Hey There, Fellow Humans Who Somehow Got Put in Charge of Tiny Humans

Welcome to Unfiltered Millennial Parent – Where We Keep It 100% Real

Hi guys! I’m Claire (yes, another millennial Claire—you’ve probably seen variations like Clara, Clere, and Claris; we’re everywhere, and very attractive, too). I’m the conductor of this delightful little corner of the internet. I’m a mom to three beautiful, exhausting, hilarious little dictators, and honestly, most days, I feel like I’m just winging it with the confidence of someone who definitely shouldn’t be winging it.

Can we talk about how NOBODY prepared us for this?

Like, seriously. One day, you’re googling “how to adult” and suddenly you’re responsible for keeping actual human beings alive, happy, and somehow turning them into functioning members of society. The audacity!

“Parenting is 90% wondering if you’re screwing up your kids and 10% knowing for sure that you are.”

The Great Parenting Information Overload

Remember when our parents just… parented? No Instagram influencers telling them their kid’s lunch needed to be arranged like a rainbow mandala. No TikTok experts explaining why letting your toddler cry for literally 30 seconds will cause lifelong trauma. No Pinterest boards titled “47 Ways to Make Your Child’s Tuesday Magical.”

Now we’ve got:

• Sleep training vs. attachment parenting wars
• Screen time calculators (because apparently 31 minutes is fine but 32 minutes will fry their brain?)
• Gentle parenting techniques that require the patience of a Buddhist monk
• Montessori everything (why is that toy $47? It’s WOOD!)
• Organic, gluten-free, sugar-free, fun-free everything

Where Are All the Real Adults? (Spoiler: We ARE the Adults )

Can we have a moment of silence for the realization that WE are the grown-ups now? Like, when did that happen? I still feel like I need an adult when the wifi goes out, but somehow I’m supposed to guide three humans through their entire emotional, physical, and intellectual development.

“I’m not ready to be the adult my children think I am.”

There are days I catch myself thinking, “I should ask my mom about this,” and then remember I AM the mom now. The buck stops here, at my kitchen island covered in crumbs and yesterday’s leftovers.

The things that keep me up at night (besides everything else ):

• Am I raising future therapy patients?
• Should I be doing more sensory bins? (What even IS a sensory bin?)
• Why does every other mom seem to have it together on social media?
• Is it normal that my toddler only eats yellow food?
• Will my teenager ever look up from their phone again?
• AM I DOING ANY OF THIS RIGHT?!

Plot Twist: We’re All Just Making It Up As We Go

Here’s what I’ve learned after 12 years of parenting (and yes, I’m still learning): Every single parent is just figuring it out as they go. That mom who looks like she has it all together? She forgot to pack lunch today and her kid is eating cafeteria chicken nuggets (again). That dad posting perfect family photos? His toddler had a 45-minute meltdown about wearing socks this morning.

We’re all just doing our best with the information we have, the energy we can muster, and whatever coffee we can consume before it gets cold.

This Space is for YOU (Yes, You, Hiding in the Bathroom for 5 Minutes of Peace)

So here’s what this little blog is going to be: your permission slip to be imperfect, your reminder that you’re not alone, and your safe space to admit that sometimes you hide snacks from your kids (we ALL do it).

This is where we’ll talk about:

• The real stuff nobody posts on Instagram
• Why bedtime takes 97 hours longer than it should
• How to survive toddler tantrums without having your own
• Teen drama that makes reality TV look tame
• The art of feeding kids who think vegetables are poison
• Mental health (yours and theirs)
• Finding yourself again after becoming “just mom”

Let’s Be Friends, Not Competition

I don’t have all the answers. Heck, I don’t even have half the answers. But I’ve got stories, I’ve got coffee (so much coffee), and I’ve got the stubborn belief that we’re all doing better than we think we are.

This isn’t about perfect parenting – it’s about REAL parenting. The kind where you celebrate the small wins (everyone ate dinner without a fight!), learn from the epic fails (glitter was a mistake), and remember that love covers a multitude of parenting sins.

“Perfect parents don’t exist, but good enough parents are everywhere – including you.”

Your Turn to Share

So tell me, friend – what’s your current parenting reality? Are you in the “how is it only 9 AM?” phase or the “please let them survive high school” phase? Drop a comment and let’s start this conversation. Because honestly, we’re all in this together, and it’s time we started admitting that none of us really know what we’re doing.

And hey, if you’re reading this while hiding in a closet eating easter candy,I see you. You’re not alone. We’ve all been there.

Welcome to Unfiltered Millennial Parent. Leave your judgment at the door and bring your sense of humor. We’re going to need it.

XOXO, ( wanted to end it with Gossip Girl so bad.)

Claire

P.S. – If you made it this far without being interrupted by a child asking for a snack, demanding to know where their other shoe is, or needing you to witness them do a cartwheel, you deserve a medal. Or at least another cup of coffee.

What’s next? More real talk, parenting fails, and the occasional win. And seriously, comment below – I want to hear YOUR story. What’s the most millennial-parent thing you’ve done lately? (Mine was explaining to my 8-year-old why he can’t just take his cat to school in his bag? I mean, nobody’s gonna know. )