Dinky

What happens when parenting regret doesn’t go away… it just evolves?In this episode, Erika is joined by fellow childfree girlie Abby Porter (aka z00mie, aka “the girl with the list”)  to unpack a brand-new post from a parent whose regret has shifted from newborn exhaustion to something much heavier: existential anxiety, fear about the future, and the pressure of shaping a child’s entire life.

We discuss:
• Why regret can become more philosophical as kids grow
• The crushing pressure parents feel to “not mess up” their children
• Anxiety about AI, social media, and the modern world kids are growing up in
• The myth that motherhood comes naturally
• Why some people realize the realities of parenting too late
• How comparison culture and mommy influencers make parenting harder
• Whether thinking deeply about parenthood BEFORE kids could prevent regret

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Intro + Meet Abby Porter
01:00 How parenting regret changes over time
03:00 Fear of traumatizing your kids (even if you’re a good parent)
05:00 Generational patterns, anxiety, and breaking cycles
07:00 Parenting anxiety about the future, AI, and safety
09:00 “Philosophical garbage” — unpacking that take
12:00 When motherhood isn’t what you expected
14:00 The myth that parenting comes naturally
16:00 Social media, mommy influencers, and comparison
18:00 Kids, screens, and the “iPad generation”
21:00 Therapist advice: stop spiraling or think deeper?
23:00 Why these conversations matter BEFORE having kids
24:50 Comment reactions + final thoughts

FOLLOW ABBY PORTER
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@z00mie 
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@z00mie
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/z00mi.e/

MORE FROM US
Website: https://www.dinkypod.com/
Patreon: https://patreon.com/dinkypod 

regretful parents podcast, parenting regret discussion, motherhood reality, childfree podcast, parenting mental health, motherhood expectations, modern parenting struggles, should I have kids, honest parenting talk, parenting anxiety, raising kids today, social media parenting pressure, AI future kids

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/dinky--5953015/support.

In this episode, Erika and Kristen read and react to a viral post from Reddit about a parent struggling with a chronically unhappy, clingy, sleep-hating four-year-old — and the toll it’s taking on her mental health.From colicky babies to nonstop whining, sleep deprivation, and the reality of parenting advice that doesn’t always help, this conversation dives into the messy truth behind “it gets better.” Along the way, the hosts share personal stories, debate nature vs. nurture, question whether some kids are just born grumpy, and wonder if one tiny old-soul child simply belongs on a bench in New York complaining about life.

They also discuss:

• What chronic sleep deprivation does to parents
• Why some kids always seem happier 
• The pressure to follow perfect parenting advice
• Why “just take them somewhere fun” isn’t always helpful
• Whether kids actually enjoy things like trips to London or seeing Big Ben (apparently not 😅)
• The overstimulation nightmare of kid-heavy spaces
• And a wild intergenerational daycare idea spotted on TikTok

If you’ve ever wondered what happens when parenting isn’t magical — this episode is for you.

If you enjoy the show and want to support it, check out our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/dinkypod

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/dinky--5953015/support.

In this episode, Kristen and Erika dive into another brutally honest story from the Regretful Parents series — this time from a 39-year-old single mother by choice who spent thousands on fertility treatment… and now says she feels trapped, broke, constantly sick, and deeply regretful.

If you’ve ever felt pressure from society, family, media, or your “biological clock” — this episode is for you.

We’re talking about:

• The reality of being a single mom by choice
• Fertility treatment expectations vs. reality
• Postpartum depression & long-term mental health struggles
• Why parents say “it’s worth it” (even when it’s not)
• The myth of “you’ll have so much support”
• Constant illness after daycare
• Why society pushes women toward marriage & motherhood
• Disney, fairy tales, and lifelong conditioning
• Marriage propaganda & pronatalist culture
• Why antidepressants are often recommended to struggling parents
• And the uncomfortable truth: what if you simply don’t enjoy parenting?

Subscribe for More
New episodes weekly on:

• Regretful parents stories
• Childfree life
• Marriage realities
• Women opting out of traditional paths
• Financial & emotional freedom without kids

Like, comment, and share if this episode resonated with you.
Learn more about Dinky: https://www.dinkypod.com 
Support the show on Patreon for bonus content: https://patreon.com/dinkypod


Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/dinky--5953015/support.

⚠️ Content Warning: Discussions of parental resentment, mental health crises, and implied threats of violence.

