{"id":18041,"date":"2026-10-02T08:23:34","date_gmt":"2026-10-01T22:23:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.brightstarkids.com.au\/blog\/home-organisation-tips-busy-mums-2\/"},"modified":"2026-10-23T11:53:31","modified_gmt":"2026-10-23T00:53:31","slug":"10-embarrassing-things-kids-do","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.brightstarkids.com.au\/blog\/10-embarrassing-things-kids-do\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Embarrassing Things Kids Do in Public"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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By Susan Cooper<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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If you\u2019ve ever prayed for the ground to swallow you whole in the middle of Woolies, you\u2019re in good company. Mums, we\u2019ve all been there, red-faced, sweating, and wondering why we ever left the house with our kids.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because let\u2019s be honest, our little cherubs have a special gift for choosing the worst<\/em> possible moment to unleash their most hilarious, mortifying, and downright unpredictable behaviour<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are the top 10 public kid moments that\u2019ll make you laugh, wince, and realise you\u2019re absolutely not the only one.<\/strong>
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10. The Accidental Shoplifting Incident<\/strong><\/strong><\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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You\u2019re halfway home and notice your toddler has nicked a pack of hair ties from the shops. Oops! Back you march, returning the loot to the security guard while muttering, \u201cSorry, my kid\u2019s not a criminal, just sticky-fingered.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9. Wardrobe Malfunctions<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Nothing says \u2018mum life\u2019 like your toddler pulling your shirt (and bra) down in the middle of Coles, or the little one flinging open the changeroom door while you\u2019re in your undies. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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If you\u2019ve ever been exposed in public, blame the kids and add it to your parenting badge of honour.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. Kids Who Out You\u2026 Every. Single. Time<\/strong>.<\/strong><\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Told the ticket lady your three-year-old is still two for the cheaper fare? Watch as your angel pipes up, \u201cI\u2019m THREE, Mummy!\u201d Cheers, love. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Or maybe your little one reveals your deepest secrets mid-queue. Don\u2019t worry, we\u2019ve all been caught out!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Eating Out Fiascos<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Whether it\u2019s bribing your fussy eater to just try<\/em> the veggies at a friend\u2019s place or chasing rogue food being chucked across the table, dining out with kids is a full-contact sport. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Bonus points if your kid manages to redecorate the restaurant with mashed potato.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Bodily Functions at the Worst Moments<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

From surprise spews on your lap at a mate\u2019s BBQ to next-level nappy disasters on a packed plane, there\u2019s nothing like a kid\u2019s timing to keep you humble. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Remember: always pack a spare change, for YOU, not just them!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. The “TMI” Loudspeaker<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Kids have zero chill (and zero volume control) when it comes to private matters. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Period talk in a packed public loo? Tick. Announcing, \u201cMum\u2019s cranky because she\u2019s got her period!\u201d to a roomful of guests? Tick. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just roll with it, and remember, you\u2019re raising the next generation of truth-tellers.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Brutal Honesty About Strangers<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If your child has ever asked loudly why someone needs a wheelchair or when a non-pregnant lady is \u2018having her baby\u2019, you\u2019ve officially reached the next level of public embarrassment. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The best you can do? Take a breath, offer a gentle explanation, and move on quickly!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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3. The Meltdown That Makes You Look Like a Kidnapper<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s nothing like a full-blown public tantrum with your child screaming, \u201cI want my MUMMY!\u201d when you\u2019re not their mum, or \u201cI want my DADDY!\u201d when you\u2019re standing right there.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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All you can do is loudly announce, \u201cMummy\u2019s here, darling!\u201d for the whole shopping centre to hear.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Swear Words (Or Worse\u2026)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Nothing gets the heads turning like a little one shouting their version of \u201ctruck\u201d or \u201cclock\u201d (minus the L) in the middle of Big W. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Or repeating the forbidden word they heard you mutter under your breath in traffic.<\/span> Parenting: it\u2019s the ultimate test of your vocabulary.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. The Legendary Full Public Meltdown<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Shopping trolley acrobatics, banshee wails, and all eyes on you. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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If you\u2019ve ever abandoned a full trolley to scoop up your screaming child and leg it to the car, you\u2019re not alone. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every mum has been there, done that, and lived to laugh about it later.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s the Real Truth<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Behind every one of these moments is a mum doing her absolute best, often while managing an audience of strangers. Most people watching are parents themselves and totally get it. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And the rest? Let them give you the side-eye. You\u2019ll be home with your feet up soon enough.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s all part of the wild, wonderful, and slightly mortifying ride that is mum life. And if you ever catch yourself thinking, \u201cI\u2019m the only one,\u201d just remember: you\u2019re absolutely not.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Want more hilarious mum moments and honest chats?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t miss the full episode on our podcast! Tune in to the Bright Star Kids Parenting Podcast on YouTube<\/a>, Spotify<\/a>, and Apple Podcasts<\/a> for more laugh-out-loud stories, relatable mum fails, and real talk about parenting. Subscribe and join the fun, because we\u2019re all in this together!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Share what works in your house or tag us on socials (@brightstarkids on Instagram<\/a> and Facebook<\/a>). We\u2019re always keen to hear your real-life wins and fails!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Until next time,<\/span>
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By Susan Cooper If you\u2019ve ever prayed for the ground to swallow you whole in the middle of Woolies, you\u2019re in good company. Mums, we\u2019ve all been there, red-faced, sweating, and wondering why we ever left the house with our kids. Because let\u2019s be honest, our little cherubs have a special gift for choosing the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":18043,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1126],"tags":[1183,1179,1181,1184,1180],"class_list":["post-18041","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bsk-podcast","tag-embarrassing-kids","tag-funny-parenting","tag-public-meltdowns","tag-real-mum-stories","tag-toddler-tantrums"],"acf":[],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9StYi-4GZ","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.brightstarkids.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Ep6-Title-1-10-Ways-Kids-Embarrass-Mums-In-Public-Blog.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brightstarkids.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18041","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brightstarkids.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brightstarkids.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brightstarkids.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brightstarkids.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18041"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.brightstarkids.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18041\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18065,"href":"https:\/\/www.brightstarkids.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18041\/revisions\/18065"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brightstarkids.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18043"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brightstarkids.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18041"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brightstarkids.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18041"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brightstarkids.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18041"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}