What’s the best parental advice you’ve ever received? £300 voucher to be won. NOW CLOSED

[PoppyMumsnet]

We’re working with the team at Legal & General to encourage Mumsnetters to get involved with their #ForeverAParent campaign.

The things you do as a parent will last your children’s lifetime, so Legal & General are asking the nation what it means to be forever a parent. Whether your children are six or 60 years old, starting school or starting a family, you’ll always be the person they turn to for advice when it comes to life’s milestones, that’s because you’ll forever be their parent.

Here’s what Legal & General have to say “Your influence, support and advice will stay with your children always - because being a parent doesn’t stop. We’ve been asking parents across the UK what being Forever a Parent really means to them, as each individual is different, and we’d love to hear your views.”

Share what ‘Forever A Parent’ means to you to be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 Amazon gift card.

Thanks and good luck!
MNHQ

Standard T&Cs apply

Pick your battles, don’t end the day on a bad note and remember when you’re asked for “just one more cuddle” that they won’t be asking for cuddles forever so cherish those moments. X

During the more challenging times.. I always try to remember the phrase 'This too shall pass' - & it does!!
There are many, many wonderful moments of parenting - but during the tougher times, this helps me keep my chin up & focus on the positives!

It really is all just a phase!

Trust your gut instinct.

Pick your battles.

Lower your standards (in relation to anything house/ cleaning etc).

Sleep when the baby sleeps (only possible if you don't have a wide awake toddler to look after with the baby!).

Have a sense of humour ......... always see the funny side ..........allow everyone to calm down if the 'bottle is about to pop'

The best advice I've received is to trust your own instincts and stop being so concerned about taking advice from others because only you know your situation and every child is different.

(Within reason) never wake a sleeping baby!

Told by my aunty to listen to my motherly instincts and love deeply as that’s all a child really needs when you minus the material stuff.

Do not listen to or take any notice of others' criticism, they do not have all the facts

Pick your battles is definitely a life saver here.

And not getting into 'control' battles.

If you think that something isn't quite right, trust your instincts.

'If you've all survived the day and everyone is alive - you've done a good job'
Parenting is hard work, especially more than one. So as long as you've kept everyone alive, anything else is a bonus!

I used to always worry that I wasn't doing a good enough job as a single mother and I was told that if I was worrying, it meant I was actually doing a great job, that mothers that don't worry probably aren't doing such a great job.

My third child was going crazy in a Greek shoe shop...he was on a rampage! Sensing my horror at being unable to control this 9mth old beast this lady turned to me and said "Don't worry dear you can tame a spirit but you can't put a spirit in". I've always remembered thatcomment. I remind myself everyday how important it is to love my child personally and as the individual they are rather than what society expect them to be... and for the record each of mine are great kids.... x

enjoy it!

Mine was actually a quote from an educator in some training I went to, but I try to apply it to parenting, and am always repeating it to myself and to my husband!

“Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them”.

Roughly translated: model the behaviour you want them to display. If you want them to be kind, show kindness. If you want them to work hard, work hard. If you want them off their phones, stay off yours!

If you are trying your best, that is good enough, nobody is a perfect parent, and everybody makes mistakes, but forgive yourself, learn from them and tomorrow is another day.

Best advice I ever received was from a work colleague:

Don't lose yourself and just be Boule the mother. Still be Boule. They will love and respect you for being who you are.

And - don't wish your life away - looking forward to when they're 6 months, sleep through, get through terrible twos, start school is just wasting the time you have. They grow up so quickly.

Don't be smug when other parents admit how tough it is. It will be your turn - know that.

And my other advice?

• make it fun

And as they turn into teens-

• still make it fun
• remember what you were like at their age
• your job is to make them independent which means letting them make (sometimes bad) choices
• listen, they won't always communicate when you want them to, so take the chance when you're driving to the barber, shops, sitting side by side, that's when your boy will tell you stuff and you'll find out what's going on in his head.
• don't always be right
• say sorry when you get it wrong. That means you're a great role model. Because we all make mistakes, your kids will inevitably, how will they learn if they don't? And we can get backed into corners if we don't learn how to resolve conflict.

"You will probably retire in your 60's and they will probably work from 18. Don't be too busy working to enjoy them, because they will soon be too busy working."
They are only children once!
(About children and working)

Never worry about the housework before the kids. As long as its clean and safe fun and family comes first

The best advice I received is this:
Do what comes naturally. Not what others do, or have done, or worked for them.

Make the most of every moment, nothing lasts forever!

You don't have to be supermum. You don't need to be scrubbing the skirting boards like your MIL demands you should. Just take the time to enjoy the children as they are little as they will grow to quick! Make memories that make them giggle and think off when they are older!

Baby vests have that envelope neck so that you can remove them over the bottom when they are covered in poo.

No two child are the same and never be to hard on yourself as a parent. Enjoy every precious moment with them whilst they are younger because as soon as they hit there teenage years, you will wonder where your little boy/girl went. And my parents were right when they used to say school years are the best years of our lives as I never believed them at the time, and now I find myself saying it to my own children haha.