Unsplash
There was a time when a kid bouncing around unbuckled in the front seat was not only normal — it was bragged about. Some parents took pride in being “laid-back” and trusting their kids to just “hang on tight.” Now, it’s hard to imagine anything more glaringly unsafe.