All kids are going to have their dumb moments, but it doesn't mean their parents love them any less. And while most of these instances will be silly and goofy, some of them might cross into the "I think I'm raising an idiot" realm.

One Reddit user asked parents to share the moment they realized their kid is likely not going to be a future Nobel Prize winner. Parents were eager to share the funny stories that somehow made sense in their little ones' heads. And we can't judge these kids too much — they're only using the knowledge available to them at the ripe age of however old they are to navigate the world, but we can sure thank them for their hilarious and entertaining interpretations.

The thread was wildly popular, and over 32k answers later, Bored Panda selected the most amusing anecdotes about silly kids. Scroll down, upvote your favorites, and if you've ever had an "I'm raising an idiot moment," don't hesitate to share your stories in the comments below!

#1

Daughter calls me "there is a cop behind me with his lights on. What should I do?"

Image credits: whatreasondoineed

#2

When my son was 11 years old, he confidently informed me he was pretty sure he knew everything there was to know, because he tried to think of something that he didn't know, and couldn't think of anything.

Image credits: misfitdevil99

#3

I asked my kids what the biggest dinosaur was and my oldest (15Y/O male) said paleontologist without skipping a beat. That's when I knew I was in trouble. Then my friend told my 10-year old that the dirt on the car tasted like candy, so he licked it. He tried to get his 6-year-old brother to do it but even he wasn't falling for it. At least 3 out of 5 kids will move out of my house eventually.

Image credits: Hunterchick212

#4

One day after school my brother and i met up w my dad (he worked at the school) and the janitor and began walking to the parking lot.
We passed the elementary building and the janitor lets out a huge sign about "some punk writing their name on the facade"
My dad looks over and said "It's the same name as my kid but at least his name is spelled differently since it has a C in it"

*loud gasp*
My brother: I FORGOT THE C!!!

he was not the sharpest tool in the shed...

Image credits: uxi3888

#5

When my youngest son, who was 10 at the time, was getting his ears checked at the pediatrician and they found a “foreign object” in his left ear.

Said object was a dead housefly. Because he thought sticking a fly in his ear would give him flying powers.

He had caught it and shoved it in there alive about a week prior.

Image credits: Padfoottheguardcat

#6

When the Peter Pan Peanut Butter recall happened 10-12 years ago or so (due to salmonella) my then-15 year old daughter came in from school and as she was walking past the living room (tv was on) she stopped and watched the news report about the salmonella outbreak. She got this “ah-ha” lightbulb moment and said, “oh, now I get it! It’s about peanut butter! All day at school I kept hearing Peter Pan was killing people around the country and I thought he had turned bad or something and was now a villain.” I just stared at her waiting for her to say she was joking and didn’t really think Peter Pan was real, but no, she just went upstairs to her room like we just had a normal conversation about normal, every-day events.

Image credits: mazexii33

#7

My 14 yr old soon went into a dressing room to try on 5 pairs of pants. After waiting 15 min and yelling twice into the men’s dressing room to see if was ok, he admitted he could find the shorts he had worn in. He gave me 3 pairs of the pants and still couldn’t find them. I finally had to go into the stall to look. They were balled up in the leg of one of the pair of pants. It was extremely noticeable. He swore he took his shorts off before trying on any of the pants so he didn’t think to look in them. I was speechless. He’s in the gifted and talented program in our school district.

Image credits: hillarysp

#8

My son came to our house to visit (he didn't live with us), we weren't home but we on our way home so he let himself in.


We walk in and he's freaking out about breaking our newly adopted cat or something to that effect. I asked him what was she doing, she looked fine to me. He said she was "vibrating" when she sat on his lap.

This is where he learned about cats purring. He hadn't been around a lot of cats so idk.

Image credits: wydidk

#9

I used to tell my kids not to take off their shoes and socks in the car, especially on short trips. Just leave them on so that we don't have to spend 5 minutes finding and putting them back on before we run into the store. Imagine a single dad with two young kids running around the car trying to re-shoe my children in the grocery store parking lot in the middle of an Arizona summer, yuck. One day we went to the store and my daughter was missing her shoe. It was nowhere to be found. "Daddy, I didn't want you to be mad that my shoe was off so I threw it out the window." Made sense to a 5-year old I guess.

Image credits: Qlinkenstein

#10

When I asked my 14yo if she could please bring me a piece of cake, she cut it, forgot why, then ate it.

Image credits: TiredWhovian

#11

When one of my daughters tries to insult the other by telling her how ugly she is.

They’re identical twins.

