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Home / Lifestyle

Dad releases brutal rant about 'not being cut out' for parenthood

By Rhian Deutrom
news.com.au·
18 Jul, 2019 04:18 AM8 mins to read

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With nearly 2000 followers on Instagram, Future Foody is a trend many Auckland parents are latching on to.

It's not often a stay-at-home parent on Instagram is brutally honest about the good, the bad and the totally ugly side of their gig.

Usually, Insta-parents relish in sharing filtered photos of their children, wholesome treats whipped up in their stunning kitchens, handmade gifts and messages of tender love directed at their babies who, for obvious reasons, are not able to read them.

But Mike Julianelle, from Brooklyn, isn't interested in broadcasting his parental prowess to the world because he believes he's just "not cut out for this" whole dad thing, news.com.au reports.

STAY-AT-HOME DAD

Mike, 42, hates being a dad and has built a career by telling people all about it.

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"Don't worry, I don't hate my kids. I just hate parenting," the father-of-two said.

My toddler ran into my bedroom to tell me that he’d found the candy he’d lost a few minutes earlier, excitedly waving his arms around in triumph, when suddenly the candy flew out of his hand, across the room, and he lost it again. Little dumbass.

— Dad and Buried (@DadandBuried) July 17, 2019

Formerly a marketing writer, Mike now endures a #stayathomelife with his two sons, who he dubs Detective Munch, 8, and The Hammer, 2, while his wife, Heather, is the primary earner.

"I don't want to be a stay-at-home parent," he wrote this month to his Instagram followers, who now exceed 80,000.

The father-of-two said the responsibilities surrounding the existence of his boys were "destroying my social life".

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Give your kids Slinkys so they can have two minutes of fun and you can have 8 hours of fruitlessly trying to untangle them!

— Dad and Buried (@DadandBuried) July 12, 2019

As a way to cope with his new role, Mike publicly complains about parenting — while also offering advice on living with kids — on Instagram, Twitter, his blog, and a recently launched podcast he calls Dad and Buried.

"I just talk trash about parenting and my kids," he explained.

His candid, and often hilarious, insights into the challenges of child rearing have won him thousands of fans around the world, many of whom relate to the frustration and exhaustion that comes with being a stay-at-home parent.

But others have criticised his approach, describing him as "sick" and nasty to his children.

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In one tweet, Mike explained the importance of teaching children there are consequences for their actions.

"This morning my son threw his iPad across the room in a fit of rage and now he doesn't understand why I won't let him use it," he wrote.

"IT'S CALLED CONSEQUENCES, MOTHERF***ER!"

I'M NOT CUT OUT FOR THIS

Mike is currently caring for his sons during their summer school holidays and claimed things hadn't got off to a great start.

"It's day two of my summer as a stay-at-home dad and I've already lost it on my kids," he said.

"Actually, I lost it at day 1.5. I'm not cut out for this."

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View this post on Instagram

Thanks kiddo! #gottoddlered #headache (Follow my @gottoddlered page!)

A post shared by Dad and Buried (@dadandburied) on Jun 21, 2019 at 6:48am PDT

In a mammoth post that has since attracted global attention, Mike revealed he didn't want to do be a parent because he lacks the temperament, patience and interest in the job.

"Circumstances being what they are, and summer being what it is, someone has to stay home with my kids all day," he wrote on Instagram.

"Mum … has done it for years, and now she's working and I'm not, so I'm back in the saddle."

But reluctance "and unsuitability" aside, Mike admitted he had no choice but to get better at it.

Mike also admitted he had accidentally punched his eight-year-old son in the face during a round of wrestling, leaving him with bloodied nose.

BUT I DON'T HAVE A CHOICE

According to Mike, he understands "I also don't have a choice".

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"I don't want to have to find ways to fill my kids' days all summer," he wrote.

Doing stuff with your kids is like going to the gym: you don’t want to have to do it, and you don’t enjoy it *while* you’re doing it, but once you’ve actually done it? You feel like a million dollars.

— Dad and Buried (@DadandBuried) July 17, 2019

"I don't want to plan, I don't want to pack stuff, I don't want to herd them places, I don't want to go places."

Despite his grumblings online, Mike is a devoted, albeit crass, father, who offers a realistic glimpse into the world of parenting.

"They don't deserve a dad who's grumpy and frustrated before the day has even begun, and most of all, they don't deserve a boring summer," he wrote.

"So far, things aren't going so great. But there's nowhere to go but up!"

YOU MAKE ME SICK

But Mike has received his fair share of criticism from people who take his rants literally and describe him as cruel and nasty.

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"You make me sick! I hope to God your kids never read this!" one person wrote to him.

One man, who has been a stay-at-home dad for seven years, argued Mike "wasn't a hero or brave for admitting the truth".

"This post made me realise that men, including myself, are just weak and choose to b*tch and complain," he wrote.

"Stop over thinking it, get off social media, put your Xbox controller down and grow up."

View this post on Instagram

It’s day two of my summer as a stay-at-home dad and I’ve already lost it on my kids. . Actually, I lost it at day 1.5. I’m not cut out for this. . I knew it 6 years ago when I did it for the first time, I knew it a month ago when it was looming again, I knew it yesterday when things were going well, and I definitely knew it today when I yelled at my 8yo and carried him to another room because he wouldn’t stop complaining about something he actually wanted to do. . I don’t want to be a stay-at-home parent. I don’t want to have to find ways to fill my kids’ days all summer. I don’t want to plan, I don’t want to pack stuff, I don’t want to herd them places, I don’t want to go places. . I don’t have the temperament, I don’t have the patience, I don’t have the interest. . I also don’t have a choice. . Circumstances being what they are, and summer being what it is, someone has to stay home with my kids all day. Mom and Buried has done it for years, and now she's working and I'm not, so I’m back in the saddle. Reluctance (and unsuitability) aside, I have no choice but to get better at it. . They don’t need to know how stressed I am, they don’t deserve a dad who’s grumpy and frustrated before the day has even begun, and most of all, they don’t deserve a boring summer. . Summer is sacred. And it's usually Mom and Buried's territory. But it's on me now. . No, we might not be able to send them to camp or take them on fancy trips, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t things to do. And it’s on me to do them. More than that, it’s on me to do them with a smile on my face. Or at least without constantly yelling at them. . So far, things aren’t going so great. But there’s nowhere to go but up! . This is one of the primary challenges of parenting. Not letting your grownup stress impact your kids' childhood innocence. We all have struggles, and sometimes the toll they take is going to manifest itself, often in ways you don't even realize. . I guess the good news is: I do realize it. Which makes it even more crucial that I manage it, and do whatever I can to prevent my kids from catching on. . I've gotta fake it until *they* make it. But what else is new? . #stayathomelife

A post shared by Dad and Buried (@dadandburied) on Jul 11, 2019 at 10:50am PDT

Others, though, applauded Mike's "raw honesty" and have celebrated his tongue-in-cheek approach.

"I'm a stay at home mum who is currently very stressed and I needed this today," one fan wrote.

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Another added: "I feel this all to the core."

"This post hit me in the feels," another parent wrote.

"Thanks for not making up cute sh*t for likes and giving parents complexes because of it."

Mike admitted every parent had struggles and days where they would rather not be a parent.

"I guess the good news is: I do realise it," he said.

"Which makes it even more crucial that I manage it and do whatever I can to prevent my kids from catching on."

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"I've gotta fake it until *they* make it. But what else is new?"

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