Tired of doing everything for other parents' kids

This might come off as harsh, but I’m seriously at my breaking point. To the parents who sign their kids up for sports or activities and then just… disappear – do you ever stop and think about the people picking up the slack?

We all have busy lives. We all have work, families, other kids, and responsibilities. But somehow, every single time there’s practice, a game, or an event, it's the same handful of parents who drive everyone’s kids around, who show up for the volunteer work, who sit in meetings, who organize snacks, who set up equipment, who clean up afterward. And the others? You always have an excuse. “Busy.” “Tired.” “Can’t get away.” But you still enjoy all the benefits of everything that gets done, without lifting a finger.

The same parents who are "too busy" to volunteer are often the ones I see posting about long runs, gym workouts, spa days, or quiet evenings at home. Funny how there’s time for that, but not for picking up your own child or showing up for a one-hour shift at a fundraiser. And trust me — none of us love volunteering either. No one is dying to give up their weekend to sell hot dogs at a youth match. But we do it because we care. About our kids. About the team. About fairness.

It’s not just about the driving or the logistics — it’s the principle. We all have 24 hours in a day. You don’t get extra time because your life is somehow more stressful or more important than everyone else’s. Many of us have multiple kids too, full-time jobs, commitments, and yet we show up. We shuffle things around, make sacrifices, skip our workouts or social plans, and get it done — because someone has to.

I’m honestly just tired. Tired of parents who think parenting ends at the sign-up form. Tired of the entitled attitude. And no — I’m not talking about parents dealing with illness, real emergencies, or something serious. I’m talking about the ones who just can’t be bothered. Who don’t want to be inconvenienced. Who drop their kids off and then vanish.

It takes a village to raise kids, sure — but some of you seem to think the village should do all the work while you take the credit.

Do better. Because we notice. And we’re exhausted.