Game of Thrones' 17 Worst Parenting Decisions to Avoid

Life in Westeros is hard, and it's even harder when you juggle parenthood while playing the Game of Thrones. Where does nurturing end and the hungry quest for power begin? For some, that answer is every day.

But for others who are truly kind and loving, their misguided decisions in a world gone mad can be harmful or even possibly fatal to their offspring. It's an unfortunate consequence of wartime living in a world devised by that sick bastard George R.R. Martin (and we love-hate him for it!).

So here they are, the poorest choices made by Game of Thrones' fathers and mothers: [Warning: Spoilers below!]

How Game of Thrones ruined Stannis the Mannis

1. Literally sacrificing your daughter for the sake of ambition

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2. Ignoring your son's bad behavior, such as shaming his uncle publicly

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3. Giving your sadistic son a sword or crossbow... or any weapon for that matter

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4. Not keeping better tabs on your tower-climbing son

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5. Abandoning your two sons, who are then fake-murdered and forced to flee home

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6. Chaining your kids up in a dungeon (duh)

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7. Putting your innocent son on trial for murder

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8. Betrothing your daughter to Joffrey (the sadistic bastard in No. 3)

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9. Threatening to kill your son if he doesn't join the Night's Watch before his 18th birthday

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10. Sleeping with your son's beloved ex just after he got sentenced to death

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11. Not telling your bastard son his true parentage before you died

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12. Trusting Joffrey with your life (believing it would save your daughters)

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13. Abandoning your imprisoned son after receiving his penis in a box

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14. Telling your bastard exactly how you had raped his mother

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15. Accepting a wedding invitation from Walder Frey

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16. Forcing your daughters to become your wives...

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17. ... and then sacrificing your sons to the White Walkers

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Did we miss any?

Game of Thrones airs Sundays at 9/8c on HBO.

VIDEO: Check out CNET's Jeff Bakalar give his take on Stannis, aka Father of the Year