Nearly all the Kardashian kids have grown up under a glaring spotlight, and while they might have everything their hearts desire, their lives aren’t always that glamorous beneath all the glitter and hoopla. The Kardashian parents have been accused of neglecting their kids, shoving them into the spotlight, dragging them to events they don’t want to be at, and keeping them from having normal, fun 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥hoods. Some members of the family have even been accused of using their kids as an accessory.

Kim Kardashian has often made the mistake of speaking candidly about her motherhood struggles, giving the critics even more to chew on, and experts say the Kardashian 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren growing up in the spotlight is in no way good for them. Kim has previously admitted that she has a hard time saying no to her kids, and parenting expert Kirsty Ketley told The Sun that Kim is setting herself and her kids up for a tough time. “Always giving in to your kids and saying ‘yes’ rather than ‘no,’ sets kids up for a lifetime of high expectations,” Ketley explained, adding that this will hurt them later in life when it comes to maintaining relationships — both personal and professional. The same can likely be said for many of the other Kardashian kids, and while their lives are lavish, it’s also pretty tragic.

Khloe’s youngest son was singled out at a party, and not in a good way

Khloe Kardashian and Tristan Thompson’s son, Tatum, was 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 via surrogate. Khloe had a hard time choosing a name for him, but she didn’t let the world in on this very personal journey, publicly referring to him as her 𝑏𝑎𝑏𝑦 or her son. Fans were quick to criticize Khloe when she posted videos of Kim Kardashian’s son, Psalm West’s 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡day party to her Instagram Stories. It was firefighter-themed, with each 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥 getting a firefighting costume with their name on it. Khloe’s son’s outfit, however, was simply marked T. Thompson, whereas the other kids’ full names were displayed.

Fans flooded to Reddit to discuss this tiny detail. One wrote, “So the poor boy misses out because his mother is too scared to say his name is Tristan,” which was a nod to Khloe and Thompson’s split. “I still think it’s Tristan Jr, and that’s why she isn’t saying or showing anything,” another chimed in. “Not that he will remember his infant years, but I would pay to see Khloe try to explain to him when he’s older why his siblings and cousins all have names on their stuff and he doesn’t,” someone else weighed in.

Kourtney’s kids’ Australia vacation was filled with overeager paparazzi

Thanks to their mother’s fame, Kourtney Kardashian’s kids couldn’t be completely carefree when she and Travis Barker treated them to an Australia trip. The couple took their first 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥, Rocky, with them, along with Penelope and Reign Disick, Kourtney’s two kids from her previous relationship with Scott Disick. In an episode of “The Kardashians,” Kourtney shared that she wasn’t taking Rocky outside because she didn’t want to subject him to the eager paparazzi crowding Sydney’s streets.

Kourtney did, however, take Reign and Penelope on some fun outings, but prowling paparazzi did not exactly leave them in peace. One paparazzo followed them to the beach, and when he started running their way, Kourtney had to cut the outing short and scoop her brood into the waiting car. Her kids had another run-in with the paparazzi when she took them on a shopping trip. Reign seemed to have had enough of all the photographers, calling the person taking his picture a “stalker” as his mother ushered him into a waiting car. It’s not exactly your ordinary vacation, but one has to give Kourtney points for trying.

Mason Disick’s relationship with his mom might not be the best

Kourtney Kardashian’s storied Australian trip with Travis Barker and her kids sparked some gossip when it was revealed that her eldest 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥, Mason Disick, declined to join them. In a confessional on “The Kardashians,” Kourtney shared how excited she’d been about the trip, but it turned out Mason wasn’t keen on the idea. His absence wasn’t for lack of trying on Kourtney’s part, however. In a previous episode, she said she tried really hard to convince him to come, but the teenager remained uninterested. “[Mason] is home with his dad, which makes me really sad,” Kourtney confessed in the episode. “But I’m making the most of every second.”

A few months after the trip, tongues were wagging that Kourtney and Mason’s relationship was strained, and the gossip reached a fever pitch when it came to light that Mason had moved out of his mother’s house to go live with his dad. “She is heartbroken over it. While Kourtney is giving Mason space to work through his feelings, at the end of the day, she blames Scott,” an insider told Life & Style.

Penelope Disick has been criticized for looking like she wasn’t having enough fun

According to fans, Penelope Disick appeared miserable even though she was supposed to be having fun on a trip to Universal Studios Japan with her cousins and aunt, Kim Kardashian. While waiting to take off on a roller coaster ride, fans pointed out in a Reddit thread that Penelope looked about done for the day. “Penelope looks really sad in this photograph or p*ssed. It’s sad seeing them like that with all their privilege,” one fan remarked (via The Sun). Poor Penelope can’t even have a neutral expression on her face without getting criticized. Sigh.

In many of the vacation pictures Kim posted, Penelope was notably missing, which soon started more speculation among fans that Kim was deliberately trying to snub Penelope to get to her mom, Kourtney. The two Kardashian sisters have been embroiled in sisterly feuds for years. In one Instagram post, Kim’s kids featured front and center, while Penelope was only in a group photo. Some fans took to the comments to express their concern. “Penelope … looks like she feels out of place,” one wrote. Upon closer inspection, Penelope did lack the bright smile all her cousins were sporting.