In this episode, Erika and Kristen dive a viral Reddit post from an Australian father overwhelmed by parenting two ADHD children with an ADHD spouse. What starts as complaints about mess, noise, and burnout spirals into resentment, misogyny, and an alarming confession.As two hosts with ADHD, we unpack the realities of living with ADHD and why so many parents seem shocked by… having to parent??? Along the way, we discuss weaponized incompetence, emotional labor, mental health stigma, ADHD medication debates, and why therapy is not optional when resentment turns dangerous.

Learn more about Dinky: https://www.dinkypod.com 
Support the show on Patreon for bonus content: https://patreon.com/dinkypod

And until next time…Don’t get pregnant. 😌

Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome to the Regretful Parents series
00:17 – “Parenting with ADHD is pretty rough” (yeah… we noticed)
01:06 – ADHD, pregnancy, resentment & mood swings
02:20 – Corporate burnout, part-time work, full-time expectations
03:23 – Gentle parenting, authority, and medicating ADHD kids
04:19 – “If I’d known, I would’ve run the other way”
05:03 – Losing respect for a spouse & blaming medical misogyny
06:40 – “I don’t like my kids” (🚩🚩🚩)
07:36 – Messy houses, unrealistic expectations & parenting delusion
08:14 – “Why can’t they just be normal?”
09:11 – Health decline, resentment, and isolation
09:53 – The sentence that made everything terrifying
10:31 – Therapy is not optional
11:26 – Reddit comments that actually offer solutions
12:32 – ADHD discipline, structure & realistic expectations
14:20 – Autonomy, accountability & parenting resentment
15:24 – ADHD, ODD, and opting out of parenthood
16:02 – Final thoughts: the kids didn’t ask to be here


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Today, we’re talking about Project 2026.
 
Two years ago, we covered everything you needed to know about Project 2025, the dystopian right-wing plan from the Heritage Foundation that was largely considered the blueprint for the Trump administration’s first year back in office. 

But the Heritage Foundation didn’t stop there — no, their nightmare for America knows no bounds. So today, we’re unpacking everything you need to know about Project 2026, their new plans for chaos and destruction. 

SOURCES:
Project 2025 architects lay out 2026 policy vision
How much of Project 2025 has actually been accomplished this year?

TRIPS:
Artsy Adventure In Vietnam With Erika
Lavender Dreams & Riviera Nights With Erika

GET MORE FROM DINKY:
Treat yourself to new merch! 
Wanna get your finances in order? Use our link to sign up for a FREE 34 day trial of YNAB (You Need A Budget) and support the show.

Wanna connect with us on social media? You can find us on Substack, Instagram, TikTok, and Threads at @dinkypod. Follow us on YouTube.

If you have a question or comment, email us at [email protected]

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/dinky--5953015/support.

⚠️Content Warning: This episode discusses disability, regret, resentment, and medical trauma. Listener discretion advised.

In this episode, Kristen and Erika dive into a post titled “I dislike my disabled child and I am ashamed.”
Pulled straight from Facebook — where it racked up over 5,000 likes — this anonymous post opens up an uncomfortable conversation about parenthood, disability, genetic testing, medical gaslighting, caregiver burnout, and the realities no one prepares parents for.

We react in real time to a mother describing life after learning her child will be profoundly disabled, require 24/7 lifelong care, and never be independent. From missed genetic diagnoses and a lawsuit, to rage, grief, resentment, and shame — this episode tackles the things parents aren’t allowed to say out loud.

We also unpack:
Medical gaslighting of women by doctors
Society’s obsession with “perfect motherhood”
How people are brutally cruel to regretful parents online
The myth that “everything will work out” 

If you’re childfree, on the fence, or questioning the fantasy version of parenthood society sells us, this episode is for you.

More episodes, tours, and unfiltered chaos: DinkyPod.com
Join our childfree community: patreon.com/dinkypod
Take a trip with us: https://trovatrip.com/host/profiles/dinky-wxarg 
Learn more about our podcast: dinkypod.com 

Love ya. Don’t get pregnant.

💬 Join the conversation:
Do you think parents are allowed to talk honestly about regret? Where is the line between truth and taboo?

Keywords / SEO Tags:
regretful parents, disabled child, caregiver burnout, medical gaslighting, regretful motherhood, childfree podcast, parenting regret, genetic testing failure, NIPT test lawsuit, disability and parenting, Facebook confession, honest parenting podcast, anti natalism, childfree by choice, Dinky Podcast

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This one has a twist ending!

In this episode of the Regretful Parents series, Erika and Kristen react to a Reddit post titled “I genuinely hate my baby.” What starts as a familiar story about parenting regret, sleep deprivation, and postpartum mental health quickly turns into total chaos when the hosts realize the post wasn’t written by a mother — but by a first-time father (FTF).

