It is no secret that kids, especially babies and toddlers, cry a lot. They cry when they’re tired. They cry when they’re hungry. They cry when it gets too hot in the room or they miss their mom. A seemingly insignificant injury can turn into a major event with tears galore.
We know why babies cry — it’s their best way to express their needs with limited language skills. This is essential for their survival. If they’re hungry, they can’t say, “Please mom, can I have some milk?” Instead, they turn on the waterworks to make sure they don’t starve. It’s genius and it totally makes sense.
As kids move on from being a baby and into toddlerhood and early childhood, they cry less, but they still find a myriad of reasons to turn on the waterworks. Their emotions are becoming more complicated, and tears are actually a really great way for kids to process the world. Let’s be honest, this doesn’t really change the fact that some kids cry about the strangest things and it is confusing to everyone around them. These 15 parents shared the strangest reasons their kids had a meltdown, and it’s honestly so great to know I am not alone as a mom of three emotional kids.
1. No Mayo For You!
Reason my kid is crying – I wouldn’t let him eat mayonnaise straight out of the jar
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Once toddlers can let themselves into the fridge, all bets are off.
When this parent found their child trying to help himself to mayonnaise straight from the jar, they said no. By the looks of this picture, that kid isn’t taking no for an answer! It totally makes sense why some parents decide to invest in baby-proofing gear, like a fridge lock for keeping their mayo safe from hungry toddlers.
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2. Family Dynamics
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For this child, there was something particularly heartbreaking about the way their family was set up.
According to Reddit user OMFGDrKnockers, her child began a major meltdown when she learned a difficult piece of news. On their family visit to the grandparents, she learned that her grandma was her dad’s mom. Up until this point, she believed that her mom was also her dad’s mom and she couldn’t handle the truth.
3. SO Gross
I wouldn’t let him eat my snotty tissue
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For this little guy, the tears are the result of being denied a fun treat.
Apparently, the son of Reddit user Yup_Seen_It had an unusual and disgusting snack in mind. When his parent wouldn’t let him eat a used, snotty tissue, he erupted. What a disaster! Hey kid, we’ve heard good things about goldfish and graham crackers — anything has to be better than a tissue!
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4. Sing-Along Sadness
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To avoid tears, this mom learned to keep her songs to herself.
Apparently, Reddit user Yup_Seen_It wanted to join in and sing along with the song their son was listening to. The decision led to the saddest little tears streaming down the toddler’s face. Maybe this parent isn’t much of a singer? Or perhaps they totally screwed up the lyrics? Either way, this boy is not happy.
5. Too Cold
This little girl is so sweet crying.
Reddit user Cam4mia shared a few sweet snaps of their daughter with tears in her eyes. Why is the sweetheart upset? She was sucking on an ice cube and discovered just how cold and cruel a brain freeze can be. This may have been her first brain freeze, but it probably won’t be her last!
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6. So Tired
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Honestly, this child’s feelings about falling asleep are super relatable.
“I’m too tired to close my eyes,” is the response Reddit user g0shujinsama got from their child after the waterworks started. If I’m being really upfront, I’ve been tired enough to feel this way at the end of a hard week, and all parents know just how emotional an over-tired child can be during bedtime.
7. Food Thief
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If this isn’t the very definition of hangry, I don’t know what is.
Toddlers can turn into tiny monsters if they go too long without a snack, so it isn’t all that surprising that this reason showed up as an explanation for why a child is crying. “The microwave ate his lunch” the post reads, showing a toddler having a complete meltdown while waiting for the food to be ready.
8. Buzz Kill
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Is there anything worse for a toddler than a parent who refuses to let you have a little fun?
That is exactly why this toddler is crying. Their parent stepped in when they wanted to play with a bag of dog poop, and it resulted in some serious tears. “No” is a difficult answer to accept for people of all ages, but this is especially true when you have no concept of danger and germs and safety.
9. Patience, Young Grasshopper
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These kids know what they want, and they want it right now.
The reason behind their meltdown? Their parents couldn’t drop everything they were doing and pick them up immediately upon request. For the parents out there, including myself, this predicament is so real. You want the crying to stop, but you also need to do stuff like use the bathroom or eat occasionally.
10. This Is As Disgusting As It Gets
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If you thought the snotty tissue was bad, you might want to skip the reason this kid is crying.
According to Reddit user jslotch, who took to the forums to anonymously share their child’s tantrum, the reason their kid was so aggravated is the worst. This parent wouldn’t agree to letting them eat their vomit rag. This has to be definitive proof that kids can be really, really gross. Now I think I might vomit!
11. Cookie Monster
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A sweet treat turned into heartbreak for this two-year-old.
When grandma brought over cookies to share with her grandson, Reddit user breakingmom thought they were doing the right thing by offering their child a choice of which cookie he wanted. When he made his choice and mom started to break the cookie in half, he was so offended she was messing with his food.
12. A Real Cliffhanger
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Reddit users of the world need to know. Did she rescue her toy or were they separated forever?
Reddit user breakingmom is back, and so are her kids with their amusing tantrums. According to this post, her daughter was napping and dropped her stuffie over the edge of the bed. A tragedy, obviously, that could only be remedied by screaming until mom came running to save her furry friend.
13. Mama Ate It
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This little one apparently didn’t mean for her mother to take her literally when she commanded, “Mama Eat!”
Reddit user JenniJS79 happily took the Cheeto her daughter handed her way and ate it. As it turns out, this baby wasn’t expected her mom to actually eat the Cheeto! As commenter Lil_MsPerfect pointed out, “It was only a loan!” Maybe she intended for her mother to simply save it for later?
14. Change is Hard
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To be human is to change and grow, but sometimes that growth is really hard.
No one knows this to be true quite like a toddler who has changed their mind about how they feel. For example, Reddit user redjet8o shared that their four-year-old son had a good cry after waking up at three in the morning and realizing that green was no longer his favorite color.
15. Dress Up
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Why did the chicken cross the road? To get away from this kid.
According to Reddit user RantsRUs, there was nothing quite as devastating for this little one as being told her chicken wasn’t up for a game of dress-up. When her parent said she couldn’t put a sock on her chicken, it was Tears ‘R Us. Life is hard when you’re young and emotional, am I right?