Best parenting tip you ever got?

[giantwaterbottle]

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.

My best parenting tip is have a blast kids last! Don’t forget to enjoy your life

This is definitely the opposite of my advice. Contact nap for as long as you need to because there’s nothing more stressful than trying to put a baby down to sleep and they won’t do it but someone once told you they should.

Don’t follow any advice that tells you your baby has to eat and sleep in a schedule. Don’t fall into the trap of feeling like a failure because your baby doesn’t sleep like all the books tell you. Or because they won’t fall asleep themselves or need to be held. I drove myself mental with it all until one day I just thought, right, I’ll do what I know works and that’s feeding to sleep, dummies, rocking, patting and cuddling.

I had many contact naps when I was glued to the sofa but I realise now that they were important. It meant I had to chill out and rest and my daughter felt safe and content.

If that’s what works for you, don’t let anyone make you feel bad or tell you you’re making a rod for your own back. They’re likely old school and don’t understand child development.

"It's only water" told to me by my Great Gran who was 99years old when she died, my son was 14months old at the time and we have used baths, water fights, dancing in the rain, puddle splashes, paddling in rivers and the sea to help with any mood and situation you could think of. I hardly ever say no to getting wet, regardless if it's fully clothed or stripping off and always have a towel and change of clothing in the car.

@CeeCee2022 awwwwww that's so lovely 😍

Well said @Kazzybingbong

My mother told me this also

Well 2 bd 3rd babies etc all have to fit in family routine

Might be too early for you but the best parenting advice I had was “they will come back to you” talking about wayward teenagers. I keep that in my head every time my teenager is frankly being a dickhead.

You can buy UV sterilisers now which are even easier! You just put the items in the box, press the button, leave it for the allocated time (30/45/60 mins) and it’s done!

I solved 2 problems/ habits in one when my sons were small - 30 years ago now. Younger son unfortunately broke his arm and needed a full arm plaster. This a)meant he was unable to suck his thumb (couldn’t get the preferred thumb into his mouth!) and b) stopped his 6 year old brother getting in bed with him every night - (I told older one that if he did that he was likely to be accidentally hit with the heavy plaster!)

I needed that today!

Remember, everything's a phase

Teens are like the British summer.
If you've managed 3 good days, you are due a storm!

The best tip I have ever received was that to treat our children like our equals. To be honest their friends rather than their parents. Some examples of this include, allowing my 32month old to choose her own bedtime, to choose her own name and allowing her to choose what foods she eats. It may be unconventional, but it works for us 😀

I was once told never say how well they sleep or how well behaved they are as babies because as soon as you do that all changes. I forgot to tell my husband this after he opened his mouth I didn’t get a good sleep for a month 🙈

If someone gives you advice when you didn't ask for it look at how their kids behave and either take it or smile and ignore!

The parent is the bow, the child is the arrow.

In other words accept that your job, as a parent, is to give your child the skills and experiences to live their own life.

That made me feel a bit queasy.

Never, ever make false promises.

Always have clear goals.

Expect nothing, be pleasantly surprised.

Following.

Best tip I ever got was to remember that you will get some normal amounts of sleep again, it does return to a semblence of normality! : )

The baby towel trick. When bathing a newborn, wrap them in a towel or muslin when you put them in their baby bath. Then pour warm water over them. It keeps them warm and they don’t scream bloody murder like when naked and exposed. They actually like it!

"Happy mum happy baby" helped me with those times of guilt and feelings of failure

Respect you elders, manners.