When you have a kid, people love to give you advice, whether you ask for it or not. The thing is, when you’re sleep deprived because you have a five-month-old, being told to “enjoy it while you can because it goes so fast,” feels a little dismissive and frustrating. But every once in a while, someone tells you something about parenting that turns out to be really helpful and useful and parents are sharing those tips and wisdom they’re glad they heard.
- “Don’t overplan your birth. The baby doesn’t know what your birth plan is.”
- “Someone told me, ‘Don’t read too many baby/parenting books. Get basic info from a reliable source, use common sense, and trust your instincts.”
- “Breastfeeding doesn’t make you a better mom.”
- “My grandmother told me, ‘Don’t touch a happy baby.’ Sure enough, every time I feel the need to adjust my baby or give her something, I interfere. Don’t bother them!”
- “From my MIL: Have the older sibling be in charge of teaching the new baby. In the hospital, the first thing my oldest taught her little sister was to grab her finger. And from that moment on, anyone coming to visit was coming to see what she had taught the baby.”
- “As long as they're not hurting each other, let siblings work things out with each other rather than stepping in, so they can build their own relationship.”
- “Sometimes it’s gonna be noisy in your house. Just let it be noisy.”
- “Babies don’t follow baby books. The baby didn’t read the book about what milestone they were supposed to do at a certain time. Plus, every baby is different.”
- “Give lots of attention to behavior that you like. Do not give attention to behavior you don't like.”
- “Sometimes you gotta just throw out the poopy underwear.”
- “A friend who was struggling with an entitled teen advised me: Don’t ever let your kids win at Candyland. Never forgot and never did.”
- “When taking them to the grocery store, explain what you are there for. When they ask for toys, candy, etc., remind them: That’s not what we came for, end of discussion. Worked like a charm.”
- “The best reward you can give them is time with you.”
- “You’re going to make some mistakes. You’ll need to forgive yourself.”
Source: Scary Mommy