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4[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/parents-fighting1_5053.png]]
5[[caption-width-right:350:Unfortunately, they're often TruthInTelevision.]]
6
7->''"Boy, I love meeting people's moms. It's like an instruction manual on why they're so nuts."''
8-->-- '''Ted''', ''Series/TedLasso''
9
10Not all relationships between [[TheParentTrope parents]] and their [[{{Youngsters}} children]] are happy or ideal. This page lists {{tropes}} about parent-child relationships that are less than ideal, abusive to some degree, or even outright evil.
11
12See ChildAbuseTropes for tropes where children are harmed in general, not just by their parents.
13----
14[[index]]
15* AbandonmentInducedAnimosity: A child is abandoned by their parents, and resents them as a result.
16* AbusiveAlienParents: Aliens have no parenting skills.
17* AbusiveOffspring: When children mistreat their parents.
18* AbusiveParents: When parents treat their children horribly.
19** PimpingTheOffspring: A parent sells their own child into prostitution.
20* AdoptionAngst: Beefing with your parents for not being your "real" mom and dad.
21* AdoptionDiss: Someone gets insulted for being adopted.
22* AffairBlameTheBastard: A child born from infidelity is blamed for their parent's cheating.
23* AlcoholicParent: A parent who is an alcoholic.
24* AlwaysAChildToParent: A parent has trouble treating their children like adults as they mature over the course of the series.
25* AmazinglyEmbarrassingParents: A child's parents embarrass them in public.
26* AmbiguouslyAbsentParent: A character has a parental figure missing from their life without any explanation as to why.
27* AnticsEnablingWife: When despite knowing better, the mother will do little to prevent the fallout from the actions of a BumblingDad
28* AntagonisticOffspring: When a child is antagonistic towards their parents.
29* AntiSmotherLoveTalk: It's argued that you can't pamper your children forever and that sooner or later they'll have to figure out how to do things by themselves.
30* ArchnemesisDad: The villain is the protagonist's father.
31* BabyAsPayment: A parent uses their child as currency to pay for something.
32* BabyFactory: Women are used to making babies for profit.
33* BastardAngst: Being the child of unwed parents causes a character grief.
34* BastardBastard: A character who is a bastard in both senses of the word (i.e., a child born out of wedlock and a [[{{Jerkass}} jerk]]).
35* BecauseISaidSo: Parents using vague reasons for why their children shouldn't do certain things.
36* BetrayalByOffspring: A child betrays their parents.
37* BoyfriendBlockingDad: A father who will be confrontational to anyone he suspects is getting too close to his daughter.
38* BreakingTheCycleOfBadParenting: A parent vows to avoid the abusive methods used by their own parents, or at least downplay the part about corporal punishment.
39* CallingParentsByTheirName: A child shows disrespect toward their parents by addressing them by their given names instead of "Mom or "Dad".
40* CallingTheOldManOut: When children call out their parents for their actions.
41* CallingTheYoungManOut: When parents call out their children for ''their'' actions.
42* ChildAbuseIsASpecialKindOfEvil: A parent abuses their child/children, and it's shown as a purely evil act.
43* ChildSupplantsParent: A person who challenges their parent in an attempt to supplant them.
44* ChocolateBaby: A supposed father is obviously not the biological father, because the baby looks ''very'' different.
45* CinderellaPlot: A child is treated like a servant by their (step)parents.
46* ClosetPunishment: Parent punishes their children by locking them in a closet.
47* ConvenientlyAnOrphan: A character is an orphan so the plot can move along more easily.
48* DaddyDidntShow: A parent fails to show up for their child's special event.
49* DaddyDNATest: Trying to find out who the dad of a baby is by giving the baby a DNA test.
50* DaddyHadAGoodReasonForAbandoningYou: An estranged father gives an excuse for why he abandoned his child.
51* DaddysLittleVillain: A villain's equally evil daughter.
52* DadsOffFightingInTheWar: A dad who's absent because he's serving in the military.
53* DadTheVeteran: A parent who is a retired military person.
54* DeceptiveLegacy: A child is told lies about their absent parents.
55* DelusionsOfParentalLove: A child insists that their parents love them, despite plenty of evidence to the contrary.
56* DeniedFoodAsPunishment: Parents punish their children by denying them food.
57* DisappearedDad: The character's mother is present, but not their father.