Image credits: AsBigAsAlone

#12

My 13 year old son was sniffing really hard and moving his head all around the area he was standing in. Slightly concerned he had lost his mind, I asked him what he was doing. He told me, "I farted. I'm trying to smell it all up, so you dont have to smell it." He's a thoughtful idiot.

Image credits: rjonesjcm33

#13

He knew there was a frozen pizza in the garage but couldn't find it. Didn't even think to check the freezer.

Image credits: axnu

#14

My son yelled at me from outside to come get his toy from the grass (he was standing in the driveway). When I asked why he couldn't get it himself he explained he was only wearing one shoe. When I asked why he was only wearing one shoe he replied that he could only find one sock.

Image credits: southernfriedfossils

#15

I don’t think he’s an idiot but I think he lacks common sense because he’ll take a bite of food, it will be scalding hot. He’ll cry and act like he’s dying, but won’t spit it out. He’ll say “Mommy it’s hot!!” And I’ll say “Well I told you to wait for it to cool down,” or “Then blow on it” or something to that effect. He will say no, and then continue taking scalding hot bites and crying that it’s too hot.

In his defense his father’s the same way.

Image credits: anon

#16

My youngest son, 14! years old, when we were on a train and he was looking outside: "Mum, what are these plants?"

Me: "They are potato plants."

He: "Fries are made from potatoes, right?"

Me: "Yes, of course. You know that, we made our own, can't you remember?"

He: "They should plant fries instead. No one likes potatoes!"

He looked at me with a face that said: "I invented space and time travel, bow in front of your genius son!" I just closed my eyes and hoped for the best.

He is a site engineer now and does well in life, because everything that isn't job related is managed by his wife. She is a godsend and I try to be the best mother in law that exists, because I want her to stay with him forever!!!

Image credits: anon

#17

My son spent 18 months of his teenage years telling people he was born in Brazil. He was born in Bristol

Image credits: anon

#18

My daughter was a messy teenager who had to be told to clean her room. She had a habit of letting dishes pile up on her nightstand. We were on her a*s constantly about not letting dishes especially sports bottles of juice sit around because they ferment. Well one day the husband and I were is our bedroom and heard an explosion and our daughter scream. We ran to her room to find one of her bottles of juice had finally given in to the pressure of the fermented juice and literally blew to pieces. The explosion was so powerful the top left a hole in her ceiling and there were tiny pieces of sports bottle shrapnel everywhere. She's my smart one

Image credits: Sdunn1980

#19

Let me preface this by saying my son is actually brilliant (especially when it comes to computers and music), and I love him more than life itself.

HOWEVER. When he was in 9th grade, reading *A Tale of Two Cities*, he complained to me that he was having a problem with the book because whenever he would pick his book up to continue reading it, he had to figure out where he left off last time. I was like, "If only we had the technology - a way to *mark* the last place we read in a *book* - it would be so much easier!" Then I found an index card for him to use as a bookmark.

In all honesty, I really felt for the poor kid. He was never an enthusiastic reader to begin with. I've always been an avid reader, and even I struggled with Dickens, all the way through college.

Image credits: sirdigbykittencaesar

#20

His car battery died while be was parked at the storage unit while he was home on leave from the army.

Come to find out he had turned off the car to save gas, but had left the heat/ blowers, and seat warmers on so his girlfriend wouldn't get cold.

He's in Army Intelligence.

Image credits: sirnoodleloaf

#21

My dad is a truck driver, so I was the adult male figure in my kid sister's life. One day when she was around 14 or so, I took her to McDonalds for dinner and i asked her what she wanted and she said McNuggets.

I pull up to the speaker and start ordering. "Hello, I'll take an 8 piece McNuggets with a High C."

My sister quickly reminds me tell them no onions.

"I'll also take a Quarter pounder meal with a sprite"

Sister again says "no onions!"

the cashier asked will that complete your order?

sister getting mad, says "no onions!!!"

"Yes, that will be all" I say calmly and I pull forward. My sister is getting really pissed and asked "Why didnt you tell them no onions on mine?!?!?"

I look at her and say just as loudly "ON YOUR CHICKEN NUGGETS!?!?!?"

It dawned on her and she couldn't look up and show her face when I asked the cashier at the window to please make sure there are no onions on her order of McNuggets.

Image credits: Daecoth

#22

My mother called me in tears from laughing and told me that my sister (5 years younger than me, probably 16 at this time) had just asked her, "I know this might be a silly question, but what's 'brah-tood'?" My mom is like ??? My sister thought that the "brought to you by..." message when watching tv was "brah-tood", one word, and she had wondered about it for her whole life pretty much.