North West has faced a lot of online criticism

Kim Kardashian shares a TikTok account with her daughter, North West, and when the two posted their matching Hello Kitty nails in a since-deleted video, some fans couldn’t believe that Kim allowed her then-nine-year-old daughter to get her nails done. “Should a 9-year-old really have these long nails?” one fan remarked on Reddit. Some people in the comments pointed out that North appeared to have acrylic nails, adding that it was damaging and probably not a good idea for a 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥 to get the nail treatment. “I think it’s not safe for regular play. I genuinely forgot north was only 9,” another added. One user suggested that North should have gotten stick-on nails instead.

North received more criticism when her mom posted a picture of her wearing an oversized T-shirt and sunglasses with the caption “my best friend” on Instagram. Redditors quickly raised concerns that North was missing out on a normal 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥hood because her mother was treating her like a best friend instead of her daughter. “It’s kind of sad how much older North looks in these photos, it’s hard to believe she’s only 9,” one user wrote. “I feel so bad for kids who have parents who want to be their best friend,” another lamented. “This kid is going to have lots of issues with image as she gets older,” someone else predicted.

Reign Disick’s parents broke up when he was a toddler

When Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick called it quits after nine years, their youngest son, Reign Disick, was just a toddler, but it’s likely he could sense the tension between his parents. Kourtney admitted in a blog post that she dealt with very bad anxiety after the breakup. In a “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” reunion special, Kourtney explained that Disick’s drug abuse is what really sank their relationship, and when she found out he was cheating on her, it was the last straw.

Adjusting to life after the breakup was no doubt challenging for both Kourtney and Reign and in pictures published by OK!, a grave-looking Kourtney could be seen taking her son to a music class, with sources alleging that she and Disick initially had some trouble hashing out their co-parenting agreement. Poor Reign certainly had a lot of drama to deal with at such a young age, but he appears to have come out of it alright.

It appears Saint West sometimes has to beg for Kim’s attention

There’s no arguing that Kim Kardashian is a busy woman, but fans have previously criticized her for paying more attention to her phone than her kids. One such instance involved Saint West. Kim and her son were visiting Disneyland in California when eagle-eyed fans noticed that Kim appeared to have trouble putting her phone down, even while taking rides with Saint. Fans quickly took to an online thread to criticize Kim for neglecting her son. “Would it really 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁 her to spend a few hours being mentally present with one of her 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren the whole time?” one fan commented.

It also appears that Saint and Kim have a strained relationship at times. When he made Kim a video for Mother’s Day, Saint admitted he does not always treat her with respect. “Mom, I’m very grateful for you. I know I’m rude to you a lot. I say you’re nothing to me,” Saint confessed, but then added, “I love you more than anything” (via In Touch).

Dream Kardashian found herself living with her aunt amid her parents’ feuding in court

Dream Kardashian’s parents’ messy split has led to a very special relationship between her and her aunt, Khloe Kardashian. Dream’s parents, Blac Chyna and Rob Kardashian, broke up in 2017 and got embroiled in a lengthy court battle which often led to Dream staying with Khloe. Among some concerning statements made in court were allegations that Chyna physically attacked and harmed Rob on several occasions. Chyna also sued the Kardashians for millions, claiming they were the reason her reality show with Rob, titled “Rob & Chyna,” got canceled.

The feud between Rob and Chyna came up a few times in season 2 of “The Kardashians,” and Khloe admitted that Dream was spending a lot of time with her family. “I feel like I’m like a third parent for Dream, I guess,” Khloe said in a confessional. “I mean, I do know how important it is for Dream to have a great maternal influence, whether that be from me or her own mom or whoever,” she added.

Chicago West had to get stitches in her face when she was a 𝑏𝑎𝑏𝑦

Kim Kardashian might live an insanely glamorous life, but the fairytale does not extend to her mornings, and like most normal folks, she has to deal with the chaos of getting her kids ready for school at the crack of dawn.

In a candid conversation with “Good Morning America” in 2020, Kim admitted that she’d recently dealt with a scary morning mishap, which led to her daughter, Chicago West, taking a trip to the emergency room. “The other day, my daughter Chicago fell out of her high chair, cut her whole face. Stitches. Had to figure it all out,” Kim said. She added that, unfortunately, the cut on Chicago’s face left a pretty noticeable scar.

According to the NHS, scars never completely disappear, but they can become less noticeable over two years or more. How well the scar fades depends on various factors, like a person’s skin tone. Knowing Kim, she’ll likely make sure to do everything she can to keep Chicago’s scar from sticking around permanently.

Stormi Webster didn’t get to have a normal 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥hood

Kylie Jenner’s daughter, Stormi Webster, is growing up fast — too fast, according to some critics. Kylie and Stormi attended Paris Fashion Week together in 2024, dressed to the nines in matching outfits. While Kylie was in her element, Stormi decidedly was not. And who can blame her? At six years old, she couldn’t be expected to have a vested interest in haute couture. The little girl looked bored with the whole affair and would probably much rather have spent the time playing with her cousins.