This episode dives deep into the realities of new parent burnout, baby sleep training, cry it out (CIO) methods, and the crushing isolation that comes with being an expat parent with no support system. The Reddit post describes a 33-year-old parent with a 4.5-month-old baby who hasn’t slept more than two hours at a time, leading to severe mental health struggles, weight loss, emotional breakdowns at work, and intense regret over becoming a parent.

Along the way, Erika and Kristen unpack:
The emotional toll of sleep deprivation and newborn parenting
Whether sleep training actually works or causes harm
Why parenting forums are obsessed with acronyms (FTF, CIO, PLS, TCB… seriously, why?)
The differences in how mothers vs fathers are treated when they struggle mentally
How parental regret is discussed (or ignored) online
Why so many overwhelmed parents turn to churches, daycare, or community support just to survive
And how being child-free offers a radically different perspective on parenting culture

This episode blends dark humor, brutal honesty, and social commentary while exploring topics like postpartum depression (PPD), parenting expectations, gender roles, and the myth that having children automatically brings fulfillment.

If you’re interested in:
regretful parents
new parent mental health
baby sleep training
parenting regret stories
child-free commentary
Reddit parenting stories
first time father struggles
postpartum depression discussions
…this episode is for you.

👍 Like, comment, and subscribe for more conversations about regret and choosing a childfree life.

Join our childfree community: patreon.com/dinkypod
Take a trip with us: https://trovatrip.com/host/profiles/dinky-wxarg 
Learn more about our podcast: dinkypod.com 
Love ya. Don’t get pregnant.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/dinky--5953015/support.

In this episode, Erika and Kristen read and discuss a post from the Regretful Parents sub titled “Don’t Do It Folks.” The post details a chaotic day of parenting young children and offers practical advice for people who are considering having kids.

Our conversation covers the realities of daily childcare, loss of free time, unequal caregiving labor, financial strain, and how resentment can build. We break down the post’s advice for fence sitters, including the importance of firsthand childcare experience, realistic expectations, financial support, and reliable help from partners or family.

The episode also explores broader themes around decision-making, comparing parenthood to other long-term commitments people often underestimate. Listener comments from the subreddit add perspective on money stress, partner dynamics, and unmet expectations after having children.
This episode is for fence sitters, childfree listeners, and parents looking for honest discussions about parenting, regret, and life choices.

Topics discussed:
Regretful Parents subreddit stories
Parenting stress and burnout
Fence sitting and deciding whether to have kids
Childcare labor and resentment
Financial pressure and parenting
Childfree perspectives

Keywords: regretful parents, parenting regret, fence sitter, childfree, deciding whether to have kids, parenting burnout, regretful parents subreddit, childfree podcast, parenting realities, DINK lifestyle

Join our childfree community: patreon.com/dinkypod
Take a trip with us: https://trovatrip.com/host/profiles/dinky-wxarg 
Learn more about our podcast: dinkypod.com 

Love ya. Don’t get pregnant.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/dinky--5953015/support.

Want more exclusive content from Dinky? Join the Patreon! 

Today we are joined by TJ Bozarth, the creator, writer, and director of DINK: The Musical — a dramedy satire on the state of our world sung through the eyes of three DINK couples. We talk with TJ about the inspiration behind the musical, why satire feels important right now, and how this project has been received around the world.

TRIPS:
Artsy Adventure In Vietnam With Erika
Lavender Dreams & Riviera Nights With Erika

Wanna get your finances in order? Use our link to sign up for a FREE 34 day trial of YNAB (You Need A Budget) and support the show.

Wanna connect with us on social media? You can find us on Substack, Instagram, TikTok, and Threads at @dinkypod. Follow us on YouTube.

Merch is here!!!

If you have a question or comment, email us at [email protected]

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/dinky--5953015/support.

Trigger Warning: This episode discusses self-harm, mental health crises, sexual content, and parental regret.A parent of a 17-year-old daughter with autism, ADHD, anxiety, and intrusive thoughts describes years of burnout, crisis management, and reaching a breaking point. From phone restrictions to parental PTSD, this story raises uncomfortable questions about autonomy, responsibility, mental health, and what happens when caregiving becomes all-consuming.💬 Topics include:

• Regretful parenting and caregiver burnout
• Neurodivergence and adolescence
• Sexuality, boundaries, and harm reduction
• Therapy fatigue and parental PTSD
• Why having kids isn’t the “default” choice we’re told it is

More Regretful Parents episodes available on YouTube and wherever you get podcasts.Join our childfree community: patreon.com/dinkypodLove ya. Don’t get pregnant.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/dinky--5953015/support.