Image credits: piximelon

#23

Told my kid that carrots help you see in the dark, he then went into the basement with a carrot and started waving it around like a flashlight.

Image credits: rtardedsquirrl

#24

I'm the idiot kid, but when I was about 3, after preparing dinner, my mom would leave me alone in the kitchen. After I finished, I would search for some M&Ms to nibble at, knowing I wasn't allowed.

Every time after I finished, I would go over to my mom and ask her "Did you hear me eating M&Ms in the kitchen?". She would always reply yes and I would always get so frustrated, because every time I tried to be as stealthy as possible.

I never realized what blew my cover until I grew older.

Image credits: ciochips

#25

When my oldest was 11, I was letting him stay up with me and my roommate (he's from my first marriage, I hadn't met my wife yet and was still a messy bachelor with a kid)

So, he's 11 right. Need to be clear about this. He's 11.

We're watching Colbert Report and Stephen says something happening in Congress politics whatever is "as likely as writing legislation with Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, or the Easter Bunny"

I chuckle at the dumb joke, only half paying attention. My kid sits up and says, "wait. Dad. What did he just say? What was .. can you explain that?"

I'm thinking maybe he's confused about the politics so I say these two powerful politicians aren't getting along. He says "yeah, no, right, okay .. so ... what else did he say again?"

By this point my roommate, who had been pretty much staring at his laptop, ignoring the TV and the two of us, starts watching us closely.

So I say "yeah, so that's as unlikely as meeting Santa Claus"

"Yeah??"

"Yeah, or .. the Tooth Fairy"

"Yeah??"

"Right. Or. The Easter Bunny"

"wwwWWWHHHAAAATT!!!!!????!!?!!??!?!???!!!"

My roommate let's out one small chuckle. I'm staring at him, a bit dumbfounded. Finally I ask, "buddy, did you .. still, um .. think there was a, uh .. a rabbit, who snuck into the house, and hid eggs?"

My roommate starts snickering. I'm just staring with a bewildered look. Kiddo is slumping down down down into the couch, angry teardrops welling up in his eyes. I don't know if he was embarrassed, mad at my roommate for laughing, or pissed off because he learned the Easter Bunny wasn't real in such a s****y way.

He already informed me that he knew Santa Claus was "just the parents" about oh I dunno, four years earlier? So I thought we were cool.

As I tucked him in that night, he explained "I just figured he stopped coming because I'm too old"

Image credits: johnwalkersbeard

#26

My brother couldn't remember the proper name for shoes so he called them 'foot houses'. Mum confirmed that day that at least one of her teenage children was a bit doughy up top.

Image credits: horsesarse17

#27

My dad’s moment was when I made him drive around with me because my car had been making a “thunk” noise every time I made a turn. After 15 minutes he announced it was the baseball bat in my trunk rolling around.

Image credits: Tanaisy

#28

3 year old is preparing for his bath. His underwear looks strange but I'm distracted his brother. Kid takes off one pair of underwear, then a 2nd pair, then a 3rd. I ask why he is wearing 3 pairs of underwear. Kid looks at me like I'm an idiot, "Mom told me to put on a clean pair every day".

That nonautistic kid grew up to place the highest in math in our large Midwestern city. But even in his 20's you have to make sure you give clear instructions as he will follow rules to the letter.

Image credits: anon

#29

I had my sister text my mom that she forgot her phone at home

Image credits: pigboat3

#30

My nine year old son just tried to cut his breakfast sausage mid-air.

#31

When my son was disappointed by sex ed class. He thought they were going to learn some moves.

Image credits: lilarose8

#32

We need to leave; sent him to put on socks...

Waited more than enough, go find him

He's in his room, wearing only underwear, playing with legos

He can't remember what I sent him after

Edit: I was away and didn't expect this much attention. Since people are asking, I think he was about 8 at the time. I can definitely imagine him repeatedly getting distracted by toys, then guessing what he was supposed to do - "Oh yeah, change shirt. Take that off, oh hey legos."
It's not anything that I'd have medicated, and he has improved. He still couldn't find his butt with a bell on it, but I suppose he'll grow out of that too

#33

"I need, like, a jacket for my legs." - said by my 13 year old who does know what pants are.

Image credits: WasabiChickpea

#34

I’ve got myself one of those smart idiots. 4.0 middle schooler. Cannot operate a door, buckle, lock or latch even if she seen it before. Has twice caught the microwave on fire trying to make popcorn, we’re not even sure how. I don’t think she could find her way to her friends house around three corners if her life depended on it.

Hopefully she will find some sort of job near her house that requires deductive reasoning but maybe doesn’t have its own office with the key.