58* DisneylandDad: A divorced parent wins their child's affection by taking them to expensive places.
59* DisownedParent: A child disowns their parent(s).
60* DoesntKnowTheirOwnChild: Parents who don't know any personal information about their child that they should know.
61* DontMakeMeTakeMyBeltOff: Parents use CorporalPunishment on their children as a method of punishment.
62* EducationMama: When parents are very pushy with their children's education.
63* ElderAbuse: When the now-old parent is abused.
64* EmbarrassingRelativeTeacher: A relative, most often an embarrassing parent, becomes a teacher and humiliates their child during class.
65* EvilMatriarch: A villainous mother.
66* FamilyRelationshipSwitcheroo: A lie about a family relationship is revealed.
67* FantasyForbiddingFather: A parent doesn't approve of their child's hobbies nor career choice.
68* FatherIDontWantToFight: The ProudWarriorRaceGuy is upset that his son doesn't want to embrace his warrior culture.
69* FinalFirstHug: A parent only expresses their true feeling when they are dying.
70* FinancialAbuse: A parent abuses their child by using money to control them.
71* FirstFatherWins: A divorced father has to regain the trust of his former partner (and possibly their child) in order to still be in his child's life.
72* FollowInMyFootsteps: Parents want what's best for their children and so they are forced into their shoes.
73* ForYourOwnGood: A parent's explanation in doing something unpleasant to their children (usually forcing them to do something they don't like).
74* FreudianExcuse: Many examples of a character being evil or mean because of past misfortune has the past misfortune involve issues with the bad guy's parents.
75* FreudianExcuseDenial: A character who is a harsh or abusive parent denies having a bad upbringing or at least doesn't think it affects them negatively.
76* FreudianExcuseIsNoExcuse: Even if they had lousy parents, that doesn't excuse their present evil.
77* GeneHunting: An adopted child searches for their biological parents.
78* GenerationalTrauma: Conflict arises due to unresolved baggage passed down from generation to generation.
79* GentleTouchVsFirmHand: Two parents have different methods in guiding their children -- one is through kindness while the other is through strictness.
80* GiftForAnOutgrownInterest: A gift-giver's idea of what the recipient (usually a parent to their child) would like is based on ''very'' outdated memories.
81* GiveHimANormalLife: An unusual character gives up their child for adoption because they don't want their kid to be roped up with the bizarreness or extraordinarity of their life.
82* GlorifiedSpermDonor: A character has a father who left after impregnating the mother.
83* GrandparentalObliviousness: A grandparent left in charge of their grandchildren is too senile to keep a proper eye on them.
84* GrandparentFavoritism: Grandparents who like or give preferential treatment to their children's offspring over their children.
85* GruesomeGrandparent: Grandparents are abusive/antagonistic to their grandchild.
86* HalfSiblingAngst: Two siblings can't get along because they only share one biological parent.
87* HandsOffParenting: Parents who don't actively raise their children.
88* HatesTheirParent: A character outright despises at least one of their parents.
89* HelicopterParents: Parents who are ''very'' involved with their children's lives, often to excessive degrees.
90* HilariouslyAbusiveChildhood: A character is shown to have a ridiculously rough childhood for BlackComedy.
91* HonorRelatedAbuse: A character is mistreated or killed by their family for the sake of preserving the family's honor.
92* IAmNotMyFather: A character does not like being compared to their parent.
93* IHateYouVampireDad: An [[TragicMonster angsty vampire]] hates the person who turned them into one (who may be a parental figure, or even their actual parent).
94* IHaveNoSon: When a parent disowns their child for some reason.
95* IMissMom: Character misses their dead/missing parent(s).
96* ImaginaryFriend: A child treats a figment of their imagination as their best friend to compensate for their loner reputation.
97* InadequateInheritor: A child's or heir's worthiness of an inheritance is questioned by their elders.
98* ItRunsInTheFamily: Family members tend to have similar personalities.
99* IWantGrandkids: Parents pressure their children to have children of their own.
100* IWantMyMommy: A character cries for their mother to come help them. Can be played for comedy by having them yell for mommy once they realize they're in trouble, or played for drama by having them cry for mommy while in inevitable peril.
101* JealousParent: A mom or dad compete with their child for their spouse's affection.
102* JockDadNerdSon: The father is very athletic. The son is nerdy but not athletic.
