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

[biffyboom]

Trust your natural instinct, and do what you think is best.

[CopperPan]

To just Google it - the majority of issues will have been experienced by lots of other parents, and it's reassuring to know how common some issues are. Obviously you have to use your own judgement to sift through the various opinions online, but there are also some great tips out there that I would never have thought of and wouldn't have got from friends or family.

[Purplepillow94]

“It’s only as hard as you make it” best advice I’ve ever had

[Butterfly1975]

Strangely the best parenting advice I had was from a doctor who told me to let go of my idea of 'perfection'. He said this puts immense pressure on both you and your child. I really thought this over and he was absolutely right! Life has been so much easier without holding on to those ridiculous ideals and expectations you can have as a new parent

[MissSueFlay]

"You don't see bald, toothless, four year-olds crawling into school"
Stopped me stressing about DD's hair coming in, teething, walking etc.! (she was completely average in everything )

[NewMama12]

To trust your instinct and that everything is just a phase.

[Mrsjellybum]

If you want advice go to the right internet sites for advice. Such as nhs etc. Don't go by what your friends neighbours cat said was the 'best thing ever'
Also to always go with your gut instinct. It's usually rarely off when it comes to ur kids.

[healthyheart]

When your DC fall out with one another, don’t automatically get involved..... allow them to sort it out. Otherwise you’ll always be splitting them up and resolving issues. Was good advice as mine are the best of mates with each now.

[doleritedinosaur]

“Every child is different” has been the best bit of advice I’ve received. Doesn’t matter if so & so’s slept through from 6 weeks & did everything exactly the same.
Even my two DC are different sleepers, interested in food at different ages.

Has helped me to never compare & listen to the needs of my two DS’s.

[misskatamari]

I definitely think trusting your instincts is a big one. And if they ask for a cuddle, stop and give it even if you're "busy" :)

[Justturned50]

That a child's life is a series of phases. Some last longer than others but all will eventually pass.

[redjoker]

That even if you are having a bad moment. Endless screaming. Bad night. Sickness. Time passes. ' time waits for no man' I guess. And that like it or not 'this too shall pass'

[Cheekyandfreaky]

‘Just feed your child’. With dd1 I was stressing about her losing weight and although we had established a latch, breastfeeding was breaking me. I felt so bad about switching to formula, especially after well meaning mid wives kept on encouraging bf’ing. A paediatrician said this. It’s so basic.

A forever parent for me is as soon as you become a parent everything you will do will be as a parent. I not only realised my own personal responsibilities as a parent but I started to see the whole world differently. I started seeing my family relationships with my parents differently as well as as a teacher I started to realise each student represented a family’s story wrapped up in a child shaped package. Your view changes, the ‘parent gaze’ is definitely a thing.

[honeyandginger48]

“Don’t wish it away” was my dad’s advice. I was always looking forward to the next stage eg babies sleeping through, out of nappies, sleeping in their own bed rather than mine, starting school etc that I sometimes forgot to enjoy the here and now.

[WonderLime]

"How many 16 year old do you know that still share the parental bed"

Honestly, so many people keep telling me I need to stop cosleeping as I'm 'making a rod for my own back', one but it really does make our lives so much easier and happier. Hearing that comment made me stop worrying and just enjoy it whilst I still can.

[WonderLime]

Being a 'Forever Parent' is enjoying the here and now, and always being available with love (and cuddles) no matter when your child might need it.

[danigrace]

That everyone does things a bit differently, and that's okay

[TickyTakky]

Parent the child you have.

That are all different, really, really different. What works with one doesn't work with another.

[vickyors]

Best parenting advice: do what works for your WHOLE family. It was from my GP, when, with my second child, I was struggling with post natal anxiety, and I wanted to mixed feed, but my HV was adamant that it would interrupt my milk and confuse the baby. Long story (and much guilt later) we mixed fed. And I had loads of milk, and my husband did a couple of bottles a day to give me a break. And that GP saved my sanity. I continued to breastfeed for the best part of a year. And it worked for us. As a family... and someone saying that really helped.

[KatnissMellark]

You're not doing it wrong, it's just hard!

[laura6032]

Let sleeping babies lie.

After advice from midwives to breastfeed newborn every two hours, our first night at home our ds was sound asleep and it has been two hours since last feed, we deliberated about an hour whether I should wake him and feed him. My sister said never wake a sleeping baby, are you daft, get the rest.

[TimbuktuTimbuktu]

If you find your baby boring or annoying sometimes that's ok. You don't have to be the perfect earth mother all the time.

[Landed]

Make the most of every day, they grow up fast.

[kingseven]

Not strictly parental but best advice I ever received was first year in comprehensive School. Art teacher; I was shit at Art. Crossing two hair grips together doubles their strength. I have never forgotten this.

[tabbaz123]

Forever A Parent !!! - I could actually write a book on this! maybe I should ha ha - I am a foster parent and have 2 homegrown children so parenting and helping others with parenting skills is what I do....I have to say listening to advise can be difficult as although many people have some wonderful gems of advise and experience it can be tricky to sift through them all and a lot of people will contradict one another. I have always advised the 'mums and babies' in my care to speak to professionals if it is a really important issue (Health concerns etc) - there is no manual for parenting as everyone has their own way but safety first and love always. I think the best advise I ever received was - If in doubt ASK - no harm in asking, you cannot be expected to know everything - Love and Laughter