Parenting Advice That Works for Everyone With Children

Everyone has a load of parenting advice, especially when it comes to first time parents. Suddenly, everyone you know is the only person to have ever given birth and that makes them the only person who knows how to parent their own child. Sure, you will have a lot more knowledge when it comes to parenting once you do it, but that doesn’t mean you know it all. And yes, some of the people who want to offer advice have some really good stuff to say, but there are three things you need to remember when it comes to parenting.

Don’t Take Yourself Too Seriously

You are about to embark upon a journey in which you are going to be peed on, pooped on and vomited on. Life is a little easier if you’re the kind of parent who doesn’t take herself too seriously, because you’re going to be pretty unhappy if you do. Things will not be perfect, your child will not always behave appropriately and you will not always look perfect. Just go with it.

You Can Turn Down Advice

Some advice-givers might feel offended if you turn down their offer to do this or that or the other, especially if you nod and smile and thank them for their advice one day and admit you didn’t use it when they ask another day. Don’t feel bad. You don’t have to use everyone’s advice. Just smile, thank them and be honest about it if they ask in the future. If they get offended, they’re probably not that fun anyway so who needs ‘em?

You Won’t Always Like Your Kids

You will always, always, always love them, but you might find yourself in the moment thinking you really don’t like them that much. Sometimes, when my daughter is being a bossy little know-it-all, I can’t help but think I would not want to be her friend, even though she’s mostly a sweet kid. You won’t always like your kids, you will always love them, and you will want to get away sometimes. If you can admit that to yourself, you’re a good parent.