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Original poster

Best parenting tip you ever got?

504 replies

giantwaterbottle · 02/07/2021 18:05

Obviously I'm not being unreasonable to ask 🤷‍♀️

Mine was from some friends who had older kids.
Always double the sheets/plastic sheet in baby/toddler bed.

It's saved us in the middle of the night on countless occasions.

OP posts:
luckylavender · 08/07/2021 10:42

Teaching children 'bottoms on seats' when eating or drinking

1hamwich4 · 08/07/2021 11:26

Probably: never make a threat you’re not prepared to carry out.

If you follow through firmly early on you’ll find it less necessary to do so later when it’s harder or impossible.

I also like: quit while you’re ahead- meaning leave the park before they are knackered, start bedtime before they’ve gone beyond the point of being able to calm themselves down, stop the giggly riotous game before someone gets hurt or bursts into tears…applies in loads of situations.

sailmeaway · 08/07/2021 11:29

Your baby is YOUR baby, and actually you do know what you're doing and what's best for them.
And - don't take advice about babies or toddlers from people with kids older than 5... they seriously have forgotten most of it and now look back with rose tinted glasses!

mrstnov13 · 08/07/2021 12:19

Make night feeds calm and quiet. No TV, no excess noise, no light from phone and no talking to baby. Feed, change, burp, cuddle or rock back to sleep. Completely changed night times with DC2.

Sammyclaire22 · 09/07/2021 21:49

Some have already been said, but so far the stuff that rings true for me is...

Trust your instincts, if something doesn't seem right with your baby/ child it probably isn't.

Give them responsibility early on. Allowing them to do age appropriate tasks gives them a huge sense of self worth and massivly reduces the frustration tantrums. Plus it's really handy when they actually are a help!

If you make a promise, keep it. Prove you are someone reliable and trust worthy so they have a good example to follow.

The first year is survival, try and enjoy the good moments as they will help you through the bad days.

It's OK to put the baby somewhere safe and leave the room to vent your frustrations. Far better a calmer mum than one who snaps.

Be honest about your own feelings. Kids can tell when you arnt OK, and owning your feelings and explaining them let's them see sometimes it's OK not to be OK. And when they offer you a hug to feel better you realise what an amazing job you've done 🤗

rhianfitz · 09/07/2021 23:09

These are amazing, how do you nominate a thread for Classics?

ZingDramaQueenOfSheeba · 09/07/2021 23:10

@rhianfitz

These are amazing, how do you nominate a thread for Classics?
@rhianfitz

you need to report the thread opening post and say you want to nominate it for Classics

user1471538283 · 10/07/2021 07:23

My DF used to say that if we were all fed and not dead I'd done a good job!

Also to pick your battles and to find joy.

Ijsbear · 14/07/2021 21:45

@professionalnomad

Some words of wisdom from my mum’s best friend. A senior midwife in the UK with over 30 years of experience, she helped me out a lot at the beginning. I was struggling with postpartum depression and guilt from not being able to breastfeed exclusively and having to supplement with formula. I should also add I’m a secondary teacher hence the start of the sentence!

“As a teacher, can you walk into a room and tell who’s been breastfed and who’s been formula fed? Can you tell who slept in their parents bed and who slept in a crib? What about who took a dummy and who didn’t? Or can you tell who has been loved and cared for, respected and brought up with kindness and understanding and who hasn’t? These things like feeding and sleeping may seem huge but we are talking about one year or less of your child’s life. As long as they are fed, warm, clean, clothed, loved, and cuddled your baby will be fine. No one knows your baby as well as you, not even your doctor, midwife or lady down the road with 13 kids! Trust your instincts, believe in your love for your child and you will be absolutely grand. The other things are details which will sort themselves out in the end. Your baby will tell you what she wants. Follow her and your own instincts. You can do this.”

That is absolutely gorgeous.
WalkingOnTheCracks · 18/07/2021 08:37

The only source of advice my mother had when I was born was Dr Spock's book on childcare. She trusted it because the opening paragraph was,

"Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do."

When I became a parent, she reminded me of that line.

Inertia · 18/07/2021 09:28

The expert on your baby is you.

Babies don’t read childcare books, and -given that they all promote different systems- they can’t all be right anyway. Read/ listen to advice, but only you can judge what works for your family.

Drainedagain2 · 18/07/2021 09:51

Toilet traininh : only do it when they are ready, I would have saved myself so much stress listening to this, total waste of time and energy doing it before.
Every.child.is.different and repeat a million times. My first was so chilled and easy and second the totaly opposite, it isn't anything you are doing wrong and it isn't anything another parent is doing right, most is personality.

MNHQ
HebeMumsnet · 28/07/2021 12:33

Afternoon, everyone! Just letting you know we've moved this thread over to Classics now.

1hamwich4 · 20/08/2021 11:55

Having just done the Last Ever Swimming Lesson (I fucking hate swimming pools) I give you:

Put a large folded up Bag for Life in your child’s teeny tiny swimming bag with their towel’n’trunks.

Invaluable for the shoes, socks, outer coat, jumper, your coat (cos it’s hotter than Hades in the changing rooms isn’t it?), your jumper, your bag……one thing to keep track of. Saves stuff falling off pegs into pools of fetid water (why is it always either one sock, or a top you particularly like??)
Waterproof-ish, stands up on its own, will hang on a peg out of the filth, means you can carry everything plus still have a hand free for a child. Dries really quickly and disappears as the end back into the teeny tiny swimming bag ready for next time.

Summerlovin24 · 28/09/2021 15:25

Best advice was don't listen to any advice. It's your baby and you will be the one 24/7 with it at the start. Do.it your own way. You will figure it out

jessasanchez062690 · 04/12/2021 16:06

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languagelover96 · 14/12/2021 12:30

Find a hobby

SpiderinaWingMirror · 29/12/2021 17:59

Always praise effort, not attainment

Tobchette · 29/12/2021 18:43

Dislike the behavior, love the child.

That's now a mantra I repeat during my head during a tantrum.

sunshying · 26/01/2022 12:02

This reply has been deleted

This post has been hidden until the MNHQ team can have a look at it.

TwinMagic2012 · 02/02/2022 22:59

I am so happy to meet you all. Do you ever meet up?

feather223 · 07/02/2022 22:09

Would you let your children stay overnight , in an attic room. With the only access being a ladder?

ShazzyMJ · 28/02/2022 13:54

When first pregnant my GP told me the best piece of advice he had been given was to buy yourself a wet vac 😂 as it copes with every kind of fluid spill imaginable 😳

Bonnie1966 · 20/03/2022 08:03

Nanny, not a Mum.

Respond to whining in a matter of fact tone with “I don’t like that noise”

MJPeach60 · 27/03/2022 17:19

My daughter was a picky eater. I fretted that she wasn't eating well and the Pediatrician said that in all his years of experience he had never seen a child starve to death or have issues because of picky eating. He recommended that I always offer the same variety the I offered my other children and not to stress over it. It was good to have one less worry with raising 3 kids!