Instead of focusing on all of the outdated or bad advice we have gotten as parents, what about the BEST ADVICE you have gotten? Is there something that stands out in your mind that you refer to as you raise your children. Maybe it’s a bible verse or a quote that you read somewhere that just feels right to you in the way you parent and raise your children.
My best advice was given to me by my dad. He told me something that I think of and come back to at least once every week.
1. Pick Your Battles
I suppose you could apply this to anything. But it is extremely useful in the case of parenting. There is always a battle somewhere around the bend with children.
Let them stay out the extra 1/2 hour or make them stick to the curfew.
No, they must eat the vegetables (even the gross ones) before dessert.
Chores time before play time
I could go on forever but you get the idea. Where ever there are children there will be a battle of some sort. The thing is deciding what’s worth your time and energy fighting over. And yes you will fight. Children are born negotiators, lawyers and salespeople. So some sort of arguement is inevtiable. The thing is that its up to you as the parent to decide what you will argue about.
It’s very difficult to battle over the smallest details or problems. Because often times the thing is that we are making problems where there really isn’t any.
For example: I know that Bebe has a style all her own. It’s one that only she understands because clearly matching is not as important to her as it is to me. I’m hopeful that she will soon discover the joys of matching her wardrobe so that she doesn’t look like a circus clown but as she likes to tell me, “Matching just isn’t important Mom.” So I have decided that this is not an arguement worth waging every morning before school. I will draw the line on an article of clothing that no longer fits properly and clearly has no business being in her dresser to begin with.
I know this is looks so much easier on screen than in practice but I have to use it everyday or I will drive myself nuts. I am sure that there are many more parents who feel this way too. Don’t you get tired of hashing out every detail of parenting with a willful child? I think my dad’s advice was the best thing he could have ever told me. I use it with the hubby too. I have to, or again, I would be ready to jump off of our roof, and knowing my hubby he would want me to check for missing shingles from the last storm before I could actually jump.
I am interested in hearing what some of your best parenting advice is and where you got it from!
It’s true. You have to pick and choose your battles as a parent. There’s no sense causing a fuss over something that’s really unimportant in the long run.
BTW, I tagged you for the 8 random things meme on my blog.
your dad is right on target, especially with teenagers and toddlers. best advise i ever got from my parents. try your damnest not to lie to your kids or break promises to them, with this advise also came this theory: don’t ever do anything so bad in life that you have to hang your head in shame, walk tall, proud, and confident even if you don’t feel it. Once again great article nikki.
sherry