I have learned a thing or two during the last 14+ years as a parent. I’ve been through breast and bottle feeding, dealing with picky eaters, potty training, preparing for school, entering the teen years….and I continue to have experiences every day that add to my storehouse of knowledge. But I don’t know everything. I am not a perfect parent by a long shot, and my kids certainly aren’t perfect children, either, despite the way they may appear in a picture.
I often wish that I could have known half the things I know now when I became a first-time mom, but I was blissfully unaware (or simply naive) of the things I hadn’t experienced yet. That is the way of life as a mother.
I have been pondering how I could share a few of the tips I’ve gathered along my journey as a mom, and thought that a weekly blog feature was in order. And then I thought about all of the critical parenting tricks and sanity-saving tips that I’ve learned through the shared wisdom of friends, and a plan formed.
I needed to share not only my parenting tips, but also advice from many other parents as well. Last week, I created a survey to gather quotes, tips, and experiences from other moms–from those moms with even more experience than me to those who are just starting out with their first. Before I jump full-speed into this new series, I wanted to open the discussion up to you, my readers. What are your biggest parenting concerns and your toughest questions about raising kids? What would you like to see here?
In addition to questions, I would love to hear your very best parenting advice. From pregnancy to feeding to potty training to keeping your marriage alive….I want to hear your best tips. If you’d like to take the entire parenting survey, you are more than welcome (you can also answer just a couple of the survey questions). Otherwise, leave a comment on this post with a tip or a story and let me know if it’s ok for me to quote you in a future post. Thanks! I can’t wait to pull together so much mommy-knowledge (believe me, what I’ve gotten already is priceless!)….because parenting tips are better in bulk, too.
© 2011, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.
It’s going to take a little time to compile all of the great comments I’ve received, but I am so excited to share!! I hope to see your responses in the spreadsheet, too. :)
This sounds like a great series I can’t wait to read it.
I think that the best tip that I ever got was to make time for myself. I was so absorbed with being a first time mom that I forgot to take the time to see my friends, exercise or do anything else. By taking care of myself, I was happier, more relaxed and a better parent to my child.
i agree with cecily! i’m going to quote barbara coloroso (kids are worth it) who says “if it isn’t illegal, immoral or unhealthy – then let it go!” this is great advice! i also never got into the ‘clean up your room’ battle. i don’t have to live in it, so that’s one battle i don’t ever pick! i also love what dr phil says, that parents aren’t prepared for their kids not to like them occasionally (the mean mum thing) and this is where discipline falls down. it’s ok for your kids to not like you occasionally – this just means they didn’t their own way, and that’s ok!!! have fun wading thru all this advice lolli!
and one more via oprah – kids are just little people with less life experience. just coz their kids doesn’t mean they don’t deserve our respect.
My best parenting advice is to stop and smell the roses once in a while. We are so busy shipping our kids from here to there that we can miss a lot. I need to heed this advice often!
Listen to your baby. They know far more about what they need and want than any parenting book can tell you about them.
My mom’s advice when I first became a mother myself was “Choose your battles.” It’s good, sound advice that I try my best to heed.