Having loving and supportive parents makes all the difference in the world. Knowing that someone has your back no matter what can give you a lot of confidence to do well in life.
Our team at Bored Panda wanted to pay homage to all the wonderful moms and dads out there, so we’ve compiled some of the most epic posts about wholesome and awesome parents. If you’ve been feeling blue lately or need your hope in humanity restored—this is the post for you. Don’t forget to upvote your fave posts as you scroll down!
Jessica Koehler, Ph.D., was kind enough to shed some light on what balanced parenting looks like and how moms and dads can boost their own confidence. You'll find the insights the school psychology expert shared with Bored Panda as you scroll down. Dr. Koehler is the founder of the Koehler Academy, a published author, and the host of the Beyond School Walls blog on Psychology Today.
#1 Top Tier Dad Game
Image credits: xanaxcowboy_
Bored Panda asked Dr. Koehler about how parents can balance unconditional support for their kids and setting healthy boundaries for their behavior. She advocated the importance of authoritative parenting. "Balanced parenting hinges on the synergistic blend of firm boundaries and unconditional love, a practice that crafts a nurturing space where children thrive," the school psychology expert told us via email.
"Establishing clear guidelines on acceptable behavior communicated with calm assertiveness instills a sense of security and predictability, essential scaffolds for a child's growth. This structure is complemented by unwavering support that bolsters self-esteem and emotional well-being, honoring the child's individuality apart from their accomplishments."
#2 I Was A Junkie For Over 10 Years Of My Life But My Son Came Into This World With A Sober Dad
Image credits: reddit.com
#3 So Adorable
Image credits: icantstanyu
Dr. Koehler noted that this approach is known as authoritative parenting and is a "proven recipe for fostering children's resilience, driving academic success, and cultivating mental health, thereby setting the stage for positive holistic development."
In the meantime, the expert shared some thoughts on how parents can boost their sense of confidence in what they're doing. She explained to Bored Panda that everything starts with introspection.
#4 I Created A Dads' And Daughters' Hair Class To Help Other Fathers Learn About Doing Hair. We Had A Small Class Full Of Dads That Learned Basic Brushing, Ponytails, Braids And Buns
Image credits: MashedPotatoh
#5 Single Mom Here. For My Daughter's 12th Birthday, I Got Her A Dog And Took Her Camping And Fishing. Not Something I Have Ever Done Alone. I Think Her Dad Would Have Been Proud
Image credits: LizInMS
#6 Whenever My 7-Year-Old Daughter, Who Has Down Syndrome, Draws A Person, She Signs That It's "Dad". I've Saved Them And Put Them On A Canvas For Father's Day
Image credits: MrsRoseyCrotch
"When parents record their accomplishments and virtues, it redirects attention from perceived weaknesses to inherent strengths, fostering self-esteem. Seeking out community resources can provide fresh insights and strategies, bolstering parenting abilities and self-confidence," Dr. Koehler said.
"Success as a parent should be gauged by the overall well-being and joy of their children rather than adherence to unattainable ideals or external benchmarks. Recognizing that each child within a family is unique, it's essential to tailor notions of success to fit each child's individual needs and milestones," the host of the Beyond School Walls blog on Psychology Today shared with us.
#7 My Buddy Gregg Built This Handicap-Accessible Snow Fort For His Daughter
Image credits: danthoms
#8 My Autistic Son Hates His Photo Taken, So I Let Him Wear A T-Rex Suit For Family Photos
Image credits: RoamingMagnolias
#9 Today Is The Day This Little Lady Becomes My Daughter
Image credits: Sdoeden87
There is no single ‘best’ way to approach parenting. Raising kids is a very dynamic thing. How you approach everything will depend a lot on your family’s situation, how you yourself were raised, as well as the parenting trends that dominate your social circle.
So, for instance, if your family and friends are super into raising kids to be incredibly independent, you’re more likely to follow in their footsteps. Similarly, if limiting screen time is a huge issue in your local area or in the news at the time, it might be something that you focus on as well.
Putting aside whatever’s trending for a moment, parenting, at its very core, comes down to a few main things. First of all, you’ve got to get the most fundamental of basics right. It means feeding and clothing your kids, and giving them a stable roof over their heads.
It means providing them with education, looking after their health, and giving them the care and attention that they deserve.
#10 I Always Asked For A Skateboard As A Kid. My Parents Said Not Until I'm 35. Today They Delivered
Image credits: johncpeterson71
#11 My Daughter Has Been Begging Us For A Kitten For Months, But We Told Her That We Will Not Be Getting It. However, On Christmas Morning, She Will Be Surprised
Image credits: baxterrocky
#12 "My Mom Is So Clever, Talented, Creative And Thoughtful"
Image credits: cottoncandaddy
In short, your role as a parent begins with ensuring that your kids are healthy and looked after on a physical level. Next, you’ve got to consider what type of people you want your children to grow up to be.
