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Groups like “I Regret Having Children” boast tens of thousands of members, where users anonymously share their feelings of resentment and regret. Posts often express a longing for freedom, lament over lost youth, and a stark contradiction to the widely propagated mantra that parenthood is unequivocally rewarding.

The Digital Playground of Regret

Social media platforms become the battleground for these confessions. On TikTok, parents utilize hashtags like #regretfulparents to share their stories, framing their emotions in a light that challenges the comfortable narrative surrounding motherhood and fatherhood. It’s a space crowded with testimonials of unfulfilled lives, fatigue, and overwhelming responsibility that often culminates in feelings of decay.