103* JunkieParent: A parent who is a drug addict.
104* KidsPunishingParents: Kids punish their parents for their misdeeds.
105* KillTheParentRaiseTheChild: A character looks after the child of someone they killed.
106* KnightTemplarParent: Parents going above and beyond the limit in protecting their children.
107* LecherousStepparent: A stepparent who sexually abuses their new spouse's children.
108* LetHerGrowUpDear: The father doesn't want the child (often a girl) to have romance, but the mother doesn't mind.
109* LikeParentLikeSpouse: A character's LoveInterest is similar to one of their parents, be it in looks or personality.
110* LoserSonOfLoserDad: A character is derided as being a loser just because their father was pathetic.
111* LoveObstructingParents: Parents who interfere with their children's personal romantic relationships.
112* LukeIAmYourFather: Someone reveals to another person that they are that person's father.
113* LukeIMightBeYourFather: Someone reveals to another person that they might or might not be that person's parent/child.
114* LukeYouAreMyFather: Someone reveals to another person that they are that person's child.
115* MamaDidntRaiseNoCriminal: The mother of a criminal denies that her child could ever be such a thing.
116* MamasBabyPapasMaybe: A father is unsure if his child is really his.
117* MandatoryMotherhood: Society essentially forces women to become mothers.
118* MaternalDeathBlameTheChild: The father (and by extension the rest of the family) blame the child for the mother's death.
119* MaternallyChallenged: A woman who has no idea how to raise a child.
120* {{Matricide}}: Someone kills their own mother.
121* MeetTheInLaws: A character meets the parents of their new spouse.
122* MissingMom: A character's father is present, but not their mother.
123* AMistakeIsBorn: A child is conceived when the parents didn't intend to have children.
124* MotherlyScientist: A scientist who regards their creations as being their children.
125* MyBelovedSmother: A bossy, overprotective, clingy mother.
126* MysteriousParent: When the reason for ParentalAbandonment is revealed and the parent is an important character.
127* NewChildLeftBehind: A male character gets a female character pregnant before he leaves for a long period of time.
128* NewParentNomenclatureProblem: A character debates whether to call their non-biological parent "Mom" or "Dad".
129* NoFathersAllowed: Cultures where having fathers present in their kid's lives is discouraged.
130* NotActuallyHisChild: One character is believed the biological parent of another. Turns out they were wrong.
131* NotoriousParent: A parent runs away from their offspring because they are a fugitive criminal wanted by law enforcement.
132* ObnoxiousEntitledHousewife: Mom fights with everybody to get her way, even if it humiliates or terrifies her children.
133* OffingTheOffspring: Parents killing their children.
134* OpenMindedParent: A parent who is completely fine with their child being unusual or different.
135* OrphansOrdeal: Highlighting the unpleasant side of losing one's parents to [[DeceasedParentsAreTheBest death]] or [[ParentalAbandonment abandonment]].
136* OverEnthusiasticParents: Parents who love their kids to embarrassing extremes.
137* ParentalAbandonment: Neither of the character's parents are accounted for.
138* ParentalBetrayal: Someone betrays their child.
139* ParentalBlamelessness: Parent will always deny any wrongdoing in raising their child.
140* ParentalFashionVeto: A parent forbids their child to wear clothes which are deemed "unsuitable".
141* ParentalFavoritism: A child the parents like more than the rest of their offspring.
142* ParentalIncest: Sex or romantic relationship between a parent and a child.
143* ParentInducedExtendedChildhood: An unhealthily obsessive parent literally prevents their child from growing up.
144* ParentalNeglect: Parents who don't care for their kids.
145* ParentalObliviousness: Parents who are unaware of what their child is getting involved with.
146* ParentalSavingsSplurge: Your parents spend your dedicated college savings for selfish reasons.
147* ParentalSubstitute: A character who acts as someone's parental figure when their real parents are absent or out of focus.
148* ParentalTitleCharacterization: What you call your parents indicates your relationship with them.
149* ParentNeverCameBackFromTheStore: A parent leaves to run a casual errand and never comes back.
150* ParentsAreWrong: Parents need to let go of tradition so their kids can be free.
151* ParentsAsPeople: Parents with proper character traits besides their parenthood.
152* ParentsSuckAtMatchmaking: Whoever their parents pick for their kids is guaranteed to be someone they don't like.
