PARENTHOOD,OFF THE RECORD

A place for the real stuff · Est. 2026

PARENTHOOD,OFF THE RECORD

The things we don't always say about parenthood — and the things we don't want to forget.

Funny. Hard. Embarrassing. Beautiful. Completely ridiculous.

Tell us yoursRead the stories
Cold coffee in a mug beside a toddler's sippy cup on a sunlit kitchen counter.
Reheated three times. Drunk cold. Again.

01 · What happens here

Parents send us the part they usually keep to themselves.

Parenthood comes with a lot of advice about what it's supposed to look like. This is for what it actually feels like — the ridiculous things kids do, the things we're embarrassed to admit, the questions we're afraid will get us judged.

And the tiny, ordinary things we don't realize we're going to miss. Submissions can be anonymous. Publishing is optional. Nobody here is grading anyone.

Parenthood is imperfect. Nobody should have to feel alone in it.

02 · The formats

Four ways parents show up.

01Mom Hotline / Dad Hotline

Need another parent's perspective?

You're effectively calling the community: can we talk about this?

02Off the Record

Something you just need to say.

No question. No solution required. Somewhere to put it down.

03Is This Normal?

For the “please tell me it's not just us” moments.

Everyday, non-medical uncertainty — and a lot of “mine too.”

04Remember This

Something happening right now you don't want to forget.

The ordinary moments that never make it into the baby book.

Mom Said / Dad Said

The same question through different parent perspectives. Similarities and differences are the interesting part — it's never a competition.

POTR Asks

We start the conversation. Questions that can be funny, practical or quietly enormous, depending on the week you've had.

03 · The archive

How the record will read.

Everything below is marked Sample — illustrative writing that shows how the archive works. Real submissions will replace it.

All stories
Cold coffee in a mug beside a toddler's sippy cup on a kitchen counter.
Is This Normal?#010Sample

He survives primarily on berries and spite

He licked a piece of chicken, looked me in the eye, and put it back.

Please tell me this is happening in someone else's house.

Parent · Toddler · United KingdomAug 15, 2026

Formats in the archive: Mom Hotline · Dad Hotline · Off the Record · Is This Normal? · Remember This · Mom Said / Dad Said · POTR Asks

Off the record

Something you'd never post anywhere else?

No name. No email. No account. Tell us as much or as little as you want.

Tell us yours

Leave parents lighter than you found them.