Regretful Parents

A tween, a soon to be teen, no family help, and no breaks ever. OP asked her son to put his clean clothes away. He said no, she offered to do it herself, and later she found her bed soaked in water with a chocolate muffin crumbled into it. She writes that it isn’t the first time he’s gotten revenge, and she signs off by telling the lurkers not to do it. Kristen and Erika get into why you can’t therapy your way into kids who like each other, what it actually means that you’re spawning a stranger, and the one line in the comments that neither of them had an answer for.

Don’t get pregnant.

Don't get pregnant merch: https://dinkypod.myspreadshop.com/
More from Dinky: https://www.dinkypod.com/
Patreon: https://patreon.com/dinkypod

⚠️ Content warning: this episode discusses child abuse and neglect, and includes a passing reference to suicide.

Today we discuss a news story shared on the I Regret Having Children Facebook page. A 67-year-old Ohio woman was the only person working in a house of twenty, after her adult son moved back in with his wife and their sixteen children. All four adults have been charged, and she has pleaded not guilty. Kristen and Erika get into who is actually responsible here, and why the top comment is the best answer anyone has ever given to “but who will take care of you when you’re old?”

Don’t get pregnant.

Don't get pregnant merch: https://dinkypod.myspreadshop.com/
More from Dinky: https://www.dinkypod.com/

⚠️ Content warning: this episode discusses the death of a child.

A post from the I Regret Having Children Facebook page, written by someone about their friend, who got pregnant in college and lost the baby last year. The poster thinks she seems more relieved than sad. Kristen and Erika get into who gets to decide what grief is supposed to look like, and then spend a while arguing about whether they’d die for a child they’d just watched hit a cat with a stick.

Don’t get pregnant.

Got a regretful parents story? Email dinky@dinkypod.com and we'll read it on the pod.

She has two kids, a husband who is perfect allegedly, financial security, but already posted on Regretful Parents once. Now she’s accidentally pregnant with a third, her whole family is PUMPED AFFFFFFFFFF, and she is stumped. Tune in to watch us lose our minds.

Got a regretful parents story? Email dinky@dinkypod.com and we'll read it on the pod.

Welcome back to our Regretful Parents series, with special guest Bailey Swilley!

Follow Bailey: https://www.instagram.com/heybailay/

OCTOBER 18 @ 7:30PM @ the Lyric Hyperion in LA
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-baby-for-me-no-thank-you-please-tickets-1992981392996

NOVEMBER 21 @ 7 & 9PM @ The Den Theatre in Chicago https://thedentheatre.com/performances/2026/11/21/a-baby-for-me-no-thank-you-please-the-den-theatre-comedy-club-chicago

Don't get pregnant.

IT'S A FIRST!!!

This story didn't come from Reddit, it came straight to our inbox. He got married at 23. Two months after the honeymoon, his wife was pregnant, and she was thrilled. He, on the other hand, was not ready. Nine years later there's a second baby, a mother-in-law FOR THE BOOKS, and a wife who he says has been on bed rest for the better part of a decade.

Listen for the story & his advice: don't get pregnantttttt.

Got a story? Email us at dinky@dinkypod.com and we'll read it on the pod.

(00:00:00) Welcome to Regretful Parents
(00:00:14) Logan's Journey from the US to Canada
(00:01:06) The Evolution of Child-Free Views
(00:02:29) The Child-Free Dating Group Connection
(00:04:29) Choosing the Story to Explore
(00:05:40) The Story of "She Had Them Anyway"
(00:06:54) The Dangers of Assumptions and Lack of Protection
(00:20:58) The Emotional Blackmail of Parenthood
(00:29:14) The Toll of Unexpected Parenthood
(00:38:27) The Importance of Honesty in Parenting

⚠️ Content warning: this episode discusses suicidal ideation.

A 27-year-old man told his girlfriend from day one that he never wanted kids. She told him she couldn't get pregnant. He found out she was pregnant only after they broke up. Erika is joined by Logan Jantzi, better known as That Childfree Guy, for a father's take on a story that almost nobody wanted to happen. Logan talks about meeting his wife in a childfree dating group, the relationship that made him book his vasectomy, and why he any man who says he's childfree but won't get the snip is TRULY SUSSSSSSS.

Where to find Logan
TikTok: @thatchildfreeguy
Instagram: @thatchildfreeguy

Mentioned in this episode CF Dating on Facebook, the group where Logan met his wife: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1MwPnfCcDo/

If you're struggling, you can reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988 in the US, or Samaritans at 116 123 in Ireland and the UK.

Don't get pregnant.

She loved being pregnant. Breastfeeding came easily and she still loves it to this day. By every measure she was supposed to be the winner in this story. Eleven months in, she's an immigrant with no village, no daycare until her residency comes through, and a baby who has basically never slept through the night. Erika is joined by journalist and author Gabrielle Moss, whose new book 'Midlife Plot Twist' is out now. Gaby has the best line of the episode: a lot of what gets called regretful parenting is really just people dealing with poor infrastructure. They get into sleep as a mental health issue, sleep as a thing rich women can buy, and why nobody told either of them growing up that not having kids was an option.

Got a regretful parents story? Email dinky@dinkypod.com and we'll read it on the pod.

Don't get pregnant.