Many parents want their kids to be kind, capable, successful, talented, etc. However, you can’t just close your eyes and hope for that to happen automatically.
Parents need to understand that everything they do and say sets an example for their children to follow (or avoid). So if there’s little charity or altruism to be found at home, your kids might not grow up to be incredibly selfless and supportive of others.
#13 My Father Met His First Grandson
Image credits: bubblegumprincesss
#14 Bless The Parents
Image credits: allieoets
#15 Today, I Was Adopted By My Stepfather Of 25 Years. While Growing Up, I Put Him Through Hell, But He Endured, And As I Matured, We Grew Closer. I Am Proud To Honor His Family Legacy
Image credits: cgrabowski
On the flip side, families that continuously reinforce the importance of kindness and helping others are more likely to raise children who embrace the same values. Wholesomeness, like what you see in this list, is the result of long-standing family values and traditions.
Similarly, you can't expect your kids to have healthy relationships with food, exercise, or technology if you don't set the right example at home.
No matter your parenting approach, unconditional love is paramount. It gives your kids a deep sense of confidence to do well in life. However, parental love and support don’t mean that the kids are ‘always right’ or that their actions don’t have any consequences.
#16 I Crochet Full Body Costumes For My Son. He Was Xenomorph This Year
Image credits: Crochetverse
#17 Dad Bot
Image credits: karencheee
#18 My Daughter Wanted To Be A Snail For Halloween. All Props Goes To Her Dad. He Makes Our Costumes Every Year
Image credits: keely_bee
Loving someone means wanting them to be the best version of themselves. That means guiding them when they make mistakes, calling them out when they’re cruel, and helping them view failure as learning opportunities—not something to be ashamed of.
There are four main styles of parenting, and they can have a huge impact on your children’s future. These are: authoritative, authoritarian, permissive, and uninvolved (aka neglectful). Generally speaking, kids tend to do best when raised in authoritative households and they do worst in life in authoritarian and uninvolved families.
Authoritative parents are very big on communication, structure, and transparency. They set very clear rules and boundaries for their children. However, this isn’t done in a vacuum: these parents take the time to explain the reasons behind the rules. Naturally, they give their children consequences for their actions, but they also consider their feelings.
#19 I Was Dropping Off My Son And Asked Him Why There Was So Many Cars. He Said Donuts With Dad, So We Quickly Went Back Home Cause I Wasn't About To Let Him Miss Out
Image credits: yevette.vasquez
#20 For Father's Day, 5 Years Ago, The Girl Made This Picture For Me With "I Wish You Were My Dad" Written On The Back. This Started An Adoption Process, And Now I Am Officially Her Dad
Image credits: Denncity
#21 My Dad Was 57 When I Was Born, So I Always Assumed He Would Never Live To Meet My Kids. You Can Imagine How Special Moments Like These Are
92.5 years difference between these two.
Image credits: ThatDIYCouple
As Verywell Family points out, parents who embrace the authoritative style like to invest time and energy into preventing behavior problems before they start. The result? Kids who grow into happy, successful, and responsible adults. They have no issues expressing their opinions or advocating for themselves.
#22 My Daughter Is Blind And For Her 9th Birthday Party We Made Braille Chocolate Message Slabs
Image credits: mack3r
#23 Cake My Wife Made For My Daughter's 13th Birthday
Image credits: DiscoStu303
#24 My Dad Drove To My Workplace And Waited For Me To Arrive So He Could Pour A Trail Of Salt So That I, His 38-Year-Old Daughter, Wouldn't Slip And Fall On The Ice
Image credits: elizabeth.bautistaescobar
Authoritarian parents, on the other hand, are all about rules without communication. These parents tend to apply a ‘what I say goes’ and ‘don’t question me’ philosophy. They appeal to their own sense of authority and ignore their children’s opinions or feelings on most matters.
They’re also very focused on punishing kids for making mistakes. As such, these children tend to be very disciplined, however, they may develop self-esteem issues as they grow. Some might also lean into anger too much or may become good liars because they wanted to avoid punishment growing up.
#25 I've Been A Full-Time Single Dad Since November, And Today, I Took My Girls To Get Our Nails Done. It Was My First Time, And I Love It
Image credits: Benzorgz
#26 My Daughter Always Steals Printer Paper To Draw, So For Christmas, I Wrapped A Pack Of 500 Pages Of Paper. She Started Running Around Screaming With Excitement. Easiest Present Ever
Image credits: imod3
#27 After Years Of My Dad Tucking Us (5 Kids) In As Either A Mummy Or A Mermaid, Today I Asked Him What He Wanted. Mermaid It Is
Image credits: amoleby
Meanwhile, permissive parents rarely enforce rules at home and tend to interfere in their kids’ lives as little as possible. They’re often very lenient and forgiving and see themselves more as their munchkins’ friends than parents.