Fans had a lot to say about the outing, criticizing Kylie for dragging her daughter along to events that aren’t age-appropriate. This wasn’t the first time they’ve pointed out that Stormi was being deprived of a normal 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥hood. In a 2023 Reddit thread, fans accused Kylie of using her daughter as an accessory. “I’m sure it’s torture for North and Stormi,” one upset fan commented. “Their 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren are status symbols,” someone else said. “Child is probably overwhelmed and confused a lot of the time … why drag her to these events it’s just sad,” another lamented.

Kylie and Stormi were also in attendance at Travis Scott’s infamous Astroworld Festival, which ended in tragedy when the crowd surged toward the stage, causing widespread panic which led to the death of eight people. Luckily, both Stormi and her mom were unharmed.

True Thompson has endured some scrutiny

It might be safe to say that Khloe Kardashian has come to expect backlash when she posts pictures of her kids on social media. When she shared a few candid snaps of True and her cousins’ dance recital on Instagram, it appears she foresaw criticism of her daughter’s heavily made-up face. At the end of the caption, she added, “Obviously none of our girls wear makeup like this regularly. This was for the recital only.” Fans took to the comments to discuss how unfortunate it was that Khloe even felt the need to clarify why True was wearing makeup, and she responded, “It is but people are cray. So I had to explain.”

True also got heavily criticized for clinching a deal with Zip N’ Bear, a popular pajama brand. Fans immediately expressed their displeasure with Khloe allowing her young daughter to do a modeling gig. In a short clip posted to Khloe’s Instagram, True announced the exciting news, and many concerned and negative comments followed. “When do you have enough money? Don’t you have enough without pimping out your 6 yo?” one person commented. “Umm no. Can’t you make your millions of dollars somewhere else?” another added. “Now your kids oh gosh!?!!! #Exploitation,” someone else wrote. “Why not wait until she’s older for this stuff,” another lamented.

One of Kim’s sons inherited a skin disease from her

Kim has previously spoken candidly about her health conditions, and while making an appearance on the SShe MD” podcast, she revealed that one of her sons (she didn’t specify which one) has vitiligo, an autoimmune disease that affects the skin, causing a loss of pigmentation which leads to white spots or patches across your body, and even your face, per Cleveland Clinic. Kim said she suspects he got it from her because she has psoriasis, which is also an autoimmune skin disease. “We got it under control. I didn’t know anything about it,” Kim admitted.

Vitiligo is very rare, only occurring in about 1% of the world’s population. While the patches of skin aren’t painful, they are more prone to sunburn, and those with vitiligo are said to be more susceptible to other autoimmune diseases. Vitiligo can also affect the eyes, causing inflammation and abnormalities. Of course, it can also have a debilitating effect on someone’s self-esteem, leading to depression and anxiety. There’s currently no cure but treatments to manage the condition do exist.

There’s been some contention around Aire Webster’s name

After Kylie Jenner gave 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡 to Aire Webster, she dealt with postpartum depression and couldn’t settle on a name for her 𝑏𝑎𝑏𝑦 boy. “[I was] on the phone with my mom all day hysterically crying, saying, ‘I can’t figure out his name,'” she confided to British Vogue. “I felt like such a failure that I couldn’t name him.” Kylie settled on Wolf shortly after Aire’s 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡 but then called him Knight for a while. She changed her mind a year later and changed it to Aire, telling fans that it was Hebrew for “lion of God.”

Chinese-American Jewish advocate, Amy Albertson, posted a video soon after Kylie shared her son’s name to inform people that Aire doesn’t mean what Kylie thinks it does — and that the name does not even exist in the Hebrew language. “Lion of God is the name ‘Ariel’ … and there’s also the name ‘Aryeh,” which, if you spelled it differently, could maybe be similar to Aire, but pronouncing your son’s name ‘air,’ it means nothing, I’m sorry,” Albertson said.

Tatum Thompson’s mom had trouble connecting with him after 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡

Khloe Kardashian’s son, Tatum Thompson was 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 via surrogate, and Khloe found the experience pretty jarring and has admitted that she didn’t instantly feel the mother-son connection she expected. It didn’t help that shortly after Khloe did the embryo transfer (without telling anyone), she found out that her now-ex, Tristan Thompson, cheated on her and was expecting a 𝑏𝑎𝑏𝑦 with another woman. “The whole surrogacy pregnancy, I was really detached. I couldn’t really face it,” she admitted during an interview on the “SHE MD” podcast.

Khloe confessed that she was terrified when the connection between her and Tatum didn’t immediately establish itself after his 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡. “I think it’s not normal that a mother doesn’t feel an instant love for their 𝑏𝑎𝑏𝑦,” she added. She worked through the hard feelings, however, and eventually that special connection established itself, and now she can’t imagine her life without Tatum in it.