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

Not to fill every moment of your child’s day. It’s very important that kids learn how to amuse themselves or just be without constantly having to do stuff.

And

To not tell your kids that they’re great at everything or they’ll have a shock as they grow up and others are better at some things than they are.

be the best you can be and that is the very best mum ever!

Forever a parent means always putting your child(ren)’s needs before your own and putting them at the forefront of family decisions! It also means getting hardened feet after tripping over a billion toys!

" be kind to one another" talking about me and DH. No matter how tired you are, ways try for small acts of kindness for your family.
Another favourite from my nanna is "babies are tougher than their mums" i.e don't be so afraid...she is right!

Be there to guide and advise as they develop, but ultimately you have to let go of your child and allow him to plough his/her own furrow in life.

Enjoy EVERY moment

Just before my little girl was born someone told me that 'when it gets tough remember she's learning how to be a human too'. It really stuck with me and if she's upset about her jabs, having a cold, being fussy etc I remind myself that she's only tiny, this world is big and scary to her and she's only been a human for a few weeks. Doesn't always work but it's a good one to keep in mind.

Sometimes what is best for your child isn't what society tells you is best. It is really easy to get sucked in and worry about what everyone else is doing rather than just doing what is best for your family.

I had 2 pieces of advice that have stuck with me.
The main one was 'when your children want to play and you have a duster in your hand, put down the duster and play with them. The dust will be there tomorrow, that might be the last time your child wants to play with you because they grow up too fast'

The 2nd piece of advice. 'Get a book, when they say something particularly funny, or say a word completely wrong, write it down. It is easy to forget little quirks from when they were little. This is a way of remembering their childhood that can't be photographed'
My 10 year old loves looking through her little book. It contains little phrases she said, words she couldn't say and how she said them and cute little excuses for things she had done wrong. Drawing a face on my brand new leather settee wasn't her, it was her teddy bear. Teddy had 3 mins in time out

All babies are individuals and they haven't read the books!

I think my best piece of parenting advice came from the author and broadcaster, Libby Purves, who basically said that it is OK not to be perfect - ie. it doesn't matter if the baby is wearing a disposable nappy, and one of its older brother's jumpers with the sleeves rolled up, as long as the baby is clean, warm, safe and fed - and that even a Madonna needs a few minutes break, with her feet up, a drink and a good book.

Your child is not the child in parenting books....you know your child better than any book, go with your I stint not what you are ' told ' to do

my dad is my best friend. we talk about EVERYTHING. my family (6 kids) all go for dinners/clubs/holidays together... that's how I want my relationship with my 4.. best friends more than anything else. I want them to be able to talk about anything with me!

That baby vests open like envelopes so you can pull them over their body to avoid poo on their face.

Get someone to take pictures of you with your kids. In all the pictures of the kids when they were young it's them or them and their Dad, or grandparents etc. All too often mums think to capture the moments, but no one thinks to capture their moments with the kids. I'm sad there aren't that many pictures of me with my girls when they were tiny.

Travel while you’re still young and carefree, and never forget you are loved.

When they're learning to ride a bike, steady them with a light rich on the shoulder. Never try to steady the bike; you'll only end up upsetting their balance.
That was courtesy of my wise friend Deb.
I'd pass it on!

On behaviour: ignore the bad and praise the good. Fantastic advice that really makes a difference.

Those who mind, don't matter. Those who matter, don't mind.

When I was pregnant with my first, my mum said to me, "parenting is basically about moving from one phase to the next. They never last and can be hard but they all end.". She was so right and that bit of advice has helped me no end over the last five years. She's right!

This too shall pass.

That love will always be in abundance even when other things aren't. My lovely grandmother after I was panicking as I hadn't bought everything new with my first born. She is right, love and time make up for anything I can buy.

Best advice I had was mum knows best and to trust my instincts.
I just hope i can bring my son up to know I am always there for him and he can tell me anything.

Don't worry: everything's a phase.

Think before you speak and don't criticise. And, never say anything in the heat of the moment.