153* ParentWithNewParamour: A character reacts to their parent receiving a new {{Love Interest|s}}.
154* {{Patricide}}: Someone kills their own father.
155* PermissiveParents: Parents that actively encourage things [[TroublingUnchildlikeBehavior discouraged for those underaged]].
156* PervertDad: A father with an incestuous interest in his daughter.
157* PlayingCatchWithTheOldMan: When shown in a negative light, can be used to establish a strained or flawed relationship.
158* PromotionToParent: A character who has to raise their younger sibling because their parents are absent.
159* PushoverParents: Parents who don't control their children's behavior.
160* RaisedByTheCommunity: A child's parents are so incompetent or in over their heads, their community helps raise them instead.
161* RemarriedToTheMistress: A character gets remarried to someone they were having an affair with.
162* ResentfulGuardian: A parent hates their children for putting them in a position as guardian.
163* SafetyWorst: Parents who take safety precautions to such an extent that they're impractical and/or no fun.
164* SecretOtherFamily: A character has another family that's unbeknownst to their other one.
165* SelfMadeOrphan: Someone kills their own parents.
166* ShedTheFamilyName: A character changes their family name in order to disassociate themselves from a hated family member.
167* SingleParentsAreUndesirable: Single parents have difficulties dating.
168* SinsOfOurFathers: Children who are punished for what their parents have done.
169* SolomonDivorce: Divorced parents divide which children they retain custody of.
170* SportsDad: Parents who push their kids to excel at sports.
171* StageMom: A parent who pushes their child into show business.
172* StrictParentsMakeSneakyKids: Super strict parenting causes the children to become good at hiding things from their parents.
173* TakingTheKids: When parents split up, one of them takes the kids when they leave.
174* TaughtToHate: Parents or guardians teach their own hatreds to their kids.
175* TeenageWasteland: Kids now have adult power and responsibility and rule over society.
176* ThatThingIsNotMyChild: A character refuses to consider a clone or artificially created person made from their DNA to be their child.
177* ThinkOfTheChildren: A MoralGuardian who selfishly [[MediaWatchdog blames media]] for being a poor parent [[NeverMyFault rather than admit their own mistakes]].
178* ToughLove: Parents treating their children harshly to make them better.
179* TheTrapParents: An orphan gains some parents that don't want them to hang around their friends.
180* TrophyChild: A child who is treated as a status symbol by their parents more so than a person.
181* TurnOutLikeHisFather: A character ends up becoming like their parent.
182* TheUnfavourite: The child who is ignored and neglected in favor of the other children.
183* UnpleasantParentReveal: A character meets their missing parent, only to find out that they're not anything like the child had hoped they would be.
184* UselessBystanderParent: A parent does little or nothing to protect their child from abuse.
185* VicariouslyAmbitious: A parent pushes their child to be what they think is best.
186* VillainousMotherSonDuo: A villainess is assisted by her son.
187* WantedAGenderConformingChild: A son or daughter pursues interests commonly associated with the opposite gender, which the parents aren't happy with.
188* WantedASonInstead: A son or daughter is the opposite gender of what the parent was hoping for.
189* WasTooHardOnHim: When a parent feels remorseful for scolding or punishing their child, especially too harshly.
190* WellDoneDadGuy: A parent wants the approval from their child.
191* WellDoneSonGuy: A child wants approval from their parent.
192* WhenYouComingHomeDad: Someone's dad is almost too busy for them.
193* WhereDidWeGoWrong: When a kid turns out different than the parents hoped, the parents wonder where they went wrong.
194* WhosYourDaddy: A character is unsure who their real father is.
195* WhyAreYouNotMySon: Parents compare their children unfavorably to their friends, with the implications that they would have preferred the friend to be their child instead of their biological offspring.
196* WhyCouldntYouBeDifferent: When parents are disappointed that their kids failed to live up to their expectations of them.
197* WhyDidYouMakeMeHitYou: A parent uses violence against their child, and then makes their child feel they're responsible about it.
198* WorldOfNoGrandparents: None of the characters have grandparents.
199* YourSonAllAlong: A character finds out they're actually the parent of a child they know, but were unaware they were related to.
200* YoureNotMyFather: Someone tells another person that they are not their parent, regardless of whether or not it's true.
201* YouShouldHaveDiedInstead: A parent expresses disappointment that their child survived instead of the person who died.
202[[/index]]

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