We've said it before, and we'll say it again: Being a parent is not easy. Not only does it add the sheer pressure of being responsible for another life (or multiple other lives) to a mom or dad's plate, but raising kids has also been proven to negatively impact parents' overall happiness and even hurt their relationships.

Because raising kids is so stressful, it shouldn't come as a surprise that parents occasionally find themselves wishing that they could ditch those "mom" and "dad" titles for a day. Yet, when we hear a parent vent about the toughest parts of raising children, we freak out. Because that's not what a parent is supposed to say ... right?

This is why we were so intrigued by a recent article from the Daily Mail, which rounded up parents' social media confessions about regretting having children. Some of the feelings they expressed are shocking, sure, but they're actually pretty darn normal too. And by posting them online, these parents opened the door to an important dialogue about the ups and downs of being a mom or dad.

Read on for some of these parents' most shockingly honest confessions — and take a moment to think about why expressing feelings like these is considered such a taboo.

The Struggling Introvert

"I never get a minute to myself. As an introvert, this is the hardest part. I see my friends going on exciting vacations, doing whatever they want to do. I can't because kids are so expensive that we can't afford to go anywhere. I haven't slept past 6 in years. I'm stuck in a place I don't want to live in." Reddit

The Exhausted Caregiver

"I wasn't ready to stop being selfish. I'm only two years in so it's still the intense stage, but parenting so far has just been relentlessly exhausting. I feel like having a kid closed off a lot of possibilities for me, definitely killed any semblance of spontaneity in my life." Reddit

The Young Mom

"I have three kids and quite frequently wish I had zero. I never wanted kids and knew I wanted more from my life than dirty diapers and minivans. I was okay with the first two, but the third really made me question everything again. This is not what I want to be doing with my life. I had my kids at such a young age (15, 19, 24) that I don't stand a chance at doing anything significant with my life other than saying, 'Hey, I raised three more humans. You're welcome.' What an accomplishment." Reddit

The Regretful Reminiscer

"We had a great relationship before the baby, and I always felt like we could have continued the way we were. He had always wanted children and always told me I would change my mind. Well, over the years I let him talk me into it and even thought I wanted a baby, but a few days after having the baby I felt intense regret, and it hasn't gone away. I just hate my life now, the sleep deprivation, the drudgery, the monotony, and I feel so guilty and ashamed for feeling this way. It's not my baby's fault, and he deserves a good mother who wants him." "I Regret Having Kids" Facebook page

The Emotional Wreck

"I am really struggling with my 3-year-old girl. She has always been a bad sleeper, and today, I had to miss work, as she only let me sleep for two hours. I then had a panic attack and a meltdown, where I was telling my husband I will leave them as I can't take this anymore. I even vomited as a result of my emotions. I do not know what to do. Even when she goes back to sleep, my nerves are so shot that I lie awake and anger consumes my soul." "I Regret Having Kids" Facebook page

The Distant Dad

"I'm a 30-year-old man who now has a 1-year-old and 7-year-old stepson. I love them both and would do anything for them ... I just find myself regretting everything. None of my friend have kids, and I feel like I'm slipping away from everyone and everything I used to love doing. I would never up and leave. I made the children, it's my job to look after them and I will until the day I die, but I can't can't get the feeling out of my head that my life's missing..." "I Regret Having Kids" Facebook page

[h/t Daily Mail

From: Good Housekeeping US
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Heather Finn
Content Strategy Editor

Heather Finn is the content strategy editor at Good Housekeeping, where she heads up the brand's social media strategy and covers entertainment news on everything from ABC's 'The Good Doctor' to Netflix's latest true crime documentaries.