Kids who grow up in these households may struggle in school and have problems with authority figures. They also often have low self-esteem and may have health issues (e.g. obesity, poor sleep) because their parents aren’t as involved in their lives as they might have been.
Lastly, uninvolved parenting is when the parents are completely detached from their children and barely spend any time with them. Kids in such households barely ever get attention or guidance and practically raise themselves. This leads to poor academic performance, behavior problems, and unhappiness.
#28 Such A Sweetheart
Image credits: chronicleflask
#29 Apparently This Is A Weeping Cherry Tree, And My Life Has Been A Lie. My Mom Always Called It My Camellia Tree
Image credits: CaitCamelia
#30 Wholesome
Image credits: madeleinelily
We'd love to hear from you Pandas, so scroll down to the comment section to share your thoughts. Which of these posts did you enjoy the most? What's the most wholesome thing that your parents have ever done? How do you support your own kids if you have any?
For some more concentrated happiness and wholesomeness, be sure to check out Bored Panda's previous articles about parenting done right!
#31 My Dad Passed This Year, And My Mom Is Cleaning Up His Things. He Was Carrying A Toy I Gave Him To Work For Almost 3 Decades
Image credits: QuixoticPhoenix
#32 My Mom Crocheted And Donated 48 Blankets To Sick Children This Year
Image credits: seacogen
#33 My Parents Worked Multiple Jobs To Support Our Family. Every Summer, They Would Fill Inflatable Pool With Water For Us. However, Yesterday, They Had Their First Swim In Their Very Own Pool
Image credits: katnatcatnap
#34 Texts From My Dad
Image credits: kokoromelody
#35 My "No More Pets" Dad Is Telling A Story To My Dog And Two Cats
Image credits: Captain_Meowxx
#36 It May Not Be The Most Beautiful Cake, And The Roses Are A Failure, But Knowing That My Blind Mother Took The Time To Prepare It Makes It The Most Beautiful Cake In The World
Image credits: Kitsuneko64
#37 My Mom Started Working On It As Soon As I Told Her I Was Going To Ask My Wife To Marry Me. She Gave It To Us For A Wedding Present
Image credits: TardisTitan63
#38 My Daughter Forgot Her Favorite Toy In The Car And Was Extremely Upset. I Sent Her Photos To Show Her That Sheepy Was Alright And Helping Me At Work
Image credits: KimAndersson
#39 I Told My Mom That When I Turn 21, I Want A Minecraft Party. Well, Here It Is
Image credits: HAHArun2y0mama
#40 This Is 7th Wedding Anniversary Gift From My Mother-In-Law. She Hand-Painted For Us
Image credits: MeetTheBrewers
#41 My Mother Is 67 Years Old And Learned How To Paint From Watching Bob Ross. She Is Painting My Siblings And Me Canvases Of Our Homes. She Even Included My Dog Jax
Image credits: BertMacklinFB1x
#42 I Finally Had The Opportunity To Sign The Adoption Papers For My Sweet Little Son
Image credits: CesaroSalad
#43 My Husband Had A "Date Night" With Our Daughter To Play Zelda Since She Doesn't Get To Play Much. The Boys Were Indeed Jealous
Image credits: redlightgreenlighter
#44 My Mum Just Dropped Off A Huge Hamper To My Doorstep For My 25th Birthday. Best Present Ever
Image credits: smorgalorg
#45 Everyone Check Out The Scarf My Mom Made For Me. Love You Mom
Image credits: Syphon_Kai
#46 I've Been Drawing The Bi Flag On My Hand For A Long Time, And I Didn't Think My Parents Realized What It Was. While Getting On My PC, I Saw This, And Now I'm Bawling
Image credits: HECK_MAN1222
#47 18 Years After High School And I'm Jumping In And Showing My Daughter Anything Is Possible
Image credits: Chexty2600
#48 I Am 52 And Recently Found Out That My Mom Saved Many Of My Toys From My Childhood, And Teen Years
My dad called me one day and told me there was a large bin in his storage full of my stuff that my mom had packed away long ago. VHS classics, Michael Jackson thriller jacket. Darth Vader lamp and so on.
Image credits: Fidelio
#49 My Cousin Sent Me A Picture Of My Mom (75) And Dad (82) Holding Hands In A Church Today
Image credits: razor10000
#50 Asian Santa. My Dad Dressed Up Even Though I'm 23 And My Sister Is 20
Image credits: BushidoPurple
