Did they really just say that? Parents share their cringeworthy kid stories

If there’s one thing parents can know for sure…it’s that kids WILL say the darndest things. And, it’ll probably be in public, so there is an optimal chance for embarrassment. Sound familiar? You’re not alone! Our Parent-ish readers shared their cringeworthy stories so we can all share a laugh and commiserate about our embarrassment. 

“Years ago, when our daughter was a toddler, we went to church and in the middle of a completely silent moment in the priest's homily, she yelled out at top volume ‘WHO'S JESUS?!’ We were right up at the front of course, and I wanted the floor to just open up and swallow us.” – Larissa 

“My daughter couldn’t say Lightning McQueen and would call him ‘Wiping It Clean’ – in public.” – Todd 

“So, picture this: It was a day filled with pure awfulness. My precious little angel, my daughter, got lice from that lovely preschool of hers. I rushed to the local pharmacy like a madwoman, desperate to find a magical treatment shampoo. I put a bandana on my daughter's head to hide the licey mess, hoping no one would notice. As we stood in line, waiting for our turn, the pharmacist couldn't help but compliment my daughter's bandana. I mean, seriously? Of all the things to comment on! Little did he know, my daughter had absolutely no filter. Without any shame or hesitation, she proudly proclaimed at the top of her lungs, ‘I HAVE LICE!’ Can you imagine the horror? The poor pharmacist burst into laughter, unable to contain himself. And there I was, standing there, facepalming so hard. I'm surprised my hand didn't go through my head. Well, what can I say? It was a hilarious disaster. Turns out, my daughter wasn't joking. She really did have lice. Talk about timing, right? Ah, the joys of parenting!” – Crystal 

“When my daughter was in 4th or 5th grade, they had some kind of Mother's Day worksheet for them to do. One of fields to fill out was ‘Things My Mom Likes To Do.’ She filled it out with, ‘I don't know. Hang out with her boyfriend, I guess.’ I was mortified, but I'm sure her teachers got a nice chuckle out of it.” – Michelle 

“My daughter (now 17) told her babysitter ‘My aunt went to the hospital. She thought she was dying, but she just had a baby.’ She might have been 3 or 4 at the time.” – Heidi 

“When our oldest was in preschool, the teacher asked each student in his class, ‘What does your daddy and mommy do for a living.’ My son responded, ‘My dad sells drugs and my mom shops.’ In all fairness, my husband is a pharmacist and, as a stay-at-home mom at the time, I did do the bulk of the shopping. After that moment, we spent a little more time explaining our professions and household contributions to our kids.” - Nikki 

“It never fails, when you are in a public restroom your child has to tell everyone what you are doing!” – Johnita 

“For a while, our then 2 –year old was obsessed with the phrase ‘passed away’ for no apparent reason and would gleefully scream ‘DADDY PASSED AWAY!’ then cackle delightedly over and over as we went through the grocery store. Most store patrons were horrified and his daddy, who was usually with us and very much alive, was not amused.” – Kansas City Mom Collective 

So, there you have it…confirmation your kiddo isn’t the only one who has embarrassed their parent in public. Hopefully these stories provided a chuckle, and solidarity with other parents who have been in your shoes!